Hemingway – Prague (Czech Republic) en

It’s one of the cocktail bars in Prague that you can’t miss/have to try. Locals told me they never went in this type of bar, that we only found foreigners because in the Czech Republic, you drink beer. It’s not false, but not true either because I also met some local DJs that told me they went there once in a while.
So yes, there are a bunch of foreigners and it’s pretty chic, but cocktail bars are a recent global phenomenon and so it’s not because people aren’t used to it or that it’s pretty expensive that you’ll be totally out of the local loop.

The place is cozy, on two levels but often full, so it’s almost imperative to make a reservation, by phone only.

It’s a renowned barman in Prague that had recommended the place, and had directly introduced me to one of the barmen over there.
Here’s what he had to say about the place:
” It’s a small charming place with some awesome cocktails and really good staff. The owner is one of my best friends and he’s both very demanding and proud of his little baby. It’s great for the cocktails, but also for the bottles of Champagne, rum and absinthe.”
What I saw was that overall the staff was nice, some welcoming, others a bit more restrictive on certain points, a little rigid, but overall you felt good there.

From what I saw on the menu, they’re not necessarily using the “noble” alcohol ( Absolut vodka, Havana rum 3 years aged)  but the cocktails are original, well put together,  and well executed. Their specialty are actually the Champagnes, the rums and the absinthe.
I followed the barmaid’s advice and went with a Beecher Butter Soup, a little sour, very good with the meal.

After it I needed something that cut through a little bit, the server offered me a Swizzle Provençal.

We regret that it’s a little complicated to get a glass of water, but that’s the norm in Prague. They accepted to bring me a glass, but on the other hand, after,  they offered to bring a big bottle for all of us.
In spite of my reservations, I think that it’s a good intimate spot to sip a cocktail. And it’s not because I thought some of the alcohol they used were basic that the cocktails themselves weren’t pertinent and well thought out.