Palapa Bar Panajachel, Restaurant, Hostel, Smoking Joes

Palapa Bar Panajachel puts on a new Palapa roof in preparation for the summer Guatemala Tourist season. Traveler’s coming to Lake Atitlan, Panajachel is the gateway to all of Lake Atitlan Villages and Mayan Cultural experiences.

The main street of Pana as the locals call the town is a maze of Restaurants, Hotels, Shops, Street Vendors, Clubs and yes Bars.

The Palapa Bar Panajachel has been in Pana as long as I can remember, it has changed hands a few times over the years, and however the old bar has remained in the same location at the main intersections of Pana for years. It is considered by the Gringo crowd the local happy hour hangout.

The food has improved over the years, today I would say the Palapa Bar Panajachel has perhaps the only decent Hamburger of all the Restaurants in Pana. Most have some thin breakfast looking patty stuffed into an oversized bun.

The Palapa burger hand pressed, moist and Juicy on a great bun. Hand cut French fries on the side make for the perfect early afternoon snack.

On Saturdays at the Palapa Bar Panajachel, Smoking Joes BBQ from San Pedro sets up shop at the front of the Palapa. You can see the smoke from the smokers a few yards away. On Saturdays, join Smokin’ Joes BBQ at La Palapa in Panajachel from 12pm to 4 pm.

For those with the desire to take on a few hands of Texas Hold’em Poker, the back room at the Palapa is usually packed with locals and a few Tourists that dare to venture in for a chance at the big pots.

The Palapa Bar Panajachel is also a Hostel with rooms and beds for those on a budget and enjoy being included in the Music and late night bar activities of Pana.

The bar has more of a Beach type theme, beach sand, open seating and lots of room to dance to local bands that play on a schedule that appears to be on their own timing.