Restaurante Santa Rita — Restaurant in San Felipe

We were visiting Panama City for our 20th anniversary celebration. I chose to take my wife to Santa Rita based on recommendation. When we arrived we were seated at a 2 person table on a night when they were a little more than half full. We waited approximately 10 minutes before we were greeted and given water, which we thought nothing of. After some more time our waiter finally came to take our order. After placing our order, approximately half an hour into our seating the waiter and hostess approached us and told us we had to give up our seats because a party of 5 needed to be seated where we were. We’ve dined at many fine dining establishments across the world and have never been asked 30 minutes after seating to move. When we inquired why now, the waiter and hostess said a party of 5 just walked in, they needed to join our table of 2 with another, and they were disinclined to put the party of 5 at one of the “high tables” that would accommodate their group size because of their age. We were taken aback. No other parties as far as we could tell were asked to relocate. Nor was the party of 5 asked to wait until other parties who had been there longer were finished and vacated. Somehow we were the last to arrive so we were the first asked to vacate a table we had been sitting at for half an hour. Totally unbelievable. We told the waiter and host we had reservations as well, we had been seated for awhile, and we chose not to move. It was essentially implied we wouldn’t be served if we didn’t move. So we decided to leave the restaurant and go to Fonda Lo Que Hay, which needless to say was a much superior experience. Unfortunately Santa Rita ruined our 20th anniversary dinner and we’d never go back or recommend anyone to go. Shameful...

An incredible experience at Restaurante Santa Rita in Casco Viejo. The entire team went above and beyond to make my cousin's 25th birthday dinner truly magical. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warmth and hospitality. The ambiance of the restaurant was charming and cozy, adding to the overall atmosphere.

The highlight of the evening was the exceptional service. Our waitress, Francis, paid attention to every detail, ensuring that we had a memorable dining experience. She was attentive without being intrusive, and her recommendations for dishes and wine were spot on.

The food itself was outstanding. Each dish was prepared with care, and the flavors were exquisite. From appetizers to dessert, we were impressed with the quality and presentation of every course. The Santa Rita Chuleton Especial was incredible, highly recommended ordering it to share next time you’re there.

To top it all off, the team surprised us with a special birthday treat for my cousin, complete with a beautifully presented dessert and a heartfelt birthday song. It was a thoughtful gesture that truly made the evening unforgettable. The flan and cheese cake are out of this world good.

I can't say enough about Restaurante Santa Rita. The combination of impeccable service, delectable cuisine, and a warm atmosphere makes it a must-visit in Casco Viejo. I highly recommend it for any special occasion or simply for a memorable dining experience. Thank you to the entire team, especially Francis and Itza for making my cousin's birthday dinner so magical.

Last, but not least special shout out to Justo - Thank you so much for entertaining us with your cooking skills all night and explaining all the dishes we didn’t get a chance to try!

We'll definitely be...

Have to start out by saying that our kids were here a few months before and raved about this place. So we put it as a must stop and see if we decided to visit the old town. So glad we did. It is a casual dress kind of place, which is very nice considering the place gives off a dressier atmosphere. There is a large selection on the menu and when we went they also had a chalkboard with special items of the day as well. I will say that this place is delicious. From the first bite of the appetizers to the tasty and sweet morsels of desert. I started off with the clams in garlic and white wine, it was delicious nothing I haven't enjoyed back in the states. I also ordered two empanadas which omg these were absolutely to die for. It was freshly sliced beef inside a perfectly cooked flaky crust. My wife who is picky as a kid trying new things even loved them. I had the oxtail with rice for dinner and it was absolutely delicious, a very interesting take but something I had to try. The wife got the filet as she and her family loves steak, it was perfectly cooked and the chimi churri they had to accompany it was amazing. The crepes were an amazing desert and I can not stress this enough but you have to give this place a shot when you venture out this way. You can walk in and be served but I strongly recommend making a reservation I can see it filling up fast. With appetizers dinner desert a glass of wine and three bottles of water the bill/check(whatever yall wanna call it) was $100.00, I knew it would be up there as I was over indulging my senses with this trip and I was not disappointed one bit. For the price the taste was worth...