La Fishería Seafood — Restaurant in San Felipe

A Disappointing Dining Experience at The Fishery: Fried Red Snapper and Confusing Wine Choices

My recent visit to The Fishery restaurant left much to be desired, with a dining experience that fell far short of expectations. I decided to try their fried red snapper, hoping for a delicious seafood dish that would tantalize my taste buds. Unfortunately, what arrived at my table was a greasy and overcooked mess that lacked flavor and freshness. The once-promising red snapper was a letdown, with a disappointing texture and an overall lackluster presentation.

To add to the disappointment, the wine list at The Fishery was equally underwhelming. When I inquired about the selection of wines available, I was met with confusion and indecision from the staff. The choice between red and white wine seemed straightforward enough, but when I asked about the white wine options and whether they were dry or sweet, the servers were unable to provide a clear answer. This lack of knowledge and expertise when it came to their own wine offerings only added to the overall feeling of disappointment and frustration during my meal.

In conclusion, my experience dining at The Fishery was far from enjoyable. The fried red snapper failed to deliver on taste and quality, and the confusion surrounding the wine list only further detracted from the overall dining experience. I left the restaurant feeling unsatisfied and let down, with a lingering sense of disappointment that overshadowed any potential positives from the visit. I would not recommend The Fishery to fellow diners looking for a memorable and satisfying seafood...

We had just arrived in Panama City on a late night flight and were famished. So after checking in and dropping our bags off we searched for the closest, open restaurant in in Casco Antiguo and it ended up being La Fisheria Seafood. It was described as a Mediterranean influenced menu. There's indoor and outdoor seating, but we chose to eat inside due to the humidity. I loved the accent wall inside which showcases the original stone wall. You'll see that most places in Casco Antiguo do that.

We started off with Calamari, in this preparation, little fried octopuses. This was OK, nothing extraordinary. I didn't much care for the sauce that came with it either. For one of our mains we ordered Fish of the Day, which in this case was a whole, fried Corvina. My wife really enjoyed it. It was seasoned and prepared well, but it was more because of the taste of the type of fish as she always has fried red snapper. My entree was Langostino Risotto, but a risotto it was not. It had the consistency and texture of a paella. The flavor was on point, though, and the langostinos were grilled perfectly. I was just expecting risotto so I was let down by that. We were pretty full, but I always have dessert and I chose Tres Leches for mine. As you can see from the picture, the cake was completely covered in whipped cream. I wasn't bothered by that as much as I was by the cake itself. It was too dense and the flavor did not save it.

This place was average for me, because while there were some good bites, there were just as many, if not more, average bites. Mix all that with the price point and I don't think I...

I am genuinely shocked this restaurant has good reviews because the behavior I witnessed here was completely unacceptable and dishonest.

From the start, the service was chaotic. They lost our food, and half our group finished eating before I had to track down the manager to find out what happened. To my disbelief, I saw her command our waiter to take our food to another table, despite it being an hour late. The poor waiter tried to bring it to us, but the manager argued with him in front of our entire group, refusing to let him serve it. When I confronted her, she blatantly lied and tried to blame the waiter for the situation.

It wasn’t just us experiencing terrible service. A large group entered the restaurant, and while the waiter did his best to greet them, no host or manager assisted them. After waiting 15 minutes without any help, they eventually left without even ordering.

What truly disgusted me was what happened at the end. After we had all finished, I tipped the waiter for his efforts, despite everything. Right in front of my face, the manager snatched his tip and pocketed it for herself!

As a native Panamanian who wanted to treat my family to good food and a pleasant atmosphere, this experience was beyond disappointing. I will never recommend this place to anyone. If this is how they operate, they do not deserve the business or the praise they...