Prague (Praha) Staré Město

Chapeau Rouge, Jakubská 2 (☎222 316 328; www.chapeaurouge.cz), Chapeau Rouge is smarter—and hipper—than your average bar. Maybe it's the sprawling Optimus Prime flying over the bar's front room, or the smattering of penis drawings and condom machines around place, but Chapeau Rouge seems to be that quintessential club we all imagine exists in Europe. Downstairs, where the dancing happens, feels like an entirely different club: smokier and darker. Club has a DJ or a band every night of the week. On Friday and Saturday nights, it's hard to imagine a better bar. C: Republicky Náměstí. From the station, head directly west until you dead end at Rybná. Take Rybná head north up and take a left on Jakubská. Beer 25-40Kč. Mixed drinks 60-100Kč. Open M-Th noon-4am, F noon-6am, Sa 4pm-6am, Su 4pm-3am. Dance club open daily from 9pm. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Karlovy Lázně, Smetanovo nábřeží 198 (☎222 220 502; www.karlovylazne.cz), A colossal five-story club with some genuinely impressive lighting and dance floor effects, Karlovy Lázně also manages to be less trashy than you'd imagine from the outside. Each floor plays a particular decade's music, with the exception of one floor that proclaims it plays “black music.” The variety of music means that one of the scenes will probably appease you. Drink selection is limited, but the point of this club is mostly to get as drunk as possible and makeout with people: most pub crawls end here. Other highlights include the psychedelic checkerboard dance floor, the Elvis and Marilyn Monroe statues, and the strange laser shooting torso. Huge crowds turn out on weekends, making this place buzz. A: Staroměstského. From the station, head towards the river then south on Křižovnické. Club is directly past the Charles Bridge through the tunnel of tourist shops. No dress code. Cover until 10pm 70Kč. After 10pm 120Kč. Drinks 40-160Kč. Open daily 9pm-5am. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Roxy, Dlouhá 33 (www.roxy.cz), A large, vaguely industrial dance floor full of reveling Czech locals, the Roxy has a down-to-earth feel that comes from being one of the oldest clubs in liberated Prague. Chill-out sections on the side let you awkwardly watch what's happening below, while the shining circular bars in the middle of the club supply reasonably priced drinks. C: Republicky Náměstí. From the station, head north up Revoluční and turn left on Dlouhá. Beer 35-50Kč. Mixed drinks 60-100Kč. Cover F-Sa 100-200Kč. Open M, and F-Sa. Hours change, but usually 10pm-late. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Budha Bar, Takubská 649/8 (☎221 776 400; www.buddha-bar-hotel.cz), A classier bar with a more adult crowd, don't come here if saving dough is high on your list of priorities. But the experience is enjoyable. Low lights and intoxicating red decor keep the place from being stuffy, even if it is a little hoity-toity. A 12ft. Buddha statue holds court downstairs, rising high enough to peek at the yuppies reclining on the small red sofas. An enjoyable alternative to the beer beer beer that the rest of the city provides, Buddha Bar has an enormous list of sakes as well as over 30 original cocktails (140Kč) including a few large champagne cocktails (380Kč). Fruit smoothies (90Kč) and sushi (100-150Kč per piece) available for those wanting to fill their stomachs. C: Republicky Náměstí. From the station, head directly west until you dead end at Rybná. Take Rybná head north up and take a left on Jakubská. Mixed drinks 140Kč. Sake 475-815Kč. Open summer Tu-Sa 6pm-4am; winter daily 6pm-4am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.