Maito Restaurante
The verdict
A Tuesday dinner at Maito: the sancocho cooked over nance wood, a pork main with a whole sheet of crackling on the side, and we were still at the table after ten.
We sat down on a Tuesday at around twenty to nine, and two plates were in front of us within a minute of each other.
One was the sancocho con arroz, Panama's chicken soup, which Maito cooks over nance wood and serves with the rice in its own bowl.
The other was a pork main glazed dark in a pool of jus, under a crisp topping and chopped greens, with a flat sheet of crackling laid beside it.
The last photograph of the night, at twenty past ten, is the palm-tree sign on the wall.
Skip if
- You want Sunday dinner. Maito is closed on Sundays.
- You are hoping to walk in. Book ahead, especially for a weekend night.
- You want a quick or cheap meal. This is a sit-down dinner at fine-dining prices, and ours ran past an hour and a half.
Would we go back? Yes, we would go back.
The visit
01Pork, and a whole sheet of crackling
Dark-glazed pieces sitting in their jus, a crisp topping and chopped greens over them, and the crackling served as one flat golden sheet rather than broken up.
02Sancocho con arroz
Chicken broth cooked over nance wood, pale and flecked with herbs, in a wide bowl. The rice comes on the side, the way sancocho is eaten at home.
03Still there after ten
A palm tree and the name in script, lit by a single spotlight on a pale brick wall. The last photo of the night, taken at twenty past ten, an hour and a half after the first plates landed.
On the table
- Sancocho con arroz
- Chicken broth cooked over nance wood, with the rice in its own bowl.
Where it is
C. 50, Panamá, Provincia de Panamá, Panama
San Francisco, Panama City
Get directions →
Good to know
Best time to go
Notable mentions
Regularly featured on Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants (ranked around #18 in the region) and on the 50 Best Discovery guide.
Frequently asked
What kind of food does Maito Restaurante serve?
Maito Restaurante serves Panamanian. The menu includes Farm-raised octopus, honey glaze, Short ribs with coconut aioli, Shrimp wonton dumplings.
What's good at Maito Restaurante?
Creative multi-course tasting menu showcasing Panama's Afro-Asian-criollo fusion. That reflects what people consistently say online - EatsPanama does not post star ratings.
When is Maito Restaurante open?
Maito Restaurante is open most of the week and closed Sunday. Most days it opens around 12:00 and closes around 10:30 PM.
Does Maito Restaurante take reservations?
It lists a WhatsApp contact - the green button on this page opens the chat directly.
Where is Maito Restaurante?
C. 50, Panamá, Provincia de Panamá, Panama, San Francisco, Panama City.
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Maito Restaurante is one of 152 restaurants EatsPanama tracks in San Francisco, Panama City. Every listing is built from public sources and menus - no restaurant can pay to appear. The neighborhood leans toward Pizza, Cafe, Burgers.
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