Kelso Bistro Bar & Restaurant

I visited Panama back in April and fell in LOVE with the food there. I visited this beautiful country with my Panamanian friends. We get back to the U.S. and I’m like «I need some Ojaldas». My friend was like I know a place in Brooklyn that has some amazing authentic Panamanian food. I responded «Brooklyn has a LOT don’t get me wrong, but Panamanian food that’ll bring me back to the feeling Panama gave me… I doubt Brooklyn can give me that.»
She sent me the «rolling the eyes» emoji and gave me a place and time to meet her. She was trying to shut my greedy ass up!
So we get here… well I get here around 2:15pm on a Sunday (she was HELLA LATE). I don’t think much of the outside look because it’s nothing special. I get inside and I’m like okkkkkk I feel the vibes. Everyone’s talking Spanish… EVERYONE! I’m like «wow, am I still on Franklin?» (Gentrification is CRAZY out here, I love it!) Anyway…
So I ordered their rum punch and I was trying to pace myself, that was difficult. My friend finally comes strolling in and we had some Ojaldas. Them thangs were fresh out the oil and so addictive I had 3! (My next check in on here may be at Blink Fitness, it needs to be). I don’t even eat beef but ordered the oxtails and was blown away. I can’t even honestly remember all the food I ate because 1. It was days ago and 2. I literally ate that shit in like 4.5 minutes. I tried the steak as well. IDC WHAT YOU SAY, I WAS IN PANAMA!
The staff is pleasant, the food is delicious, the feel is Caribbean. I’ll definitely make my way back and am so excited I came here. Man.oh.man.
P. S. their Picante is HOT! Poured so much on my rice I almost fainted.

I’ve given Kelso a couple of chances and been disappointed with their service both times. Maybe they’re better with customers dining in or ordering by phone, but don’t order online and expect them to get it right.
The first time I ordered food from Kelso, I ordered online and was later told that they had run out of the item I had ordered, but not until I arrived to pick it up. So, of course, I had to wait quite a while for them to make something else for me. An employee claimed she had tried to call me about my order, but I didn’t miss a call, so who knows.
I gave them another chance after that, but I had a worse experience the second time. I ordered fried plantains and two entrees for my husband and me. It was estimated to be ready in 10 – 30 minutes. I arrived to pick it up 25 minutes later and was told they had JUST received it, so I waited another 10 minutes or so before it was ready. When I got home, I realized that my bag contained only one entrée, one salad, and fried plantains without any type of sauce, which I thought was standard. (In other restaurants where I’ve ordered fried plantains, they always came with some sort of dipping sauce — sometimes multiple sauces to choose from.)
So, I ended up disappointed with the service both times, and my food was just OK. I thought the house special mixed rice with chicken was so-​so. The pepper steak was better, in my opinion, but still nothing too special. I thought the fried plantains were pretty bland and under-​salted. I’d recommend The Islands or Gloria’s for better food and a better experience overall.

Bday lunch with a friend. I was very skeptical because of the reviews but you Unilocalers steered me in the right direction this time. Thanks. Oxtail were great, fritters were delicious and Arroz con pollo was nice. Drinks were good. Price was reasonable. Mac n cheese was just ok.

Kelso is a place away from Home, the best panamanian meal you could ever want, a 5 star, i Love the atmosphere. .food is excellent, i would recommend kelso restaurant to everyone. Thanks Vero!!!

The one and only Panamanian restaurant in Brooklyn, NY. Everything is greatly marinated. Very tasty. And a big portion. The food was inexpensive. I recommend this place, definitely should bring your friends or partners.

Big fan of this neighborhood joint. Love the oxtail and the chicken soup. Only down side is depending on the server the experience can Change. Usually they give a complimentary salad if you order a meal but my bf and I went there and it had been a while and they charged us after just innocently asking if we wanted salad with our meal. Being thy were free all the other times this was annoying. We tried to refute it but they wouldn’t let us. We ended up just leaving in a bit of a huff for an extra $ 4 charge. Then we ordered take out a month later and they asked if we wanted salad. At first I said no but then asked if it was extra or included, the guy said included. So in the end the food is yum so it’s worth it to go but annoying that the management seams a bit so so

Love this spot, cow foot soup to the ox tails with rice and peas, I’ve had just about everything on the menu, and the food remains to be consistent!
Can’t argue with consistency, when it’s good, it’s great!

2 Thumbs up. Every experience there meets, no surpasses my expectations. The vibe is good. The portions are more than adequate And the food ALWAYS come out piping HOT!
Muchisimas Gracias…

A must for all. Great service. Food was awesome! Ready to go back… Groupon has a good deal for this. You will definitely be pleased.

We tried to visit Kelso for brunch one February weekend, but were informed that they just served off the apps portion of the menu before noon, so we left and returned for a Saturday early dinner. One of us had called to to make a reservation for 3, and they acted as if they’d never heard the word before, and took quite some time to take it down. When we arrived, we were greeted like aliens and they made our reservation known to everyone in the joint. Our waitress then gave us a hard time throughout the meal (condescension mixed with derision, but always with a genuine smile & hospitality), but we enjoyed every bite, even if Panamanian seemed to be more of a claim to fame than the reality for the (great) dishes we ordered:
fritters to start; calypso shrimp, steak, rice & peas, white rice, platanos… sorrel to drink
Yes, that crazy sign out front for Restaurant Inc is the same space.
They gladly let us split the bill across three cards.

Found this place with a Groupon. Everything was perfect. The reservation, food, drinks, service, ambiance, EVERYTHING! Will definitely be back for a happy hour, was in love with the blue drink, lol.

We have walked past this place and talked about going a billion times but never went. Then we saw a groupon that looked good and when we looked to see what restaurant it was, we realized it was this one and decided it was time to try it.
Everything we ate was amazing, the service was great, and it was a great atmosphere for a date night. We live in a heavily gentrifying neighborhood and it is always really great to see neighborhood owned businesses surviving and doing well. Seems like they are making little changes to adapt the place to the changing neighborhood but keeping their amazing food. The staff are all friendly, helpful, and also clearly love the food which I always find helpful and good. We had a really lovely date night, a beautiful meal, and were made to feel like we belonged there. We have found a new neighborhood favorite and this was definitely the first of many visits (well done, groupon!). I’ll describe our meal below since it was a lot of food and the tl: dr is just that everything was amazing.
We each ordered a cocktail. I got the Panamanian punch because any time I see the word «passionfruit» I know that’s what I want. One of the women who worked there pointed to the Costa azule and said she loved it and my boyfriend got that because he loves tequila. Both were pretty strong and were so good.
We got soup next – they had a cow foot and a chicken one, so we decided to get one of each so we could try both. My boyfriend pretty much immediately said «next time I’m sick I’m sending you here to get soup» which was just about what I was thinking because both soups were beautiful curry soups made from thick bone broths like I can never find in restaurants so always have to make myself only of course they were better than the ones I make myself.
We got some empanadas and carimanolas. Both were a million times better than any empanadas I have had because they were fluffy and crispy. They brought out some really hot sauce that seemed to be house made at some point and that was great with all the fried stuff and pretty much everything else.
Then our food came. I got oxtail with rice and peas and my boyfriend got a porkchop with Mac and cheese. The oxtail was perfect and so was the porkchop – both fell apart easily with a fork and were perfectly seasoned. The rice and peas were perfect with the oxtail and my BF loved the Mac and cheese. Both also were played with some plantains and I love plantains.
We had a bunch of leftovers so we decided we should bring some dessert home. Our waitress suggested the vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and told us it was homemade. So good. I love all of the Central American and Caribbean food in my neighborhood and this is one of the best I’ve had while still being a cute date spot.

Bedt experience I’ve had lately. Waitress by the name of Shahanny was very polite and courteous! Food was delicious and atmosphere was very inviting and peaceful. Not to mention the drinks were tasty as well! Everything had the perfect consistency! Will def be back and will recommend to all my friends!

Loved it! Really nice food. A great solution for homesick Panamanians.

Mama kelso knows what she does!
Food here is always exquisite.
I’ve been coming here since 2013 on an okcupid date and have never stopped.
This food is good but the chefs and the staff son lo mejor.

Great place for food and the prices are even better. Had the fried fritters to start, chose fried dough, fried corn, and empanada, which were 3 for ($ 5). They came out piping out and were delicious. They were equally good. The size of each of them was huge that I couldn’t finish my entrée. I had the curry chicken ($ 9) for entrée, it came with a salad and some plantains. The chicken and potatoes were tasty. Chicken meat was tender and easily removed from the bones. The portion size was perfect. And use some of their special hot sauce on everything and the taste is top notch. It’s a very casual spot with friendly workers.

As Crown Heights «changes», it has definitely lost some of the great local flavors but Kelso, despite a facelift, has kept true to it’s delicious roots. Still family run, these guys continue provide hearty portions of, what I assume, homestyle Panamanian cooking in a comfortable setting. Since the renovation, they have added a bar, TVs, a backyard seating area, and an additional bathroom. All of which I think make it just /​that/​much more comfy.
So let’s talk food now, cuz that’s what it’s all about at Kelso.
In honor of football season (which has nothing to do with Kelso, actually) I’m going to put my favorite dishes in a poorly constructed football metaphor.
The Punt: The hot sauce. I don’t know why it’s bright yellow and I don’t care. This stuff is DELICIOUS. To me, hot sauces are often not hot enough, too vinegary, or just gross. Not at Kelso — I would dab it on anything I wanted to give a spicy kick to. Notice I said «dab» because it is quite spicy. Use sparingly…
The Football: Carimañola. These delightful football shaped goodies are a must try. They’re pretty unique as one of the things you don’t necessarily see when you go to any latin restaurants. It’s basically like a croquette but with yucca instead of potato and the minced meat inside is spiced to perfection. I think it’s $ 5 for 3.
The Running Back: My power dish on the menu is the stewed chicken entrée. I normally don’t like chicken because so often, it’s flavorless and dry but this dish is GLORIOUS! It will push through that defensive line and get you to that line of scrimmage every time*. The portions are large and at $ 9 for 2 large pieces of chicken, rice, plantains, and a side salad, if you’re still hungry, you can get a second order and still have spent less than you would have for a beer at MetLife Stadium. Besides, check out some of the photos of this dish — look at that amazing brown gravy. Gaaaahhhh… drool.
Special Teams: Calypso Shrimp Salad. Say you’re not in the mood for rice and beans with a perfectly sauced meat. Weirdo. On the menu, there’s an option for salad with either shrimp or chicken. While the salad itself is not necessarily memorable (iceberg with cucumbers, olives, and some other rando veg), throw some spicy shrimp on there and bam! 2 points! Make sure you ask for the Calypso shrimp because if you get the plain ones, it will result in a technical foul.
I’m a fan!
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* you were warned that this would be poorly constructed.

I went here a little early in the evening so there weren’t many people dining it at this time so the noise level was to a minimum. Actually the customers at the restaurant seem to be related or they were good friends with the owner. She was present and very attentive. The restaurant has a good family feel and the owner makes sure of it. She comes around and checks in on everyone and she always scanning the restaurant to make sure you know she’s available. Im sorry i never saw this place prior to this because i enjoy Spanish food from any island.
I ordered Pepper Steak with yellow rice and it came out in about 10 – 15 minutes. Everything looked freshly made and the gravy taste delicious. Knowing this is a Caribbean restaurant i took a chance in asking the owner for pepper sauce and she gave me a little silver jar. I put a dash of it on my steak and braced myself for what i assumed to be HOT. Before i could take a bite i already smelled the pepper in the sauce which is a sign that its good! i took a bite and sailed away into a happy place. I kept on applying the sauce all over my food and ate every single bite. There were a few pieces of steak that was overcooked. But other than that the food was delicious and they also gave me a small garden salad that i enjoyed as well.
The owner came over and asked us how was our meal and that was my opportunity to ask about the pepper sauce. And to my surprise she said she just left a Factory in Jersey and they are going to bottle her sauce because EVERYONE loves it. Red, black, white and purple people come in and they request her famous sauce. She is the reason i will return and the fact that her food is amazing. She definitely is a reminder of a Granny or a Aunt that loves to make sure your stomach is full and you’re satisfied. The portions are good enough to fill you.
Another satisfied customer. Thank you Grandma. And i say that with respect. She said she’s everyones Grandma!

This was my first time dining since the remodel. The inside looks beautiful and I am happy for them in regards to the expansion. I’m not happy about a couple of things. I ordered carimañola, Yucca frita, arroz amarillo y fruit punch. None of which was available. I waited 20 min for them to make the fruit punch because I was craving it, the carimañola came after my food. They then told me that they had only one serving of yellow rice left and brought it complimentary alongside the white rice. The problem was, that yellow rice was from the bottom of the pot and I could taste it. Hard and crunchy rice, bad move. Just say you don’t have anymore. Or better yet, MAKE MORE.
I love all of the dishes they make and it reminds me of my moms cooking to the T, however on this particular night, they were off of their game. They get 3 ¾ stars for this visit because I took a friend for the first time and am sad by the impression that was left. She enjoyed the codfish and I enjoyed my shrimp with the white rice but the other glitches were kind of sucky.

The place was small but the food was good and the price was more than reasonable! Me and my family fully enjoyed our meal.

I didn’t really expect much from this place but when I tried it, OMFG it was so good! I’ve never had Panamanian food before and this shop made me regret not trying it sooner.
Located in Brooklyn, this shop looks like any ordinary restaurant walking by; although it looks like nothing special, the food is extraordinary. First, let me tell you how amazing our waitress was. She was the sweetest and funniest girl ever. She told us what was good on the menu, what to eat it with, how to eat it; I think she made our overall experience that much better.
Our waitress recommended the pepper steak with yellow rice. Besides that, she brought over the hot sauce to pour over the rice and the pepper steak… I think I almost wanted to sneak the hot sauce into my purse and take it home. It’s really spicy and adds so much flavor into the already amazingly flavored pepper steak. The steak is very well marinated, but it wasn’t heavily marinaded. It was soft, tender, and cooked to perfection. The rice was soft, moist, and complemented the steak well. The dish also came with 2 plantains which paired well with the meat, since it added a sweet element to the meaty dish. For it being a restaurant in New York, this was definitely one of our cheaper meals. If you’re spending a day in Brooklyn, I would definitely recommend this place. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover; it is definitely a hole in the wall that deserves more recognition.

Ok my fellow Unilocalers… my fellow Unilocalers… I am so disappointed… I totally went to this place becauaw of the rave reviews…
What happened I did not have a 4 to 5 star experience at all.
Let me start by saying the owner and staff was very nice.
On a Sunday afternoon after church… I am in a very low key mood… When I walked in we were seated however, there was a large family with children who began to play in the Resto like it was a Park… so my headache grew increasingly.
To top that off… our sweet waitress kept forgeting everything… she forgot about our water, my coffee, and forgot to complete the kids order we placed… but guess what she was covering the bar… her section… The resto needed more help for a Sunday and people with more experience who can multi task…
Let me get to the food… my oxtail was dissapointing… why? Well… let me tell you… with a Caribbean background I know good oxtail when I taste it… The oxtail was below my expectation… oxtails are supposed to be served in rich gravy like the menu said… My oxtail was served dry… it was not served in rich gravy… I had to ask for extra gravy.
My cousin had the pork chops… she too was not excited… big sigh… as much as the people were nice I just have to keep it real…
Forgetful waitress + Meh Food + noisy background = not a good time eating my Sunday Dinner!
The crab cakes were good.

Whappin loco! I guarantee you will here this at least once at Kelso’s. It’s where old school Panamanians grab a drink and dine. After several visits to Panama I can say the food style remains true to its roots.
The dishes here are very good, flavorful with little heat unless you add on their signature «peppa saas». The menu is limited but offers a variety of every land and some sea animals. Limited enough to ensure your meal is out in a jiffy. Enjoy the sounds bachata while you get stuffed from this traditional Panamanian comfort food. Wheeepaaahh!