We chose Brutto to celebrate our daughter’s birthday, as it was once considered one of the best restaurants in Panama. Unfortunately, the experience did not live up to its reputation — or its pricing.
Although it was a quiet Monday evening, the service was disorganized from the start. We ordered three appetizers: onion soup dumplings, osso buco dumplings, and the Brutale salad. After a 20-minute wait, the first dumplings arrived — incorrectly identified. Seven minutes later, the second order appeared. Another five minutes passed before the salad was served. In an upscale restaurant, appetizers should be properly coursed and delivered together. This staggered timing reflected a lack of coordination in the kitchen.
Our bottled water was placed in an ice bucket beside the table — a thoughtful detail — but service ended there. No one checked on us. We repeatedly had to flag down whichever server we could find for basic assistance.
The entrées were two steaks and baby back ribs. The steaks were extremely disappointing: less than a centimeter thick, completely grey with no exterior crust, and entirely unseasoned. They were bland to the point of being inedible without salt — and even obtaining salt required effort. For a restaurant at this price point, proper seasoning and execution are fundamental expectations.
We notified the manager about the service issues. However, there is no justification for the overall cost relative to the quality delivered.
This was meant to be a celebratory evening. Instead, it was a reminder that reputation alone does not guarantee consistency. We will not be returning.
