Pivovarský Klub has over 200 local, foreign, and hard-to-find brews—most definitely a traditional Czech food group—and excellent food.

Hi Tim!

Try Atmosphere. It's a student place wih two entrances. We often go there for a lunch.

If you want something outside the center try U Houmra. It's something like normal pub for people around with great prizes for big meals.

If you want to try a beer (because beer is our national meal ;)) try Zlý časy or Kulový Blesk.

Kozlovna is also a good restaraunt with a czech cuisine.

Hope it will help, if you have some other questions, just ask me.

Frantisek

Go see this place U Zavěšenýho Kafe - no tourists (even it's very near to the Prague Castle) and you can taste all the czech food (including pivni syr - beer cheese, which is very smelly). It has great atmosphere, I take all my foreign friends to this place.

Btw, see the Prague Castle for the first time at night, the place is magically quiet.

Also try this place, to feel the new cool, hipster, startup Prague - twenty7. 

Must see are Zlý časy, Kulový Blesk, Ferdinanda. If you are beer enthusiasts go to Břevnov Monastery and try the oldest beer in Czech. In every pub you can get at least 'nalladany hermelin'. So I recommend for real beer atmosphere to discover Žižkov area pubs (around tram stops Husinecka and Lipanska).  

For better food choose restaurants. Top is La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, Michelin stared Czech food. If you are home sick, can find great burger in The Tavern.

Tim, try Restaurace a Pivovar Marina in Prague 7.

No tourists, though a few european expats, but real czech food and a fantastic local micro-brewery in an old boat house. Local prices, amazing beers, typical food, and indigenous feel... away from the main touristic places and close to the real people. Awesome. Get your Czech language ready! ;-)

Let me know when you're in town, dinner's on me!

Cheers,

Francois-Paul

I would recommend you Café Imperial and Café Savoy or also here mentioned Lokál Dlouhá.

Enjoy Prague!

Tomas

Lokál Dlouhá (basically any branch) is number one pick if you want to try really authentic Czech cuisine. My other tips are: Čestr, restaurant serving the so-called Czech spotted cow - “Čestr” and Nota Bene, which offers combination of traditional local food and small breweries on tap.

First off, I second the Lokal recommendation. You will be guaranteed to have an excellent, smooth beer (Pilsner Urquell served directly from tanks so less foam and a super clean taste) with foods typical of the Czech beer hall experience (pork dishes, sausages, heavy sauce-based dishes like Svickova, etc).  Note that it should probably be considered more beer hall than restaurant. As others have also noted, there are a few locations. Most are located in busy areas of the city, so I would recommend the Lokál Nad Stromovkou location if you're looking for the location that "the concierge wouldn't recommend." It's right on the edges of Prague's largest park in an area of the city that is becoming more interesting in it's own right. With many great cafes nearby.

There are also a few really good restaurants along similar lines (extremely good beer, served either from on tap from Prague's burgeoning microbrewery scene, paired with traditional influenced dishes), although I would say the food is much more a focus at these places than at Lokal: Čestr, Naše maso (Dlouhá 727/39, Nota Bene (Mikovcova 605/4. I cannot recommend these three places enough. Czech food is a cuisine dominated by meats and none do it better than these. The steaks at Čestr are some of the best I've had; the burger at Naše Maso is one of the best I've had. Nota Bene serves some of the best seasonal meat dishes (wild boar, duck, venison), too. 

If you're looking to really make good on your "not concierge recommended" criterion, then there's one more I would suggest: a Pho dining stall at   Sapa at Libušská 4/169 Czech Republic has the largest Vietnamese population in Europe, and so it also has the largest distribution centers/markets across Europe, too. As you can see by the map of its location , it's a world of its own. A Little Vietnam in Europe.

Tim, it's depend how many cheating days you want to spend in Prague. In fact real Czech food is beer (43 gallon/year/head:-). If you have no time for mistake go to the Čestr, Lokál Dlouhá (all of them are great). Kastrol, Kolkovna, Vinohradský Parlament. If you want Michelin Czech cousins best one is La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise. 

Good luck and be careful in Prague taxi. If you want guide don't hesitate contact me. 4HC, 4HB reader.

Close to tourist places like the Charles Bridge yet not very well known is Malostranská Pivnice which is very good and very well priced. If you're lloking for a light snack and want to taste Czech wines, try Vinograf

Take in a brawt in somewhere in Old Town Square...the best people watching venue within 500 miles. Enjoy it Tim!

For local food and drink you shoud try any of the Lokál restaurants - http://lokal.ambi.cz/en/#restaurace

Lokál Dlouhá
Lokál U Bílé kuželky
Lokál U Zavadilů
Lokál Nad Stromovkou
Lokál Hamburk

They keep traditions and also quality.

Try Restaurace Jáma at V Jámě 9, 110 00 Praha 1

I really recommend Baráčnická rychta on Mala Strana (just under the castle). http://www.baracnickarychta.cz/ 

Place is not so full, climatic, and the food is really good.

Pivovarský Dům is a great spot.  Meat, Potatoes, Beer.  The typical Czech meal.  http://www.pivovarskydum.com/

There's a place called Lokál Dlouhá somewhat close to the main square but not a tourist trap. Very local and has a beer hall feeling. Good eats and the beer is constantly brought to you.

Even though it's in the tourist section (Prague 1), the best food I've ever had in Prague was at Kozlovna Apropos Kozlovna Apropos located at Križovnickà 4 Praha 1. Make sure to get a glass of Kozel beer, it's the best beer I've ever had!!

Restaurace Historie. 1,2kg roasted pork knuckle... ;-)



Click here if you dare!

Another vote for Café Savoy and Café Imperial.

I have recently been to Prague and I can give the following recommendations for nice restaurants and cafes:

Kolkovna Olympia

Lokál Dlouhá

U Modré Kachničky II.

U Zavěšenýho Kafe

U Dělového kříže

Good typical food at affordable prices.

Visit my Travel Blog for more travel tips!

You will love this place - Penzion V Polích. Traditional czech cuisine and no tourist bullshit. Great place to visit. It is not directly in downtown but it is close to airport.

http://www.penzionvpolich.cz/index.php?lng=en&sel=kontakty

Malé Čičovice 26, 252 68

Husova 232/10  U Tri Rozi. Food was obscenely good, well priced, and they make their own beer in house. Great representation of Czech food.

Hello everyone!
In addition to great answers given before, I'll add the following:

Head to Bistro Sisters for Czech famous open sandwiches (chlebíčky)
For lunch go to Maso a kobliha or Malostranská beseda
For fine dining go to Grand Cru Restaurant & Bar or La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise
Just in case you like vegetarian & vegan cuisine, definitely try Restaurace Plevel or LoVeg

Another option is to attend a food tour with a local guide ;-)

Dobrou chuť!