Large cafeteria style seating. Features a wide variety in Asian and Panamanian vegan food. Includes soy meats, plantains, potatoes, rice, mixed veggies, soups and salads. Fresh squeezed orange juice and carrot juice as well. Food is usually made at 7am and available until closing. Lunch time has the best selection as there are fewer items left later on. Cafeteria pricing, around 70+ cents one scoop, and juices are 70+ cents (prices at Feb 2017). Owned and operated by a Taiwanese family. Open Mon-Fri 10:00am-6:00pm, Sat 10:00am-4:00pm. Closed on public holidays.
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Calle 49B Oeste (at 100m from Via Espana, next to Veneto Casino), Panama City, Panama
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Last update on 19 Aug 2023 by remko
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Added by Veronica01 on 27 Jan 2010
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60 Reviews
First Review by YummyTofu
lexxruff
Points +32
Cold but cheap and has multiple options - Edit
You get what you pay for. The food was cold but you can't beat the price. It was too hot in the restaurant so I took my food to go. They wouldn"t give me any to go condiments.
Read morePros: lots of vegetarian options , cheap
Cons: cold, no signs to tell what the food is
Guest
ausvegan
Points +399
Stone cold - Edit
Food had potential but they literally have no hot water to keep everything hot. Quite disappointing. Sort your food warmers out guys!
Read morePros: Loads of vegan options
Cons: No English , Cold food
Guest
chappychappy
Points +23
Budget meal - Edit
Vegetarian and vegan options. Not super tasty, but very good for what you're paying. If you don't have a lot of money this is the place to go.
Read morePros: Very very cheap
Cons: be wary of cross contamination.
Guest
Milipili
Points +442
Not so good - Edit
The food was not warm anymore and not so tasty. The atmosphere wasn‘t inviting. It was cheap though. Won‘t come back.
Read moreGuest
ToddSigiheri
Points +19
Awesome cafeteria - Edit
You get so many choices. They even have stuff in the back, under the counters and at the register. This place is the best! And the price....the price is right, my friend. This is the best deal for the money, bar none.
Read moreGuest
VeggieLiz
Points +75
Cheap eat - Edit
They have enough food to choose from, and it's really cheap. Just tell them that you're vegan to be sure that you don't take anything that's not vegan. Unfortunately my food wasn't warm anymore (I was there around 7 pm) and it needed more seasoning.
Read morePros: Cheap and fast eatery
Cons: The food's temperature and the lack of seasoning o
Guest
gab
Points +50
ok - Edit
food was ok, nothing particularly good but not particularly bad either. Went at 7pm and food definitely looked like it had been sitting there all day (not hot). 70¢ per item/portion (very big!!) so I paid $3.50 total for 5 things and honestly it was enough to feed 2 🍴ok but personally wouldn't go back
Read morePros: Cheap, Enough vegan options, Large portions (more than a 'scoop' each)
Cons: Not kept hot, all room temperature, Used the same spoon for many dishes, Food only fresh at beginning of day
Guest
KaylaSergio
Points +45
not bad not good - Edit
The food was confusing but there were lots of choices. Not very tasty and i added soy sauce. some was vegan, but not everything. very affordable though and seems like their options change often.
Read morePros: cheap, vegan and veg
Cons: not tasty, confusing, in a hurry
Guest
Shanti_Om
Points +50
Ideal for a super affordable meal on the go - Edit
I've been eating in this place for years. It's very convenient if you're on the go as the food is served quickly (it's a veg taiwanese buffet style restaurant) and at a very convenient price. I believe each portion is $0.75 cents and their food is pretty good. It's better if you go by noon as they run out of most dishes after lunch time.
Read morePros: Cheap, food is served quickly
Cons: They run out of most dishes after lunch time.
Guest
psicvillalaz
Points +13
CHEAP&GOOD - Edit
I Love this restaurant, Cheap and so good👍👌
Read moreGuest
CrisyRivera
Points +280
Good and very cheap - Edit
Its vegeterian asian buffet style, varied menu and good
Read moreService. They only accept cash, food sometimes tastes great and other times not so good, its best to go early lunch hour to find more food before it runs out.
Pros: cheap, good
Cons: sometimes food cold, cash only
Guest
DanielleVentura
Points +62
Basic Good deal - Edit
It is a buffet but no self service. Plenty of options, many different food to choose from. The price is fair and the amount of food is good. No big thing on environment, just a normal restaurant.
Read morePros: Food amount, Price, Variety
Cons: Environment
Guest
laelmi
Points +24
Simply Amazing - Edit
There's a lot of options in this cafeteria style restaurant. Combined with the fact that it is very inexpensive you feel like a kid in a candy store! Most of the things we tried were delicious, and we even ended up buying some more food as take out to be enjoyed later on in our hostel. The staff was very nice, friendly and helpful. Definately worth the visit!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options.
Cons: Not the coziest setting.
Guest
Stanislav
Points +54
Great place! - Edit
It's a buffet-type restaurant, they change it every day. Went there twice, perfect, had a full plate (pizza slice, veggies like broccoli, potato salad, tofu burger thing, noodles/pasta, glass of juice) and paid $4.20 !!! I don't know why other people rate this place just 3 stars, I'd give it 100 stars if I could. The owners are Chinese and really nice people.
Read morePros: lots of choice, CHEAP
Cons: aren't open at night, they close early
Guest
Newbie1144
Points +80
Cheap Food - Edit
Food is cheap, only $0.70 a scoop. Owner speaks English.
Read morePros: Food is cheap, $0.70 one item. Owner speaks Engli
Cons: Food is not hot.
Guest
Ningus
Points +88
Very cheap and diverse - Edit
This is a buffet of a great variety of food specially panamanian and asian. Here you can get also pizza(but sadly, its vegetarian), sushi and soups. It is very very cheap and tasty. You could eat here everyday.
Read morePros: Good food, Super cheap, Good location
Cons: Not a fancy place xD
Guest
Steeny888
Points +21
thank goodness for cheap vegan food - Edit
The staff were helpful and kind. The food was so good I went back after my meal to get take out. Portions were very generous. Totally recommend for anyone who is vegan and on a budget. Don't expect decor etc.
Read morePros: cheap, delicious, friendly
Guest
santiagovf
Points +399
Basic, normal, filling - Edit
So the reviews have been mixed but hey: its 0.70 cents per scoop!
Read moreWith 4 scoops i was really really full. I think 3 scoops are my next choice if i go there again (im big vegan).
You can take water for free or juice for another 0.70 cents.
Conclusion: what you pay is what you get. You are not gonna get delicious food. It will probably be good and filling.
Pros: price, quality (with respect to price)
Cons: a bit plain
Guest
ravenant
Points +49
Cheap, tasty, great selection - Edit
I loved this place in Panama City! When I went around lunchtime, there was a selection of like 30 meals, 0.70 USD per scoop. A usual lunch would be 5 different scoops. I had 12 and would continue, but my body didn't let me. :-) There were vegan "meats", noodles, two types of sushi, rolls... part of it was taiwanese food, but some of the things were not (e.g. potatoe salad). Free water and herbal tea.
Read morePros: Great selection, Cheap, Tasty
Cons: not open 24 hours :-), closed on Sunday
Guest
spixveg
Points +382
basic and good food - Edit
Good basic food (Asian Panamanian). Cheap and fast. Take away suggested for a small snack on the way, plane, bus or office. Location is simple and easy to reach.
Read morePros: cheap , easy, huge variety of food
Guest
Siup
Points +3173
Decent basic food - Edit
Food is good and very cheap. Every scoop is 70 cent and they are generous with servings. Location is very good as well. The place is not very nice (it is not the kind of place I would go to celebrate something). Staff very kind. Water for free. I think it's the perfect place if you want to fill your stomach saving money. I will probably come back at least one more time to try new things. Panama has a few vegetarian restaurants and any cruelty free place is appreciated
Read morePros: location , kind staff , cheap
Cons: not a very nice place
Guest
BluntAndChronic
Points +191
One Word: Delicious - Edit
Any of the reviews below five stars do not accurately represent this restaurant. Huge variety of Chinese and Panamanian choices at lunch. Lots of vegetables, tofu, gluten dishes. Pay per portion. Great quality. I will return many times.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, delicious, and cheap
Cons: None
Guest
maynard7
Points +4870
Good basic food - Edit
You pay 70 cents per portion and you tell the employee which foods you want on your plate. So I got four portions which came to $2.80. Pay at the cash register and just beyond that area there is a large container of tea and another one with cold water for free or you can pay for soy milk or juices. They had a good selection to choose from including green vegetables. The food is just basic, nothing special but the location is good.
Read morePros: price, location
Cons: average food
Guest
Korinajane
Points +30
disappointing - Edit
It looked like the food had been out a while. Very bland. The guy couldn't tell me which of the dishes were without wheat. Food was all cold.
Read moreGuest
masked_goby
Points +53
My Top Veggie Restaurant in Panama City - Edit
I am going through Panama City a lot and El Jardin Vegetariano is always a must. The restaurant is located centrally in the district of El Cangrejo where many hotels and shops are. It has an ample selection of vegetarian dishes, I actually think all or at least most of it is vegan, but would recommend you to confirm if you are strict. You choose from a buffet, each portion is 70 cent and if you fill up your plate you might select about 4 or 5 different dishes, for drinks they offer different juices for a similar price. Investing 3-4 dollars will provide you with a great lunch option.
Read moreCuisine is certainly asian for one part with Tofu and different types of soy and gluten meat, but among this they offer local food such as different veggies, rice and plantains and occasionally pizza or lasagne. They change their dishes slightly every day and with the big selection they have you will not get bored going there several times, if you enjoy their food.
Around lunchtime the place can get full and later in the afternoon they start running out of food, do not count on it for dinner as they might close early or just have few options left. It seems to be very popular with locals and all sorts of interesting characters, certainly not a place designed for tourists. I will be back to eat there for sure!
Updated from previous review on Wednesday June 04, 2014
I understand that some of the previous reviewers were not thrilled with the restaurant, so if you need a patient employee who will explain you exactly what each dish is, this might not be the right place for you, they are more tailored towards quickly feeding large amounts of people. For the quality and taste of the food, I can not complain, I thought that was all excellent during several visits. If you are picky about modern style an cleanliness I can also see that this might not be the place for you; it has been satisfying for me. It might not be a restaurant for everyone, but I think it is unbeatable!
Pros: Excellent value, Large selection, Centrally located
Cons: Not very large, can get crowded
Guest
Nancy Cadet
Points +876
Vegetariano - Edit
Location :on the same mezzanine floor (above street level) as Don Lee Chinese restaurant, a popular place that cab drivers might know, and a short walk from vía España, a big shopping street.
Read morePortions now cost 70cents, so El Jardín is still a bargain, offering braised wheat gluten , tofu, Asian greens, pumpkin, platano, some cold salads (cabbage, cucumber and tomato ) , fried rice , noodles, a few empanadas and cookies for dessert. The dishes are sold at lunch through the evening , so for fresher and larger selection , come early. There's a similar Asian veg cafeteria style restaurant on Calle 47 "me gusta la cocina vegetariana" & a Middle Eastern restaurant "Beirut" with many veg dishes on a more upscale menu, nearby , across from the Royal Casino.
Pros: Low cost, Vegan/veg friendly is rare in this city, Lunch & dinner options
Cons: Items sometimes bland or oily , Drab decor, No labels on menu buffet choices
Guest
cc14cows
Points +239
Welcome Relief From Meat-heavy Menus - Edit
We didn't have high expectations after reading some of the other reviews but ended up here when our first choice was closed. It looked closed from the outside as chairs were stacked up and a man was sweeping the floor, but when we went in there were several local people at tables at the back. Each portion from the already prepared food was 60¢ and water and (tepid) tea was included. There was also fresh orange and carrot juice and a small range of piping hot soups that was prepared upon ordering. Desserts were also available for purchase. As stated in other reviews, the food wasn't hot, with the exception of the soups, but it tasted quite nice. It's not a fancy place but it met our needs and we would go back.
Read morePros: Cheap, Good Range, Location
Cons: Most Food Not Hot, A Little Scruffy
Guest
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