El Cangrejo is dotted with bars and pubs, live music venues, as well as theaters, nightclubs and casinos.
To sample Panama’s budding microbrewery scene, check out Istmo Brew Pub or La Rana Dorada (both featured above in our “Perfect Saturday in El Cangrejo”). La Rana’s Casco Viejo location is home to the actual brewery inside the bar. The Biergarten has a lush garden with big screens for sports.
For live music, check out El Apartamento-Sotano, a relaxed art and cultural space with a cocktail bar and restaurant, and always host to great alternative music, from punk rock to hip hop. El Pavo Real is a real El Cangrejo establishment from the 1980s: an English pub with pool tables, darts, pints and pub grub, often host to live music. The Panama Zen Hotel has a stunning rooftop bar with views over the city skyline, as does AltaBar, even better for dancing and martinis on the rooftop terrace.
Know that El Cangrejo is also Panama City’s Red Light District (legal in Panama) – if this bothers you, avoid the Veneto and surrounding area. The trade, while present, is certainly not ubiquitous, and we and fellow expats have happily raised families in El Cangrejo and would recommend it without hesitation.
This article is part of our Ultimate Guide to El Cangrejo. Download the complete guide by clicking here.