On my recent trip to Bogotá, Colombia (May 2011), my local business partners took me to Andres DC (Andres Carne de Res) an entertaining restaurant located in Zona Rosa, an upscale shopping area of Bogotá. While Bogotá isn’t world renowned for its restaurant scene, Andres may change that.

What a fun place with excellent food! If you’re a vegetarian, don’t even think about going. It’s all about various grilled meats, mainly beef, served on wooden platters and with drinks coming in shells (coconut?). The restaurant has seating on four levels, Infierno, Tierra, Purgatorio, and Cielo.

We managed to get a table in “Purgatorio,” not a bad place!  I checked out Heaven, (Cielo), and found that the crowd there was no better than us.

The kitchen staff tends to their busy grills, and the wait staff stays in Olympic shape running up and down stairs among the four floors between Heaven and Hell. Live music is played in “Infierno” and broadcast on TV’s throughout the restaurant. Hearing Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel” and Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack” being sung by Colombians was better than I could have imagined.

Musicians, entertainers and dancers (with patron involvement) rotate through the levels.  It’s quite entertaining just to wander through the floors (don’t get in the way of the waiters!) and explore all the unique dining themes, and little alcoves everywhere.

If you want a quiet romantic dinner, this is not the place.

Andres has an in-restaurant store (on Tierra level) where you can buy souvenirs to keep alive your memories of a great meal and a fun experience.  If Andres ever thinks about coming to the U.S., steakhouses and themed restaurants had better watch out! When in Bogota, be sure to take an evening and dine at Andre’s DC.