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Panama City's after-dark offerings range from a quiet drink on historic Plaza Bolívar to dancing until dawn at one of the clubs on Calle Uruguay, with plenty of options in between. Although there are bars everywhere, nightlife is concentrated in Casco Viejo, El Cangrejo, and Calle Uruguay, though there are also a few options in the Area Bancária and Punta Paitilla.
Casco Viejo is the city’s nightlife epicenter, with a variety of bars and clubs that rock into the wee hours on weekends. The Calzada de Amador is the place to head for a quiet drink with lovely ocean views. The streets around Calle Uruguay are packed on weekends, when a predominantly young crowd fills its bars and dance clubs. There are also a few night spots in El Cangrejo and Punta Paitilla, where a couple of hotel bars have amazing views.
The nicest casinos are in, or next to, the city's big hotels, namely the Panama Marriott, Veneto, Trump Ocean Club, and El Panamá, and often have excellent bands performing Latin music in their bars.
The city's dance clubs play a broad mix of music that includes pop, salsa, reggaetón, and house music. Cover charges run between $5 and $10, and sometimes include a drink.
There are also strip clubs, locally called "nightclubs," scattered between the Area Bancária and El Cangrejo, which have traditionally catered to business travelers, but are becoming a bit of a tourist attraction in their own right. Prostitution is legal in Panama, but streetwalking is not, so representatives of the world's oldest profession gather at a few of its bars and casinos.
This tapas restaurant has tables on Plaza Bolívar, with views of the illuminated Iglesia de San Francisco and other historic structures, making it one of the city's most romantic spots for a drink.
The rooftop bar of this hip hotel has a great view of the city's skyline beyond the ancient roofs of Casco Viejo. Weekends vibrate with the boom-boom of deafening house music, though the quality of the DJs varies. You can get a relatively quiet drink here Sunday through Wednesday.
One of Panama's hottest dance clubs, Altabar has DJs from Wednesday to Saturday and a sleek decor of white sofas and a black tile floor. There's a mezzanine for those who prefer to watch the bodies moving to the techno beat from a safe distance.
This pool bar and grill on the 13th floor of the Trump Hotel is a popular weekend spot, thanks to its impressive view of the sea and the skycrapers of Costa del Este. An elevator at the back of the building offers access to the bar for nonguests.
This spacious dance hall (formerly known as Habana Panamá) hosts a variety of DJs, live music, and musical styles, from rap to salsa to electronica. They also screen sports events, so call or check their Facebook page to find out what's happening. Musical groups and DJs perform on a large stage at the end of a long dance floor lined with plush booths, at the opposite end of which is a massive bar stocked with a wide variety of alcoholic refreshments.
Casablanca, on the ground floor of the old Hotel Colombia, has tables on beautiful Plaza Bolívar, which is a great spot for a drink and conversation at night. They have live Latin music Thursday through Saturday, when this place really hops.
The pool bar on the roof of the Manrey Hotel is a popular weekend spot. DJs pump the crowd up and the danger of somebody falling into the pool increases with every martini served. The glowing-blue lap pool is surrounded by canopy couches, arm chairs, and tables, beyond which twinkle the city lights, making it a splendid spot for a drink any night.
The Hotel El Panamá is home to a large Crown Casino that is popular with Panamanians. It includes a bar that regularly hosts live music and DJs, and also offers decent lunch specials during the day.
El Pavo Real Panamá is an attractive, British-inspired pub on a quiet stretch of Vía Argentina. It has a long bar, indoor and outdoor seating, two pool tables, and serves bar food including fish-and-chips. They often have live music, mostly rock, on weekends, but you can always get a quiet drink on the front terrace.
Habibi's is mainly a restaurant, and there are better dining options nearby, but its covered terrace is a good spot for a late-night drink on weekends, since it sits at the center of the Calle Uruguay action, and they serve till well past midnight.
The second floor of this massive hotel has two bars that are sometimes extremely crowded: Bling, a dance club, and Stage Bar, which hosts live bands. On the 62nd floor is Bits, a bar with indoor and outdoor seating.
Istmo Brew Pub, next to Sevilla Suites hotel, serves several overpriced home brews, as well as the city's best selection of imported beers. It's a popular spot, with seating out front, inside, and on a back patio. There are pool tables and music. Sample the beers before ordering a house brew.
Kayuco is a popular open-air bar and restaurant on the southwest corner of the marina on Isla Flamenco, with a view of the boats and the city's skyline in the distance. It's one of the few spots on the causeway for a drink by the water, and they serve fried seafood and other snacks into the wee hours.
This popular microbrewery at the edge of Casco Viejo offers half a dozen home brews and a small menu. You can sit indoors or on the front terrace, which has a view of the modern skyline across the bay.
This French restaurant on Plaza Francia has tables on the plaza and a bar inside one of the Bóvedas (arched, brick chambers dating from the colonial era) that often features live jazz on Friday night and salsa music on Saturday. Call to confirm the evening's entertainment.
The bar at the French restaurant Las Bóvedas, on Plaza Francia, usually has live jazz on Friday night. There's a mellower atmosphere than the Latin vibe at nearby Platea, and they play earlier, starting around 7 pm. Call to confirm that the band is playing.
Manolo's is a café and restaurant on busy Vía Veneto with a wraparound terrace cooled by ceiling fans. There are better places to eat, but the terrace is a great place for people watching, a quiet drink, or a late-night snack, like an emparedado (sandwich).
This large lounge, located in the Radisson Decapolis hotel, was once one of the city's hottest lounges, but it's now a nice spot for a quiet drink.
This funky little place on the southeast corner of Plaza Herrera looks like a construction site from the street, but at night the ancient walls and tropical foliage create a very cool atmosphere, which is complemented by the music of DJs and live bands, and the young crowd, which frequently spills out into the street and plaza.
The Panama Marriott has a two-story Royal Casino next door that is quite popular with locals. It has live music most nights, and sometimes hosts concerts by the country's most popular groups.
Located on the ground floor of a restored colonial building, Platea sometimes hosts live Latin jazz; the venue is only open on Friday and Saturday nights. Call to confirm.
Platea may not have much of a dance floor, but the club—which is open only on Friday and Saturday nights—books hot salsa bands and is packed most Friday nights, when people dance in the aisles or wherever else there's room. The bartenders and waiters, dressed in black with Panama hats, are part of the show, as they dance while delivering mojitos and Cuba libres. On Saturday, Latin jazz, rock, and other types of live music are featured, so call ahead.
The Wine Bar, located on the ground floor of the Las Vegas Hotel Suites, has live Latin music nightly, mostly mellow duos or a guitarist. They have a decent selection of wines by the glass and serve good pizza and other snacks till late.
The Veneto Hotel and Casino has one of the city's biggest and most popular casinos, which includes craps and poker, and a sea of slot machines. Expect live music, Panamanians and foreigners who simply come to party, and lots of Colombian prostitutes.
Cuban music, a massive, hardwood bar, and walls covered with photos and paintings of Cuba make it easy to imagine you're in Havana's old quarter as you sip a mojito.
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