Fodor's Expert Review Andrés Carne de Res

You'll find the city's most iconic dinner experience about 40 minutes outside of Bogotá. This multisensory, multilevel restaurant is part Burning Man, part roadside barbecue joint---think vibrant colors, music, people, energy, and great food. The menu, which reads more like a book, focuses on beef and all things grilled, with plenty of local dishes from arepas to ceviches. Try La Trapa, a salted, muslin-wrapped tenderloin grilled directly on the fire.

The entire complex encompasses 2½ miles, with 11 seating areas that fit about 2,000 diners served by hundreds of staff. Every inch is decorated with found objects and memorabilia, like gloriously gaudy neon lighting and stylized bric-a-brac. Any empty floor space usually becomes a dance floor with the party extending well into the night. Arrive before 6 pm on Friday and Saturday to avoid the cover charge (10,000 pesos Friday; 15,000 pesos Saturday). If you can, spend the night in one of Chia's B&Bs; it's much more pleasant than ending the night with a long taxi ride (a taxi costs around $80).