MANGLE — Restaurant in Bella Vista

First: Mangle has the best Old Fashioned cocktail in Panama. It is textbook perfect, tho I would love a cherry in it. But otherwise it’s what I’ve been looking for. Oh and it’s $6 at Happy Hour (which right now runs from 12pm to 7pm).

Second: The restaurant has the kind of ambiance that I thought I would have to give up when I left the US. Nope. Mangle has it. Appropriate lighting, interesting decor, chic bathroom design, even the Edison bulbs. I’m not a hipster but sometimes I just need my bougie places. This one ticks that box without going overboard. It’s the place you want to go for a few drinks and a conversation.

Third: The service is tight. Water gets refilled. Empty dishes are taken away promptly. Orders are taken accurately the first time. The food and drinks come out in an appropriate amount of time. I’ve been here 4 times now at 4 different times of the day and the service was good every one of those times.

Finally: While Mangle feels more bar than restaurant, the food is not an afterthought. The menu is limited but tasty. You can absolutely come here to just have a meal and be satisfied. It’s not cheap, but the value is high for your money. The meat, the greens, the bread, they are all of high quality and the plating...

Mangle is currently my favorite bar anywhere. The fact that it is less than a 5 minute walk from my apartment is a huge added bonus, but even if I had to take an Uber I would go at least once per week.

They have an excellent happy hour (12pm-7pm), great lunch specials (entree, salad or fries, and a drink for $10), actual bourbon (Bulleit), proper cocktail ice, and great service. Also, the decor and music are a definite vibe, it's clean and well air-conditioned, and there is also a nice little patio for enjoying the weather. My only complaint is they had a special brunch a couple of weeks ago and I would really like it to be a regular thing. I would go every week (in addition to going for drinks and lunch at least once per week).

They make an excellent and proper Old Fashioned, which makes my husband extremely happy. I personally enjoy the Moscow Mule, but I am also ready to start trying some new things.

The birria sandwich is magic. Everything else we have eaten so far has been excellent, but the birria sandwich...

This was the first bar I walked into when I arrived in Panama and talk about luck of the draw!

My Spanish is terrible but that didn't matter one little bit because John, Camilo, Denzel and I speak the same language when it comes to the proper tending of a bar. These hombres are solid.

I've been in PTY for a few weeks now and hit most of the hot spots. But I keep coming back here for the low-key lounge vibe. It's got your favorite neighborhood spot feel with the tunes to match.

The liquor selection is by far the most extensive I've encountered in Panama with a staff that knows what they have and how to use it. This is an IYKYK type joint.

Don't sleep on Mangle....