En La Fonda, Panamá

Had an amazing first experience with Panamanian food here. Menu has a done of options, it a as s hard to chose from. Cocktails were amazingly delicious

Fun environment for a dinner out in a fonda. The decor has a fun and playful vibe that invites you in. From the colorful bus at the entrance to the full Carnival headdress in the back each section of the restaurant will have you fully immersed in the experience.

Enjoyed my meal here, hate I couldn't visit again before I left. I was a little hesitant to get the coconut rice but it turned out the be amazing! Wish I could of brought some home with me! My food came out very hot which I am not complaining about I really appreciate it. Service was great as well really nice waitresses serving with a smile! Can't wait to visit again!!

A "fonda" is a typical Panamanian cafe/restaurant usually located in neighborhoods of panama where they serve traditional Panamanian food. This wonderful place blends delicious food with entertainment by performers doing typical songs and traditional dances of Panama. Like any big city, safety in neighborhoods depends on the particular neighborhood. This restaurant is in a great location for visitors. Super highly recommend it! I visit Panama frequently and this is my favorite restaurant.

UPDATE: Visited again on March 23, 2024, the night before I got married. We were terribly late but the owner was so kind and accommodating. We love your new location in Casco Viejo and the music and dancing was wonderful like always! See you next year again!

This place is a hidden gem close to casco viejo área. I was passing by and decided to have lunch. The pescado ceviche was one of the best I’ve had in Panama. I also had a ginger cocktail, not sure of the name but it was delicious! There’s a vibrant tradition atmosphere with the Panamanian decor and the staff added to that with their kindness and authenticity. I would definitely recommend this place

The food was wonderful, very tasty. Drinks were weak, so we ended with shots. The place was full because of the family celebration, and the wait staff struggled to keep up and forgot some of the orders. The music and entertainment were great. The major complaint is that the HVAC was dripping water over the table where I was sitting. Unsanitary and needs to be fixed immediately.

A very authentic place with great food and nice dances. You will feel welcome here!
Coming again 😁

The food was surpringly delicious. The music was very loud, which is the point of this place 😁. Our server did a good job juggling many tables. There were beautiful dancers that twirl around all of the tables and make a for a great dinner show. Even if you are seated at a table in the back you still get to see the dancers up close. Their intricate costumes are very pretty. An enjoyable evening, but bring earplugs if you are sensitive to loud music. Great place!

This is a great restaurant for tourists and locals alike. The food is fantastic and the ambiance is different than anything you have ever experienced. They have a dance show at 8pm, but call to make sure you get a table reservation with a good view. They serve all the panamenian tipical food and some delicious cocktails. I had the diablico cocktail, which was sweet and a tad spicy, but delicious. We ordered the appetizer "carne en palito" which meat on a stick, but with a very tasty sauce. I had "El mono" which is rice and pigeon beans with chicken creole sauce and fried plantain. My wife had chicken sancocho soup and our friends had the "camarones al ajillo en cama de patacon" shimp in garlic sauce with fried smashed green plantains, and "tortillas con ropa vieja" which is a thick corn tortilla toped with shredded beef. We missed the show, but our friends enjoyed the ambiance. Every plate was very good and a good representation of tipical panamenian cuisine. This restaurant gets my full recomendatiin for anyone visiting Panama City!

The environment, food, and entertainment was amazing. We also had a chance to dance with the entertainers during the show. If you are visiting or live in Panama, this a great place to eat classic Panamanian 🇵🇦 food, “comida tipico”

Great vibe and music, really friendly and welcoming staff and good food!

Food and drinks were delicious. Look forward to going back when I'm back in Panama City.

We love it! 5 stars aren't nearly enough. Now, every time we have friends visit Panama, we will bring them to En La Fonda. It is a unique, very fun experience. The food is delicious, and the Margaritas are some of the best we've ever tasted. Prices are very reasonable considering the exceptional experience you will have. This is where Panamanians go to celebrate their special occasions. For Panamanians, it evokes special memories of family get-togethers at grandma's house. So - expect great food and warm hospitality - there's an incredible live music show (it's not long, so it doesn't dominate your meal), there are pretty, floral, mismatched plates, aluminum(?) water glasses plus tables and tablecloths like a Panamanian abuela would have in her home. Take some time to explore all of the rooms in the restaurant. We had fun looking at the murals on the walls - they're a combination of great photography, painting and sculpture to create a 3D experience. We really got a kick out of identifying places we'd like to visit and places that we've been. We were amazed that the plantains in the dugout canoe were real. Just changing them up requires a level of dedication! We sat a spell in the rocking chairs on the adobe walled porch, and we took some great photos with the in house Diablo Rojo! That was especially fun for us as the day before, we'd done a day trip to the Portobelo area where the Diablo Rojos still run all day and on a fairly regular schedule. Oh, and one of the wall murals was Fort Santiago - we were there on our Portobelo area trip. On a Saturday night, there were multiple generations having fun, from little kids to seniors. We danced, including a conga line that really made us feel like we were taking part in a big, family celebration. We finished the evening with both our bellies and our hearts full.
We speak only a little Spanish the staff speak a little English and with the ease of the online menu and a translate app, communication was easy. We're already looking forward to our next visit.
There's valet parking if you're driving - there's an indoor parking lot.
If arriving on foot or by Uber, you'll find the entrance in what looks like an office building. The door is between other restaurant patios. It is up one floor. Take the stairs or an elevator. And have fun!!!

Interesting Panamanian decor. Food is very traditional at a mid-range price. We did not care for their version of corn tortilla with fried cheese. But the Cameron's al ajillo were very tasty.

Wow this place amazing and very authentic 👏🏽 from the first point of contact which was calling to make a reservation until the moment you leave the staff makes you feel very welcome and engage. I LOVE the atmosphere you feel like you are in different parts of the country at once the even have half of a bus inside the place (Diablo Rojo). Live shows that are a complete delight. You get to use prompts and feel like you are part of the show. The prices are really good and the portions are huge both days we went we still has food to go. But this is a must while visiting Panamá you get the taste and feel of the country in one place also everything was freshly made. One of my new favorites. A gift shop is also conveniently located adjacent to the restaurant. Ojueeee 🤭

Very good restaurant with great selection of foods and beer. Great location and atmosphere and staff are friendly. They do have a music show after 7pm everyday. I love their foods..

Food was authentic and delicious. Server was friendly and patient with our party of non-Spanish speakers. The owner came over to introduce herself which I loved❤.

Such a nice place. Depicts an authentic Panamanian Village. The fare is excellent and apparently local in every way. The people here are sweet and go out of their way to understand your requirements. I met with Kolan (I hope this is the right spelling), and he was super helpful and accommodating.

The attention was amazing and the live show teach so much, they even has costumes for the visitors and teach you the dance, this made my cousins that came from NY very close to the culture! And of course the food never disappoint is VERY GOOD! And the portions are big enough to share with your friends, great place to take tourist at fair prices.

This was awesome, I have never experienced a Fonda. The history of the food, culture and restaurant was awesome