X.O.
El Poblado, Medellín
Restaurant in Medellín, Colombia
Book with PearlThe Read
Dual-Chef Colombian Modernism
Chef
Mateo Ríos & Sebastián Marín
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
X.O. is worth booking for a focused dinner in El Poblado, especially if external recognition matters: Mateo Ríos and Sebastián Marín's restaurant holds The Best Chef One Knife recognition from 2025. It is a stronger fit for food-focused diners than for brunch, lunch, or large groups that need published format and budget details in advance.
About X.O.
Book X.O. if the goal is a planned Medellín evening rather than an all-day option. The verified picture is concise: X.O. is led by Mateo Ríos and Sebastián Marín, has evening hours from Wednesday to Saturday, follows a smart-casual dress code, carries The Best Chef One Knife recognition from 2025. Choose it for a focused dinner plan; skip it if the group needs lunch, brunch, or extensive published detail on menu format, budget, seating, or service style before committing.
The useful context is that X.O. has named chef leadership and external recognition. That award does not tell the whole story, but it is a meaningful trust signal when comparing venues from the outside.
Choose it for a compact, dinner-only decision
X.O. should be treated as an evening plan, not a spontaneous daytime stop. Its verified hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 7–11 PM, with Monday, Tuesday, Sunday closed. That makes it better for travelers building one anchored meal into a Medellín itinerary than for anyone trying to fit a quick midday meal into the day. For a broader scan before deciding, use the full Medellín restaurants guide, then come back to this if the priority is a more research-driven dinner.
Because the verified details do not include cuisine, price range, seating, menu format, or booking method, the safest expectation is to plan conservatively. Do not assume lunch, walk-in ease, a particular service style, or a specific budget. Smart casual is the confirmed dress code, so it suits diners who want a deliberate evening plan rather than an improvised meal.
Who should book, who should cross-shop
Book X.O. for diners who want a chef-led Medellín dinner with a confirmed recognition signal. It can also make sense for a special occasion if the occasion is about a focused evening meal, but the limited verified detail means guests should confirm practical needs directly before relying on it for a complex group plan.
If you want to compare the decision with other options, look at Test Kitchen Lab, 37 Park, Mekong, Yacky Chan, or Medellín Es Sabor-Champi depending on the kind of night you want. For travelers staying beyond dinner plans, the wider Medellín trip can be rounded out through the hotels, bars, experiences guides.
Planning details
- Location
- Cra. 36 #10a-45, El Poblado, Medellín, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- xomedellin.co
- Phone
- +57 317 2386985
The take
The Take
The Vibe
X.O. presents a contemporary, technique-led approach that sits firmly within El Poblado’s upmarket dining tier. The kitchen, co-led by Mateo Ríos and Sebastián Marín, produces ingredient-focused cooking that balances international fine-dining grammar with Colombian touchpoints. The restaurant reads as a peer to well-known neighbourhood names rather than an outlier, and its location on Carrera 36 attracts a predominantly local evening crowd who return for consistently ambitious food. The co-chef format introduces a sense of dialogue in the kitchen — menus reflect negotiation between sensibilities — which gives the dining room an engaged, thoughtful energy rather than a single stylistic statement.
Best For
X.O. is best experienced in the evening, when its fine-dining intent and ingredient-focused cuisine align with dinner service. The restaurant suits date nights and special occasions: the neighborhood context and references to international technique suggest a level of refinement that rewards celebratory or more formal evenings out. Regular local patronage implies reliability and repeat appeal, so it’s a good pick for diners seeking a modern, creative take on Colombian-influenced cuisine among the more ambitious tables in El Poblado.
Venue details
Ambiance
Stylish and sophisticated with modern design, warm tones, chic furnishings, and an energetic yet refined atmosphere; bar seating offers a view of the meticulous open kitchen.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Formal
- Meal Pacing
- Extended Experience
- Capacity
- Intimate
Planning details
Location
Cra. 36 #10a-45, El Poblado, Medellín, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia · Directions
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Where to look if this is not the right fit
If X.O. is not the right match, start with Test Kitchen Lab for a clearer Colombian research angle, or 37 Park for an easier social dinner. For a wider local scan, use Pearl's Medellín restaurants guide.
Restaurant context
How it compares in Medellín
X.O. is the more recognition-led dinner choice in this set, while Test Kitchen Lab is the clearer pick for diners who specifically want Colombian-focused fermentation research and a chef's-counter format. If the decision is about depth and a more deliberate meal, compare those two first; if the decision is about flexibility or a lighter social night, X.O. is not the obvious default.
37 Park, Mekong, Yacky Chan are better cross-shops for groups that care more about ambiance, ease, or a broader night-out feel than chef-led positioning. Medellín Es Sabor-Champi belongs in the comparison for diners who want a more local-feeling alternative rather than an El Poblado destination dinner.
On value, the missing published price range makes X.O. a harder pre-commit than peers with clearer formats, but the 2025 The Best Chef One Knife recognition gives it a stronger quality signal. Booking difficulty is listed as easy, so it is a practical choice when a serious dinner is wanted without building the whole trip around a difficult reservation.
Explore Medellín
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full X.O. guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare X.O.
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| X.O. | Medellín | ; | 2025 The Best Chef One Knife |
| Medellín Es Sabor-Champi | Medellín | No published awards | ; |
| Mekong | Medellín | No published awards | ; |
| Yacky Chan | Medellín | No published awards | ; |
| Test Kitchen Lab | Medellín | Colombian-focused, fermentation research / chef's counter | No published awards |
| 37 Park | Medellín | No published awards | ; |
How X.O. Medellín compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What are alternatives to compare with X.O.?
Start with Medellín Es Sabor-Champi or Mekong if you want a different option, use Yacky Chan, 37 Park, or Test Kitchen Lab if you want to cross-shop before choosing. X.O. is a focused dinner-only choice in Medellín, with Wednesday to Saturday service from 7–11 PM and The Best Chef One Knife (2025) as the clearest trust signal.
Is lunch or dinner better at X.O.?
Dinner is the verified option here, since X.O. is open Wednesday through Saturday from 7–11 PM and closed Monday, Tuesday, Sunday. That makes it a dinner plan by schedule, not a place to fit around a midday itinerary.
Is X.O. good for a special occasion?
Yes, if the occasion is about a deliberate dinner in Medellín. The verified details include chef leadership from Mateo Ríos and Sebastián Marín, smart-casual dress code, limited evening hours, The Best Chef One Knife (2025) recognition.
