Panama Hatty’s

I’d walked past Panama Hatty’s a few times, and on at least one occasion got slightly the wrong idea as to what it was due to the lingerie store above it. The confusion didn’t last long, though.
I recently went here with the family, some of whom are a bit picky with their food and I was banking on Panama Hatty’s to have a little bit of something for everyone. I managed to make a short notice booking for 6 on a Saturday, which I was quite impressed with.
When we arrived, we were seated promptly and someone came over to take a drinks order. There’s a good range of wine available and also some draught beers, though I opted for the Herrljunga cider which was delicious and refreshing.
My girlfriend and I shared the Panama Sampler to start, which is a platter with a little of all of their starters on it: ribs, salt and pepper wings, potato skins, corn on the cob, onion rings, nachos and dipping sauces. Everything was stunning; the ribs were tender, the wings were hot and crispy, the sauces were great. I’d happily have eaten the entire thing myself, but sharing is caring after all.
I chose the Andaman Sea Bass for my main, as I wanted something different than my usual choices of steak/​burgers/​meat overload. I loved it. The fish was well cooked and moist, as it was en papillote (spelling?), and was so flavourful from the herbs and spices it was cooked with. The oriental stir fry which came with it was fine, if a little bland and not a great combination with the fish. Still, I enjoyed them both fine.
Dessert is where Panama Hatty’s let themselves down a bit. We all debated whether or not we wanted dessert, and after finally deciding that we did we ordered these. Now, I’m not sure whether it’s just that this is a weak course for the venue or they were a bit rushed in the kitchens as a large group of around 16 arrived just as we ordered these, but the desserts were pretty bad. I ordered the sticky toffee pudding, which unfortunately arrived barely warm and swimming in a caramel-​like sauce. Others on the table had the chocolate fudge cake, the banoffe pie and the waffles and nobody really enjoyed their desserts either. The only person who did was my girlfriend, who had ice cream which was good.
All in all, for what was a not inexpensive meal, everyone around the table agreed that Panama Hatty’s did great starters and mains, but that perhaps dessert is best left unordered.
I’d certainly go back, as there’s a lot of range in the menu with influences drawn from all over, and the staff were great throughout. The venue itself is also quality, with an ambiance of an upmarket lounge but without the pretentiousness.

Went here ages ago. Good service and good food with a mixed selection. I had the jambalaya and my friend had the tagine. Bit of Caribbean and Mediterranean. Usually quite reluctant with places that try to do more then one. However it was executed well. Cocktails are good too. Strawberry mojito is the one.

I’d been expecting good things from this restaurant; I don’t know whether it was because we were a large table or because it was Christmas time and they were a little overrun but they just didn’t deliver. All food looked great but flavours were pretty bland and I found that most of the meat in my fajitas was burnt. Service was pretty slow, handing plates over peoples heads instead of going round the other side of the table and passing scolding hot plates to people when you’re fully aware of how hot they are are big no no’s in my books. Flys hovering above the table for the duration completes the picture. A pretty dark cramped space that didn’t have me leaving with the festive feeling I expected.

I have walked past Panama Hatty’s 100s of times and becer been in until recently. Who doesn’t like some tasty Mexican-​ish food!
Loved the actual restaurant, my piña colada wasn’t too bad, the food… was a let down! The only way I can think to describe it is ‘meh’! Not as good as I thought it would be, I almost shed a tear into my cocktail.
If I was to do it again, I think I would head to Chiquitos instead– similar food, probably cheaper.
Someone at work had also recommended it, now to hunt them down and show them what tasty food looks like!

I went here with a good friend of mine after she was recommended it, after eating there I can’t say that I would not do the same. While the place is very nice and have plenty of room we were still place on a small table, which was pretty much attracted to a larger one. While I am sure the people their where lovely and amazing people, I am sure that they didn’t want us joining in on the party.
I could forgive this if the food was great. It was not. I got myself Jambalaya — with Jambalaya I do not want chewy squid.
So I am going to wrap up here, in summery I would say give this place a miss.

Panama has been stuck in a rut for a while. It used to be the only real place to hit for good Mexican grub in Manc. Unfortunately it now feels a little dated especially compared to the fresh and vibrant Mexicans popping up everywhere.
It still has some charm and its frozen cocktails are legendary. They do good lunch menus but you really want to be here on an evening. If Lucha Libre is Javier Hernandez with its easy going and fun nature then this place would be Antonio Banderas (today’s version. Not the cool El Mariachi model)

I’m not entirely sure why I decided to eat here as I usually instantly refuse to eat at any restaurant that isn’t entirely sure what cuisine it is serving. On its website, Panama Hattys sells itself as delivering dishes «ranging from Mexico to Malaysia, the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.» That’s never good. It usually means they’re not particularly good at anything and are therefore average at everything.
My friend and I were seated at a very small square table that was squished up against a wall. A large curtain was hanging next to me so I felt like I was unable to move my left arm. We ended up pulling the table away from the wall to give ourselves some room and breathing space. Apart from this, the layout and ambience in the restaurant is quite nice — good lighting and it isn’t too noisy.
I went hoping for a bit of mexican spice and was pulled in by their value dinner menu of two courses for £12.95. I went for their burrito and the waitress was nice enough to talk the kitchen into exchanging the peppers for some mushrooms so that my stomach didn’t hate me later. The flavours in the burrito weren’t bad but the wrap itself was like eating a pillow. Thick, dry and little bit soggy, it just wasn’t good. The burrito was served with rice which appeared to have been cooked three days ago — it was cold and tasteless. The salsa was the only thing to bring any sort of pizzazz to the dish.
I had a sticky toffee pudding for dessert which is almost impossible to get wrong and it was edible. Hardly mind blowing but it was served on a ‘Mexican themed’ plate so I wasn’t expecting much.
I’d like to make special mention of the toilets — the bright blue tiles made me feel like I was visiting the loos at a swimming pool.

Dazzled by it’s syllable hopping funky name, alongside the sound of tempting South West, Mexican and Latin dishes — Panama Hatty’s had seduced me down to its lair.
Slinking on downstairs I found a treasure chest of sultry lights, wicker chairs, jungle style plants all nestled inside its beach hut interior.
Scoping out some punchy flavours me and my compadres ordered a bizarre selection of fare: Chicken and Chorizo Crostini, Mushroom and Stilton bake and Thai fishcakes were amongst the starting line up. Pairing up with this globe trotting feast we then proceeded to delve into Moroccan Tagines, Sirloin Steaks and Chicken Chimichangas.
Washed down with some stonkingly good Panama Coladas (a kind of rum, coconut and pineapple elixir) my tastbuds felt like they’d taken 12 rounds with Sugar Shane Mosley, or Carl Froch if you’re more patriotic (but definataly not Ricky Hatton after last night’s performance…)
Here’s the catch — whilst the atmosphere, drinks and service are all top mark affairs — with such variety of flavours and styles nothing really stands out. The Sirloin was a top quality piece of beef — but it lacked some flavour punch. The tagine too — was a little too sweet to the point of sickly, and the Chimichangas were soggy and lacking real taste (that was after finding them underneath the splurge of sour cream and salsa)
Headlines:
— Great place to take chums, hunker down and dazzle them with funky surroundings. The name’s cool too (I may be alone on that opinion…)
— Solid cocktails, reasonable prices (£6 a cocktail, £20 for two courses) and good service.
— No stand out dishes and lacking ballsy flavours.
I’m sure there will be a great dish somewhere amongst their expansive menu… but until I find it, a firm A-​OK is in order.

WOW if you want great food… this is the place to go! Its got a great atmosphere and great choice of food, theres something for everyone. Its really clean and the staff are great i cant recommend this place enough!

Always wanted to go to panama hattys as I’ve only ever heard good things about it from friends. One or two bad reviews on other review sites but they were totally wrong and not worth listening to. This place is superb! Greated by a welcoming face on the way in and offered a choice of seating (I’m quite picky when it comes to this so given the choice is always good) even though it was a fairly busy Friday night. Sat down and although we were hounded by about 4 different waitresses inside the first 2 minutes of sitting down for drinks each gave suggestions on the cocktail lists which was helpful. When they came the cocktails were amazing and very good value! We then had nachos to share based on what we had read on here! And they were very good and lots of them. We had the chicken ones which I can highly recommend. For mains I had a steak and rib combo which was really tasty, it was a touch dry so needed some tomato ketchup (not ideal for a nice steak) but other than that it was top draw! Mrs had rio chicken which tasted nice and fruity and both dishes went down very well. We were both way to stuffed for desert as all portions were very big but they looked and I have heard great things about them and I am sure based on the starter and main they will be! One of the best restaurants in Manchester in my experience, good food, good staff, really nice atmosphere and great drinks. Highly recommend!!!

Food is always good, and the drink menu is fabulous!
Panama Hatty’s is our «go to» when we don’t know where to eat when we’re in Manchester.

Descending the steps into Panama Hatty’s basement restaurant, I felt as though I had left dreary Manchester at the door, and entered somewhere far more exotic. The dimmed lighting teamed with velvet curtains and ornate decorations create a rather sultry ambiance that makes me want to pout and give my eyelashes a little flutter. It seems fitting then, that my girlish whims should be indulged with some exquisite cocktails. ‘Exquisite’ really isn’t an overstatement here, the cocktail menu is truly exciting, my Panama Sling (gin, cherry brandy, triple sec, pineapple & lime juices & dash of Angostura) was particularly seductive.
The food menu was just as impressive as the drinks menu, with dishes hailing from many different corners of the world: Mexico, Morocco, Caribbean, Thailand and Italy to name but a few. I know it sounds like an odd mixture, but it seems to fit just right into the menu, and it pretty much ensures there’s something for everyone as even the fussy eaters have access to burger and chips. What I liked in particular was that the dishes weren’t overly generic, there were a variety of spices and flavours, in new and unusual combinations that I hadn’t previously encountered. I think I chose particularly well with my delicious Moroccan Tagine (marinated lamb, spiced with cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and coriander, slow cooked with tomato, chick peas, sweet potato, apricots and olives served with cous cous and hot-​tomato flat-​bread) but there were so many dishes I wanted to try that I think a return visit beckons.
Panama Hatty’s falls on the pricier end of the student budget, but still affordable for special occasions like birthdays and times where you might want to impress. Because I do think it’s a rather impressive place, aesthetically and gastronomically speaking.
However one thing fell rather short at our meal. The service was painfully slow. It seemed to take a while to get our drinks and food orders taken, but to be fair, once the order was placed, it wasn’t too long before the food arrived, and they even provided little tortilla niblets for us in the meantime. But attention from our waiters was pretty scarce, waiting over half an hour at the end for them to bring us the bill and then sort out the change, something I could forgive in a busy restaurant, but not on a reasonably quiet night like this.

This Tex Mex-​cum-​Caribbean eatery is one of the prettiest looking restaurants in Manchester (with crimson swag curtains, black-​wood furniture and leather booths) it also does some of the prettiest looking cocktails (The Zombie is a work of art) and the prettiest looking food (the Chicken Papoosa with Mexican rice looked too good to trouble with a knife and fork). Unfortunately, as pretty looking as it all was it was only pretty good.
The service was pretty good, but we waited a hell of a long time for anyone to come over with a little pad and a pencil. Our drinks were pretty good, but they were very heavy on the ice and mixer. The food was pretty good, but the chipotle burger was lukewarm and the bun a little soggy. The food was pretty expensive, with most main courses at around the £14 mark. And our waiter was pretty friendly but despite sticking a 20% service charge on the bill then handed the card reader back to me so that I could enter a ‘gratuity’.
Lunchtime is a safer bet; the tapas deal means that if you and few friends go along you can have a feast for less than £10 each, which is pretty reasonable.

Panama Hattys, from the outside, looks like nothing more than a basement café, but on closer inspection, you could not be more wrong. The best thing about Panama Hattys, is that, when walking past, the vast majority of people don’t notice it, and don’t give it even the slightest bit of attention — leaving it that bit quieter and more secret for the rest of us.
The menu has a fantastic range. From enormous American-​style burgers, to Mexican platters and Thai/​Indonesian curries — Panama Hattys offers it all, with the no small amount of style and panache. The quality of the food is excellent, and is even better when washed down with one of the their signature cocktails, of which there are many to choose from.
The venue itself is much bigger than one would imagine, with multiple rooms, all of which are fitted with wooden shutters, so you can use parts of the restaurant for private functions. It is decorated throughout with wood panels, mirrors and pictures, and feels very classy, and in some respects, rather like a country club. It is a fairly pricey place to eat, but if you are going somewhere for a special occasion and are prepared for a bit of a splurge, then you needn’t look any further. I would especially recommend a trip to Panama Hattys before a cocktail in Cloud 23 — the ideal posh night out in Manchester!

I never thought I’d get so excited about a pina-​colada before I went to Panama Hatty’s. I’m not really a cocktail kind of girl, but when me and my boyfriend arrived without a reservation the host brought us through to the bar and suggested we try the cocktails while we waited. He winked at me and said the pina-​colada was especially good. I don’t usually trust men who wink, but he was bang on the money. The pineapple juice was sweet and crisp and coconut milk fresh and creamy and mixed with aged gold Havana Club rather than the cheap stuff. Really really delicious and beautifully presented, the cocktails are worth a visit alone.
The food is delicious. A mixture of dishes from across the globe make up the eclectic menu. Of special mention is the mountain of nachos or the infamous Jambalaya. For veggies try the sweet curry with crispy coconut rice (brown rice fried with desiccated coconut, yum!) The restaurant itself is equally exquisite with warm welcoming décor, tasteful lighting and plenty of seating options so it can be both intimate for couples and more than accommodating for large groups.
Service is fantastic and all the little touches (like fresh flowers or candles in the bathroom) make the moderate prices worth every penny.

A decision to try out a restaurant based solely on it’s attachments to the name, is a type of rationale I like to adopt. When word of mouth and press coverage fail, go for the «it’s my name approach!» Well my housemate’s, but spelt «ie» instead.
So how would this work out for us then. Panama Hatty’s offers a range of foods from around the globe that all looked very very yummy. South West, Latin and Mexican foods, a host of grills, burgers, East to West foods and Hatty’s own specials. Recipes apparently have been in use for around 30 years, expect expertise then.
For starters we had the appetisers to share, neuvo cabana, a regular portion of tacos, regular indicating that it was enough for two. When they came we indulged, the portion size seriously could have fed all four of us.
For the mains I went for the Masaman chicken, tender chicken breast fillet with flavoursome masaman sauce served with coconut rice and naan bread. Personally the masaman sauce was little too water, the coconut rice needed to be more coconutty and the naans were a little salty. Again all the mains were very generous sizes, so much so, I had to forego pudding.
Overall the service very good, the place littered with quite a few hen parties who also occupied the lounge area. Located on King Street, Panama Hatty’s is located in a fancy part of town but not holding back on the fancy pretentious portions. You definitely get a lot more for your money with these plates.

Panama Hatty’s is a gorgeous restaurant. The décor is stylish and sumptuous and the food is equally as good. There is a great selection of bottled beers (not just Corona, as with many Mexican style restaurants) and the cocktails are fantastic.
They do an ‘Urban Lunch’ menu which is tapas style and very very tasty. Dishes include Mexican potatoes, sticky ribs and king prawns. Order 2 or 3 per person, wash it down with a margarita and Bob’s your uncle.
It’s very quiet during the day and, because of this, service is fast, making it perfect for a quick bite to eat.

If you require a better than average night out then Panama Hatty’s is an easy choice! I’ve been an three now occasions, There is a different but equally top vibe, whether you go in the evening when it can be lively, or in the day when it is quiet, very private, and subsequently the service is super fast. There are low and well placed mood lighting and cosy booths and large tables too for the larger groups. I love the cactus stemmed cocktail glasses that you get here and the very generous portions. I have always ordered the nachos (Nuevo Cabana) The food is not just Mexican, the menu also includes cuisine from other countries like Malaysia and the Caribbean.

I’ve had a few really nice evenings here and I’m sure I’ll have a few more.
Good food, good drinks and good company makes a good evening as far as I’m concerned. Panama Hatty’s supplies the first two every time.
The cocktail list is just good fun, so many different ones to try! Not a bad wine list either though if you’re not a cocktail lover.
I’ve been to a few Mexican-​themed places before and been really disappointed so I hadn’t set my hopes too high the first time I came here.
I needn’t have worried though, Panama Hatty’s was good, very very good! There was a wide range of dishes to choose from and everything was very authentic. I am a huge fan of the nachos… damn this reviewing malarkey, I’m blatantly going to end up back there before the week is out now you got me thinking about the place!
It’s good for groups too, especially birthdays, but it’s such a relaxed place you could go with anyone for any occasion.

As the name suggests, this is a great little basement restaurant is reminiscent of a New York speakeasy; Scarface wouldn’t look too out of place making a deal or two in one of the cosy little corner booths. The attention to detail is outstanding: bistro-​tiled floors, deep red walls covered in framed mirrors, a stainless steel bar, leather booths and a wealth of greenery give this restaurant a sumptuous, warm atmosphere.
Considering its central location, this place is something of a hidden gem and you can often come here at lunchtime for an intimate date and feel like you’re receiving a high standard of personal service. The lunchtime menu is a great selection of Mexican delights from Taquitos to Quesadillas. There’s authentic choices as well as adapted versions to include Salmon and Lancashire cheese.
In the evenings it’s a wonderful venue for groups and birthdays. The atmosphere becomes more lively and the menu becomes more diverse, with offerings of Asian and Mediterranean fare and a great selection of large measure cocktails for only £5.50. Try the Panama Colada with either the traditional rum, coconut and pineapple — or perhaps Khalua, Banana or Strawberry. I’ll come back again and again.

Panama Hatty’s offers a vast array of dishes from every corner of the world — ideal if there is a large party of you and you want to please everyone!
The restaurant itself is lovely and cosy, lit with fairly lights and candles and lots of trinkets to please the eye. The service is efficient and always friendly but more importantly — the food is to die for! The portions are absolutely huge, fresh and pleasing to the eye (let alone the tummy!) I would certainly recommend a cocktail or two — they are absolutely fabulous and are well priced too.