Panama: Dining along the Canal
 

I understand there are places to eat along the Panama Canal that are very close to the ships. Which are the best choices in terms of atmosphere and food quality?

Miraflores Restaurant At The Panama Canal Panamanian CuisineAt the top of the Miraflores Visitors Center at the Miraflores Locks
Phone: (507) 232-3120.
Fax: (507) 232-3121.

Recommended in the Frommers Guide as one of Panama's top dining 5 experiences. The terrace and dining room of the fine International Miraflores Restaurant at the Miraflores Panama Canal Visitors Center offers you a view of the Panama Canal Miraflores Locks and ships going through the locks and on their way through the Canal or out to the Pacific Ocean.

Open:
Everyday, 10:00pm to 10:30pm.

Suggested Menu:
• Appetizer: Medallones de Langosta, balsamico con puree de papas, (Lobster medallions with potato puree).
• Main Dishes: Filete de Corvina lleno hongos salsa huancaina y aji amarillo (Corvina with mushrooms, huacaina sauce and yellow pepper).
• Dessert: Apple Pie

100‰ agreed with qwovadis
Nicest place to watch the Canal,also the best rest.
I have been there a couple of times.
Enjoy it!

I'm assuming that it would be open 10 AM to 10:30 PM, not 10 PM to 10:30 PM :)

We're going to Panama in February and planning to visit the Miraflores Locks. Looks like we may plan on eating there as well.

You have to go eat at "Mi Ranchito" on the Amador Causeway....under the HUGE palapa. Great food, great prices, great ambience, incredible view of the Panama City skyline & harbour.

Thanks for the responses. I am hungry already....

Thanks everyone for the replies. We went to the Miraflores Lock and ate at the restaurant as recommended here and by our hotel and other places.

For people who may be considering going there, we had a truly awful meal. It was a weekend buffet brunch so maybe that is why but at the risk of sounding like a food snob, it was inedible. Also, disappointing was that we didn't see any ships pass through (but it was a weekend so what did I expect) so we were just looking at a big ditch the whole time. Finally, just to get in the building we had to wait in the ticket line (since we were dining our ticket was free but we still had to wait) and the line was over 30 minutes.

I do not recommend this outing!

Thanks, LA9004. I appreciate your review. I will be leaving for Panama in about four weeks and the Miraflores Locks restaurant was on the agenda.
If you have time I would like to read your review of other things you did and places you went while in Panama.

I also appreciate your review. Sounds like a weekend is not the best time to visit the canal, but I'm wondering about another day. We just have the Sunday and Monday in PC and I had thought about going on the Sunday to Miraflores. I'll definitely rethink that plan.

cmcfong-
We just used Panama as a place to catch our breath in between flights from Los Angeles and South America so we spent just over 24 hours in Panama each way. We didn't do much in Panama so I don't have many suggestions.

We stayed at the Marriott and it was perfectly nice. My husband ate a couple of meals at the Bristol and he said that hotel was very nice (we didn't stay there because they have neither suites nor a swimming pool and the Marriott has both). We walked around the casco viejo neighborhood for a while. It felt like I would imagine all of Havana feels; run down but romantic.

Sorry, that is it.

cmcfong, please make sure you post a trip report when you're back!

Thank you, LosAngeles90004, I appreciate it. I grew up in Panama and look forward to my visit next month. It is a fascinating country.

Susan, I will try and post something while I am there since you will leave the day I return. If you want to contact me directly you can email me at my screename at yahoodotcom.