Panamá City Restaurants

What a lovely small restaurant! Everything sparkles, it is a gem in Panama City. The food can only be described in superlatives, fresh seafood, tender steaks. They have the most delicious home made desserts. We had a wonderful dinner at this restaurant in the Punta Pacifica area, at a very moderate cost.

Favorite Dish: Our favorite was the corvina wrapped in potato, the fish was moist and delicious. A big portion of fish, we did not leave the table hungry! Another good choice was the lamb shank in wine sauce, very tasty and perfectly cooked.

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This restaurant is in the unlikely location, as it is located in a shopping center. As you come in, you find a light, clean and modern ambiance, with such food as we have only come to expect in NYC fine restaurants. They have a terrace, but it is best to sit inside, not only because of the air conditioning (Panama is a hot country) but because the ambiance is so first-world and classy.
They have a wonderful way of cooking their fish dishes, and the meat is only imported, which is why we found it so soft. Service is prompt and professional. We have enjoyed our visit to Panama, and have been twice to eat at Marina Marina restaurant.

Favorite Dish: Their fish is sublime, they have a wonderful potato wrapped corvina which is out of this world.Their langostinos are also huge and very tasty!

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Excelent food, good ambiance, very relaxing, romantic, in one word sensational.

Favorite Dish: They received you with grissinis, bread sticks with 4 sensational sauces.
The Monte Carlo Prawn, are delicious, breaded with coconut, along with an exquisite tangerine sauce.

This is one of Panama's newest restaurants, with a Toronto-trained Panamanian-American chef.
It has a minimalist decor and a very cheerful ambiance. It is in one of the local shopping centers. The food is stellar, as the chef trained at the Fairmont in Toronto, and she uses all the local seafood and produce. Wine list is nice and prices are low. If you go to Panama City, do not miss it!

Favorite Dish: We loved the "pimientos de piquillo" filled with cod, with a delicious sauce; then we had the corvina, a local fish, with a delicious grapefruit sauce. And for dessert a small pot of chocolate mousse.

This restaurant is a bit odd for the fact that it is highly politicized towards the left, while most Cuban restaurants outside of Cuba seem to be rabidly right-wing. The owners are fans of TeleSur and often play it or DVDs of current Cuban concerts. The décor is very much in tune with other Cuban restaurants, however, and 1950s memorabilia and nostalgia are thick on the walls. The staff here is friendly but don't bend over backwards to serve you, and the menu offers some standard Cuban fare without too much variety. The quality of the food is good, but portions aren't all that large compared to other restaurants.

Favorite Dish: The ropa vieja isn't all that great here and is rather over-fried. The patacones with seafood are quite tasty as appetizers, but not really filling. Desserts are better left for other establishments.

El Trapiche is truly a novelty in Panama: an authentic Panamanian restaurant. The fact that this country attracts so many charter tourists and gamblers means that there is a plethora of cheap eats and international cuisine, but very few places that will offer Panamanian food. You know that it's authentic by the sheer number of Panamanian old people who come here to eat. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, with a jungle hacienda look to the restaurant. It's best to eat outside, as the air conditioning is a bit much indoors. The menu is huge, with all sorts of traditional dishes, starters and sides, as well as drinks. The service is fairly quick for Central America, and everything is always fresh and hot. The prices here are quite reasonable as well, with the most expensive of dishes coming in at about USD10, but most options are around USD6.

Favorite Dish: I think I sample half the menu, but I'm very much partial to yuca, so I stuck with those dishes that contained it. I was particularly fond of the Sancocho Panameño, a chicken soup made with cilantro and chunks of yuca. As well, the tamale de olla is very good - chicked stewed with raisins in a thick sauce. Stay away from the mondongo, unless you actually enjoy tripe. Meat platters are quite large, and the beef is usually good, although a bit tough.

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Located in a banking area; however, you'd be surprised how good their combination of food and elegant dinner ambiance is all about.

Incredible appetizers and hors d'ourves to start off, we got the 'Provoleta Caprese' and an order of Mixed Hors D'ourves. A great list of Certified Angus Meats (including Kobe Beef) at prices that are hard to find at most other places, which can be complemented perfectly with the wine of your choice.

Great Service ... Highly recommended!

Favorite Dish: Appetizer: Mixed Hors D'ourves

Main Dish: Kobe Beef and Seafood Spagetti

Desert: Cheesecake

Rino Ristorante is an up-scale part of the Tamburelli chain. The menu is similar to the pizzaria Tamburelli, but they have a more sophisticated setting, no pizza, and a more eclectic menu. And yes, it is more expensive than the neighborhood Tamburellis, but not outrageous. It is near the Bank district, and several hotels, so many foreign business people go there.

Favorite Dish: Like the other Tamburelli´s, this location serves clams with garlic sauce. They also have many pasta and seafood dishes. They have full bar service and valet parking.
If you like to play bridge, the ex-pats club meets there every Tuesday at 6 or so to play a few rubbers, they will let you play, you don´t need to join the club, but to join you just need to give your name and a phone number or e-mail address. That is quick, simple and free!