HERES OUR LATEST UPDATE ON PANAMA CITY NIGHTLIFE
It's based on getting to each place from the hostel, but nothing is far away
PLACES TO EAT
Close by are a number of budget cafes and restaurants. On Via España (turn left from the hostel and across the road) there are at least 3 cafeteria style places. Café Reina isn’t bad. Across Via Espana is the Farmacias Arrocha, turn left here and you’ll find a shady looking Chinese place on the left hand side about halfway down the street. Look for the black windows. The food is good, it’s cheap and there is A LOT of it. Just before the Chinese place is a fast food fried chicken place called Pio Pio. Keep going down the street and on the next corner across the road you’ll find a local place with Panamanian food. Beers are cheap and the food is good. On Via Espana to the right (about 3 blocks away) you’ll find Mcdonalds.
A bit further afield you’ll find plenty of western (more expensive) places. Via Argentina is about a 20 minute walk (left on Via Espana), or a short taxi ride away. Some good choices there are The Green House, Manolo’s, El Trapiche and the New York Bagel Café. The bagel café is great for breakfast and lunch. There’s lots of other options, you just need to get there and walk.
Via Veneto (Via Espana, turn left 15 minute walk) has the Veneto casino which can fun for eating at and watching the hookers in action. If you walk around this area you’ll find a lot of places. Beruit, close to the Marriot hotel, is a popular place for middle eastern food.
Calle Uruguay is popular for going out and for eating. It’s about a 25 minute walk away (left on Via Espana, go past the Shell gas station. Just past the gas station you’ll see traffic lights, take the next turn to the right after the traffic lights.. Down the hill, across the big street, keep going up the hill, then down the other side. You’ll see Hooters and turn right. The whole area is called Calle Uruguay, don’t miss some of the places on the side streets. Try Habibi’s, upstairs at La Bodaguita and Sahara. Athens, at the start of the street opposite Hooters, is a great option for good, cheap greek food.
The Causeway is another place with lots of options. You’ll need a taxi at night time ($5-6) but it’s probably worth it. There’s great views over the sea and back to the city. At the end of the causeway near the Marina is Cayuko’s. It’s cheap, popular and has good food and beer. It’s also one of the few good outdoor eating options, certainly the only one on the water. Facing the Marina it’s on the left near the slipway for the boats.
VEGETARIAN Food:
There’s also a couple of Vegetarian options in Panama City.
"Me gusta Comida Vegetariana" is behind Hotel Continental on via España (beside Restaurant Costa Azul).
It is open Mon-Fri until 8pm. Portions cost 60cents (with 3 portions you have a good food, 4 will fill you up), and include small chicha (drink).
"Vegetariana Veneto" is on a side road of Via Veneto, going up turn to the right in the first street.
Portions are 50cents (you suggest 4 portions here) and also include a side soup. Open Mon-Sun until 11pm.
"Comida Vegetariana Saludable" is on a side road of via España, near the Alambra cinemas, coming from via España turn right one block after Via Argentina. It have a promotion of $1.95 for 3 portions and small soup.
Open Mon-Fri until 7pm.
There is also an expensive vegetarian restaurant on Via Argentina. (haven't try it yet). And a hindu restaurant, somewhere around Calle 50. Also the Rastafarian cafe on a side street of Via Veneto.
You can buy veggy food in the Riva Smith supermarket (and falafels in the kosher supermarket).
Kosher Super Market: There is a kosher super market in Punta Paitilla near the Multicentro Shopping Mall, and another one actually in Multicentro.
GOING OUT
Panama has a huge selection of bars, clubs and other options for filling in your night. Close by are a couple of decent local options (very local……). Across Via Espana is the Farmacias Arrocha, turn left here and about halfway down on the left hand side of the road is BAR 37. Beers are cheap and they have ok music and a dance floor. Keep going down the street and turn to the right, on the next corner on the left side of the road is El Maison de Perez. It’s on the first floor. This is a good place for local salsa and draws a good crowd. Again, beers are cheap and often they have 2 for 1 mixed drinks. These are a good option for a local night out, but it’s probably wise to be aware of who you’re talking to in here. Violence is rare in Panama, but these places can attract a “shadier” type of clientele. Don’t let that put you off going though, why would you come to Panama if you just wanted to hangout in places like back home????
Off on it’s own is Gausthaus, a german pub. Go left on Via Espana, past the Shell Gas station. Just past Shell you'll see some traffic lights, go past these and take the next right.. Keep going straight on this street until you see Gausthaus on the left (10 minutes walking). It gets a good university crowd and has loud live music and drink specials. Happy hours are 5pm-7pm and 9pm-11pm each night, 2 for 1 beers.
Calle Uruguay has some of the best options of clubs and bars. This is where you go to see and be seen. And you’ll pay for it… Most clubs have an entrance fee of $10-15 and beers cost $2-3. It can be cheaper if you go before 11pm, especially for the girls. Guys, if some hot girl is talking to you, it’s probably not because she likes your good looks, if you know what I mean……. Sahara’s is a good option for live rock music and a good crowd, they have an undercover outdoor area at the front as well. Entrance is $5 including a free drink. The more popular clubs are Guru, K’os, Seis, Moods and People. None of them are cheap. Below Seis is a flashy bar with no cover charge called Privey, above Moods (in front of Sahara) is a good bar with no cover charge. Bombaleo often has salsa. La Bodeguita has good music, but this is where you REALLY need to watch those hot girls talking to you. The Londoner is an OK, but expensive, pub.
Close to Calle Uruguay is Extreme Planet. It’s got Bennigans which is a popular place with locals for drinking and eating. Not cheap, but they often have special offers which makes it OK. In the same building, on the 10th floor is Sky Bowling. As the name suggests it has a bowling alley, but there’s also a bar and restaurant. If you want to get a good view of the Panamanian skyline at night then this is the place to come. One wall has huge windows. There’s also a cinema in the same complex.
Via Argentina has a few options but not the same nightlife of Calle Uruguay. Taberna 21 is a local pub, El Pavo Real is an English pub with pool tables and live music. The Rocking Gorilla (or Rocky Gorilla as the locals say) is pretty big, with pool tables and live music. It gets a good university student type of crowd. You’ll know you’re there when you see the huge Gorilla with a guitar on the roof.
Via Veneto has mainly the casinos, but these are good places to start drinking. They generally have live music and cheap drinks as well. Just down from the Veneto casino, down some steps, is a decent place with some outdoor tables. Just down from the Hotel Continental, near the Marriot Hotel is La Terraza. This is a good option most nights of the week for a few beers. It has a good layout, gets a good crowd and has pool tables. Across from the El Rey supermarket, down some stairs is a good late night place.
The Causeway is good for somewhere different. There are lots of different places here, some good, some not. You’ll have to get there and figure it out. Bamboo is often good, and close by are some other places that do OK. In the Flamenco center are a few bars, but they are very hit and miss, some nights good, others not.
In Amador, near the start of the Causeway, they’re in the process of building an entertainment area. The plan is to have a walled in street full of bars and clubs. It’s open but hasn’t really taken off yet. It’s called ZONA VIVA.
Casco Viejo is an up and coming bar area. This area has never been popular with Panamanians for going out as it’s too far away and regarded as dangerous. There’s also not many taxis at night time. But it’s starting to change and more bars are opening up over there. One of the first was La Casona. It’s in a huge old warehouse and doubles as an art gallery. This Panama’s answer to alternative. They often have Salsa and live music. It’s very hit and miss though, one night is great and the next dead. It’s on Plaza Herrera right next to the no go section of Panama City. You’ll have to go and explore Casco Viejo yourself to find the other good places. That’s part of the adventure!
Sundays and Mondays in Panama City are dead. Casinos like the Veneto and the Fiesta are good options, especially the Fiesta. The best place though is Foxies (on a Monday). Another very local place but you’ll have a great time. They have Karaoke until about 12am and then move to a show. This can range from jelly wrestling to a comedian to a male/female strip show. No matter what it is, it’s a lot of fun. This place always gets a good crowd. For your average Panamanian, this is the only place to go on Mondays. Your average “upper class” Panamanian would not be seen dead here. That’s got to be one good reason for going!!!
