My favourite cool, smart and friendly bars
Introduction
It's really hard to try and recommend bars for everyone. This is a list of places which give some examples of the types of places where I've been recently and in the past. I leave it up to you to decide if you like them or not. I would advise anybody to just wander around and stop somewhere that suits your tastes. People looking for stag night suggestions should take a look at the Stag and Hen page.
A note about Beer
There are basically two types of beer, light and dark. There are generally two strengths of 10 degrees and 12 degrees which equates to about 4.5% and 6% (UK scale) respectively. There are generally two measures of 0.3L and 0.5L (0.5L i.e. half litre equates to just less than an English pint). Dark is sweeter and is usually favoured by people who would normally drink "bitter" in the UK. Most bars will do a draught (beer on tap) dark beer and all places will have bottled dark beer. Light beer is the most common and you will normally get a 0.3L glass of whatever beer the pub has a deal with at 10 degree strength. In Prague, many pubs have a deal with the Pilsner Urquell brewery (which now incorporates Velkopopovicky Kozel, Radegast and Gambrinus). Other brewers include Staropramen, Bernard and Ferdinand. The common problem is to think that you are not drinking English pints and therefore you can drink more of these "small glasses". Remember that a litre of beer is equivalent to a pint and three quarters. Also remember that you are capable of absorbing more drink during meals than at any other time so, treat youself to some heavy Czech beer food at meal times.
Cocktail Bars (generally open until 2am, sometimes later). See also the "Smart" bar section further down the page for other cocktail options.
www.alohapraha.cz. Not surprisingly, Aloha Wave is a Hawaiian Cocktail Bar - Dusni 11 (50 metres from the Spanish Synagogue). Does a reasonable food choice. Recorded and late live music. Not a very big place and has a great atmosphere with the right crowd. Drink list online.
www.bugsysbar.cz. Bugsys Bar is the original cocktail bar in Prague. Expect Hercule Poirot to be sitting at a table. Not so easy to find. Leave the Old Town Square and head into Parizska. The first road on your right is "Kostecna" and the door to Bugsy's basement bar is 10 metres on the right. Parizska 10.
www.rasoi.cz. Bombay cocktail bar is a ground floor bar above the Rasoi Indian restaurant. Nice outside rear terrace/garden open in the Summer. Dlouha 13 (100 metres from the Old Town Square).
www.molotow.cz. Karlovo Namesti 31. Molotov bar has cocktails and Live Music until 0400. Not normally a tourist destination and has themed nights so choose carefully.
www.alcapone.cz. People having stayed at the Unitas Pension (now closed for renovation to a four star hotel) will be familiar with this bar. Al Capone's is located at Bartolomejska 3. Very Czech. Looks like death from outside but, it's a very cultivated death.
www.sherlockspub.cz. Just up the road from Al Capone's. This is new (2007). It's open 1700-0400 and is building a reputation as a late-night cocktail bar hence why it's in this section. On the beer front they only do a Czech beer called Staropramen (not my favourite). Also has Stella, Kelt and Hoegaarden. Full online drinks and food menu.
Latin
www.restauracecantina.cz. Cantina is a Mexican bar mainly known for it's great food but, if you have to wait for a table then you'll be at the bar. Margaritas to remember.
www.hombredelmundo.cz. Hombre del Mundo is a Mexican bar/restaurant but not as good as Cantina. Again, a restaurant that is also a good bar. Located 50 metres from the Andel metro on the main pedestrianised road (look for the TGI Fridays sign and Hombre is on the opposite corner).
www.lacasablu.cz. La Casa Blu is a Spanish Bar. Good mix of people young/old Czech/foreign. Having worked in Madrid I can say that it is a typical city bar. Combines Spanish/Mexican food i.e. chilli con carne is not Spanish food.
www.donpedro.cz. Don Pedro is a family run Colombian bar/restaurant (we know the family). Small place but, great food and nice atmosphere. Located on Masarykovo Nabrezi (between the Dancing House and the National Theatre).
www.bodeguita.cz. La Bodeguito del Medio is located at Kaprova 5 about a two minute walk from the Old Town Square. Cuban. Loads of flags and Hemmingway bits i.e. regular stuff. First and foremost it is a bar but, does side food. Also does cigars. Also you get a piece of lime in your Cuba Libre........
Banditos bar/restaurant is in Melounova opposite Miss-Sophies Hostel i.e. come out of the Novotel/IBIS in Katerinska, turn left and take the first right.
American
www.jamapub.cz. The Jama Pub is on the junction of Ve Jame and Stepanska about 70 metres from Wenceslas Square. It's a basement bar frequented by a largely American/Czech crowd and has a great atmosphere. Good bar snacks are available and the BLT sandwich is one of the best. Also has a garden option in the Summer.
www.josbar.cz. Jo's Bar and basement club (more a sit and listen kind of place) located under the arches opposite the St Nicholas church. American/Canadian crowd, usually passing between here and U Maleho Glena below. The basement area is often hired for private functions.
www.malyglen.cz. U Maleho Glena (Little Glen) is located in Karmelitska close to Malostranske Namesti. Lively bar and basement club that does jazz and rock. Good bar food.
Irish/English
See the Stag and Hen page for extra details.
www.georgeanddragonprague.com. George and Dragon English bar is on the Old Town Square. The only place in Prague for real Cod and chips but, you're on holiday so try something else :-). 100% stag parties and hen nights. Has seating for about 50 people outside in nice weather.
www.threelionsprague.com. The Three Lions British Pub is owned by the same guys as the George and Dragon but, this is the larger Wenceslas Square pub split over two floors. Two big screens and LCD tv's all over the place. Located in Krakovska (last road on the right as you walk up Wenceslas Square). Claims the biggest English breakfast in Prague.
www.caffreys.cz. The owner of Caffreys Irish Bar achieved a smarter more upmarket feel for this bar but, still kept the friendly staff. Sky Sports draws many people in during the evening but, there are quiet corners if you want them but, if quiet is what you want then Mollys below may be your better option.
www.mollymalones.cz. Molly Malones is at the junction of Kozi and Hastalske Namesti (5 mins from the Old Town Square). Kozi bends around to the left and over on your right up the steps is Mollys. Last time I went in it had one TV.
www.rockyoreillys.cz. Rocky O'Reillys Irish Bar is close to Wenceslas Square in "Stepanska". Walk up the square on the right and you meet a group of black guys in green jackets and shirts who will take you up to the bar. If you are in a group of lads then be prepared to have these guys in your face.
www.kamennymost.cz. Kamenny Most (Stone Bridge) is the latest entry in the Irish bar scene but, really it is only a small part. The Irish bar is part of the building with some extra rooms with sports etc. The outside restaurant is pleasant in the Summer as it is naturally shaded by the building.
www.jjmurphys.cz. JJ Murphys Irish Bar is on the Mala Strana side of Charles Bridge (the only Irish bar on this side). Walk up to Malostranske Namesti and turn left when you reach the tram tracks. After 50 metres on the opposite side of the road is the pub.
www.oches.com. O'Ches bar is in Liliova. Lots of Irish stuff on the walls. Televisions at both ends and no quiet corners. A little way off the beaten path (if you consider 50 metres to be "a little way"). Does all the usual burger and chips meals and Guinness.
Wine Bar
You'll find that the "Smart" bar section below will provide more trendy locations but, below is a pretty good list of locations. In Prague, real wine bars have the name "Vinny Bar" although "vinarna" also means you can get a drink there as well. "Vinoteka" generally means it sells wine but, you can't taste first.
For Czech wines try the www.nbv.cz (National Wine Bank). No kidding, grand name but it's a small place. Caters mainly to the last 10 years of production but, it stocks ALL vineyards. Website is only in Czech at present but it has a catalogue. Open Mon-Sat 1200-2000 and just around the corner from the Charles Bridge (Old Town side) at Krizovnicka 1.
Another good place only for Czech wine is www.uzavoje.cz. You'll find U Zavoje in Havelska on the other side of the road from the market, on the left as you face St Gallus church. It's a comprehensive choice of wine in Prague and they allow tasting by offering 1dcl measures.
www.monarch.cz. Monarch is the international arm of the NBV (National Wine Bank). Website in English. Excellent wine catalogue. Most of the wine tasting is at the Na Perstyne branch about 40 metres from the Tesco department store main entry. Both bottle and barrel tasting.
www.cellarius.cz. Cellarius used to be only a shop in the Lucerna passage. That then turned into a "shop come bar" and then they opened a full-on wine bar and tasting facility in Vinohradska (Budecska 29, next to the Pavilon Market). Website has an English summary but, it's not too good. Best to just drop in.
There are smaller places around but, you need to know which type of wine to order so a stopping at the places above to taste the offer is a good start. My advice is to take a pen and paper to note which are your favourites. Most important to note the vineyard and year of production as any reputable and knowledgeable wine bar can offer alternatives based on this info.
Smart Bars
www.cihelna.com. Hergetova Cihelna is better known for it's riverside restaurant but, the bar is also very classy/smart bar. No need to reserve if you only go to the bar. Often used by people waiting for tables to be vacated for dinner reservations.
www.pravdagroup.cz. Barock and Pravda are on opposite sides of the road in Parizska (50 metres from the Old Town Square. Barock is more of sit-down bar. Pravda is more of a restaurant but has a smart cocktail bar as you go in on the left. Surprisingly nice non-alcoholic cocktails as well.
www.tretters.cz. Tretters and Ocean Drive are two smart cocktail bars owned by the same people and in the same street. Tretters has the 1930's French style bar and Ocean Drive is the Cuban/Miami decorated bar.
www.kubar.cz. You'll like the KU Bar especially if you like extremely modern decor, ultra violet lighting and DJ's Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It's a non-descript building (during the day) with the entry opposite the "Cafe Cafe" bar in Rytirska (the road has the Estates Theatre at the far end).
www.barandbooks.cz. Bar and Books is an offshoot of the famous New York bar. It's smart in the way off businessmen and women stopping in after work to relax with a Scotch malt whiskey and a cigar. It also has lots of books for temporary use in the bar. You've got to be a cigar smoker to like the environment.
Alcron. The classic top floor bar of the Radisson SAS hotel. Live piano/jazz nightly in Art Deco surroundings with rooftop views of Prague. Can be stunning at night.
Sports Bars
Note: A sport bar in Prague used to be a place where you went to place bets and watch races etc on TV. At present these really only exist at "Tip Games" in Ve Smeckach and behind the Salvator Hotel. Note that all the Irish/English bars are also "sport" bars with English Eurosport and Sky sports. There are a few "weak" sport bars around, usually having a bar with one tv on the wall somewhere.
www.sportbar.cz. Gold Star (Zlata Hvezda). There are three sport bars in Ve Smeckach towards the top of Wenceslas Square on the right. Zlata Hvezda is the older one which is furthest up the street on the left. Before you get to it you'll find the "Tip Games" betting sport bar on the left (before Darling Cabaret) and up on the right is "The Pack" sport bar (nice all day all night English breakfast). The regular route for some is to come out of one of them and go straight into the girlie bars.
www.legends.cz. Legends Sport Bar has a pleasant location in the Tyn Courtyard. Could also be put in the Cocktail Bar section. It's a cavernous basement bar with an immense amount of tv screens.
www.jagrsportbar.cz. The Jagr Sport Bar is a basement bar at Wenceslas Square number 56 (past KFC on the right) in the passageway. Used to be only Ice Hockey stuff but, now shows all sports. A bit dated now.
With loud music
Also see the Nightlife page if loud music is the priority.
www.chateau-bar.cz. Formerly Chapeau Rouge, Le Chapeau and now Le Chateau. Lost the sticky floor when they threw out the old black carpet but still I've seen the broken glass on the floor so I don't think things have changed that much. Jakubska 2 is on the other side of the Tyn Courtyard i.e. behind the Tyn Church.
www.dogsbollocks.cz. Quaint name for a bar, Dogs Bollocks, It's English slang for "the best". Ostrovni 26 close to the Narodni Trida Metro station. Cheap beer for the area (33kc for 05.L Stella Artois, normally it would be 40kc for 0.5L regular beer).
www.lavka.cz. Club Lavka is mostly an after dark music club with a nice outdoor area right under Charles Bridge with decent tables and chairs and waiter service from the outside bar. In the Summer, it's common to find groups eating outside and then coming into the club later. Very international mix and popular with single Czech girls looking for young expats.....so I've heard.
www.clubcelnice.com. Club Celnice and sushi bar about 50 metres from Namesti Republiky. Themed nights.
www.clubprague23.cz. Relaxed music and bar Club 23. Nice food. Small basement club with "chart" music.
www.doubletrouble.cz.
Double Trouble has DJ's six nights a week. Open 7pm to 4am nightly. Basement bar located at Melantrichova 17 (road that links Wenceslas Square with the Old Town Square). Dancing on tables is encouraged.
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