Prague Revisited: Taverns and Taprooms in the City of a Hundred Spires
Prague is among my favourite cities in Europe. I visited for the first time in 1992, never once thinking it’d take nearly twenty-five years to return. And after visiting Prague for a few extended visits in the 2010s, I never thought it would take me several more years to get back. This past year I rectified that situation, not once but twice. I explored neighbourhoods I hadn’t yet visited, found some new watering holes, and visited classics that had eluded me till now. Here’s what I turned up. Na zdraví!
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Taverns, Pubs, Inns
U Zlatého tygra (Staré Město). The Golden Tiger is a stone’s throw from the Charles Bridge, which is probably why it was packed every time I showed up in previous years. This time was no different, but we lucked out and scored the last seats in the house. As the name suggests, tigers are common design motifs in this ample beerhall spread out beneath arches and ribbed vaults. There’s even a brass tiger resting atop the beer tower. The place is a shrine to Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal, who often depicted this lively drinking institution in his literary works. Despite the steady stream of tourists, U Zlatého tygra has managed to maintain its identity as a local watering hole. A staid museum piece this is not.
U Hrocha (Malá Strana). The wrought-iron hippo dangling from the façade marks the location of this pub halfway up to the castle. Inside, the hippos multiply, adding a dash of levity to this simply appointed pub with exposed brick and vaulted ceilings. Every seat is full on this Sunday afternoon. It’s a bit intimidating at first. The burly barkeeps look like they could double as bouncers. Perhaps they do in this boisterous pub filled with seasoned drinkers. But they’re friendly enough in their gruff kind of way, and make sure you always have a fresh mug of Pilsner Urquell in front of you.
We start into our second Urquell and order some top-rate bar snacks. (The hermelin, a pickled cheese, is particularly tasty.) At a nearby table, we spy two youths in their late teens deep in conversation with an older gent seated across from them. A father out with his kids, I thought. But then the older guy paid up and left. Such are the impromptu friendships that quickly form and dissolve across these rough-hewn tables.
U Slovanské Lípy (Žižkov). My drinking adventures began on this gloriously sunny Sunday at U Slovanské Lípy, which quickly became one of my favourite places in Prague. Unlike many other places, they depart from the Urquell mould, serving tasty beer from Černokostelecký Pivovar. They used to serve beer from the late, great Pivovar Kout na Šumavě, so you know they know their beer here. The barkeep was brusque at first, but he warmed up considerably when I busted out my three words of Czech and managed to indicate that I was into beer. When all was said and done, he sent me off with a large plastic bottle of Černá Svině tmavý from Černokostelecký. Not a bad reward for my efforts to speak Czech!
U Bansethů (Nusle). Or maybe this place is my new fave from that wonderful November weekend. The inimitable U Bansethů is a short walk south of Vyšehrad, or a 20-minute tram ride from the Old Town. In many ways this tavern with over a century of time carved into its woodwork reminds me of a Viennese Wirtshaus.
Like many Prague taverns, U Bansethů is a shrine to Pilsner Urquell. It also serves other offerings from Pilsner Urquell-affiliated breweries, including the tasty Hodovní polotmavé. If all that weren’t enough to convince you to visit this bustling tavern, U Bansethů is also famous for its association with writer Jaroslav Hašek and his masterpiece, The Good Soldier Švejk. Hašek frequented this tavern in the early twentieth century, immortalizing it in his famed novel.
Hostomická Nalévárna (Nové Město). Tucked away on a side street just off the busy Revoluční boulevard, this hole in the wall is everything you’d imagine a snug Czech pub to be. The back room with its dark wood paneling and yellow walls consists of four scuffed tables that have seen their share of drinkers. We occupied one, while a bespectacled gent busied himself at another reading the paper.
The bar at the front of the house is where the action is. A cast of neighbourhood characters has crowded into the small space, ordering one beer after another and conversing animatedly. Some look like they stepped out of the etchings and paintings of Prague scenes lining the walls. Worth noting: The delicious Fabian light and dark lagers on tap are from Pivovarská Nalévárna just outside of Prague.
U Sadu (Žižkov). U Sadu is a matters of taste. Some folks really like it. Me? I find the bric-a-brac over the top. And that’s coming from someone who loves the bric-a-brac at places like La Fleur en Papier Doré in Brussels. There, the encrustations feel organic, an outgrowth of the place itself. At U Sadu, it’s as if someone took the contents of their storage container and stuck it all on the wall or hung it from the ceiling. That’s not to say I’d steer anyone away from U Sadu. After all, it has plenty to recommend it, including fourteen beers on tap, a fridge filled with decent Belgian beers, tasty food, and a cheeky sense of humour.
U Buldoka (Smichov). The buildings in Smichov are less well-kept than in other parts of Prague, the shops more down-to-earth. U Buldoka (the bulldog) is of a piece with its surroundings. There’s a palpable edge that’s lacking in many other establishments. It’s not even noon yet and the dyed-in-the-wool regulars have already started on the schnapps. A well-dressed but rugged-looking gent saunters through the door, takes a seat near the window, downs his beer in short order, and leaves. Meanwhile, a dapper chap in a bowtie has taken up residence at the bar.
There’s plenty of sartorial diversity on view at the Bulldog. The same goes for the diversity of visual stimuli. Postcards are pinned to the wood paneling, sharing space with a poster of Bob Marley. An oar hangs on one of the walls, football team pennants line the bulkhead, skis hang from the ceiling. In a twist, the graffiti usually reserved for the WC has migrated to the yellow walls topping the wood paneling, with scrawled lines condemning Putin and racism or pledging support for sports teams like St. Pauli. I order another Urquell tankovný and become part of the pageant.
[Prague Pub and Taproom Gallery I. Click on a photo to enlarge.]
Taprooms
Pivní Jistota (Devjice). By now the morning snow had turned to slush. Fog was rolling in. The tram trundled on, well beyond the castle district. I got out at a bleak roundabout in the Devjice district wondering why I ventured here in such inclement weather when I could have just had a beer in town. Fortunately, just beyond the modest Christmas market on the southeastern end of the plaza, the Communist-era monumentality gave way to a more human-scale neighbourhood. I sought refuge from the sleet in Pivní Jistota the moment the young barkeep unlocked the door at 3pm.
Darkness came early, but the cheerful vibe of this airy taproom made me forget the cold and damp beyond the door. The place fills up quickly. A couple at a table in the corner. A few guys who have just gotten off work. As the Jistota Výroční ležák 12º and the Jistota IPL work their magic, I feel drawn into the scenes depicted in the large-format movie posters lining the walls. My revery comes to an end when I remember my train to Vienna in a few hours. I pick up a can of Černý Potoka’s Imperial Stout for the road. It seemed weather-appropriate.
Pivní Přístav (Nové Město). Along the Vltava south of Frank Gehry’s Dancing Building, Pivní Přístav is a fine address if you want to explore beer beyond the city limits. Though it’s not a place I’d file under “beer pilgrimage,” the selection of Czech beers is impressive enough. The likes of Raven, Matuška, and Bad Flash flow from the taps, and the beer fridge picks up from there with offerings from other heavy hitters on the Czech craft beer scene. Colourful photographs and bold street art-inspired paintings do their level best to spice up a space that lacks that cozy X-factor, while the friendly service staff and a jaunty 80s soundtrack do the rest. Prices are what you’d expect for a taproom where the accent falls on craft. But then you realize that those prices, high as they are for Prague, are half of what they would be in Vienna.
[Prague Pub and Taproom Gallery II. Click on a photo to enlarge.]
Also-Rans
*These are places that I wouldn’t put on a proverbial Top-10 list, but they’re worth a look if you’re in Prague for several days and are still looking for something new.
Pivovar U Medvídků (Staré Město). I get the sense that this cavernous beerhall might be more lively come evening. When I visited for the first time on a Monday afternoon in October, the dearth of people made the place seem desolate. It didn’t help matters that the Oldgott polotmavý special I ordered was both overpriced relative to other places in Prague and underwhelming. At any rate, the jury’s still out on this establishment founded way back in 1466. I’ll check it out on a Friday or Saturday evening one of these days. It does have the merit of being centrally located.
Andělský Pivovar (Smichov). Yet another subterranean tavern in a cellar with vaulted ceilings. Beautiful exposed brick meets generic clunky benches and tables, with uninspired Top 40 providing the soundtrack. The vibe was a bit of a downer when I showed up in the middle of the afternoon. Perhaps it’s better in the evening. The Andělský ležák was serviceable enough.
Pivovarský Klub Benedict (Karlín). Anodyne upstairs, cozy vaulted cellar down. Trends craft, some of which are quite decent.
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Last Call / Related Posts
If this post emphasizes the places where you can get a tasty beer in a variety of different settings, other posts I’ve written focus more on the beer itself. Some years ago I wrote a mini-series on Prague’s beers and pubs. And my roundup of beers that impressed me in 2025 feature some of the Czech beers I sampled in these fine places.
Prague: A Jewel in the Crown of Beer Culture
Prague’s Beer Scene: Highlights in the City of a Hundred Spires
Beer in Prague: A List to Get You Started
For even more ideas in Prague, dial up Jack Anderton’s European Bar Guide.
All photos by Franz D. Hofer.
©2026 Franz D. Hofer and A Tempest in a Tankard. All rights reserved.