Prague after dark is as lively – if not more so – than during the day. Unsurprisingly in a country so proud of its beer, the people living in and visiting the capital love to party. And if partying is your main reason for coming to Prague, well, you shouldn’t have any problem finding what you’re looking for.
BARS
Alternatif
One of the few places in Old Town where the locals can afford to drink, this is why you’ll see so many young Czechs hanging out here – oh yeah, that and because it’s “alternative,” meaning the bartenders all have facial piercings.
Billiard Centrum - http://www.billardcentrum.cz/
Wanna play? This former dancehall has it all – pool tables, bowling, darts, even air hockey. And plenty of booze to top it all off. Popular with teenagers and young tourists staying at the hostel across the way.
Chateau – www.chateau-bar.cz
Upscale tourists and the men and women who prey on them come together at this Old Town classic. Snotty, pretentious, loud – go on, you know you love it.
Duende – www.duende.cz
Like a lot of places in Prague, Duende has seen its hey day. Unfortunately, it’s way over. Run by a geeky American millionaire and managed by an obnoxious drunk who will do just about anything to get you to stay in the bar for just one more, Duende is best avoided – that goes especially for the food.
La Casa Blu – www.lacasablu.cz
For Spanish speaking expats, this is the place to be – and it’s conveniently located in the Old Town. This place is always crowded, and in addition to their generous cocktail menu, they also serve decent Mexican food.
Ultramarin – www.ultramarin.cz
Sample the international menu upstairs, or go downstairs and piss the night away in the glam club. Or do both. It’s up to you, really.
Blind Eye – www.blindeye.cz
Dogs, smoke, punk rock, cheap beer.
Medúza – www.meduza.cz
Really more of a café than a bar, the Medúza is nonetheless a laid-back gathering point for intellectuals and their admirers. Located on a quiet, idyllic street in Vinohrady, hanging out here is a great way to escape the hustle and sleaze of Prague nightlife.
Ridgeback
Run by a group of shady, aggressive guys from Africa, if you’re heading to Ridgeback, it’s probably in order to buy something green. And I’m not talking about broccoli. There are probably safer places to hang out in in Prague.
Fraktal
It used to be a perpetually smoke-filled den filled with drunken expats, hippies, and dogs. Recently it got all yuppified. Now it’s a restaurant during the day, serving American and Mexican cuisine, with the normal beer-drinking crowd returning at night, even though they can no longer bring their dogs or smoke pot on the premises, for better or for worse.
Le Tram
Le Tram opened to unanimous rave reviews little over a year ago. The French owner of the place has decorated it with bits and pieces of Prague trams all over the bar, hence the name. Great cocktails and beer at attractive prices with a mixed crowd. If it’s dead, which is highly unlikely, you can always try Fraktal, which is right across the street, or Wakata, right around the corner.
Jama – www.jamapub.cz
A popular hangout for the obnoxious idiots who work at the Prague Post around the corner, Jama is an American-style sports bar with nasty Czech-style service. The fact that their waitresses are all hot hardly makes up for the poor quality of the overpriced food. If you’re feeling homesick, well, you could probably do better.
Bar Bar – www.bar-bar.cz
Say it twice – it’s easy to remember. Situated on a tiny Mala Strana side street near Kampa Park, this basement bar boasts a decent menu and a cozy interior. Perfect for losing yourself in Prague on summer nights.
Wakata – www.wakata.cz
Weed, marijuana, pot, and a bunch of DJs you’ve never heard of. It’s going to be a foggy night indeed…
CLUBS
Cross Club – www.crossclub.cz
Cross Club is an underground legend, and deservedly so. Located a stone’s throw away from the Holesovice train station, Cross is adorned with metal sculptures by the house artists. A former squat, the labyrinthine place has become a countercultural haven for Prague’s youngest and coolest denizens, and should be a top priority for any tour of Prague’s night world.
Mecca – www.mecca.cz
The young and glamorous congregate here to have a faaabulous time, dahling.
Klub 007 Strahov – www.klub007strahov.cz
Situated in the basement of a block of dorms for the Technical University, Klub 007 Strahov attracts a young, punkish crowd. Live music – punk, ska, hip hop, reggae, and rock – is what’s on the menu here, and if you get bored, you can slum it at any of the other student bars located in the surrounding dormitory buildings.
Punto Azul – www.puntoazul.cz
Located on a quiet side street in the Mala Strana neighborhood, Punto Azul attracts scraggly youngsters eager for a pint, a joint, some drum-and-bass and foosball.
Batalion – www.batalion.cz
Well, it’s open 24 hours – a fact that serves as both its high point and, often enough, its downfall. Your typical rock n’ roll pub, spread over two levels, with an Internet café inside. It’s right off of Wenceslas Square, and is often full of a mixture of drunken tourists, thugs, teenagers, alcoholics, and undesirables. If you get kicked out of all the other bars, it might take them a bit longer to kick you out of this one.
Nebe
The place for the young and upwardly mobile, it’s also a popular hangout for visiting celebrities, hipsters, and obnoxious young Americans. If you can only go one night, try to make it a Thursday – the indie rock-theme parties are pretty fun.
Karlovy Lazne – www.karlovylazne.cz
Teenage Czech kids from the suburbs and their glowsticks. Oh yeah, and a bunch of drunken Brits slobbering all over them. Located conveniently next to the Charles Bridge.
Duplex – www.duplexduplex.cz
Situated on Wenceslas Square in a garish building, it seems like Duplex is the poshest place to party in Prague. If you’re a wannabe Mafioso, make sure you go there every night.
Rock Café – www.rockcafe.cz
The front bar is often filled with rock n’ roll teens, while the second half serves as a club, hosting a variety of rock, punk, metal, and industrial acts. Downstairs is a small kino, where music-related screenings are held.
Roxy – www.roxy.cz
After more than a year of harassment by city officials, the city’s most popular club is back. Situated a stone’s throw away from Old Town Square, you should visit this place at least once to make your Prague experience complete.
Studio 54 – www.studio54.cz
A far cry from the legendary New York club it takes its namesake from, Studio 54 is Prague’s first after-after hours club. That means a bunch of teenagers zonked on drug cocktails stumbling around to some of the city’s best DJs. Opens its doors around 5am and stays open throughout the day on the weekends.
Akropolis – www.palacakropolis.cz
The Residents, Therapy?, Henry Rollins, Sepultura, the Flaming Lips, Dead Kennedys, Kid Loco, Stereolab, the Strokes – these are just a few of the artists to have graced the stage of Zizkov’s palace of live music. The mammoth club also hosts smaller parties with DJs.
Guru – www.guruclub.cz
Primarily a live music club, Guru also features occasional DJ sets. Check their program for the latest info.
Hell’s Bells – www.hellsbells.cz
Heavy f*ckin’ metal.
Kain – www.kain.cz
If you want to get far, far away from the tourist hordes, Kain is one way to do it, though probably not the best. This is your typical Czech rock tavern, which could easily be located in a village. Instead, it’s located in a seedy part of the Zizkov neighborhood. Perhaps the best bar in town to play count-the-mullets.
Matrix – www.matrixklub.cz
This groovy Zizkov club features an eclectic program of mainly live music events. Check their website for the latest schedule.
Radost FX – www.radostfx.cz
Once the most important techno club on the Czech scene, Radost FX has mellowed in recent years and become somewhat yuppified – a place to be seen. The schedule changes from month to month – check their website to find out the latest.
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