Herein you will not find a review telling you to go to some brand new bar that sells red leaf lettuce salad for three hundred crowns. Real bars for real people.

U Sedmi Vlku: Vlkova Ulice, Praha 3

This two level watering hole is located in the heart of Zizkov's pub district, a stone's throw from the Akropolis, which makes it an ideal pre-party spot if you're hitting the Palac late night. Once there though, you might abandon your plans.

The upstairs bar is smartly designed, painted with lively colors that aren't too bright, and the icy but attractive barmanky play some good tunes on the CD, but at a level where you can still have a conversation.

Maybe you're with someone boring and don't want to have a conversation. Slink down to the distinctly grittier surroundings that the downstairs offers, where the DJ slings rapid fire beats at yo' ass. There is another bar downstairs as well as two foosball tables and some interesting murals. Prices are Czech and so is the crowd.

Directions: Tram to Husinecka, walk up hill to Vlkova, take left, bar is up on the right.

Cafe Parku: Riegrovy Sady, Zizkov

The Park cafe is a slightly strange for several reasons; I mean, you got the voles outside playing hackey sack, the voles inside smokin' blunts, and right at the next table you got some newlyweds with their first kid, and eight year-olds rockin' the kolobezka. All of this set to top-forty radio tunes belting out of the speakers, and there's a mini-golf course right next door.

This place would throw David Lynch for a loop. Why the hell would you go? There are beautiful trees everywhere, the beer is cheap (17Kc), there's foosball, the area is partially covered in case it starts to rain, and once you've gotten good and tanked you can pass out in the lush green, rolling hills of Reigerovy Sady.

Directions: Metro to Jiriho z Podebrad, up Slavikova, left on Krkonosska, straight into the park.

The Troll: Vojtesska, one street inland from Manes

The inside is a rather small space, but pleasantly cozy rather than cramped, with a nice smoky wood interior and sort of loft space with a few more tables. Not really the setting for a wild tear, people glower quietly over their mugs and generally keep to themselves, somehow transformed by the motif into creatures of crawl spaces.

The music is CD but generally a good, varied selection of hip-hop, ranging from the Friday soundtrack to jazzy stuff of the Digable Planets school. Beer is cheap and the interior really grows on you like an old blanket you found in someone's cottage. If you get tired of all the fun and sun, and just want a quiet, cool place to get a brew, retreat into its recesses.

Directions: Tram to Jiraskovo Nam., right opposite Manes, first left.

U Skokana: Oldrichova, Nusle, near the Bridge

Sure, the joke's in extremely poor taste, but you gotta love the gall to say it. The bar inside is also typically Czech, but thankfully absent are the green tablecloths and stale air.

It's walls are rough exposed brick that gently curve up toward the vaulted white ceiling, and the furniture is blonde stained wooden benches, but though the interior is nice, it's definitely not the reason to come.

The reason I keep coming back, aside from the fact that it's a one and a half minute walk from my apartment, is that the atmosphere is like that of a village bar, meaning lively, people dancing, smiling, talking to strangers; a definite relief from the normal dour faces that populate Prague's bar scene. The beer is a cheap 17Kc, the spicy chicken filet is choice, and if you catch it on a lucky night you might get served by a topless stripper.

Directions: Tram to Ostrcilovo Nam. And walk towards bridge on Oldrichova.