Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá
The verdict
Traditional Panamanian cooking in Casco Viejo, where the appetiser was comfortably the best thing on the table.
We came after Spanish class on a Tuesday, around seven, into a near-empty room. The menu is posted outside so we had already chosen. Fried dough rounds and a salsa arrived before anything we asked for.
Then the patacones with seafood in coconut sauce, which was outstanding, and mains less than ten minutes behind it. Portions are large enough that most of the ropa vieja and the ceviche came home with us.
Skip if
- You have a small appetite. Portions are big enough that we took most of two dishes home.
- You want the mains to be the highlight. The appetiser was better than either of them.
Would we go back? Yes.
The visit
Quiet at seven on a Tuesday
A banquette under the restaurant's mark. The menu is posted outside, so we sat down already knowing what we wanted.
Something arrives before you order
Little fried dough rounds and a salsa, brought out unasked. Really good, and a decent sign of what follows.
The ropa vieja, and how much of it there is
Shredded beef with rice and a tomato salad on a banana leaf. Absolutely delicious, and big enough that most of it went home with us.
The appetiser was the best thing we ate
Patacones under seafood in a coconut sauce. Kristen is not big on seafood and still called this outstanding.
The ceviche is good, and standard
Very good on its own terms, but it is the more ordinary of the two cold plates and it had the patacones to follow.
On the table
- Patacones with seafood in coconut sauce
- Outstanding, and Kristen is not big on seafood.
- Ropa vieja
- Absolutely delicious, and far more than one person needs.
- Fish ceviche
- Very good, but standard.
- Fried dough rounds with salsa
- Brought out to start, unasked. Really good.
The food
Fish cured in lime, finished with ripe plantain.
PopularFried cassava fritters stuffed with chicken (3 pieces).
Popular
Breaded snapper in a mixed-seafood sauce.
PopularTraditional Panamanian chicken-and-root-vegetable soup.
PopularSeasoned rice with vegetables.
Fried snapper in a tangy pickled sauce.
Where it is
PH Plaza Catedral, Panamá, Provincia de Panamá, Panama
Casco Viejo, Panama City
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Good to know
One of 12 Panamanian spots in Casco Viejo
Best time to go
Frequently asked
What kind of food does Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá serve?
Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá serves Panamanian. The menu includes Fish ceviche, Chicken carimañolas, Red snapper 'a lo macho'.
What's good at Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá?
Authentic traditional Panamanian flavors with fresh ingredients. That reflects what people consistently say online - EatsPanama does not post star ratings.
How much does a meal at Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá cost?
Based on its published menu, dishes run $7.00 to $26.00 ($$ overall).
When is Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá open?
Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá serves seven days a week. Most days it opens around 11:00 AM and closes around 9:00 PM.
Does Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá have vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?
The listing notes Vegetarian options. Options can change, so confirm with the restaurant when you go.
Where is Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá?
PH Plaza Catedral, Panamá, Provincia de Panamá, Panama, Casco Viejo, Panama City.
Nearby alternatives
Around Casco Viejo
Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá is one of 149 restaurants EatsPanama tracks in Casco Viejo, Panama City. Every listing is built from public sources and menus - no restaurant can pay to appear. The neighborhood leans toward Cafe, Bar, Panamanian.
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