Restaurante Hatoviejo Centro

For lunch, we decided to try out Mondongo – a beef tribe soup that was highly recommended by Gerardo. After searching the ratings of restaurants nearby, we decided to visit Hatoviejo Medellin. When we arrived at the location indicated on Google Map, we were able to see the signs “Hatoviejo” on second level but there was no entry to the restaurant. Turns out, you have to enter a mall at the corner of the building and head up the stairs to the second level. There is another “Hatoviejo” sign midway up the stairs to indicate that you’re on the right way to the restaurant. Inside, we were greeted by the staff who led us to the area that we could be seated. There, we chose our own seats with views of the streets below. Our server then brought over the English menu, indicating that non-spanish speaking tourists like us, have frequented Hatoviejo restaurant before. This was “double confirmed” by the international perspective of our server when we were surprised by (1) his good command of English and (2) that he knew about Changi airport being one of the best airports in the world. The Mondongo (Beef Tribe Soup) had alot of ingredients inside – beef tribe, potato and a little bit of pork. It also came with a plate of rice, with a plantain, arepa (colombian corn cake) as well as a large slice of avocado. We’re actually starting to grow on the sweet savoury combination because the plantains are usually so sweet, they add a nice twist to the savoury taste of the meats. We totally enjoyed the Mondongo soup – remember to ask for the lime to add that refreshing zesty twist. It was so good that Tom wiped the entire pot clean! The beef tribe had no gamey taste and the texture resembled, somewhat, the pig’s stomach that we’d get in Singapore... For the full review and details of our 5 months Round The World (RTW) travels, visit 2bearbear today!

Great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of Centro. Absolutely amazing service! Passionfruit juice was very tasty and the bandeja paisa was good too. I did not know how to eat it and the waiter very nicely explained it to me.

A lovely place in the centro historico. Amazing service, very attentive with a relaxing atmosphere in a traditional setting. The server Andres helped put my bag on a free chair. We also received a free appetizer of pork belly and plantaino. We got the bandeja paisa to share (as we were both so full from lunch) and found the dish to be of higher quality than the other bandeja paisa dish we tried elsewhere. The meat tasted fresh and delicious. Large portion! I would highly recommend this traditional dish. It is more expensive than other places but we felt it was worth it for the quality of the food, service and atmosphere! Thanks for having us!

This restaurant was once the best for local food, but sadly the quality has gone down drastically. To begin with, they used to offer complementary treats like mini patacones and chicharrón with guacamole, which were delicious. The last time I visited, I had to ask for it and they reluctantly brought me one mini patacon with a tiny, cold, and chewy chicharrón. The main portions have also gotten smaller and less flavourful compared to what I once remembered. The frijoles were so water down hardly 9 beans in the whole bowl, what a joke. The only thing that's gone way up is the prices!! It's now the most expensive local food restaurant in the city. Definitely not worth it; next time I'll go to Hacienda restaurant or Mamacita Medellín - half the price, far better quality, and better service.

The place itself, as well as the servers, are giving upscale dining experience. We had appetizers, drinks and dinner here early one evening. Everything we had was delicious. Coming from NYC we found that everywhere we dined at in Medellin has been very affordable, so don’t be afraid to try lots of different foods from different restaurants if ever in Colombia.

If you want authentic, great quality true Colombian food, this is the place to visit. Homey atmosphere, good menu choice,delicious food, and friendly waiters. We loved it!

I had bandeja paisa there and it was delicious. I enjoyed the experience.

Very friendly family-like atmosphere. Bandeja paisa beautifully presented as well as delicious. More expensive that other places - but so far you get tasty experience, it's worth paying for.