Element is the only steampunk themed cocktail bar in Panama City, set on a side street in Casco Viejo near the Arco Chato. The room takes its cues from Jules Verne, all brass, gears and Victorian machinery, and the drinks match the theatre.
The concept gives the bar a clear identity in a district full of rum bars and rooftops. Bartenders work behind a counter dressed like a 19th century workshop, and the menu leans into smoke, bitters and house infusions.
Who would love it: anyone who wants a cocktail with a story and a bit of stagecraft. Who would skip it: drinkers after a quick beer or a loud dance floor, because this is a slow, detail driven room.
The space is small and dim, with copper pipes, exposed bulbs and curiosities lining the walls. Reviewers on Tripadvisor return to the design again and again, calling it one of the most distinctive rooms in the old quarter.
The drinks are the reason to book. The menu rotates around craft builds that use local spirits and homemade syrups, and the presentation often arrives with smoke, dry ice or a custom vessel.
Order a signature build from the printed list first, where the steampunk concept shows clearest. Cocktails sit around the twelve to fifteen dollar mark, which reads as fair for the level of craft and the theatre that comes with each pour.
The bar opens Tuesday through Saturday from six in the evening, with a shorter Sunday afternoon window and a Monday close. Early evening is the calm hour for anyone who wants to talk to the bartender before the room fills.
Reservations help on weekends, when the small room books out fast. A midweek walk in usually finds a seat at the counter, which is the best spot to watch the builds come together.
Regulars on OpenTable and Tripadvisor praise the inventive menu and the attentive service, and flag the size of the room as the main limit. The bar rewards a slow visit over a quick round.
It suits a date that wants a talking point, a pair of cocktail enthusiasts, or a memorable first stop on a longer Casco Viejo night. It is less suited to large groups hunting for noise and space.
The bar sits a short walk from Plaza Herrera and the central plazas, which keeps it close to the rest of the old quarter's drinking. That position makes it an easy opener before moving on to the rooftops nearby.
The steampunk theme could read as a gimmick, but the cocktails hold up on their own. The craft behind the builds is the reason the concept works rather than distracts.
Prices stay reasonable for the quality and the spectacle. A couple of cocktails here costs less than the same evening at a hotel rooftop a few blocks away, which keeps locals coming back.
Anyone visiting Casco Viejo for the first time gets a clear sense of the district's cocktail scene here. The room shows how far Panama City's bar culture has moved beyond the standard rum and cola.
Casco Viejo has grown into Panama City's cocktail heart over the past decade, and Element is one of the rooms that pushed that shift. Its theatrical approach gives visitors a reason to linger rather than move straight on to the next plaza.
The bar fits naturally into a longer night through the old quarter. Start with a craft build here, then carry on to the rum bars and rooftops a few streets away as the evening opens up.
Service runs slow by design, so a visit here is about settling in rather than rushing through. The team explains each build, and the pace suits a conversation more than a quick stop.
The room works for travellers who want one memorable drink in Casco Viejo rather than a long bar crawl. A single visit captures the district's move toward serious cocktails.
For more in the district, see the guide to the best bars in Panama City and where the room sits among the best cocktail bars in Latin America. Nearby picks include The Strangers Club in Panama City, Tantalo Roofbar in Panama City, and Relic Bar in Panama City.
Sources: Element official site · Tripadvisor reviews · OpenTable · Panama Casco Viejo. Editorially curated by Marcus Webb.
