BARS: Bukowski's

I'm not going to try to relate Charles Bukowski in any way to what this bar is like. That'd be dishonest of me. I do have a Bukowski book in my flat, but it's not mine and I've never read any of his work.

But I'll tell you a story about writers, anyway! One time I was at Bukowski's and I started randomly talking to the guy sitting next to me. I hate admitting that I have this sort of lame conversation at bars, but it came up that I liked Hemingway, and he proceeded to scoff and snort and make all sorts of pretentious grunts. The Prague mating ritual! Somehow his rebuttal was to go on about his love for Larry McMurtry, the manliest of all authors who wrote epic cowboy saga Lonesome Dove. Later, he asked me if I was "going to take him home or not." I wanted to high five him for being so amazingly bad at getting laid, but instead I just asked him if he knew that Larry McMurtry had also written the screenplay for Brokeback Mountain. You know, the movie with the two cowboys that are always doing it. I went home alone that night.



This is not to say you or your literary tastes will be accosted by a horny and confused blowhard. Evenings at Bukowski's can be what you want them to be. There are enough friendly people you can chat up at the bar, or you can stay isolated at your little candle-lit table and just watch from afar. It's a pretty even mix of young Czechs, travelers, students and maybe one or two English teachers (HA!). It might be the boozy soft lighting, but people are generally pretty attractive here. Artwork on the walls shift every couple weeks, and décor is subtle enough to fade into the background even though a closer look reveals it to be fun and quirky. And hey, you're in Žižkov, the Prague 3 "Brooklyn of Prague" as more than one misguided soul has told me in heartbreaking earnestness. So if you don't like it, walk out and find another bar a couple steps away.

The bartenders here really deserve a special mention. Last time I was there, one of them pulled off a minor architectural feat with wooden skewers, cherries and pineapple slices atop a White Russian. My boyfriend was pretty psyched. Another night I slurred out an order for three Old Fashioneds, because I'm in love with Don Draper and make poor decisions when I'm drunk, and the bartender didn't even bat an eye.

BUT HERE, HERE is the kicker. Tuesday nights are Sangria night. Girls can come in and get pitcher after pitcher of sugary boxed wine with fruit for FREE. I haven't been able to find a catch. And before you get your boxer briefs in a bunch, boys, 0.3 l beers are 10 Kč on Sunday nights.

The only bad part of Bukowski's, as far as I can tell, is that depending on where you live, you might have to hike up the second worst hill in Prague. If you're taking the tram to Husinecká (the closest stop) don't light your cigarette once you get off. I don't care who you are, you will be out of breath once you get to the bar.



Bukowski's
Bořivojova 86, Prague 3-Žižkov
Tel. 774 530 689