This was definitely a whole experience. In fact two of the courses (chocotherapy and rose petals) were more about smell and feel then food and we didn't mind because we were still full by the end (we did the chef's course which was 10 courses). Everything we ate was delicious but my favorites were probably the tree of life bread (gluten free) and spreads and truffle bunelo or corn soup. I would definitely recommend doing it once even though it's expensive. Also be sure to plan ahead and not have too many other plans since it's a 3 hour event.

Amazing, amazing experience! Had date night here with a girlfriend and we had such a great time. Initially we had a ressy for the gastrobar, basically a la carte. Our waiter, who was fantastic, sold us on the chefs menu, the 10 course one. There is a larger one but unnecessary for us. Where do I begin? I'll just talk about my favorites, otherwise this will be VERY long. Okay first off, the staff is amazing and so professional. They truly are putting on a show for you, every step of the way. We started with the truffle buñuelo and it stuck with me the whole time. I could've had 5 of those easily! The corn broth was wild - different textures, different flavors, yet all complement each other. I love corn! The tuna is so fun! Came out with those fishies and you can create your own thing. Place a tuna on the fish shaped bread, and then add the toppings. The bison was amazing!!! So tender and juicy. And then the funnest part of all - chocotherapy. They brought out a big bowl and poured chocolate on you and then added espresso that basically exfoliated your hands. And then you guessed it, you eat/lick it! This is fun to do and a little sexual. It was delicious! Ahhh such a wonderful experience. I can't wait to bring my man here!

Topline: the food at El Cielo is fantastic and inventive -- probably closer to 2 Michelin stars. The service and atmosphere, while lovely, is probably what pulls this down to just one. A friend and I did the gastrobar experience and loved the food. Some of it, like the ceviche and the shaved ice desert, was exceptional. And everything I ate was delicious and unique -- the "tree of life" bread had a texture like I've never seen and was plated so inventively. One course, the chocotherapy, is pretty much just lotion, but, it's still pretty fun to do! I'd be excited to come back for the longer tasting menu, both because the food was so good, and also because I actually left a bit hungry after just the gastrobar experience. Drinks: I got cocktails, and thought they were good -- about the quality that you'd find anywhere else. At $25 a pop, I didn't feel like they were worth it. At other equivalent places in the area, the drinks were the best flavors of the night. Here, they were just cocktails. Service: our server was very kind and attentive. But, we were extremely rushed through our meal. At one point, we were still eating the previous course when a new course came out. My friend was never able to finish her drink pairing for a course before they brought out the next one. I think they probably brought a new course every 15 or so minutes. Atmosphere -- as another review said, it feels like a regular nice restaurant. If i'm being nitpicky -- which clearly I am -- the bathroom had some peeling paint, a bit of rust, etc. It was still clean, it's just something that you'd think a restaurant of this caliber (and which no doubt has higher aspirations) would probably fix.

This was truly an experience! We had a table of three with one person in our party that was allergic to shellfish so we let them know ahead of time. They were very accommodating! Every bite of food was amazing. The flavors and textures were on point! They explained EVERY item they brought out. I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world and this is definitely in my top three. I told my husband, "Gordon Ramsay better watch out". lol! This place is definitely worth every penny. It is worth adding the wine pairing. The birthday gift was a cute touch also. We will be back. I did not post pictures so that you can be surprised and enjoy your experience. Make your reservation now. Also, if you show up early, just wait. They will let you in when it's time for your reservation. Food - 5 Service - 5 Ambiance - 4

Solo diner review- What a delightfully whimsical night at El Cielo! For some context, I had a reservation for 5pm on a Wednesday night. When I arrived I was the only diner for the first hour I was there (what an unexpected way to have a private dining experience!). I did book an early reservation for a weeknight because I chose to do The Experience menu and knew it would take 2-2.5 hours. The service was impeccable throughout the meal -- not just when I was there alone -- and they definitely kept the courses coming out at a steady pace. The staff was friendly and attentive without hovering and gave good advice about eating strategies, but less about the inspiration for some of the dishes. Some menu highlights were the Truffle Bunuelo (a single gooey bite of garlicky goodness), the Corn Broth (exciting mix of textures and temperatures), and the Coffee Field with dessert. Both the meatier dishes (quail and bison) fell a little flat for me. The quail was beautifully seasoned, but was overpowered by the sauce and the bison dish lacked salt (for my taste). Others have commented that El Cielo's presentations (Chocotherapy, the Rose Petal, Coffee Field) have felt a bit gimmicky and I can see that. But if you're in the mood for experiential dining this is a fun place to go. Paired wines were right on. Admittedly I doubted their choice to go back from a rose to a white, but the pairing was amazing. There are two single stalled bathrooms in the back of the restaurant. Other diners ordered cocktails that appeared creative. Tables are large and well spaced out -- dining room was quiet without feeling awkward. I felt perfectly comfortable as a solo diner, but this really is a solo experience. Please keep in mind that this is four stars for a Michelin starred restaurant; I'm giving no handicap on that rating.

El cielo delivers a Michelin worthy meal. We went as a group of 8 to celebrate. Each item built on interesting flavors and textures. The service was top notch. My only complaint is that the table I was seated at was dirty and should've had the white table cloth changed. Aside from that our waitress was amazing and our group had an enjoyable meal. Some of my favorite courses posted below. The chocolate therapy and rose moisturizer were a fun touch to exfoliate and hydrate the skin.

Words cannot express this EXPERIENCE. First, our server Valeria made this experience 10X better. She was knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Secondly, the organization of the courses was perfect. Every course came with a story, and every course (except the corn broth) was delicious. This was the first place I could drink BLACK coffee. Everything was amazing! The sensory experiences were unique as well. It's something you will just have to go and experience. The place was quaint, but adorably decorated with Colombian style and modern touches. I would do this AGAIN!

4 stars for a pretty solid Columbian restaurant experience. We were looking to grab a nice dinner one evening and (after getting through the website's annoying popup on every page) saw that El Cielo had some availability for the Chef Choice option. I booked us for 9pm (which the restaurant called soon after and moved us back to 8pm), and we soon after headed over to the Union Market location. We arrived at the venue to find a very nice dining area with tall ceilings, a bar in the back, and generally solid decorating. Per my friend who previously dined at the venue, the ala carte and Chef Choice option are in the front of the restaurant, while the The Experience 20 course option and bathrooms are in the back area of the restaurant. We took our seats and our waiter came over to take our order. He was generally fairly pleasant and provided us with solid service throughout the night. He handled and/or explained most of the dishes either by himself or with the assistance of the chef or an assistant. In terms of the dining, we started off with cocktails (which were good) and a spring blossom sorbet, which was a nice start. We then moved on fairly quickly to the truffle bunuelo and tuna, peanut, and yuzu dishes, which were each quite solid. Next, we underwent the "chocotherapy" part of the dining, which essentially involves washing your hands in some chocolate. A little weird, but I guess it was a nice activity to try out. Soon after finishing our chocotherapy, we received our tree of life, corn broth, and shrimp aji. In terms of the tree of life, which included several dips and an awesome bread style tree, it made for a great snack for all of us to share and admire. in terms of the corn broth and shrimp aji, the former wasn't really that great while the latter was quite tasty and memorable. The main issue that we ran into for this meal (and thus the reason for the paragraph separation in this review) was timing. It took quite a while for our next dish (the bison) to come out. The bison was served by the chef and was quite good, so we were ok with the wait at that point. We then again waited a pretty long amount of time for the dessert dish (the cholao). However, the dessert was quite good and probably one of my favorite dishes of the meal, so we again were ok with the wait. We then waited about 20-30 more minutes for the final "dish" in the tasting, which were rose petals that essentially were moisturizer for our hands. The check took another 10-15 minutes, making the last 4 courses of the tasting take more than half our 3 and 1/2 hour time at the venue. My guess is that the timing was thrown off due to coordination with The Experience, but other reviews show that this is a problem that the venue really needs to consider fixing. Overall, El Cielo provided us with a pretty solid meal. The venue, service, and food overcame the timing issue for the most part.

Nestled in La Cosecha in NOMA is Elcielo. The 22 course tasting menu is a beautiful tribute to Colombian Cuisine. Every movement and bite was carefully crafted to tap into all of our senses from scent, taste to touch (wait for the chocolate course ) The food and ambiance transported us to the beautiful beaches of Cartagena and the mysterious corners of the Amazon jungle. The dishes ranged from intricate qe to whimsical like the Chocola-therapy where we washed our hands with chocolate and sea salt or The Tree of Life, a Yucca bread served fresh from the oven on a wire bonsai tree representing the lung of the world, the Amazon rainforest. It's no surprise why they've earned that Michelin star but you'll have to go visit to check out the rest of the surprises they've got in store. *| Our Menu |* Aguardiente & Passion Fruit Toddy Spring Blossom Sorbet Truffle Buñuelo Tapioca & Foie Tuna, Peanut & Yuzu Guajira's Dry Shrimp Rice Carimañola Chocotherapy Tree Of Life Corn Broth Shima Aji, Lulo & Quinoa Lobster, Corn & Lemongrass Quail, Wild Onion & Rice Bison "Al Trapo" Mango Cone Cholao Tamarind Profiterole Guava & Amaretto Tart Coffee Field Rose Petals