About Panama 66
Panama 66 is one of the best restaurants in San Diego and one of the best places to see live music. Located at 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, and delicious food.
This is a well-known gem of the city 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 jazz night inside the auditorium in the museum.
Great For
• Appreciating art
• Kids
• Live music
A Closer Look
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.
