Mercado del Mar

A corner seafood house in Casco Viejo that buys the whole day's catch off the Panamá Viejo boats each morning and writes the menu around whatever came in. There is no freezer on the premises, which is the entire point and also the reason the kitchen closes when the fish runs out — on a good Saturday that can be before nine. The ceviche bar at the front takes walk-ins and is the better seat if you are eating alone; the dining room and the back terrace take reservations. Everything is cooked over charcoal or not cooked at all. The wine list is short and almost entirely Chilean, and the bartender makes a saril that is worth ordering even if you are drinking.