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Manolo Caracol

Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama
228-0109
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As featured in 3 days in Panama City
Ranked #35 of 347 restaurants in Panama City
Good for: Romantic, Groups, Business, Local cuisine, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, Reservations, After-hours
29 visitor photos
Restaurant details
Good for: Romantic, Groups, Business, Local cuisine, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, Reservations, After-hours
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287 reviews from our community

77% Recommend
    144
    78
    38
    9
    18
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Bethesda, Maryland
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

The 10-course preset menu prepared with in-season ingredients and creative touches of flavors and design never ceases to pleasantly surprise me at Manolo Caracol. 10 courses may sound like a lot of food, however, the portions are such that you don't walk away feeling stuffed. On the contrary, the experience is such that you feel you've had 10 different amazing... More

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Delray Beach, Florida
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
5 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 April 2013

I visited Panama City in March 2013 and had a great time. Loved the city and Casco Viejo while under a lot of construction should not be missed. Manolo Caracol was expensive at $45 a head not including drinks but it was worth every penny. Not only was the 11 course meal fantastic, but the service was great and it... More

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See 2 more reviews by Barbara T for Panama City
megmcnutz
Senior Contributor
28 reviews 28 reviews
17 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 April 2013

$36 for 7 courses (I thought we were going to have 9 or 10)- you have to be adventurous of course but I love the concept of just having food brought to you. The food was good, and compared to what it would have cost in other countries, a good value. But we weren't blown away- some course were great... More

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See 5 more reviews by megmcnutz for Panama City
Raleigh, North Carolina
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
6 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 April 2013

I enjoyed this place. Although the food did not blow my mind away, there is something about this place that makes it special. I think this is probably the one of the culinary spots you need to cover if you happen to visit Panama City. The clientele is overwhelmingly western tourists but it still feels like you are in a... More

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NYC
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
8 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
36 helpful votes 36 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 April 2013

We had been told that this was a don't miss experience in Panama City. For $35 we weren't expecting much, but sadly, it was still a disappointment. The decor is nice and the place has a relaxed and artsy atmosphere. The waiter explained how the tasting menu worked, and then gave us the wine list, which is affixed to long... More

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See 6 more reviews by Alex_In_Brooklyn for Panama City
Chicago, Illinois
Top Contributor
141 reviews 141 reviews
63 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 44 cities Reviews in 44 cities
70 helpful votes 70 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 April 2013

On Avenida Central and Calle 3 this was by far the best food I had on my trip. For dinner there is a 10 course prix fixe meal for $36. A wonderful value. The dining room is contemporary with good art and paintings plus there are some very traditional religious paintings, nichos and figures. The courses the night I was... More

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See 13 more reviews by Globalphile for Panama City
Bellevue, Washington
Top Contributor
82 reviews 82 reviews
46 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 44 cities Reviews in 44 cities
33 helpful votes 33 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 April 2013

For $36 one is treated to 9 courses of freshly and creatively prepared tastes of an array of flavors. The menu is set, although accommodations can be made for certain dietary needs. We were served dishes with fish, seafood, pork, poultry, a soup, a salad and more! The dishes seemed small, but by dessert almost 2 hours later, we were... More

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See 6 more reviews by Mayatravels for Panama City
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 April 2013

We were looking for a cheap place to eat that was near our hotel and thank God we ate here! The food was prepared fresh and tasted amazing! It was the best veggie burger I ever had. I just wish they had this place in my town. I will definitely come back to b.good next time I'm in Panama

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Liverpool
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
11 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 April 2013

Its in the old part of Panama. Its fine dining without the "white gloved can i kiss your backside sir" type service. Very bohemian, arty type feel to the place with no dress code. Service was fantastic by a very friendly, young team. I went back twice in a few days and the tasting menu was different both times and... More

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Ottawa
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
18 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 March 2013

Ten course tasting menu. The food is delicious. The flavors are robust. The order of the plates makes sense. Unfortunately, their wine list is a huge let down. Half the wines are no longer available and the ones there are average at best. Worth the visit.

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See 10 more reviews by Discocanuck for Panama City

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