The ink has faded with age, but not the memories I have of this club–the first club many service members checked out the first time they went to Panama City. I remember that there was a bus stop right in front of the door. You could hop, stagger, or stumble off the bus, right into the Ancon for a cold Atlas or Cerveza Panama or a Rum and Coke. From there it was down the street to the Ovalo or Paris. Maybe stopping off for some monkey meat along the way.
In the two years I was stationed at Howard Air Force Base I checked out the Ancon a couple of times, but my favorite bar was the Ovalo and further down the street in the opposite direction, The Foxhole Bar.
Sixty beautiful hostesses? I never counted, but if the card says there were 60 of them, then there must have been. I wouldn’t have known or even bothered to have counted because I was usually pretty tanked when I went downtown with my buddies from Barracks 714.
I wonder who you would get if you called that number now?
Who wants to be the first to find out?
I wonder if there’s any trace of the place now.
Monkey meat just don’t sound too appealing to me, I know some Chinese would eat it to get smart.
The Ancon Inn has been closed for a long time, maybe 10 years now. There was a fire there also some years ago. Walls are still standing though.
I remember the Ancon well. On my first day in country I was told of it….I stated that I would never go there, much less use the services of the “ladies”. Several drinks and lines of cocaine later, I was there! Ah, memories. In time, the Ovalo became my favorite, but I still have a business card from the Ancon also. Thanks for the memories!
I have a copy of the very same card, I was there from 77 to 79. Alot of memories stirred in you comments I remember frequenting all the places youmentioned ate my share of monkey meat too! I was in the 601st medical co. On ft. Clayton.
No imagine how remember that place…in 1986 every night the Albrook to Ancon Inn…..how spend money in there….Panchito Mondefua….who opened the show……very nice memories…thank
I too spent many nights there during my tour in Panama…Monkey meat was great at 4 A.M. after a night out….I have a token or two from Ancon Inn and a few other night clubs….
Mmm… monkey meat. Used to buy mine from this vendor outside the Ovalo.
Served with the U.S. Army at Quarry Heights 1964-1966. I have fond memories of many visits to the Ancon Inn. It was my favorite bar. As I remember, the juke box was to the right as you went in. One of our favorite tunes was “Satisfaction’ by The Rolling Stones. We drank Balboa beer and another kind I can’t recall at the moment.
I always liked how the bus stop was right in front of the entrance to the Ancon; hop off the Chiva or Canal Zone bus and walk right inside.
Hey Dave!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your memories of your tour of duty in Panama!
I was stationed at Howard from 68-70 and thoroughly enjoyed my tour. I remember the Ancon Inn as the place where the guys in the barracks took the new arrivals for a “get acquainted visit”. Once acquainted you as did all the rest of the guys got to contribute a small amount to the “fund” for the next new guy. Don’t know what the meat was that the street vendors just outside the door were selling. Don’t want to know either. As I recall they were 3 bamboo skewers full for a buck. The guys at the barracks called them “shitties on a stick”….they left the worst taste and breath the next day. They went down pretty easy though with a little Ron Cortez and coke.
Hey Brian, thanks for stopping by. Oh yes, Ron Cortez!
Ah yes, remember them both (Ancon and Ovalo). The ‘catwalk’ dance-stage at the Ovalo. As I recall, the Ovalo ladies were a bit ‘huskier’ than the Ancon girls. (BTW: None were ever as ‘hot’ as the girls in the P.I.! Ahhhh… the Silver Peso in Angeles City.) But I digress. Back to Panama: Unfortunately, as an officer on a night out with ‘the troops’ I had to maintain a certain decorum that precluded taking full advantage of the available amenities. My ‘usual’ was a Balboa (or three, or four); never had the Ron Anything although I like rum, but had to abstain from the strong stuff – again, the decorum thiing. The Ancon was off-limits for quite a while after some kind of explosive was found in the rest-room; …maybe what caused the fire?
Hi Alamo308,
Thanks for stopping by and your comments. I was always an Ovalo Man and also preferred the Black Paris and further on down the street, The Foxhole. I was like a heat sinking missile as soon as I got off the Chiva or Canal Zone bus in front of the Ancon–aimed right for the Ovalo (which was the first bar I ventured in my first time downtown). I always liked the two “bars” inside. Lots of room to move. Thanks again for chiming in and sharing your memories.