The 12 best club venues in Prague right now

Mercedes - category list (Daily News, Expat Life)

The well-established venue/bar and nightclub has long been the cornerstone of Prague nightlife. Its origins date back to 1919 wartime Czechoslovakia when soldiers would frequent the venue for all variety of vices and activity. Today Chapeau treads the fine line between commercial tourist trap and underground haunt. You’ll find a carefully curated program with relatively unknown quality performers and/or DJs booked alongside local promoters and bands spread over its ground & two lower floors. I’d advise always checking the event program published online before visiting. Or just take the plunge and head out! Pretty normal pricing for drinks (considering the occasional touristy-crowd and its central location).

Prague 10’s secret gem hidden amongst the several industrial workspaces that run along Vršovičká’s botič river Ankali is possibly the most club-like club from the city’s list of hopefuls. This low key space possesses all the right characteristics for a quality night club. Low lighting, underground setting, unassuming from the outside with a cavernous interior, great sound system with ample bar and strict no-photos policy. Offering an eclectic line up with genres spanning from techno to rap. With the cool clientele and thumping sound system, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that you’re deep in the heart of Vršo. The city needs more places like Ankali. Word of mouth promotion, minimalistic interior with good sounds, and just enough space to call a dance floor. A great location!

Centrally located Swim manages to avoid the passing custom by masquerading as a restaurant/cafe. Beneath the ground floor’s calm cafe exterior lays a quirky club space. The tile and chrome interior design with elevated “DJ booth” and sunken dance floor (in-keeping with its name) look great but occasionally work against the classic night club requirements & expectations. The sunken-titled dance floor can have negative acoustic effects on the venue if there are few attendees the high number of steps that lead to the dance-floor can be equally problematic when the club is full. That said, Swim has a great vibe, with a well-planned program of events including quality DJs from around the world. It can provide a chill environment with its minimalistic design and layout or can be a hot and busy sweatbox pounding out bass. A multi-functional space with huge potential!

Set in the bowels of the former art nouveau restaurant, located in the city’s bustling Anděl neighborhood we find Futurum with its 90s interior, eclectic line-up and booming sound-system which have have been providing the city with hit & miss events. Under the same management as Lucerna Music Bar and following a similar style in programming with everything from rock, rap and 80s & 90s cheese on offer. The crowd are as varied as the line-up groups of tourists, locals, music lovers and casual weekend revelers mix and make use of the spacious dance floor area. The quality sound system can be over-powering in the ageing subterranean club though this does little to dampen the upbeat vibes for the majority of clubbers.

Tucked away off Koněvova at the foot of Vítkov Hill is Žižkov’s home of drum & bass, psytrance and electronic music with close connections to the popular “Let it Roll” festival, Storm Club has held all manner of legends and upstarts with reasonable entry fees and drink prices with a heavy Funktion-One sound system for the all important sound quality and apparent non slip floors for those wanting to throw shapes on the ample dance floor. The venue’s non-stop rosta of DJs from both yesteryear & the contemporary scene attract a mixed age group audience with different requirements. I visited and been surrounded by excited youngsters full of energy (drinks) and wide-eyed hyper-activity which had me feeling like the slow moving chaperone. That said the environment is usually upbeat and peaceful.

Ruff and ready in heart he heart of Žižkov, Vlkova ticks a lot of boxes. The cozy and intimate venue with a well-stocked bar hosts a number of local and occasional international DJs playing a mixed bag of genres. Sound quality can be hit & miss, though changes with the in-house sound system have apparently solved any issues previously experienced. The club’s residential location can cause problems with the neighbors, don’t be surprised if you clock uniformed officers requesting identification and reduction of sound levels in the small hours! Plenty of low-lit seating with a wide range of cocktails. A great hood-spot!

One of the OG venues and one of Prague’s longest-serving music clubs. Though, these days more of a venue than an actual club. Housed in the basement of block 7 of the CTU Dormitory, opening its doors for the first time back in 1969. Untouched by time, the trademark club space with one-step stage and bamboo clad walls & DJ booth are perfectly suited in this underground space for the underground bands, DJs and producers that have graced the well-trodden stage. Beers, ciders and spirits at good prices with a booming sound system. The venue is only
open for events. So don’t just turn up expecting to rave. Be sure to check the regularly updated website for forthcoming events. Punk, ska, rockabilly, electrowave, rap and much, much more await.

The largest of the mid-size venues listed. In recent years the well established multi-functional space has hosted a number of high profile performers alongside the cream of the domestic crop. It’s isolated Smíchov location means its powerful sound system knows no limits. It’s possible to catch some great events with a healthy mix of genres and styles. Excellent visuals and lighting usually accompany the DJ sets, MCs and bands that perform. Pricey entry is to be expected for the quality names they book. Efficient & attentive bar staff with a well-stocked, reasonably priced bar. A larger space though often managing to maintain that all-important small club, sweatbox atmosphere when full to capacity.