Old and new pubs which you shouldn't miss when in Prague
Good beer and honest cooking
We serve beer that's fresh, right to the last sip, and real home cooking. Lokál is a place where good beer and honest food matter.
Whether you're inspired by the Czech film classic Adéla hasn't had her dinner yet or Lucie Janečková's "Prague Beer Zoo" from the PIVO Institute, there are simply some pubs that are not to be missed on a stroll through Prague.
At U Černého vola (The Black Ox), they've been serving since 10 a.m.
If you fancy a beer right after waking up, we suggest you head to Hradčany and start at U Černého vola, a place where the hospitality industry has been operating for centuries.
"The house dates back to 1492 - well remembered for the discovery of America. It is possible, however, that the pub was here much earlier, because the walls used to pass through - their remains can still be seen in the cellars. In the 19th and 20th centuries there was a pub here, where where the First Republic's political representatives, painters, writers and other interesting personalities," says Lukáš Berný, author of Where the Muses Drink, about how legendary and exemplary this establishment is.
We recommend that you order the dark Kozel. It's on tap here!
To Kuchyň for a view of Prague
Heading for a family lunch? How about one with the best view of Prague? Czech cuisine and carefully treated beer is offered by Kuchyň na Hradě, where the beer-loving staff will also serve you classic Czech beer pours like "šnyt" and "mlíko".
While the outdoor terrace offers a view of Old Prague, inside you can admire the open kitchen and enjoy the aroma of sauces wafting from the saucepans.
To U Hrocha (The Hippo) to see the "genius of the regulars"
Your next stop is the U Hrocha pub. At first glance, it might seem that it is a similarly old pub as U Černého vola, but historian Lukáš Berný soon convinces us otherwise:
"It has been there since 1994, which is thirty years and that's more than a quarter of a century. It may not be that young anymore, but if we compare it to the Black Ox, where we are coming from, it is almost new. In the nineties, when the classic pubs started to disappear because they were pushed out of Mala Strana by tourism, the regulars from the surrounding pubs moved into this new one that wanted to become a classic pub. I always say that history makes the genius loci. But here the genius loci is huge, so it's probably not just the history, but the people," Lukáš reflects.
We recommend heading out right after work and on the weekend shortly after 12pm, when The Hippo opens, to get a seat. They aren't huge fans of standing with a beer here.
Remembering Hrabal at U Zlatého Tygra (The Golden Tiger)
There is truth in wine and inspiration in beer. At least that was the advice of the writer Bohumil Hrabal when he regularly visited the U Zlatého Tygra pub in Husova Street. And inspiration he found! It is said that many of his stories are inspired by what he saw, heard and experienced in this old pub, which became famous in the 1930s, when Mr. František Skořepa worked behind the bar.
"Hrabal's last books from the 1990s, such as The Pink Cavalier or Evening Stories for Cassio, are stories in which he sits in the pub and observes what is happening around him. It's a beautiful chronicle of the 1990s. The pub here goes beyond the role of a refreshment room and thanks to Hrabal it speaks to culture," comments Lukáš Berný.
And you may have heard that Václav Havel took then US President Bill Clinton here for a beer in 1994. But beware, beer is not ordered here, it's brought to you! The servers walk back and forth with full pints and whoever finishes theirs lands a new one on their table. So, if you've had enough, don't be afraid to say.
U Jelínků
A little pub which has been serving beer for over a hundred years.. "People have been coming to this pub in Charvátova Street for years to see the bartender Bohouš," Lukáš Svoboda, a member of the PIVO Institute, told us. Once upon a time, the pub was famous for its managers from the surrounding shops and actors from the theatres.
"Bohouš used to work at the Golden Tiger, but he has been tapping at U Jelínků for over twenty years. He's always been around, and a group of regulars have been gathered around him, so when he's on shift, there are always five or six of them oat the bar," says master bartender Lukáš Svoboda.
U Pinkasů
It was here that the first Pilsner Prazdroj in Prague was supposedly poured in February 1843. That's how it's written in the beer hall, but according to Lukáš, it's not entirely true - in fact it was as early as November 1842 at Mr. Knobloch's pub in the house of the Blue Pike. This no longer exists, so the U Pinkasů could have built their reputation on the fact that the first Prazdroj in Prague was tapped there. However, it is a fact that the they've been continuously tapping since 1843," says Svoboda.
Thanks to its well-known history, it is often full of tourists, and it's no wonder - the place has one of the most beautiful gardens in the centre of Prague with an outdoor taproom. Fourteen years ago, Lukáš Svoboda started here as a temporary worker.
To Lokál U Jiráta for a schnitzel and gothaj with onions
After a beer tour like this, you might get hungry. From Jungmann Square, you're only a stone's throw away from Lokál U Jiráta. If you are a sports fan, you can watch sports on the front bar. If you're just in the mood for a bite to eat, you'll find gothaj, sausages, pickled hermelin cheese and rollmop herring.
U Jiráta opened in 2021, returning Pilsner beer to Vodičkova Street after a long 134 years. The newest of the Lokáls is located in the area where in November 1887 Josef Jirát, a native of Zbuzany, opened a Pilsner beer hall in 1887.
But if your steps lead you elsewhere, you will come across Lokál in nine locations (even in Brno or Pilsen). In the heart of Prague you will find the very first and (the longest) Lokál Dlouhááá, and under the Charles Bridge you will find Lokál U Bílé kuželky. Everywhere they have carefully treated beer and so you will always enjoy a perfect pint. Cheers to that!
