Prague Nightlife: Pubs, Jazz, Clubs and the Rules

Prague's reputation as a cheap party city has done it few favours, and the city has pushed back with new rules. The nightlife that remains is better for it: smoke-free neighbourhood pubs, jazz in Gothic cellars, serious electronic clubs and riverside bars on summer nights.

Where do locals go out?

Mostly away from the Old Town. Žižkov is famous for having more pubs per street than anywhere in Prague; Vinohrady has wine bars and cocktail places around Náměstí Míru; Karlín and Holešovice mix craft beer bars with restaurants open late. In summer the Náplavka riverbank and the Letná and Riegrovy sady beer gardens fill up until closing, as described in our guide to local Prague.

Is there live jazz?

Yes, and it is one of the city's strengths. AghaRTA, named after a Miles Davis album, has played live jazz most nights since 1991 in a vaulted cellar on Železná street, a few steps from the Old Town Square. Several smaller cellars in Malá Strana and the Old Town have regular sessions too; check listings on the day.

Which clubs are worth the night?

• Roxy: a former theatre on Dlouhá street, running electronic nights with international DJs since 1992, with the NoD experimental space upstairs.
• Cross Club: in Holešovice, a building covered in scrap-metal sculptures and moving machine parts, with drum and bass, techno and live bands across several floors and a courtyard garden.
• Lucerna Music Bar: live bands during the week and packed 1980s and 1990s video parties at weekends, inside the Lucerna passage off Wenceslas Square.

Can I join a pub crawl?

Not a late one. Organised pub crawls are banned between 10pm and 6am, drinking alcohol is forbidden in many public spaces in the centre, and residents' complaints about noise are taken seriously. Going out on your own or with friends is, of course, fine.

How do I avoid being ripped off?

Steer clear of the strip clubs and bars with touts on lower Wenceslas Square and the streets around it, where inflated bills and spiked drinks are reported regularly. Check prices before ordering, pay by card in koruna, never change money with people on the street, and use a ride app or the night trams from Lazarská to get home.

What about a quieter evening?

Classical concerts at the Rudolfinum, opera at the restored State Opera, or a long dinner followed by a last beer in a neighbourhood pub; our food and beer guide explains how to order.