Prague Bars
There are hundreds of bars all over the city. If you are here for a short visit then the one’s listed below have been consistently nice places over the years. If you go outside the centre then you’ll find more places that will do pub sports like darts (Sipky) and table-football (here it’s called Fotbalek). You’ll soon find a nice local spot with your favourite beer.
Discount Tip: With the Prague Nightlife Ticket You can make a lot of savings especially 1+1 Cocktail deals. Women don’t save so much on club entry fees as they usually get in for free. Check the Venue Entry Time Limit to make the most of it.
Prague New Year – Pub Crawls
Cocktail Bars and Smart Bars
Nebe
Nebe has three places in Prague. The original one is at Celnice close to Republic Square. The newer ones are on Wenceslas Square (pictured) and Kremencova (my favourite with it’s small salons). They are all smart and popular places to go in the evening. Normally they have different salons with varying sizes but Wenceslas is one large open basement area. You might feel a bit lonely if you get there too early so aim for after 10pm at least and the volume of the music will increase during the evening.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.nebepraha.cz.
Cloud 9
This is on the rooftop of the original Hilton Hotel. Open 1800-0200 Monday to Saturday. Expensive but then you are paying for the location and the night city view. It’s also a dinner and dance venue with different types of music on different evenings. They really sell the view but don’t point out that office blocks have now been built between the Hilton and the centre. If you know the Prague dance scene then you can find DJ Evson here.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.cloud9.cz.
Aloha Wave
Hawaiian Cocktail Bar – Dusni 11 (50 metres from the Spanish Synagogue). It 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 and on Tuesdays they do an extended happy hour after 1730. Look out for their “party” nights for some themed fun.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.alohapraha.cz (speaker off control is under the language choice).
Bugsy’s Bar
One of the original cocktail Prague bars and experts in their field. 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.
Their Prague bars webpage is at http://www.bugsysbar.com (speaker control is in the right column above the social plugin).
Prague Bars – Czech (food, talk and background music)
Blue Light Bar
It’s in Mala Strana on the way to the Charles Bridge. You’ll see the Charles Hotel on the corner and Blue light is in this little street on the left. Definite Jazz bias to the music and it only opens in the evenings. If you want to eat then get in early as it’s standing room only after 8pm. I could also have put this one in the Cocktail section.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.bluelightbar.cz.
Kozicka
In the evening Kozicka is as much a restaurant as a bar but still a nice place to have a drink before or after a meal. After 11pm is when the food stops and it’s a full-on bar until 4am. The menu does not list cocktails but they do a nice selection.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.kozicka.cz.
Prague Bars – Dinner and Dancing
Friends Club
This is in the Old Town at Bartolomejska 11 and opens for a long session i.e. 7pm to 6am plus it pulls in people going for an all-nighter from other bars that closed around 3am etc. Large selection of drinks and DJs playing specific genres 6 nights a week (not on Sunday). The club is gay-friendly and they have themed nights. The program for this month and next is on their website so choose carefully.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.friendsclub.cz.
Infinity
A nice music bar/restaurant in the Prague 3 Vinohrady area approximately 100 metres from the Flora metro station. Get something to eat and enjoy a cocktail before taking to the basement dancefloor. There are themed nights and the club is open 1900-0430 on Fri-Sat (closed Sundays). Draws a mostly local older crowd for a “dinner and dance” evening.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.infinitybar.cz.
Prague Bars – Latin
La Casa Blu
Again this is an Ecuadorian bar come restaurant that gets a good mix of people young/old Czech/foreign enjoying both beer and cocktails. Definitely a place to start the evening with a drink and a meal as it prepares a selection of Spanish/Mexican food i.e. chilli con carne is not Spanish food. But you can also just come here and sit at the bar for a drink or take a table etc.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.lacasablu.cz.
La Rosa Negra
La Rosa Negra (the black rose) is located at Vodickova 30 about 2 minutes from the middle of Wenceslas Square. Cheap basic cocktails but here’s the clincher, it’s a salsa club so if you can catch a dance night it has a terrific atmosphere and they get all the people who have never tried Salsa up on the dance floor. Great stuff and the cocktails are very reasonably priced.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.larosanegra.cz (only in Czech but just turn up anyway as the barmen speak English). Basically Monday to Thursday is dancing and courses etc with Friday, Saturday and Sunday having invited DJs.
Tour Tip: These are both fun pub crawls. Personally I lean towards “pub crawl with the 2-hour open bar” because this is the original Drunken Monkey crawl and it’s definitely going to be at least 4 hours and not the 1.5 hours shown.
Prague Bars – American
Jama
This is on the junction of Ve Jame and Stepanska about 70 metres from Wenceslas Square and is also known as “Jama the Hollow”. It’s a basement Prague bar frequented by a largely American/Czech crowd and has a great atmosphere. The music is largely rock as are most of the posters in the place but it’s only open until 1am and there’s no live music or DJs etc. Good bar snacks are available including the BLT sandwich which is one of the best in the city and their burgers are made from ground steak. It also has a garden option in the Summer.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.jamapub.cz.
Jo’s Bar
Jo’s Bar and basement club is more a sit and listen kind of place located under the arches opposite the St Nicholas church in Mala Strana and its been here longer than me. American/Canadian crowd, usually passing between here and U Maleho Glena below. Great selection of cocktails although the “punch” selection is a bit pricey. They have a special selection for shots. I’d consider this a place to start for a few drinks in the evening but they have a steak/burger menu if you feel for it. Open until midnight (until 1am on Fri/Sat).
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.josbar.cz.
Red Room
This is at Myslikova 28 (Spalena end of the road). Opens Tues-Sun until 0100 (0400 Fri/Sat). Good cocktail selection and shots menu. Supposed to be live music Thursday to Saturday (but it could be any night as it’s all setup for gigs anyway) and the frightening “Open Mic” on Sunday when you get up to 10 different acts rotate through the bar. I cannot stress this enough, the bar is fine for drinks but people are here for the music. Check their Facebook site for the odd “50% off” password.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.redroom.cz.
U Maleho Glena
U Maleho Glena (Little Glen) is located in Karmelitska close to Malostranske Namesti. One of the liveliest Prague bars which hosts jazz bands in their basement club (and is on the Prague Jazz Clubs circuit). It’s has good bar food until midnight and a popular place for Americans to hang out. Opens until 2am during the week and 3am fri/sat so check the night tram schedule if using public transport.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.malyglen.cz.
Prague Bars – Irish/English/Sport
See the Stag and Hen page for extra details.
Caffreys Irish Bar
The owner achieved a smarter more upmarket feel for this Prague 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 James Joyce below may be your better option. Caffreys is not known for it’s live music but whenever there’s an evening where no major sport is being shown then they usually line something up.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.caffreys.cz.
Dubliner
Dubliner (formerly Legends Sport Bar) has a pleasant basement location in the Tyn Courtyard about a 30 second walk from the Old Town Square. Could also be put in the Cocktail Bar section but with a different clientele. Its a cavernous basement bar with large projector screens and an immense amount of LCD screens for showing different sports simultaneously. Again it has live music on what are considered “non-sport” evenings (if there is such a thing!!). Probably the best value food of all the Irish Bars with a Full Irish Breakfast around CZK115 (just over 3 quid) at the time of writing.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.aulddubliner.cz.
Rocky O’Reillys
This is close to Wenceslas Square in “Stepanska”. Walk up the square on the right and you meet a group of guys in green jackets and shirts who will take you up to the bar. The bar is fine with a couple of projectors and other LCD screens for watching sports but it does not have the atmosphere of James Joyce and as a pure sports bar I prefer the Dubliner above.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.rockyoreillys.cz.
JJ Murphys
This is on the Mala Strana side of Charles Bridge (currently the only Irish bar on this side of the river). 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. With a webpage name like this they have to be sure of themselves. Personally I think their upstairs lounge is the best place for watching the 6 nations rugby. The food must be terrific for those prices.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.jjmurphys.cz or the slightly pedantic www.bestirishbarprague.com.
James Joyce
I’ve left this to the end as it is Irish but not a sports bar. The original bar was the very first place in the country that sold draught Guinness (1759hrs 05/11/1993). The bar reopened in what was Molly Malones and is at U Obecniho Dvora 4 (3 mins from the Old Town Square). The road called Kozi bends around to the left to become U Obecniho Dvora and over on your right up the steps is the bar. A couple of TVs for sports but mainly its a place to drink and eat. Its split into a front part by the main bar and the rear part adjacent to the kitchen. Not a big venue for live music very often but if there is any it’s after 8pm but do try their excellent pub food and Indian food.
Their Prague bars webpage is at www.jamesjoyceprague.cz.