La Bodeguita (the hooker bar)

[no website that I can find]

It's the end of an era. La Bodeguita closed their doors last week. I've heard they were ordered to close, I've heard there was a lien of some kind on their property and equipment, and I've heard that it all relates to the new hotel next door. Bottom line is that La Bodeguita is, at least for now, closed.


La Bodeguita is a landmark in Panama City. Located at the Avenida Balboa end of Calle Uruguay, La Bodeguita (which actually means "the Bodeguita" in Spanish) is a humble looking little beach-bar looking place, with a fake thatch roof and fake bamboo exterior finishing. It's kinda cool, really. Upstairs is a resturant that serves suprisingly good food, and the staff have great attitudes. There's a little balcony out in front of the resturant, and it's great for watching the prostitutes come and go. Yes, La Bodeguita is a hooker bar!

On any given night you can find the place open and cranking out reggeaton, salsa-rock and other latin rythyms. They have live music now and then, with no appreciable scheduling. The bar itself is fairly small, but no ones seems to mind being mashed up together with hookers. Oh yeah - did I mention the working girls?

This is the place to be if you are looking for an escort for the evening. From the moment you walk in, you know what's going on. The ratio of women to men is probably 3 - 1, and these are some smoking hot women! There's more plastic in this place than in a lego factory. Plastic breasts, plastic butts, collagen injected lips, you name it. Scantily clad and dancing their ass** off, the place is simply full of beautiful women.

There's a cover charge at the dor ($10 US if I remember correctly), and they have a great staff of huge bouncers (who are very friendly) waiters (who are very responsive) and bartenders, who.. well.. bartend really well.

La Bodeguita used to be really smoky, and I loved it. Since Panama banned smoking in bars and resturants, the place has lost some of it's charm. Well, for me, anyway. I mean, what could be better than hanging out in a Colombian disco, drinking Atlas and Balboa beer, smoking a nice fat cigar, while getting mashed up against gorgeous Colombian prostitues? Well, taking them home, of course! Prices are varied, as these are all independant girls, so negotiation is recommended. Early in the evening, your scrumptious delight will probably demand $300 for her time. The later it gets, the more he'll drop the number, bottoming out at around $60 for an hour. Of course, if she's into you, you speak spanish, or negotiate like Samuel Jackson and Kevin Spacey (obscure movie reference), you'll get a better deal.

La Bodeguita (which actually means "the hooker bar" in Spanish) is just about the only place open to really party in Panama City on Sunday nights. Yeah, you can go to the casinos, and there are a few local bars open, but nothing that rocks like La Bodeguita (which actually, really, honestly, means "The Little Wine Cellar". See, 'bodega' means (wine) cellar, and 'guita' kinda means little, so there ya go).

Address: Calle Uruguay near Avenida Balboa
The Panama Address: Go to Calle Uruguay. Park somewhere (good luck!). Walk towards Ave Balboa. Check your handy wallet condom. Have fun. Taxi: Say "La Bodeguita en Calle Uruguay" or "The Bodeguita" or "The Hooker Bar" or "The Little Wine Cellar". Just kidding with the last three.
City: Panama City
State: Panamá
Country: Panama

Submitted: 10/30/2008 (Edited 10/05/2009)
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