While there may be finer dining options within the walled city, 1950s Cuban-style La Vitrola gets top marks for atmosphere – and even attracts top politicians, journalists and well-to-dos in search of Cartagena‘s best night out. No matter what day of the week it is, chances are you’ll find a six-man Cuban band getting the party started somewhere near the door. The menu is huge, ranging from fish carpaccio and lobster to steak and pastas.

This friendly restaurant on a quiet corner in the walled city is the result of a New Yorker's love affair with the Caribbean. You can begin with ceviche catalina (fish and octopus marinated in lime juice); then try a zarzuela de mariscos (seafood casserole) or perhaps corvina con salsa de cebollin y jenibre (sea bass with scallion-ginger sauce). Ceiling fans, historic photos, and live Cuban music complete the mood.

The Cuban restaurant La Vitrola is an institution in Cartagena. There's always the most vibrant crowd and a band playing son cubano music. My go-to order is the yellowfin tuna and panko-breaded prawns accompanied by a mojito.

Transport yourself to the Havana of yesteryear at La Vitrola (Cl. Baloco No. 2-01, tel. 5/664-8243, noon-3pm and 7pm-midnight daily, COP$35,000), an always elegant, always packed restaurant that specializes in Caribbean seafood, such as their popular tuna steak with avocado and mango, as well as pasta dishes. Immaculately dressed bartenders are a blur of constant motion as they perform their nightly mojito ritual: plucking mint leaves, crushing them with sugar in tall glasses, pouring in soda and rum, squeezing in some fresh lime juice, then giving the concoction a few vigorous shakes. La Vitrola is pricey, but the atmosphere, with live Cuban music in the evenings, makes it worthwhile.

My husband and I ventured outside the walled city to check out Restaurante La Casa de Socorro for lunch, a perfect spot to dine when walking to or from the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas — the greatest and strongest fortress ever built by Spaniards and an important part in the history of both Colombia and South America as a whole. Nestled in the Gethsemane area, which is a bit grittier than the old town district, the restaurant is definitely a local favorite: We were the only gringos in sight. We started with two large coconut lemonades — a frothy concoction that could make you swear rum was in there somewhere.

It's tough getting a table at this old-school, Cuban-style restaurant when Colombia's heavy-hitting chequebooks are in town. Cartagena's most popular maitre'd Gregorio Herrera has been keeping a strict control on the guest list since the restaurant put the historic centre back on the culinary map in 1999. The city's fast-moving gourmet offering has left La Vitrola's menu feeling a little jaded but the 'jukebox's' intoxicating mix of live Cuban song, mean mojitos and popular tucker makes this a compulsory stop on the authentic Cartagena experience.Centro, Calle el Baloco 2-01, Cartagena (00 57 5 664 8243)

La Vitrola Cartagena, a name that resonates with elegance and tradition, is an exquisite restaurant nestled in the heart of Cartagena's historic center. At La Vitrola Cartagena, they invite you to savor a diverse and mouthwatering array of Latin American, Caribbean, seafood, and Cuban dishes, ensuring a delightful journey through the flavors of the region. Not only is La Vitrola Cartagena a gastronomic haven for meat lovers, but they also cater to their vegetarian guests, offering an array of delectable options.

This is the gathering spot for the crème de la crème of society, who come for both the air-conditioned bar and excellent dishes such as ropa vieja and camarones. This place is quite swanky by Cartagena standards, and there is a definite hierarchy to the tables: the closer you are to the bar and the band, the better. From there, it’s on to Café Havana around 1am, where everyone – regardless of class or age – mixes for fabulous mojitos and salsa dancing into the wee hours.

Undoubtedly a dining highlight of Cartagena, this emblematic seafood restaurant is found in a charming 400-year-old Spanish colonial home. The beautifully lit interiors, decorated with antiques, speak to a long and proud culinary tradition, making diners feel part of a living museum. With a classy and authentic spirit likened to 1950s Havana, amongst the stand-out dishes is grouper served with a delectable in-house tamarind fish and chili sauce.

La Vitrola is a legendary establishment in Cartagena, known just as much for its rich history as for its exceptional food. The ambiance of the place sets you back in time with its classic Cuban music, often played live by local bands, and the décor that reminds one of the Havana of yesteryears. This spot has long been a favorite among the elite and celebrities, leading to its fame and the reputation of being ‘the place’ to dine in Cartagena.

If you’re in Cartagena and don’t experience La Vitrola, you’re missing the point. It’s a Colombian mainstay frequented by tastemakers, dignitaries, politicians, and socialites that evokes 1950s-era Havana, with live Cuban music and impromptu dancing mid-meal. The menu is vast—ranging from seafood and steak to carpaccios and pasta—and while you can certainly find finer dishes elsewhere, the atmosphere is unlike anything else in Cartagena.

Calle 33 2 01 Calle Baloco Otros La Vitrola: A Lively and Ambiance-Rich Cuban Themed Restaurant. La Vitrola is a popular Cuban-themed restaurant in the heart of Cartagena that boasts an electric and lively vibe, often with live music and concerts during dinner service. It is known to be one of the best restaurants in Cartagena and a preferred dining option for Colombia’s elite, making it challenging to secure a dinner reservation.

The most sought-after dinner reservation in town is La Vitrola, where Santo Domingo likes to take visiting friends for mojitos and seafood carpaccio, surrounded by musicians strumming classic boleros. “It looks and feels as if you’re in Cuba in the 1940s, like you might run into Hemingway,” notes Mishaan, also a frequent diner. “But the ceviche is excellent everywhere you go,” offers Santo Domingo, who’s partial to La Cevicheria.

Speaking of which, romantic dinners can be had at the mainstay La Vitrola—plan ahead to make a reservation, and make sure to wear your dancing shoes—as well as María, where the design eye candy is as tasty as the dishes. Alma’s transportive open-air courtyard features live music some nights. Wander around up-and-coming Getsemaní for the most authentic flavor as well as cute B&Bs and the most iconic salsa club: Cafe Havana.

La Vitrola Bistro Bar, a name that has been around for more than 30 years since it used to be the after party of the Cartageneros. La Vitrola is a “tertuliadero” that has functioned as a bar-restaurant since the years in which the houses of bahareque, palms and boards were replaced by large mansions of calicanto, as this house is today, which has a Cuban-style decoration, but retains above all its colonial part.

La Vitrola – Long considered the best and romantic restaurant in the old walled city, La Vitrola is also part Cuban jazz club, part lounge. Old historic photos and ceiling fans give the impression of Old Havana, while the finely executed Franco-Caribbean dishes are mouthwatering, though come with a price. It’s just around the corner from Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s house and the Santa Clara Monastery.

It is widely said that Gregorio Herrera is the best maître d’ in Cartagena and he is securely at the helm of La Vitrola. Opened in 1994, La Vitrola has cultivated a gravitas beyond its ten years with an extensive menu (jerk chicken, rib eye, ravioli, ample seafood options and more) and skilled wait staff. There’s a live Cuban band most nights set up in front of La Vitrola’s inviting long bar.

With live music and whirring ceiling fans, La Vitrola channels something of a Havana vibe, right down to its famous tangy-sweet mojitos. The menu skews Caribbean-fusion, think catch-of-the-day sloshed with citrus, drizzled with honey, or fired up with chili and spices, and a wedge of moist coconut cake for dessert. As the night amps up and the cocktails flow, dancing is encouraged.

Famous for its exclusivity, La Vitrola is next on our list of great places to take your date in Cartagena. The favorite of many celebrities, including Charlie Sheen, Mick Jagger, and Shakira, and featured in the New York Times La Vitrola also makes for one of the best places for a romantic dinner in Cartagena. Serving up classic, traditional Caribbean dishes, the food is solid.

With more than two decades of history, La Vitrola has been a benchmark in the Cartagena gastronomic scene. Located in a restored colonial house, this restaurant combines local culinary tradition with a vibrant atmosphere. La Vitrola is known for its wide selection of Caribbean dishes, from fresh fish to typical dishes of the region, all served with a touch of elegance.

Leisurely lunches and dinners are Cartagena’s stock-in-trade, and two of the biggest hot spots are La Vitrola and the San Pedro Café/Mirador Restaurante. Both attract an international clientele like New York fashion icon Lauren Santo Domingo, Mick Jagger, and Javier Bardem, but you can’t go wrong with most of the smaller cafés lining the backstreets of Getsemaní.

Restaurante Bar La Vitrola is a popular establishment known for its vibrant atmosphere and delectable cuisine. Located in an easily accessible area, this brand is highly regarded among locals and tourists alike. The restaurant offers an extensive menu that caters to various tastes, with a range of dishes that showcase culinary creativity and quality ingredients.

Restaurante Bar La Vitrola offers a truly authentic Cartagena experience with its live local music and romantic ambiance. The traditional food is delicious, though it can be a bit pricey. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the lobster and shrimp bisque (it seemed more shrimp than lobster), my friend was absolutely obsessed with her dish—the ropa vieja.

La Vitrola - Con más de 25 años de servicio, La Vitrola ha estado sirviendo una variedad de platos de estilo cubano con reconocimiento local. Se puede disfrutar de la cocina internacional con un ambiente estilo cubano. Los puntos destacados del menú incluyen gambas fritas, atún de aleta amarilla, flan de coco y los mejores mojitos de Cartagena.

La Vitrola: Set in a beautifully restored 400-year-old colonial home with an old-school vibe – think white tablecloths and authentic Colombian decor. This restaurant has earned its reputation and is well worth the visit with an exceptional choice of wines and live Cuban music. A strict dress code of no shorts and one to book ahead.

In the heart of old town, La Vitrola is a Cuban restaurant that is more of a see-and-be-seen than a culinary experience, although the menu is extensive. It is one of the city's oldest restaurants, steeped in the history of colonial Cartagena and filled with the sounds of live orchestra music and the whir of ceiling fans....

La Vitrola - Boasting more than 25 years of service, La Vitrola has been serving a variety of Cuban style dishes with local acclaim. One can enjoy international cuisine with a Cuban style atmosphere. Menu highlights include gambas fritas, yellowfin tuna, flan de coco, and the best mojitos in Cartagena.

Keeping La Cevicheria on its feet is this fantastic and renowned contender, La Vitrola. It is another famous restaurant in Cartagena thanks to its festive atmosphere and local cuisine which specializes in both Caribbean and sea food. The menu is extensive but never strays from its traditional roots.

Todo el que pase por la ciudad y no recale en esta casa de comidas colonial no sabrá nunca donde Humphrey Bogart siempre soñó estar. Una cocina clásica rescata del prontuario antiguo y cálido toda la intimidad y exclusividad. La Vitrola no es una bebida, una comida, son todos los detalles.

Pretty much every dining list will include La Vitrola as a must visit for a fancy meal out. Can I say that while I love going to La Vitrola, I don't particularly love eating there. For me it's more about the ambiance than the food and I've been known to meet friends and just order drinks.

La Vitrola is one of Cartagena’s most elegant restaurants located in the city’s tourism area. Due to its popularity, it can be challenging to get a table there. The old-school, Cuban-style eatery has a strict guest list and an incredible menu that you’d be lucky to sample.

La Vitrola has long been Cartagena's best dinner spot - the formal restaurant serves a great surf n' turf menu, excellent mojitos, and a live Cuban band. Note: reservations are essential, all men are required to wear pants, and no young children (<15) are permitted.

A beloved institution for locals and a rite of passage for many visitors, La Vitrola exudes an air of Old Havana gloriously brought into the present with whirling ceiling fans, a tiled floor dotted with potted palms, and debonair waiters in starched white uniforms.

La Vitrola serves up an intoxicating mix of live Cuban music as well as a mean mojito, ropa vieja and camarones. It’s a Cartagena institution where Gabo regularly dined with his family, and world leaders and Mick Jagger rubbed shoulders with locals.

La Vitrola is one of Cartagena’s most historic and popular restaurants. The whole place evokes 1950s Havana with all the vibes and live Cuban music. It was once a place frequented by politicians, socialities and tastemakers from bygone eras.

The toughest reservation to get in Cartagena is at La Vitrola, where the bartenders mix a mean mojito to accompany live salsa music. The order: Any of the signature “Vitrola” salads, pastas or fish dishes.

Enjoy a vibrant New Year’s Eve at La Vitrola with live Cuban son music, a DJ to keep the night lively, and a festive dinner atmosphere. Gentlemen are kindly asked to wear long pants for dinner service.

For an unforgettable night of fine dining, I highly recommend Club de Pesca, with its view of the bay; La Vitrola, with its Cuban band and decor; and, of course, Vera.

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You can pretty much forget about getting a table for two at La Vitrola on NYE as it gets packed out by the president’s kids and their mates.

For a relaxed vibe, head to the charming La Vitrola, a classic jazz bar that will take you back to the vibe of the 1940s.