This is actually a major sub-culture within the Czech Republic and it revolves around good, cheap beer, bad, cheap cigarettes and food with lots of calories and little cost. Of course ladies are not usually present in any noticeable number, but the drink flows so readily that the men don't notice their numbers anyway. There is often a brave man in the corner rendering up little numbers that some might recognise as old war songs, such as 'Roll out the barrel' etc.. I am assured that these were all originally Czech folk songs, and I am not about to argue the point with a vast, drunk metal welder about to start his shift. opinion) and is extremely cheap. Prague has its own selection of Irish Pubs, so are never far away from a Caffrey's. As Prague is the central city of Europe, you are bound to find a full range of wines. Wine-bars a generally expensive by Czech standards, but not so much by foreign ones. Most bars and wine-bars have excellent service. You should usually leave your tip by rounding up to a figure (normally 10% in Prague, but that is debatable).

I was surprised to discover an atmosphere very similar to that in the pubs. The only difference is that people seem to stand up more when drinking in wine-bars. Just wait till the new 'Burcak' wines come in at the end of September the atmosphere becomes electric as this new, dangerous wine comes into the wine-bars and lurks in corners in large barrels. It is the first pressing of the wine and can be very alcoholic as well as very cheap. A particularly interesting combination to many of the wine-bar addicts. Look for 'Sudove' wine-bars. This means that the wine is drawn straight from the barrel. There is no wine menu and the day's offerings are usually chalked on a blackboard somewhere.