About Panama 66

Panama 66 is one of our favorite places in all of San Diego. Located just behind the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park, Panama 66 is a huge outdoor restaurant that has nightly live music (typically jazz or Latin), a large grass lawn and sculpture garden, an amazing beer menu, great cocktails, and delicious food. The place is a well-known gem to locals and always has a bustling vibe, though it is never too busy to get a seat and it is casual enough that you will always find families with kids hanging out. It is a great spot to come after a day touring the museums or after a day at the zoo. On Wednesday night they have a more formal jazz night inside the auditorium attached to the restaurant where local musicians come to play. The place is art through and through and is one of our favorite spots in the city.

Best Parts

• Good beer on tap
• Kids can run through the sculpture garden
• Go for Jazz Wednesdays

Behind The Counter

Panama 66 is owned by the local San Diego couple behind Blind Lady Ale House – Jeff Motch and Clea Hantman. They are big proponents of bringing the capital C Community back to San Diego and their ventures show that. Part of the proceeds from Panama 66 goes to the San Diego Museum of Art, so you are supporting both local restaurants and local museums. A win win.