Absenta Restaurante Bar
Absenta Restaurante Bar is a restaurant-bar hybrid behind the Dann Carlton Hotel at Carrera 2 Oeste #1-08 with a strong cocktail program and full kitchen running until midnight. The space combines an indoor restaurant with a covered sidewalk terrace facing Carrera 2 Oeste. The kitchen runs international comfort food alongside Colombian-fusion plates: grilled meats, pasta, salads, ceviche-style preparations, and updated regional dishes. The cocktail program is more developed than typical El Peñón restaurant-bars with house signatures, craft caipirinhas, Viche-cocktail builds, and serious classic-cocktail execution. Pricing reflects the upscale positioning: cocktails 28,000-40,000 COP, beer 12,000-18,000 COP, mains 55,000-95,000 COP. The crowd is mixed Colombian-foreign with a heavier polished-professional contingent than the rest of the strip.
Where to stay near Absenta Restaurante Bar
Hotels and rentals within walking distance.
What to Expect
A polished restaurant-bar hybrid with covered sidewalk terrace, serious cocktail program, and international-meets-Colombian kitchen. The most polished anchor at the southern end of the El Peñón strip.
Polished, restaurant-bar hybrid, conversation-friendly. The southern anchor of the El Peñón strip.
Low-volume Latin lounge, jazz, occasional electronic background
Smart-casual. Long trousers, clean shirts, closed shoes. No flip-flops or beach clothing.
Dinner-into-drinks evenings, polished couples, dressed-up dates, foreign-visitor-friendly stops.
Cards preferred, cash accepted
Price Range
Cocktails 28,000-40,000 COP, beer 12,000-18,000 COP, mains 55,000-95,000 COP
Cocktails ~$6.50-9.50/€6-8.50, beer ~$2.80-4.20/€2.50-3.80, mains ~$13-22/€11.50-20
Hours
Tue-Sun 18:00 to 24:00
Insider Tip
Book a terrace table for the people-watching position on weekend nights. The ceviche preparations are the kitchen's strongest dishes. The Viche cocktails are worth ordering over standard caipirinhas. Cards process faster than cash.
Full Review
Absenta Restaurante Bar sits at Carrera 2 Oeste #1-08 behind the Dann Carlton Hotel at the southern end of the El Peñón strip. The space occupies a two-level building with the indoor restaurant on the ground floor and the covered sidewalk terrace extending along Carrera 2 Oeste. The interior runs warm: polished wood floors, framed Colombian-modern art, low ambient lighting, and a long bar along one wall with the kitchen visible through a pass.
The kitchen is the venue's strong anchor. International comfort food (grilled meats, pasta dishes, salads) runs alongside Colombian-fusion plates (Pacific-coast ceviche preparations, regional fish dishes, lulo-glazed pork). The ceviche preparations are the menu's strongest section, with serious execution on Pacific-coast and Caribbean-coast style ceviches at 38,000-55,000 COP. Pricing sits at the upper El Peñón tier but compares favorably to Granada.
The cocktail program is more developed than typical El Peñón restaurant-bars. House signatures incorporate Colombian ingredients (aguardiente, Viche, lulo, chontaduro, herbs) into both classic builds and craft creations. The Viche-cocktail program is particularly strong; the bartenders import quality Pacific-coast Viche and run multiple cocktail variations (Viche Mule, Viche Smash, Viche Sour). Classic cocktail execution on Old Fashioned, Negroni, and Daiquiri is reliable.
Compared to Penelope Martini next door, Absenta is more food-focused and runs broader cocktail programming versus Penelope's martini specialization. Compared to Amores Sospechosos a few minutes north, Absenta is more polished and less dance-floor-driven. Within El Peñón, Absenta fills the upscale dinner-and-cocktails niche that anchors the southern end of the strip near the Dann Carlton hotel.
The Neighborhood
Absenta Restaurante Bar sits at Carrera 2 Oeste #1-08 behind the Dann Carlton Hotel at the southern end of El Peñón. Penelope Martini is one minute north; Amores Sospechosos is three minutes north.
Getting There
Uber from Granada 10,000-15,000 COP and 10-15 minutes. From the central historic zone 8,000-12,000 COP and 5-10 minutes. From the airport 60,000-85,000 COP and 30-45 minutes.
Address
Carrera 2 Oeste #1-08, El Peñón, Cali, Colombia
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Browse Colombia eSIM plansOther Venues in El Peñón
Penelope Martini
Martini-focused cocktail bar with sidewalk seating on the El Peñón main strip. The bartenders specialize in classic and modern variations, running until 2 AM on weekends. Crowd skews 28-45 and dressier than the rest of the strip.
891 Bar
Cocktail bar with a long mixology list, dim lighting, and a quiet atmosphere compared to the louder bars on the strip. Stays open until 2 AM weekdays and 3 AM on weekends. Suited for conversation rather than dancing.
Amores Sospechosos
Disco bar with a live DJ most weekends and a cocktail program featuring Viche, the Pacific-coast cane spirit. The Viche Mule and Viche Smash are the signature drinks. Dancing starts after 11 PM with a salsa-crossover playlist.
Escoces Nightclub
Scotland-themed nightclub at the edge of San Antonio and El Peñón running until 3 AM on weekends. Crossover music with a focus on salsa, reggaeton, and Latin pop. Cover charges apply Friday-Saturday.
Boom Bar Granada
Open-air bar with a sidewalk terrace and a beer-and-cocktail program targeting the bar-crawl crowd. Music runs from indie to crossover; the energy peaks between 11 PM and 1 AM.
La Pérgola Clandestina
Multi-level rooftop lounge in the nearby San Pedro neighborhood, often counted within the broader El Peñón-area nightlife circuit. Five themed zones spanning salsa, electronic, and reggaeton across terraces. International Nightlife Association ranks it among the top clubs in Colombia.