17/05/2026
Fun fact: the Mercado de Mariscos was a gift from Japan to Panama 🇯🇵🎁🇵🇦 Established in 1995 through the Japan Technical Cooperation Agency , it was built as a place where fishermen could sell their catch directly to the people of Panama City. And it’s been doing exactly that ever since.
The Mercado de Mariscos in Panama City is two things in one — and both are worth knowing about.
On one side, you’ve got the restaurants. Pull up a plastic chair, order a cup of ceviche, a whole fried fish, and a Panama beer for a few dollars. That’s it. That’s the move. On the other side, you’ve got the actual market — fresh grouper fillets, shrimp, octopus, lobster — bought straight from the guys who pulled it out of the water 🐟🎣🐙
My honest advice? Walk Casco Viejo first. Wander the cobblestones, get a little sweaty, earn it. Then come here, sit down, and let $3 absolutely fix your afternoon.
Fair warning though — it smells like a fish market. A real one. That’s not a flaw, that’s the proof it’s the real thing 👃🏼👀
