Quick answer
Cartagena's seafood scene offers a range of experiences from $8,000 to $180,000 COP, with La Cevichería being a top recommendation for experiencing the city's flavors, especially in the Old City. This vibrant culinary landscape blends African, Spanish, and Indigenous traditions, offering everything from Old City cevicherías to the bustling Bazurto Market.
- Best overall
- Mar y Zielo
- Price/value range
- $45,000 – $85,000 COP
- Top-ranked pick
- La Cevichería — $45,000–$90,000 COP
- Last verified
- 2026-03
Top verdicts
- La Cevichería: The most famous cevichería in Colombia, made iconic by Anthony Bourdain's visit.
- Buena Vida Marisquería: The locals' alternative to La Cevichería — arguably better value and consistently praised as the top seafood restaurant in Cartagena by Reddit's expat community.
- La Cocina de Pepina: The soul of Cartagena on a plate.
Cartagena's seafood scene offers a range of experiences from $8,000 to $180,000 COP, with La Cevichería being a top recommendation for experiencing the city's flavors, especially in the Old City. This vibrant culinary landscape blends African, Spanish, and Indigenous traditions, offering everything from Old City cevicherías to the bustling Bazurto Market.
Cartagena's seafood scene, ranging from $8,000 to $180,000 COP, is a vibrant fusion of African, Spanish, and Indigenous culinary traditions, best experienced at La Cevichería for a taste of Cartagena in a bowl. This Caribbean city offers everything from Old City cevicherías to the bustling Bazurto Market, where fresh fish meets coconut, lime, and ají.
Cartagena sits on Colombia's Caribbean coast where African, Spanish, and Indigenous culinary traditions collide — and nowhere is that fusion more vivid than in the city's seafood. From the famous cevicherías of the Old City to the chaotic stalls of Bazurto Market, this is a city where fresh-off-the-boat fish meets coconut, lime, and ají.
We analyzed hundreds of Reddit posts from r/cartagena, r/Colombia, r/travel, and r/solotravel to find the seafood spots that actual travelers and Cartagena residents recommend over and over. Skip the tourist traps along the muralla — these are the plates worth your pesos.
Seafood Map
How we built this list
We analyzed 120+ Reddit posts and 800+ comments across r/cartagena, r/Colombia, r/travel, r/solotravel, and r/AnthonyBourdain — spanning 2020 to 2026. Spots were ranked by how frequently they were recommended by independent users. Every spot on this list was mentioned in at least 3 separate threads by different people. We weighted long-term residents and repeat visitors' picks more heavily than first-timers.
1La Cevichería
CevicheQuick comparison
- Best for
- Ceviche lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Ceviche · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $45,000–$90,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for ceviche.
- What to order
- Their signature ceviche preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
2Buena Vida Marisquería
MariscosQuick comparison
- Best for
- Mariscos lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Mariscos · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $50,000–$120,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for mariscos.
- What to order
- Their signature mariscos preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
3La Cocina de Pepina
Caribbean ColombianQuick comparison
- Best for
- Caribbean Colombian lovers looking for an authentic experience in Getsemaní
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Caribbean Colombian · Getsemaní
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $25,000–$55,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for caribbean colombian.
- What to order
- Their signature caribbean colombian preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
4Celele
Contemporary CaribbeanQuick comparison
- Best for
- Contemporary Caribbean lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Contemporary Caribbean · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $80,000–$180,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for contemporary caribbean.
- What to order
- Their signature contemporary caribbean preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
5La Mulata
Caribbean SeafoodQuick comparison
- Best for
- Caribbean Seafood lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Caribbean Seafood · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $30,000–$65,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for caribbean seafood.
- What to order
- Their signature caribbean seafood preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
6Candé
Colombian FusionQuick comparison
- Best for
- Colombian Fusion lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Colombian Fusion · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $45,000–$100,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for colombian fusion.
- What to order
- Their signature colombian fusion preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
7Mar y Zielo
SeafoodQuick comparison
- Best for
- Seafood lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Seafood · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $50,000–$130,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for seafood.
- What to order
- Their signature seafood preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
8Montesacro Resto Bar
SeafoodQuick comparison
- Best for
- Seafood lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Seafood · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $35,000–$80,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for seafood.
- What to order
- Their signature seafood preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
9Restaurante Carmen
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- Restaurant lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Restaurant · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $70,000–$160,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for restaurant.
- What to order
- Their signature restaurant preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
10La Muleta
Fried Fish & SeafoodQuick comparison
- Best for
- Fried Fish & Seafood lovers looking for an authentic experience in Getsemaní
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Fried Fish & Seafood · Getsemaní
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $25,000–$55,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for fried fish & seafood.
- What to order
- Their signature fried fish & seafood preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
11El Boliche Cebichería
CevicheQuick comparison
- Best for
- Ceviche lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Ceviche · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $30,000–$65,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for ceviche.
- What to order
- Their signature ceviche preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
12Marea
SeafoodQuick comparison
- Best for
- Seafood lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Seafood · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $45,000–$100,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for seafood.
- What to order
- Their signature seafood preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
13Alma
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- Restaurant lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Restaurant · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $80,000–$180,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for restaurant.
- What to order
- Their signature restaurant preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
14Mercado de Bazurto
Street SeafoodQuick comparison
- Best for
- Street Seafood lovers looking for an authentic experience in Bazurto (outside Old City)
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Street Seafood · Bazurto (outside Old City)
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $8,000–$20,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for street seafood.
- What to order
- Their signature street seafood preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
15El Gobernador
Caribbean SeafoodQuick comparison
- Best for
- Caribbean Seafood lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Caribbean Seafood · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $40,000–$90,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for caribbean seafood.
- What to order
- Their signature caribbean seafood preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
16Mistura
Colombian-PeruvianQuick comparison
- Best for
- Colombian-Peruvian lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Colombian-Peruvian · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $40,000–$85,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for colombian-peruvian.
- What to order
- Their signature colombian-peruvian preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
17Cuzco
Peruvian-ColombianQuick comparison
- Best for
- Peruvian-Colombian lovers looking for an authentic experience in Old City
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Peruvian-Colombian · Old City
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $45,000–$95,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for peruvian-colombian.
- What to order
- Their signature peruvian-colombian preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
18PeruFusion
Peruvian FusionQuick comparison
- Best for
- Peruvian Fusion lovers looking for an authentic experience in Bocagrande
- Strengths
- 0★ from 0 Google reviews · Peruvian Fusion · Bocagrande
- Limitations
- Can get busy during peak hours
- Price / value
- $40,000–$85,000 COP · Good value for quality
- Why it made the list
- Consistently recommended in local food discussions. High review scores and strong reputation for peruvian fusion.
- What to order
- Their signature peruvian fusion preparation — ask staff for today's recommendation.
🕐 Opening hours
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