Where to Find the Best Fire-Grilled Argentinian Steak in Panama

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Few things smell and taste as delicious as a succulent steak, grilled to perfection over an open fire. Unless you’re in Panama. Panamanian steak has a well-deserved reputation of being tough, mostly because of what they graze on. So, steak lovers that we are, we set off on a mission to find the best fire-grilled steak in Panama.

After trying a few places and bemoaning the lack of a really good steakhouse, a friend suggested we try a place that grills steaks Argentinan style.

The ambiance at Patagonia Grill

The advantage to being a gringo in Panama is that no matter where we go, we are usually among the first diners to arrive, so we’re rarely turned away for not having a reservation. We always get our choice of tables at Patagonia Grill, because Panamanians like to dine late. The restaurant fills quickly, and most of the tables are occupied by the time we leave.

Patagonia Grill bar and waiters
We took our photos at Patagonia Grill before all those Panamanian diners arrived.

We’ve been to Patagonia both for romantic dinners and for evenings with family and friends. Even though the room is large, it still feels like intimate dining because the tables are spaced far apart. When we go by ourselves, we like to sit by the window where it is quiet, savoring a glass wine and a perfect steak.

Patagonia’s decor has an Argentine estancia flavor, down to the cow hide on the wall. It feels like a steak place. Still, when you get down to it, it’s not the atmosphere that keeps a restaurant’s tables full, it’s always about the food.

Even though their prices are not cheap by local standards, Patagonia Grill is a local favorite. The quality of the food and the attentive service keep everyone coming back.

Patagonia Grill is not just a name, though. Their wood-fired grill was actually imported from Argentina and the chefs were trained to grill their meats there as well. Judging from the restaurant’s popularity and flavor of the steaks, it’s well worth the expense. But even though it’s an Argentinian steakhouse, they don’t get their steaks from Argentina. They use USDA American beef.

tablels at Patagonia Argentinian steakhouse
The dining area has the rustic feel of an Argentinian cattle estancia.

Service at Patagonia Grill

Service is so prompt that it almost seems as if they have a waiter for each table. They don’t of course, but the staff work hard to ensure diners have a good dining experience. They even have a parking lot attendant/security guard to help with parking so guests don’t have to get up to move their cars.

Not sure what to order? The waiters are very knowledgeable about all the items on the menu. When we come with guests, we ask our waiter to bring the steak tray so they can better understand the menu.

He’ll make a clear and detailed explanation about each cut of Argentinian steak then, based on how they prefer their steak, suggest which cuts would be best. Usually it’s in Spanish but they’re not too bad with English.

A tray of the different cuts of meat at Patagonia Grill, an Argentinian steakhouse

The food at Patagonia Grill

Patagonia’s wine list offers a nice selection of Argentinian, Chilean and Spanish varieties. We usually order a glass of sangria or the (Argentinian) house wine.

We recommend the platter of grilled vegetables, Ensalada Campestre, as an appetizer. The roasted red peppers, grilled onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms, lightly charred and sweet from the grilling, practically melt in your mouth.

Soon the waiter approaches, bearing a cutting board with a round loaf of hot, fragrant homemade peasant bread and a pot of butter. It’s hard to turn down bread that is so fragrant with the tang of smoke in the crust and char from the wood fire.

Argentinian grill at Patagonia Grill steakhouse
This is an Argentinian grill; they can raise it and lower it for just the right amount of heat. Result: Best fire-grilled Argentinian steak in Panama.

Dan and I both have our favorite cuts (beef short ribs and ribeye, respectively), though there’s more than steak on Patagonia’s menu, and in all price ranges. They even serve planked salmon. We’ve had everything from the 32-ounce Super Patagonia Ribeye to the succulent lamb chops to local filet medallions with asparagus sauce and have never been disappointed. It’s always tender, juicy and delicious.

Patagonia Grill offers a variety of sauces to accompany your steak (mushroom, mustard, pepper, etc), but to be honest, we think they are unnecessary. These steaks are so good in their natural state or with the Argentine chimichurri or tomato-and-onion salsa that’s always on the table.

closeup of a fire-grilled steak
In our opinion, this place serves the best wood-fired grilled meats in all of Panama.

Dessert? Yes, please. A cup of cappuccino or cafe con leche is the perfect end to a meal this good. Occasionally we’ll succumb to a little extra decadence though, such as a slice of their key lime pie, delicious flan or their cold dulce de tres chocolates.

Our son enjoying a cappuccino at Patagonia Grill

Here’s how to get the best steak in Panama

Patagonia Grill is located in Panama City’s San Francisco neighborhood, just a few short blocks from Atlapa Convention Center. Despite our experience, reservations are recommended.

Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00 and 18:00-20:00 / Sun 12:00-16:30 and 18:00-21:00.
Tel.: 396-2645 / 396-2646.

  • By car: Drive down to the end of Calle 50 and turn right onto Via Cincuentenario. Patagonia Grill is one block down on your right, just past the McDonald’s.
  • By taxi: Because Panama City’s streets aren’t always clearly marked, it’s best to use landmarks when giving directions. Ask your taxi driver to take you to the McDonald’s on Via Cincuentenario, which is near Jimmy’s Parillada. You’ll see Patagonia Grill on the side street’s other corner.

If you are an outdoor grill master, Amazon sells a similar grill.

More about Argentine grilling:

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Written by Linda

Linda is multilingual and has been to over 50 countries. Her insatiable love of travel, cuisine, and foreign languages inspired her to create As We Saw It, where she documents her trips, shares practical itineraries, and offers insider tips. She’s passionate about helping fellow travelers save time, money, and hassle, and loves to discover new places to explore.

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8 thoughts on “Where to Find the Best Fire-Grilled Argentinian Steak in Panama”

  1. Wow – I used to say I didn’t like steak really. But then I had a good steak. WORLD of difference! And yeah…those look pretty tasty! I think we would get on well with the Panamanians…we don’t seem to make it to a restaurant before 8, even in America!

    • We usually arrived around 6:30-7:00 p.m., which is typical of Americans. The Panamanians began to trickle into the restaurant around 8. What about you?

    • Ha, Liz, I’ll confess my mouth started watering just from the memories while I was writing the article. There’s nothing quite like a steak cooked on an Argentinean grill.

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