Conoce Mi Panama

They were nice but The wait was long, the food was ok. It was ok but i dont think id be going back anytime soon.

See, this is why Unilocal should outlaw Unfinished Reviews! By the time I have a chance to catch up on my reviewing, half the places are [sadly] already out of business!
I can’t say that I know a lick of Panamanian culture; other than their hurricane Spanish-​speaking tongues and theirs/​my love for Reggaetón music (love me some El General and Lorna). While I did spend one and half years of my life in neighboring Costa Rica, all the talk was about Nicaragua, not Panama. Now was my time to explore a little Panamanian cultura.
Luckily for this restaurant, I was able to Conocer Su Panama. Alberto the owner was super endearing and emphasized their open BYOB policy. We ran across the street to the liquor store and picked up a bottle to fit in. He brought over his electric wine opener and buzzed away while chatting.
I absolutely loved their Ropa Vieja – especially because I always gave credit to Cúba for the dish. Panamanian’s recipe was just as delicious, if not better. You couldn’t miss out on their empanadas either that were perfectly fried golden and crispy. I ordered the Pollo Guisado con Coco which hosted chicken that melted in my mouth, while hitting me with a hint of coconut flair. You gotta have a side of arroz and plátanos to make it a true entrée. !Delicioso!
I was always thrown off by the automatic bathroom light switch. The minute I would just be close to «letting loose,» the light would turn off on me. Then I’d have to bust a random merengue or salsa move to turn it back on and finish my business.
I’m sad to see Conoce Mi Panama close, but hope to see them open a new business in the future. I still have their coupon they gave me with my fingers crossed. Hasta entonces!

Ok, so the décor looks the office of the Panama tourism board and a mix of family collectibles. The wait can also be grueling depending on how hungry you are. Don’t let either of those fool you, the food is legit.
I’ve had many an empanada but the beef ones here are the best ones I’ve ever tasted. They are super flavorful and the sweet mangoish sauce that comes with it serves as a perfect complement. The cornish hen in culantro sauce (their version of cilantro sauce) is a must order; the flavor seeps into the meat since it is slow cooked. I’d also recommend an extra order of the sweet plantains and potato salad to round everything out.
Oh and back to the wait, if it were any other place than a family run business, I would have a fit. But who can be mad at the always smiling gentleman (presumably the Dad) and daughter waiting on the patrons?

I’m so happy we had a chance to come here and try Panamanian food! We came on a stormy and terrible weathered Wednesday night. Luckily, that was great for our group because the 10 of us had the restaurant all to ourselves! (I was told that the restaurant is usually packed on weekends)
The food here was delicious! I ordered the fried yuca which was crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Super good! An added bonus was the garlic dipping sauce. I drank that stuff up!
As an entrée I had the ropa vieja. The beef was nicely shredded and tender. The sauce was very savory and delicious! It was not overly salty as some ropa vieja can be. The dish came with white rice, steamed veggies (or salad), and 2 sweet plantains. I was super full after eating everything.
Our waitress recommended the lemonade with brown sugar as a drink. So I tried that and it was actually very good. It was sweet and lemon-​ish with some sort of spice in it as an added twist. I couldnt pin-​point exactly what it tasted like, but I enjoyed it.
Service was with a smile and was spot-​on. The restaurant is a family business and I believe our waitress was the eldest daughter. She seemed to enjoy our company even though most girls her age would probably want to be at home watching tv or out with friends instead of working at the restaurant.
Great restaurant! I’d definitely come back here again!
Parking in the area was relatively easy with free street parking.

Even with a BA in International Studies I just didn’t believe Panamanian food existed. I mean, I know Panama is a country and I’m fully aware they have their own culture, but Panamanian sounded like a made up word. I was both intrigued and terrified at what I might find and I am glad that I took a chance on something new and got to «know my Panama.»
To be completely honest, I was expecting Mexican food. I swear I’m not so close-​minded that I think everything south of the border is just tacos, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around what Panama has to offer. I studied the menu carefully before our group dinner and was glad to find quiet a few familiar items such as Arroz Con Pollo, Empanadas and Yuca Frita, but there were quite a number of new dishes to try (Chicken with Coconut Sauce or Sautéed Salmon with Citrus Mango Sauce) and a few twists on old favorites (Tamales Panameños, Tamales wrapped in banana leaves). The menu is rather small, with really only a limited offering of entrees. I found that worked to our advantage. We weren’t bombarded with choices, so it was pretty easy to chose a meal and commit to it.
I felt a cold coming on and ordered a bowl of the Chicken Noodle Soup. This is the real deal! It’s a ginormous bowl filled with fresh vegetables and giant chunks of chicken. I threw in a generous amount of Cholula Hot Sauce and it did wonders. That could have easily been my meal, but I didn’t realize how large it would be. My main course was the Salmon, which I enjoyed but felt the Citrus Mango overpowered it. The Arroz Con Pollo, on the other hand, was excellent. I highly recommend it!
Service here is top notch. It’s a family owned restaurant and the father is as sweet as can be. He entertains the guests while the wife cooks and the daughter helps. He was so friendly and gave excellent suggestions. He also has a nifty wine opener that I’m quiet jealous of. Yes, I said wine opener. They are BYOB!

I can’t believe I forgot to review this place! I’ve noticed this restaurant for awhile as it’s not far from me, but I always forget about it until it’s too late. When groupon offered a deal, I bought it because I knew that would force me in here… and I’m so happy I did.
I called and made a reservation about a half hour before I planned on going (because I didn’t read the fine print entirely…) and they were great about it. While waiting for my friend to show up I gave a once over of the menu and pretty much wanted to try everything. Well, my friend is a vegetarian so we shared a few things and I was able to sample some of her stuff. As far as the empanadas go, the beef one was flavorful and had a nice little kick, whereas the vegetarian one was good, but didn’t have the same flavor. My friend agreed (yes, she took a tiny bite). We also shared yuca and loved it.
I had the arroz con pollo while my friend had the vegetarian dish with (fake) chicken. I took a few bites of her food and was shocked that it was fake meat. If I didn’t love what I chose, I would have kicked myself for not ordering that.
While enjoying our meal, it was obvious this place has a lot of regulars as Antonio (I believe) was having conversations with everyone. He came over a few times and asked what we thought of the food and was overall really friendly. I will definitely be back.

Conoce Mi Panama.
This is one of those mom-​and-​pop run establishments which gives it a lot of charm. Lots of Panama memorabilia on the walls which is fun to look at. The tables and chairs are a little outdated, but who cares — moving on to the food!
Yuca Frita — average, interesting texture, the accompanying butter sauce was nice and not too overpowering
Ropa Vieja — good, wished it was sweeter though (personal preference), didn’t understand why it came with a salad on the same plate, the accompanything rice was a little bland and overcooked/​watery (I have high Asian standards), the two small sweet plantains were good but not enough
Lulu’s Special — average, the accompanying caramelized onions were a nice touch, but the steak was a little dry and overcooked
Sweet Fried Plantains — highlight of the night, not as good as Carnivale’s, but still very good, it’s an absolute must to additionally order to sweeten up the Ropa Vieja as the two plantains they give you with the dish are not enough to sweeten up all the meat
The service was slow, but that’s because everything is fresh and made-​to-​order which is good. Funny thing — they acted like water Nazi’s — they only filled up our glasses half-​way, and we’d have to wait a good 10 minutes to get a refill, so by the time you got said refill, two seconds later, it was time for a refill again. The cycle continued throughout the entire dinner and was unnecessary. Not sure why they’re so skimpy on the water?

We started with tamales panameños and yucca fritters for appetizers, they were very good. For main course we tried ropa vieja and codorniz cooked in coconut milk… Both were delicious!
The service was good and the owner was friendly and welcoming.
It was a fantastic experience! I would definitely recommend!

After years of Unilocaling, I never thought it could be possible, a Panamanian restaurant in the Midwest. And though, Chicago has been on my list of –greatest cities in the US, now thats an understatement, it’s completely solidified… THE # 1 Best City in USA!
Conoce Mi Panama
Was the food the same as back home?
Yes!!! And sweet Jesus their Tamales I think are better then back home. Just remembering my experience makes my mouth water. The menu is pretty much your typical Caribbean latin cooking, similar to Cuban, Puerto Rican, etc etc however the flavor is unique, and very much Panamanian. Plus they had Chicheme on the Menu, and Ojaldras. I was like «OMG, pinch me, I’m still in the US correct?»
I was happy overall, the Mom (cook) is a little rude, but being Panamanian as I am, I knew right away she wasn’t being rude she was just being… well very very Panamanian, so if you encounter that Problemo just brush it off, wait for the food, totally worth it.
And in conclusion my new favorite thing about small family owned businesses BYOB… ahhh Perfect!

Get the Pollo a la culantro. If there’s any take away here, it’s to get yourself the god damn Pollo a la culantro.
This place is adorable. Family owned and operated. Mom makes the food, son’s the server – and it’s just really cute to hear them interact and refer to each other (i.e., my girlfriend asked for some salsa and the son says, «Yes! My mom just made some and it’s really good.»).
The food, yes, is all quite good. We started off with Tamales Panameños for an appetizer. Excellent. For entrees, we split the veggie burger and the Pollo a la culantro. The veggie burger was great but, shoot, it had some unfair positioning because nothing can top that effing Pollo a la culantro. The sauce on the chicken, mixed with the rice and beans… Get it.
Anyways, we went here on a Groupon and are definitely going back. Friendly people, delicious food, and BYOB!

Must try.
Lots of Vegetarian options.
The end.

Homemade hot sauce? Halal meat? Seitan tiras de pollo? Friendly, down home service that makes you want to hang out in the kitchen? Por supuesto, tenemos que conocer Panama! This little family run place is just lovely. And with the
certificate, my friends and I had a delicious and affordable meal, thanks to Unilocal.We were treated with Panamanian hospitality and were told that our table is «ours» just like they say in Panama. We were told to linger as long as we wanted and feel comfortable, right at home. I ordered the arroz con pollo which was surprisingly very tasty. Not too wild about the potato salad that came with it, but the rice and sweet plantains were yum. Thanks Unilocal for helping me choose a restaurant in Logan Square!

Great find by the BF today :)
actually he found this place a couple days ago and we tried it out today, we had a great lunch and it brought back memories for sure, as I spent a couple years in Panama
great food and great service to be had here, we started out with a couple meat empanadas, oh so yummy just needed a beer BYOB so bring some with you
I got the LuLu’s Special — Auntie Lulu’s Fried Flank steak with Carmelized onion oh so good, I got the veggies and some rice with fried plantains, and some beans
it was all very good, then we hung out for a bit and chatted about Panama it was a very nice way to spend the afternoon
can’t wait to go back and try more dishes out

I don’t know Panama.
I want do.
Would like to.
Am ready to.
My friends went.
Several of them.
But for me, it will have to wait a bit.
All good things to those who wait… remember?
But Big Bad Hannibal has nothing to do in this story. He wasn’t there, I didn’t eat any liver and there was no chianti on the table.
That was a water only night. Rare occurrence in my world but miracles are said to happen.
I was sad to see an empty dining room. Don’t people know that amazing food is there for them to try? Really? Even after 40 Unilocal Reviews? I am disappointed in you, my peeps…
This joyful establishment deserves your patronage. It’s bright, colorful, family-​centered, BYOB and on the cheaper side of the spectrum (especially for lunch). Go uncover the edible treasures of the most delicious of hats RIGHT NOW. The lumo relleno I had was fork tender, super flavorful, perfectly spiced and came with three sides: white rice, beans and steamed veggies.
As for the arroz con pollo… there was enough food to feed a few dockers of the Canal. Yes. Really. Well… I think?
Parking is super easy and FREE but careful, they close at 8pm during the week.

Okay, the outdoor sign is pretty small — we drove by and missed it twice, so keep your eyes open.
I love that the whole family was there running this place — the woman who I assume owns it comes off a bit strong, but is very sweet, humorous, and motherly. She and her family are very willing to help you practice your Spanish :)
It’s a small, cozy place. No complaints about service or food — The pollo guisado con coco and the ropa vieja are the favorites here; you could compare these dishes to other Latin/​Central American dishes, but there’s something unique about the way things are seasoned. The carimanolas look like cute little corn dogs but are stuffed with yuca (like a potato) with spicy ground beef. This place gets a high five for having fixed vegetables as a side dish. Sounds silly but how many restaurants give you a side of vegetables? Very healthy.
My only complaint was that it was a bit loud. I love salsa music as much as the next Latin music lover but it was hard to maintain a conversation.

One of the silliest internet arguments I’ve been in recently was about Costa Rican tourism. I advised someone to skip Costa Rica because it’s touristy and synthetic and instead go to Honduras which is more as Central America used to be (and cheaper) with all the same surfing and jungle exploration. My argument isn’t with Costa Rica. I’m sure it’s a fine country. I just like an underdog.
It’s similar with the Central American restaurants around Logan Square. Irazu, a Costa Rican place on Milwaukee, serves great food. But less than a mile away down Armitage, there is this little Panamanian place with a friendly spirit, a more adventurous menu (no tacos or burritos here), and without all the crowds. And to say it’s a family run is an understatement. When I was there, the two owner/server’s children were doing homework at the bar.
Plus it’s vegetarian friendly and uses all natural (and, if possible, healthy) ingredients and authentic recipes (two of the big draws of Irazu).
I wish I could say it’s also cheaper but I can’t. The analogy breaks down when, matching price for price at dinner, Irazu is actually less expensive. However, the $ 6.95 lunch special (served until 3:00 p.m.) can’t be beat here. It’s huge, well plated, and it even comes with a free soda!
Whatever protein substitute they use for the veggie beef chunks absorbs the savory sauce so perfectly and had such a great texture that I was worried it was actual meat — always a sign of good veggie cuisine. And this beautiful sauce spread to the rice and the vegetables as well, making them so succulent that I wanted to eat the healthier portions on my plate as well. And that’s saying something. If the meat ropa vieja is as good, all cows should only hope to die for such a noble cause!
The whole experience gave me the feeling that this was how Irazu used to be. So I’m just going to say it. Everyone should skip Irazu (at least once) and go to Conoce Mi Panama. When this restaurant eventually catches on, then people can say they were there when it was small. I’m just glad I put my Central American dining money where my mouth is on this one.

I’ve seen other reviewers mention restaurants feeling as if you were dining in the home of a friend or family member, but I don’t think I truly understood what this meant until I went to Conoce Mi Panama.
Six of us met there for bookclub on a Saturday night. From the outside this place doesn’t look like much and I was a little dubious about the food. We were quickly greeted by Lulu, who I think must be one of the owners. She joked with us about how we’d left the boys at home that night and told us she wanted us to sit back, enjoy our wine, and take as long as we wanted. She was funny and sweet and I really believed her — it felt like being in the kitchen of a good friend. A man (maybe another owner?) came over with his amazing light up corkscrew, opened our wine, and we were on our way!
I ordered the ropa vieja which Lulu recommended. It was a-​freaking-​mazing. Indescribably good. Better than the one I had at Café 28. And the plantains that came on the side were the best I’ve ever had. Everyone else at the table enjoyed their meals, too and Conoce Mi Panama is unique in that it offers several meat-​substitute options for vegetarians — we have 3 in the bookclub, which can be a challenge (both a veggie burger that was reported as delicious and a vegetarian «beef» dish). The entrees are all very reasonably priced (topping out at about $ 13) and come with a tremendous amount of food. All of which I polished off. The male owner then asked me if I wanted more. I wasn’t sure if he was joking, but I almost requested more plantains. Then I realized eating more might be hazardous to my health.
The homey reception continued when one of our member’s boyfriend came in to pick her up. He sat at the table for a few moments and Lulu immediately swooped in to ask him if he needed any food. Her refusal to accept that he was okay and was already full reminded me charmingly of my mother.
We unanimously loved this restaurant. It’s cheap, the food is high quality and delicious, it’s BYOB, there’s tons of free street parking, you don’t need reservations and the owners are charming and warm. What more can you ask for?

Dinner with 15 of my favorite peeps? Happy 28^th birthday to me! I decided on Conoce Mi Panma becaused I was lured by the idea of empanadas and plantains. Yum!
Beef empanadas are perfection! Love the flaky crust and all the beefy goodness inside. The fried bread was also a good appetizer choice.
The menu is semi limited, but has great options nonetheless! Bistec and ropa vieja topped my list of favorites, with some of the chicken entrees getting some not so favorable reviews. The food came with rice and beans and veggies. (The veggies, though, were frozen which I don’t mind usually, but I was hoping to enjoy some fresh ones.)
There’s also a veggie burger on the menu, which my friend loved… and he raved about the tostones (AND the sauce!).
Super friendly owners/​waiters! They really made us feel welcome (although there was a little minor mix-​up regarding one of the orders). The restaurant has a cozy feel, too — like you’re in your aunt’s living room! Loved that we practically took over the place and they didn’t even feel the need to kick us out. Another great, memorable birthday dinner!
*Plentiful street parking
*BYOB — no corkage fee
*Bring your own cake with no worries! They supplied cake cutter and plates
*Be sure to make reservations if you plan on having a big group
*
gc available — great deal!

We really enjoyed our dinner here! I went with my husband & another couple. We all started with empanadas (vegetarian) and they were very tasty. For dinner we each got something different. I had Tiras De Pollo Vegetariano (fake chicken strips w/​bell peppers), which was delicious. The others had Arroz con Pollo, Pollo Guisado con Coco (chicken w/​coconut sauce), and Lomo Relleno (stuffed roast beef) and everyone was really happy with their choice. All the food is served with rice, beans, plaintains, and your choice of salad or steamed veggies, so there is real bang for your buck. With the appetizers, we had an average tab of about $ 16 per person before tip.
I would definitely go back & recommend.

My husband and I are big fans.
Our favorite? The fried yucca. So so so good. So good.
I had the Pollo Guisado Con Coco (Coconut chicken). The chicken was super tender. The plaintains were sweet and delicious. My husband had a salmon dish. He was definitely a fan.
The Saril was delicious (hibiscus drink) and the Café Duran was good too.
I’m looking forward to going back soon. On my list to try next: Patacones (fried green plantains) and Arroz Con Guandu Y Coco (coconut rice) both highly recommended by a friend.
This is a small place. Each dish is made for you. This is not a place to go to when you are in a super rush. There are about 10 – 12 tables and just one server. So come patient, ready to enjoy your time. The server was completely hospitable and very helpful. (AND he did not make fun of my lame attempts at Spanish).
Also! They are on
! So now you have no excuse not to go. Do it!

I absolutely love this restaurant. I live all the way on the south east side, but it was so worth the trip. My friend had the culantro chicken which I of course tasted and it was very tasty. I ordered the chicken with the coconut sauce and it was to die for. I was actually upset when I got full cause I wanted to keep eating!
The décor is adorable, and the staff made you feel right at home. Oh and it’s a BYOB which makes it all the more fantastic! I can’t wait to go back.