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Convenient option if you're around Balboa Park but not somewhere you'd go out of your way to try. Friendly staff. Awesome outdoor seating. Decent menu options.
My fiancée and I went to the zoo, left, and took a stroll through Balboa Park. We were hungry, and since it had been a few years since we ate at Panama 66, we decided to give it a try. My sandwich was amazing. I had the Turkey Club Sandwich, which came with sliced smoked turkey breast, brie cheese, bibb lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, bacon, chili aioli, and levain bread. Delicious! I had french fries on the side and they were cooked perfectly. The seating area is outdoors, which is great because you can enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather and catch a glimpse of the famous Balboa Park architecture. The staff are friendly and worked to bus tables and keep the place clean. It's definitely a place I will come back to, and maybe next time I'll try their burger.
After the Botanical Building tour, our group came to Panama 66. There was something for everyone in our group. Order at the counter, take a number, find a seat! Love it when you don't have to fuss over a bill after dining! I ordered the vegan smash burger and it was good! Service was great after being seated, with requests for mustard or ketchup brought out instantly!
Keep in mind when visiting that this is in a tourist area... So you're not gonna get a screaming deal or anything. But I didn't think that the prices were outrageous either. Maybe just slightly higher than restaurants in a regular area. Panama 66 has a great selection of craft beers from California. Maybe a few too many IPAs for my taste and definitely lacking a pale ale. I did try both of their wheat beers and thought they were excellent. I went for the burger, it didn't come out, looking all that impressive but the taste was popping. All of their bread products come from local bakery Bread & Cie and the bun was perfectly toasted. The french fries are always on point at Panama 66. I like to get them upgraded to Parmesan truffle. My man got a club sandwich and it was huge and he thought it was really good as well. On a previous visit I had the Tempe sandwich, I wasn't in the mood for meat on that visit and it is really nice and Hardy. Would definitely recommend that as an option as well. I especially like this restaurant because of the ambience. It's located outside, but there is some covered seating. Right next to the museum of art and there's a big beautiful courtyard with some art pieces as well as a nice water feature. While we were sitting there a few ducks flew into the water feature, it was quite entertaining. I thought the service was great starting right with the gentleman who greeted us at the door who informed us of all the new menu items. I also appreciated the guys at the counter that were patient with me and let me try a few of the craft beers. It's a fast casual type place, you order at the bar and then they bring your food out. They were doing a really good job of also busing and cleaning all the tables. This is definitely a place I will return.
Jonathan, thanks for making our experience so fun! We eaves dropped and heard him telling another patron about the story of the restaurant where the museum it resides in opened in 66, and Balboa park hosted the celebration of the opening of Panama Canal..... The courtyard where the restaurant was in was very quiet and quaint. The beers cold and the curry fries were TDF! That curry sauce, I can see why there is a cult following for it. Highly recommend to give them a try, thr m&m cookie was divine. Definitely try the curry fries!
Visited on a weekend with my furkid. Pros: - Pet friendly! Seating is outside. - Decent sized portions of food. Price goes in line with portion and location of restaurant. - Ordering drinks were quick. Minimal wait. - Great ambience. Cons: - Line to order food was somewhat long. Quality of food itself was average. We ordered Mediterranean appetizer platter of sort and fish tacos with fries. Tacos were eh, but everything else was decent. - Service was nothing to rave about.
Fabulous night on a beautiful fall evening with the tower lit up. A night of Latin jazz and delicious burgers with side of fries and salad and a dazzling pink lighted California Tower right in front of us!! Service with a smile and food ready in ten minutes. A simply delightful evening. Plenty of parking at the Oregon pavilion and it's still free! I was surprised, but it wasn't more crowded on a Friday evening. We arrived at 5:30 and the music started at 6 PM. The tables were getting full by the time the music started.
I got a chicken bahn mi. The baguette and veggies were not bad, but as usual i find the chicken to be bland and dry. On top of that, there was very little sauce too, not much pate or anything else. I did like the salad just because it's not a regular lettuce salad. This has a unique vibe where it feels classy, but also feels like a cafeteria. Like, you've got a live band and a nice looking bar. But we also had to stand in a line between stanchions to order food. There were still a lot of empty tables on a Saturday evening, but customers were backed up trying to order through a single register. I.....feel like they're not understaffed, but their management is really inefficient. We had at least 3-4 servers come to our table, and none of them were quite sure what the others are doing. At one point, one woman noticed we didn't have silverware yet, and she leaves for silverware, followed by a second dude going "you guys don't have silverware yet?", followed by a third woman bringing our silverware. Later, the server who brings our food forgets to take our numbers. About 15 minutes later, another server comes and asks if we got all our food. We said we did, so she says, "I'll take your numbers then." While I do think they were busier than usual, the way they operate feels questionable. I suspect that the real reason they force people to order upfront is due to dine and dashers. Unfortunate.
As a San Diego local, I sometimes go here because this is extremely conveniently located in the middle of Balboa Park. I think the food is just ok, but better than other options within walking distance so if I'm showing someone around Balboa Park it is convenient. The location is also quite nice and you can have a view of the SD Museum of Art sculpture garden. I went recently and the line was extremely slow (when I went only 1 person was at the register even though there were 2 registers), which was the biggest downside. The food came pretty quickly after ordering. I got the mezze platter as an entree because I was feeling like veggies, and it was a great choice. As an appetizer, I would probably want 3+ people to share this because I didn't finish it as an entree. I was pleasantly surprised with how filling it was! My friend got the tuna melt and also enjoyed it.
A friend and I stopped in on a Wednesday around 9 pm to catch the live jazz in the back room, and it did not disappoint. They host jazz every Wednesday until 10 pm, and as someone from Louisiana, I don't say this lightly, it was phenomenal. The talent was seriously impressive, and it was refreshing to see a crowd that genuinely appreciates that kind of music. The setup is great too. There's plenty of seating with small tables so it's easy to relax and enjoy your drink without feeling cramped. It's also super casual, you can come and go as you please, which adds to the laid-back vibe. One thing to note: after 9 pm, the bar serves only wine and beer. The wine list is small (just a few reds), but the options are still solid. Overall, this place is a total vibe. Really glad we checked it out and would definitely come back for another Wednesday night.
The BF and I, we're spending the day in Balboa park, trying to see it all in one day And we needed respite, when we saw panama 99, we decided to have lunch Al fresco and ice cold beers. We dined on pork adobe and jasmine rice and fish tacos We sat and listened to the live jazz playing in the courtyard.
This was my first time here at Panama 66 in Balboa Park. We came for a late lunch and I was surprised at how fast the service was. We stood in line at the bar and ordered from there. I even ordered a lemonade ($4) and they gave it to me as I got the number order stand as well. To eat, I ordered their $18, Pulled Pork Sandwich with the side salad (the other option was truffle fries). And as you finish ordering, as you may notice, they have a station to grab some nice ice cold water as well. After they give you a number, you find a seat on the patio. The area in the front of the restaurant has reserved signs on the tables, but apparently it's just reserved for larger groups (rather than solo eaters, 2-4 people) such as the one I was with. We were a table of 8-10. Like I said, I didn't even sit down for more than 5 minutes and they already brought out my plate of Pulled Pork Sandwich. I cut for sandwich in half for easier eating. The first half that I ate, didn't have as much flavor in the pulled pork as the second half did. I think it would be lovely to have a little more of that Seasonal IPA BBQ Sauce because you'd think that would be the star of the show right? The dijonnaise was light and not overwhelming. There were some tasty spicy dill pickles inside the sandwich. What I loved is that they used Bread & Cie pretzel bun, so beautifully toasted it didn't get soggy at all. I didn't taste a creamy veggie slaw, so I added my side salad into the sandwich and boy that was a great idea! Since the salad was lightly dressed and a bit difficult to stab with the fork-- being in a sandwich was the best for it. I'd rate this a 8.5/10! The lemonade was good, but a little thick. Reminding me of the ones you'd get premade in bottles at the store. Lots of simple syrup or sugar, I think a little more water was needed and maybe even some more lemon. It was refreshing, but unless it was made hand squeezed-- I'd say only worth $3! (I do not know if they make the lemonades themselves). My friends were happy with their Soup of the Day- which looked like it was Carrot, Cauliflower Ceviche ($16) , and Truffle Parm Fries ($10). A few of them have eaten here before and recommended the Tofu Banh Mi ($17) and the Smash Veg Burger ($17). Overall for lunch I paid ~23-$25.71 which is not bad for a restaurant within Balboa Park. The food was tasty and fulfilling after a long walk around the area. The workers were kind, place was clean, great atmosphere, and fast service. I'd recommend Panama 66 if you're in Balboa Park or even just Bankers Hill area.
13 days ago
We really liked the beer and food options here. The pork belly was excellent and definitely a highlight. The Caesar salad was initially way too salty. We were told it was because of the dressing, so we asked if they could replace it and serve the dressing on the side. They were happy to do so, and the replacement was much better. Overall, a good experience with tasty food and a nice selection of beers. I appreciated that they were willing to fix the issue with the salad. Also the service was very fast. read more
17 days ago
2 months ago
My fiancée and I went to the zoo, left, and took a stroll through Balboa Park. We were hungry, and since it had been a few years since we ate at Panama 66, we decided to give it a try. My sandwich was amazing. I had the Turkey Club Sandwich, which came with sliced smoked turkey breast, brie cheese, bibb lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, bacon, chili aioli, and levain bread. Delicious! I had french fries on the side and they were cooked perfectly. The seating area is outdoors, which is great because you can enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather and catch a glimpse of the famous Balboa Park architecture. The staff are friendly and worked to bus tables and keep the place clean. It's definitely a place I will come back to, and maybe next time I'll try their burger. read more
After the Botanical Building tour, our group came to Panama 66. There was something for everyone in our group. Order at the counter, take a number, find a seat! Love it when you don't have to fuss over a bill after dining! I ordered the vegan smash burger and it was good! Service was great after being seated, with requests for mustard or ketchup brought out instantly! read more
Keep in mind when visiting that this is in a tourist area... So you're not gonna get a screaming deal or anything. But I didn't think that the prices were outrageous either. Maybe just slightly higher than restaurants in a regular area. Panama 66 has a great selection of craft beers from California. Maybe a few too many IPAs for my taste and definitely lacking a pale ale. I did try both of their wheat beers and thought they were excellent. I went for the burger, it didn't come out, looking all that impressive but the taste was popping. All of their bread products come from local bakery Bread & Cie and the bun was perfectly toasted. The french fries are always on point at Panama 66. I like to get them upgraded to Parmesan truffle. My man got a club sandwich and it was huge and he thought it was really good as well. On a previous visit I had the Tempe sandwich, I wasn't in the mood for meat on that visit and it is really nice and Hardy. Would definitely recommend that as an option as well. I especially like this restaurant because of the ambience. It's located outside, but there is some covered seating. Right next to the museum of art and there's a big beautiful courtyard with some art pieces as well as a nice water feature. While we were sitting there a few ducks flew into the water feature, it was quite entertaining. I thought the service was great starting right with the gentleman who greeted us at the door who informed us of all the new menu items. I also appreciated the guys at the counter that were patient with me and let me try a few of the craft beers. It's a fast casual type place, you order at the bar and then they bring your food out. They were doing a really good job of also busing and cleaning all the tables. This is definitely a place I will return. read more
Jonathan, thanks for making our experience so fun! We eaves dropped and heard him telling another patron about the story of the restaurant where the museum it resides in opened in 66, and Balboa park hosted the celebration of the opening of Panama Canal..... The courtyard where the restaurant was in was very quiet and quaint. The beers cold and the curry fries were TDF! That curry sauce, I can see why there is a cult following for it. Highly recommend to give them a try, thr m&m cookie was divine. Definitely try the curry fries! read more
2 months ago
Visited on a weekend with my furkid. Pros: - Pet friendly! Seating is outside. - Decent sized portions of food. Price goes in line with portion and location of restaurant. - Ordering drinks were quick. Minimal wait. - Great ambience. Cons: - Line to order food was somewhat long. Quality of food itself was average. We ordered Mediterranean appetizer platter of sort and fish tacos with fries. Tacos were eh, but everything else was decent. - Service was nothing to rave about. read more
Fabulous night on a beautiful fall evening with the tower lit up. A night of Latin jazz and delicious burgers with side of fries and salad and a dazzling pink lighted California Tower right in front of us!! Service with a smile and food ready in ten minutes. A simply delightful evening. Plenty of parking at the Oregon pavilion and it's still free! I was surprised, but it wasn't more crowded on a Friday evening. We arrived at 5:30 and the music started at 6 PM. The tables were getting full by the time the music started. read more
5 days ago
I got a chicken bahn mi. The baguette and veggies were not bad, but as usual i find the chicken to be bland and dry. On top of that, there was very little sauce too, not much pate or anything else. I did like the salad just because it's not a regular lettuce salad. This has a unique vibe where it feels classy, but also feels like a cafeteria. Like, you've got a live band and a nice looking bar. But we also had to stand in a line between stanchions to order food. There were still a lot of empty tables on a Saturday evening, but customers were backed up trying to order through a single register. I.....feel like they're not understaffed, but their management is really inefficient. We had at least 3-4 servers come to our table, and none of them were quite sure what the others are doing. At one point, one woman noticed we didn't have silverware yet, and she leaves for silverware, followed by a second dude going "you guys don't have silverware yet?", followed by a third woman bringing our silverware. Later, the server who brings our food forgets to take our numbers. About 15 minutes later, another server comes and asks if we got all our food. We said we did, so she says, "I'll take your numbers then." While I do think they were busier than usual, the way they operate feels questionable. I suspect that the real reason they force people to order upfront is due to dine and dashers. Unfortunate. read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
As a San Diego local, I sometimes go here because this is extremely conveniently located in the middle of Balboa Park. I think the food is just ok, but better than other options within walking distance so if I'm showing someone around Balboa Park it is convenient. The location is also quite nice and you can have a view of the SD Museum of Art sculpture garden. I went recently and the line was extremely slow (when I went only 1 person was at the register even though there were 2 registers), which was the biggest downside. The food came pretty quickly after ordering. I got the mezze platter as an entree because I was feeling like veggies, and it was a great choice. As an appetizer, I would probably want 3+ people to share this because I didn't finish it as an entree. I was pleasantly surprised with how filling it was! My friend got the tuna melt and also enjoyed it. read more
6 months ago
A friend and I stopped in on a Wednesday around 9 pm to catch the live jazz in the back room, and it did not disappoint. They host jazz every Wednesday until 10 pm, and as someone from Louisiana, I don't say this lightly, it was phenomenal. The talent was seriously impressive, and it was refreshing to see a crowd that genuinely appreciates that kind of music. The setup is great too. There's plenty of seating with small tables so it's easy to relax and enjoy your drink without feeling cramped. It's also super casual, you can come and go as you please, which adds to the laid-back vibe. One thing to note: after 9 pm, the bar serves only wine and beer. The wine list is small (just a few reds), but the options are still solid. Overall, this place is a total vibe. Really glad we checked it out and would definitely come back for another Wednesday night. read more
The BF and I, we're spending the day in Balboa park, trying to see it all in one day And we needed respite, when we saw panama 99, we decided to have lunch Al fresco and ice cold beers. We dined on pork adobe and jasmine rice and fish tacos We sat and listened to the live jazz playing in the courtyard. read more
1 year ago
This was my first time here at Panama 66 in Balboa Park. We came for a late lunch and I was surprised at how fast the service was. We stood in line at the bar and ordered from there. I even ordered a lemonade ($4) and they gave it to me as I got the number order stand as well. To eat, I ordered their $18, Pulled Pork Sandwich with the side salad (the other option was truffle fries). And as you finish ordering, as you may notice, they have a station to grab some nice ice cold water as well. After they give you a number, you find a seat on the patio. The area in the front of the restaurant has reserved signs on the tables, but apparently it's just reserved for larger groups (rather than solo eaters, 2-4 people) such as the one I was with. We were a table of 8-10. Like I said, I didn't even sit down for more than 5 minutes and they already brought out my plate of Pulled Pork Sandwich. I cut for sandwich in half for easier eating. The first half that I ate, didn't have as much flavor in the pulled pork as the second half did. I think it would be lovely to have a little more of that Seasonal IPA BBQ Sauce because you'd think that would be the star of the show right? The dijonnaise was light and not overwhelming. There were some tasty spicy dill pickles inside the sandwich. What I loved is that they used Bread & Cie pretzel bun, so beautifully toasted it didn't get soggy at all. I didn't taste a creamy veggie slaw, so I added my side salad into the sandwich and boy that was a great idea! Since the salad was lightly dressed and a bit difficult to stab with the fork-- being in a sandwich was the best for it. I'd rate this a 8.5/10! The lemonade was good, but a little thick. Reminding me of the ones you'd get premade in bottles at the store. Lots of simple syrup or sugar, I think a little more water was needed and maybe even some more lemon. It was refreshing, but unless it was made hand squeezed-- I'd say only worth $3! (I do not know if they make the lemonades themselves). My friends were happy with their Soup of the Day- which looked like it was Carrot, Cauliflower Ceviche ($16) , and Truffle Parm Fries ($10). A few of them have eaten here before and recommended the Tofu Banh Mi ($17) and the Smash Veg Burger ($17). Overall for lunch I paid ~23-$25.71 which is not bad for a restaurant within Balboa Park. The food was tasty and fulfilling after a long walk around the area. The workers were kind, place was clean, great atmosphere, and fast service. I'd recommend Panama 66 if you're in Balboa Park or even just Bankers Hill area. read more
1 year ago
Vibes are excellent here! The patio is gorgeous, there's a sculpture garden in the back and on wednesday's they have jazz night. You can't see the stage from the restaurant area but you can definitely hear it! And they have seating in the hall if you'd like to watch the performance. There's full bar and wide selection of beers/ciders/etc. We shared some fries which were yummy and crispy; and the mezze platter which was just okay. There was a bit of a line to order but the food and drinks came out quickly and the servers/bussers were very attentive. read more
9 months ago
We went here for lunch before a play. It did not disappoint. The line to order food gets long, but kids can run around in the plaza or inside, on the back grass. If you just want a drink, there's a bar line inside. If you like beer, this is a great place to go. Lots of great beers on tap. All seating is outside. They have heaters of it gets chilly. You can people watch up at the front or sit to watch kids play on the grass in the back. We chose a high top table by the water feature. I got the burger because they are done so well, but all the food is delicious. I got a side of curry for the side of fries. If we're just going for a drink, I usually order the fries with curry. The daily soups have all been really good too. read more
Super takeout experience. They have an organized line where you order the people who are staying to eat in the sculpture garden, and I got my Go bag packed nicely to eat elsewhere in the park within 15 minutes. The tomato soup is amazing, kind of an epitome of why it's iconic. Basil oil and goat cheese and a yummy soup. My mother loves the caramelized onion grilled cheese sandwich which is extremely tasty, but I got the tuna melt which was fabulous. Fresh local tuna, olive bread, and then tarragon and cheese and other yummy things. I'll come back for this! read more
It's clean elegant and relaxing inside. Solid drinks and the food was pretty good. The burger and fries were really good. I would go back; but try a different option than the sandwich again. The workers were all kind! read more
The hostess was very happy and kept the line going. The food was okay. Very simple and more of a place to grab a cafe snack. It's outdoor seating and the patio in the back is open to everyone dinning there. It's nice to sit down and take a break. They had cups on the side of the registers for self serve water. There are statues around, it's gated exclusively for the people dining there, the kids can run around and play if they have energy. They can't go too far but it's perfect for them. read more
4 months ago
Literally San Diego's best little spot! If you are looking for a place with vibes and good food and drinks this is the spot! I love bringing my pup to this place and grabbing an awesome cocktail and tasty food and posting up! Big grass area with art installations and all the fixings of balboa park in view! read more
Of the many restaurants the parks that have their own reztaurants the one place that has changed the many things is the Balboa Park. Balboa )ark had the many snacks of tge zoo and thevtray lunches you can gave with sandwiches or the half poundhotdogs. One of the many places that caught my eyebtge statuez O looked the museums near by to find they have an outdoor bar with umbrellas and the tablesbyou xan have a group of coworkers. Having time in the aftwrmoon looking for lunch places the outdoor patio tgecsign they have with a menu at the front welcpmed by the female hostess that was very rude looking at the menu seeing the many dishes. Going to the front register the front area waz something that you would set up for an outside party. Paying by credit card the bill included the tip and the drink was a can of coke with an 17.00 dollar lunch the service was not the best for the hamburger was undercooked dripping blood. French fries over salty the food was not somthing thet matches the menu was told it was avgrilled burger. Looking at the outside area I was lookibg for servers the only ones they had those that were picking up the plates. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the many places that I have veen from the service to see a restaurant that was not welcoming the outside very different. read more
i really enjoyed the fish tacos at panama, they were delicious and came out super fast! taking a star off though because the hostess had kind of a weird attitude. i asked if there were any tables in the sun and she said no. then a group of 10 came in and got in line for the order counter and she told me i had to wait until they were gone ordering to get in line, which was weird because there was plenty of space. and then she switched up and asked if i wanted to sit at the bar. after i sat down there, i realized it was not what i envisioned, so i decided to just order food in the counter as i originally intended and found plenty of sunny tables to sit at. don't know what her deal was but i felt like she could have been a bit more friendly/accommodating! especially for a party of 1 :) read more
1 year ago
This restaurant is in the middle of Balboa park! I was impressed with the amount of vegan options on the menu. There are multiple appetizers and main dishes that are vegan. The vegan grilled cheese was AMAZING. The melt on the cheese and the flavor was so savory. I got curry fries on the side and I appreciated that they put the sauce in a cup so you can pour it how you prefer. My husband got the special and loved it! The service was fast and the area to eat was nicely shaded and comfortable. read more
6 months ago
I've been wanting to come here for the longest time and it was worth the wait )expecting long lines) but they go by fast. We went on Friday night for the live music and it makes a huge difference. The seating is outside so bring a jacket because it was a little chilly. I got the park burger and it was not the best but it was not the worst. I also got the chocolate mousse for dessert and that was delicious. Overall very cute place for vibes and drinks. read more
4 months ago
Casual outdoor venue. Table needed cleaning after seated. Service is average to slow. Drinks are weak and expensive. Saving grace was the hamburger! I'm very picky if they ask how I'd like my burger cooked and get it wrong because so many reputable places do this. The burger was cooked perfectly and was delicious! Unexpected considering all else. Solid burger stop for Balboa Park. read more
Friendly staff, beautiful location, but food quality seems to have diminished. Plenty of tables to sit and may have a line to order, but food is timely. I ordered the burger. Burger was cooked perfectly, but the patty seemed previously frozen. For $19 I would expect fresh ground beef. The pickled onions and pickles added a sophisticated touch, but the Burger still tasted plain and ordinary. The fries were good, but came out warm not hot. The kids menu is competitively priced and I appreciate them offering a menu for children. I wish could have tried the other dishes, but definitely pass on the burger. read more
Panama 66 is a great place to relax and get a great burger (the Wagyu Park Burger). I'm glad I resisted the temptation to get the fries because their small side salad was excellent. I went for lunch so I skipped the draft beers and opted for an iced cold brew. read more
2 months ago
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More info about Panama 66
1450 El Prado
Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101
Balboa Park
Directions
(619) 696-1966
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http://www.panama66.com
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Ask the Community - Panama 66
What are the hours during December nights?
Friday will be in the evening till 900pm and saturday will be the hours of the 1100am till 1000pm sunday the hours of the closing day the hours will be the hours of 1200pm to 900pm.
Is the band viewable from the barstools?
The bar at the Panama 66 I had lunch there but the music has been a no show of the music.
What's the closest parking to Panama 66?
625 Pan American Rd E, San Diego, CA 92101
I can't find anything about Happy Hour. Does that mean it doesn't exist?
Hi. They have informal HP. I had the chance to see a jazz jam for 2 hours with a good glass of wine.
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