The Panama

This place is a great date spot because its intimate yet open setting allows for easy conversation even when it is busy. There is a pool table, tables for dinner or drinks, and lots of plants. Come to people watch or for a nice meal. A friend recommended the food although we just had a drink. Prices are high but worth it, so is the long walk up the stairs. I will be back to sample the menu and enjoy the bar again!

Nice place lots of space and tables, good food I had the pork and it was large enough to fill me up but not too much, the food is really focussed on the one item, if you order fish you get fish if you order pork it’s just the pork on the plate not too much else. A small salad or option for fries would be great.
Had the happy hour oysters and they were alright small and salty, $ 1 each between 6−7pm every night. Would go there again would be good for a group have some larger tables.

Venue feels great. Food very disappointing for the price. Pork was all fat for one of us.

Being the second time I have been to The Panama (The first being the Unilocal Elite Event) I had high expectations, as the food was great, and the atmosphere better. I was seated at 8:00 for a booking of 6 people, and asked the maître d if I could add another person. I was advised this was not possible as there is no way they can fit them on the table. A little disappointed this could not be accommodated, I rolled him to the table, where upon looking at it, one side was on a bench seat clearly made for 3 people, but set with only 2 plates.
I bit my lip and sat down. I was then offered a drinks menu (there were 2 of the 6 of us there at that point) We ordered a glass of wine and a beer, and also asked for another table setting to add another person. The waitress was more than happy help out, and even set the spot for us.
We then waited 20 mins for our Drinks, yes 20, after asking 3 times we finally got them. The restaurant was not overly busy at this stage, and the bar even less busy.
By this stage the other guests had arrived and we helped ourselves to food and drinks menus, as it seemed no one wanted to help us. We ordered drinks and all our food after we got someone’s attention. The time at this point was 8:45. I write this time, as the drinks from this order did not arrive until 9:30, but at least (not really) this was before the food, that did not arrive until 10:15. That’s an hour and a half wait for meals for 7 people.
I could not understand what the kitchen was doing. What has gone wrong out there for it to take so long? If there was an issue, why did they not advise us? And why did the not serve the mash (which the waitress recommended we order) not turn up with the food, well that one I know the answer to, the chef was apparently still mashing it. that’s great and all, but when it arrives after the meals, there’s really no point now is there.
I ordered the gnocchi, which although had good flavour, was very watery, rather than creamy as the menu had described. The gnocchi itself was well made, and cooked well, light ad firm to the bite.
I must say this has been one of my worst dinning experiences in a little while, and they have most definitely lost a customer in me. There are too many amazing options in Melbourne, to receive service like that.
Hopefully ya’ll have a better experience than me.

Impromptu dinner here last night. Popped a gin and tonic to start, decent gin mixed with tonic from a post mix dispenser. Syrupy sugar water, flat, disappointing.
Had two raw small plates. Kingfish was subtle, pretty good cuts. Trout the better, nice sorbet on top, roe.
Larger plates lagged behind a good 35 minutes. My steak was good, but not $ 35 good… at this point I’m still wondering as I’m eating it if this is really just a pub with an ambitious kitchen, or a restaurant with a relaxed bar.
Cool setting with views out the huge arched windows over the CBD and Collingwood. The kind of place you’d take an out of towner.
Service was great all night. I’d come back to check out the bar food and for a few drinks. The dining area has the right idea but just didn’t execute.

Panama — a splendour in Fitzroy.
Once it was a secret, barely noticeable as you passed the front door. With the popularity of this area — it’s not a secret anymore — especially since the wonderful Messina opened below and the ice-​cream fanatics hide the doorway.
Still to the uninitiated — what greets you after 3 flights of stairs will surprise. The warehouse style open room with a dining room at one end, a pool table in the middle and a bar area at the other — all is a delight. Floor to ceiling windows adds to the grace of the venue.
Although not recently, I’ve eaten here several times over the years, both in the dining area and from the bar menu and neither have left me wanting.
Such a cool place, except on really hot summer days when the lack of AC becomes apparent.

$ 1 oysters between 6−7pm! Yes.
Standard dinner menu is pretty meh though. Tiny portions. Quite expensive. Service was slow (had to re-​order drinks twice). Nothing too awful but I wouldn’t bother going out of my way to come back.

Love this pace! I was here for a special event last night but have been before for drinks with friends a few years ago. Staff are friendly and I really like the layout. Tasty fuds!

A cool atmosphere in the heart of smith street. I hadn’t heard of Panama bar before I arrived but Im really glad I got to check it out. Its a nice bar with a nice relaxed vibe. Its really a little gem as it’s not your typical fiztroy hipster bar. Its a nice place to go for a dinner with the family or catch up with friends. I recommended it as a kind of place for the «fortnightly catch up with the girl».

The Panama is one of those all-​occasion, crowd-​pleasing kind of venues.
A restaurant serving modern dishes with a European slant that you could bring anything from a date to your parents to. A bar for getting rowdy with cocktails and casual dining. Functions and large group friendly. $ 1 Oysters every night. Huge windows overlooking the North side of town. That’s a lot of boxes for one venue to tick.
But then there’s one more than I have to add after visiting on Monday night. Mondays in the bar at Panama is burger + beer night. $ 10 for their Wagyu burger with bacon, pickles & Jack cheese (normally $ 15) and add in a Dos Blockos beer for an extra $ 5. $ 15 burger and beer is good value, but more so because it’s the best damn cheeseburger I’ve put in my mouth. I don’t want to incite any fights over who does the best burger in town, but for my tastes, Panama’s is right up there. My husband and I ate in near silence except for happy grunts and mocking the amount of mayo on each other’s faces. If I could add jalapenos to it, I’d 100% give up my current fav burger in town.
I really want to check out the rest of the menu, especially since I’m currently on a mission for a new favourite steak tartare… but it’s going to take a bit of will power to not eat that burger every time… or maybe force myself to eat in the restaurant where the burger isn’t on the menu.

Having been to Panama many times over the years and always found it bustling and busy, it didn’t deter me at all that we pretty much had the place to ourselves on a quiet Sunday evening. In fact, we loved it.
We took full advantage and made ourselves at home, shuffling a few seats in a row facing out one of the beautiful big windows and people watched out onto Smith St. The staff were so relaxed, and didn’t mind us reorganising some furniture, and also provided some great drink tips and fantastic overall service.
The cocktails were all winners, some weirder than others, but all tasty and perfectly refreshing. Recommend the G&T (comes with with fresh slice of grapefruit to add to the bitter zest) or the Osama Gin Laden (which we ordered based on the pun alone). Gin was locally sourced also, which was cool. Also found a new favourite with Solerno Blood Orange liqueur on ice with a slice of lemon. The bartender gave me a sample first, which wasn’t something I had experienced with the hard stuff before (beer maybe, but not spirits).
The layout is classy, and cool. Will enjoy myself next time I’m there among the crowd no doubt, but it was nice to have it to ourselves for one night (even if we got politely shuffled on after 9pm).

Walking along smith st with a spare half hour, we sighted the sign «$ 1 oyster hour 6−7pm». Well is there really a better way to kill half an hour than $ 1 oyster? Maybe a few but not a lot are better than this!
Without this sign I would’ve walked past Panama not realising that its there. Despite the big sign hanging from the Broadway ceiling, the entrance is a small glass door. Revealing only a flight of stairs. Not a lot of giveaway of the gorgeous bar and dining up stairs.
Once up stairs, the entrance to Panama is classy yet casual. It is a sexy set up. Dark wall and big flowers, old school seatings, arched windows overlooking the bustling Smith st, pool table in the middle of the room. The bar and dining area is comfortably distanced and it gives you just the right vibe whether you are there for a friendly drinks, or an intimate dinner.
As for food, well, we only had the oysters (serves with lemon wedges and Tabasco on the side) so I can’t comment on anything else :(
however
Panama is now on my after work drinks venue list. It’s fun, casual, classy sexy and fits the bill for almost any outing occasion.

Oh Panama with your Play School arched windows, city views, sexy mood lighting, delicious cocktails and mouth watering morsels — I think it might be love.
I’ve been to Panama many times. Sometimes for a drink. Sometimes for a bite on a weeknight in the lounge bar area. And this last time, with a couple of girlfriends visiting from interstate for a delicious meal, which they absolutely LOVED!
Half the table wanted an entrée and the other half wanted dessert so that’s exactly what we did. The two that had entrees had the burrata mozzarella with grilled Turkish toast and tomato salsa and the goat cheese tortellini. There was lots of «mmm yum» noises coming from that side of the table so I take it that the entrees were good. Really good. And oh so affordable at only $ 15!?! Whaaaat?! Amazing.
For mains, two of us had the kingfish and two had the steak. My kingfish was delicious. And the steaks were perfectly cooked with duck fat chips on the side. We also had a side of broccoli with lentils for the table to share.
And then dessert. We shared the flourless chocolate cake with strawberry balsamic sauce (I die) and the classic apple tarte tatin (oh my). They were both equally delectable.
We all had a different cocktail each before our meal and had lovely service across the course of our evening — even to the point where we got an extra bottle of sparkling water because the waitress accidentally filled the half empty sparkling glasses with still water. A nice gesture!
Panama is a great place for whatever mood you might be in — and they take reservations which is always a win in my book, especially for groups! Will definitely be back…

Please note: this review is for the lounge only, was not lucky enough to eat at the restaurant.
Panama offers a great atmosphere to compliment a solid drinks list and knowledgeable bar staff. The layout is solid, split between large group tables, small booths and open areas including the pool table. BY FAR the best (and most under appreciated) aspect was the volume level. You don’t realize how nice it is to have a simple conversation sometimes.
Go. Relax. Win.

This place has great ambience. Large open floor plan with large windows, pool table, vintage feel and great cocktails.

Food here is pretty good. The servings are big. I had the chargrilled baby chicken which was really tender and flavoursome. Did have order envy of my friend’s steak. Looked really good with yummy looking chips.
The place is really loud. We were thinking it was great to be sitting at a round table, but we were all leaning in to try and have a conversation. The low tables didn’t help the situation.
Would definitely come back for drinks at the bar. Big selection of cocktails.

Great bar on the dodgy end of Smith st. This place is usually really busy and you can see why; cool music, amazing views and interesting interior. The staff seem to have a bit of attitude on every trip I’ve been there but still worth checking out for a Friday night drink.

I love this place!
The NZ king salmon, if a tad on the salty side, may just be the best salmon I have EVER had, and the spinach/​porcini pastry is also delicious. All the sides I’ve tried here are a bit uninspiring, but still good. As to drinks, the Panama libre is a favourite.
Great mix of people, and friendly staff. A beautiful, beautiful space for a drink or a meal or both.

Neatly tucked away from the sometimes raw energy that is Smith Street, the Panama Dining Room offers food that you’d be likely to find in any one hat restaurant yet provides a more relaxed atmosphere.
The Panama is located on level three and is large. It is great to have a quiet cocktail or two at the bar and then wander over to the adjacent dining rooms afterwards (although the meals served in the bar area look great too). If you can, grab a table near one of the big windows. It can be fun to watch the activity on the street below or take in city views.
The menu really does, to use an old cliché, offer something for everyone. Whether you’re after Spanish «Jabon» or Zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese (although beware if blue cheese is not your thing), quail cigars, slow roasted lamb or wagyu beef, there will be plenty to tempt you at the Panama dining room.
This place is ideal for dinner whatever the occasion, be it dinner with a group of close friends or even a special date.

This must be one of the busiest restaurant-​bars in the whole of Melbourne on Valentine’s Day. The way this restaurant looks and the breathtaking views of the city through those magnificent arched windows don’t so scream romance as sexily whisper it in husky tones.
The French-​inspired food is unpretentious yet definitely of restaurant quality, and it’s good value. The long wine, beer and cocktail menu means you can pretty much guarantee you’ll get the drink you want.
It has never been too crowded in here when I’ve been, having said that, it is advisable to book ahead if you’re planning on the full wining and dining experience as demand for the dining tables is great.