Villa Ana 1928

Come for drinks and jazz. NOT for dinner. We visited Villa Ana for dinner after seeing strong reviews and because it is part of the Hyatt Hotel, where we were staying at La Compañía. While the service and atmosphere were excellent, the food was a major disappointment. To start on a positive note, the service was phenomenal throughout the evening, attentive, professional, and genuinely warm. The restaurant also locks guests’ phones in pouches upon entry, which I personally appreciated and had no issue with. For dinner, we ordered four appetizers and one main course. Unfortunately, the appetizers were consistently underwhelming. The main course was the only dish that prevented this from being a two-star experience. Appetizers: Tom Yum Soup: Overly acidic and heavily seasoned, with unbalanced flavors. It was thoughtful of the staff to offer to split the soup for sharing. Shrimp Tartare: Contained very little shrimp and was overwhelmed by other ingredients, resulting in a bland profile. The shrimp served on the side was overly salty and sour, possibly due to added seasoning and vinaigrette. Corn and Lobster Croquette: Fine but forgettable. One small croquette served with two scoops of salsa and minimal lobster meat. At $26, the value was difficult to justify. Grilled Octopus: Cooked tender, but completely overpowered by excessive salt, multiple sauces, and a salty dry crumb of some sort, leaving little of the octopus flavor. Main Course: Lamb Tagine: Well executed and flavorful, with no complaints. This was easily the highlight of the meal and the reason the rating isn’t lower. It’s unfortunate, as expectations were high, especially after enjoying other restaurants within the hotel. The ambiance of the space is beautiful, and the service truly stands out. Dinner for two with one drink came to $160 before tip, around $190 all in, which further heightened expectations around food quality and value. The second-floor bar is excellent, particularly with live jazz and comfortable seating, and the cigar and rooftop bar are nice additions, though they could use refinement. The running-water ashtray is a creative idea, but water pooling on the floor beneath it detracts from the experience. Overall, Villa Ana works well as a venue for cocktails and live music, but the food does not currently match the level of the setting, service, or pricing. Update: During my stay at La Compañía, Carlos, the Hyatt's Food & Beverage Manager, personally reached out to apologize and discuss our dining experience. I genuinely appreciated the gesture; it speaks volumes about the care, accountability, and dedication he and his team have for their guests. I’m confident they’ll take this feedback seriously and work to address the issues we encountered.

Top floor smoking room, with bar. Very relaxing. No phones allowed which is a lovely change of pace. Bar has a huge variety of drinks. The manager comes around and is an absolute gentleman. Great range of cigars. No photos as no phones allowed but it is the epitome of exquisite. I'd love to try the restaurant downstairs as you can tell they have rhe highest standards.

Tripped upon this place while in the old city. Here early on a Monday so had entire top floor to ourselves. Nice selection of spirits and cigars. Relaxing! Good ventilation for those non cigar smokers. Be forewarned they lock up your phones in a little baggy. This is a no cell phone situation establishment. At first felt a little odd but quickly began enjoying not being attached to mobile phone. Short on pictures but huge on pleasant experience.

A wonderful experience. The ambience makes for a perfect evening…..the cocktails and dining experience were exquisite! Elegant and fun at the same time! After enjoying an amazing meal, the speak easy is open for music and after dinner drinks. There is even a cigar room, if that’s your fancy. Villa Ana was a highlight of our Panamá City experience!

My new bride and I had the most wonderful time at Villa Ana 1928. The mansion is beautifully restored and catapults you back to the 1920's. The short rib was exquisite, melted in my mouth. My wife had the New York steak and it was cooked to perfection! This will be a lasting great memory for my wife and I.

What a place. Love the fact that no phones 📵 are allowed which make the vibe so much nicer. Everyone is talking to each other, and enjoying. The food is divine and the service impeccable. Make sure to go up one level to their speakeasy jazz bar. Wha a gem. And keep goin up to their Cigar bar on the rooftop. What a night. What a place!!!!

Villa Ana is seriously one of the best places around — now I understand why everyone talks about it! The food is delicious, the vibe is great, and the whole place just feels welcoming. Huge shout-out to Ruben, the manager. He’s super attentive and really makes sure everyone is having a good time. You can tell the team loves working there — the staff are happy, helpful, and on top of everything. Overall, just an awesome spot.

We spent a wonderful evening at Villa Ana. The house is just a wonderful place with so much history and the adaptation and conversion has been done respecting the period. The food was delicious, everything we ate from appetizers to dessert was excellent, flavors, presentation and creativity. The service was flawless. We then visited all the other labels and finally went to the rooftop terrace with a direct view of the wonderfully illuminated Cathedral for cigars and rum, both excellent. We loved our experience there. Also not having the phone was wonderful, it really makes you enjoy and soak in each moment without that distraction.