San Diego: Panama 66 (July 2018)

Panama 66 (July 2018) – Cool (Literally and Figuratively) Spot at the SDMA
 
My spouse and I visited Panama 66 (P66) for drinks on a Thursday afternoon in early July 2018. Panama 66 is open from 11:00 am until 9:00 pm daily, with earlier closing hours of 3:00 pm on Mondays and extended opening hours on weekends at 10:00 am. The bar remains open an hour or two later than food is available. Live music is offered on certain evenings. The restaurant does not accept reservations. The operators of Panama 66 also own the Blind Lady Ale House and Tiger!Tiger!

Panama 66 is located in Balboa Park at the San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA); however, museum admission is not required to dine in the restaurant. The restaurant’s name is a reference to its location on the Plaza de Panama (from the city’s Panama-California Exposition in 1915) as well as a nod to the year that the museum opened its west wing and sculpture court. In fact, this open-air cafe is located in front of the May S. Marcy Sculpture Garden, which offers views of the California Tower at the Museum of Man. The cafĂ©’s outdoor tables are positioned on the flagstone patio between the two buildings, some under cover of umbrellas, and others under a colonnade arcade. A small bar offers seating for about eight patrons at a time. Semi-counter service is available; you stand in line at a counter to order, but a server delivers your food.

The restaurant offers upscale American cuisine, including burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Many varieties of craft beers are available on tap, along with a full menu of cocktails and a few types of wine. We enjoyed a few rounds of drinks, but we did not sample the food (other than to share a giant freshly baked chocolate chip cookie).

We enjoyed our brief time spent on the patio at Panama 66; its position between the main museum building’s auditorium and the wing that contains the library and bookstore provides a breezy spot to enjoy a drink or a meal. 





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