There is also a competition between Brno and Prague. For the Czech Bar Awards, top 5 cocktail bars in Czech republic has always been from Prague. Until Bar, který neexistuje started to exist in Brno. Now, there is a competition between Prague and Brno in just about everything. But since the year of 2012, Bar který neexistuje ha always managed to get in between these five bars. It became a phenomenon and mark of the quality and it remain on the spotlight ever since. I am not from either of these cities, but Brno is really far for me and my connections to the oter side of Czech republic were very poor, so it took me 5 long years to get there and to see it for myself. But all those years, I've been reading and hearing about Bar, který neexistuje almost constantly. My expectations were really high this time.
That night I was not alone. I promised to my brother, who is a big fun of beer and certainly no fun of cocktails, to take him to one of the best cocktail bars in Czech republic. He knew this place, but because they have no beer, he has never been here and when I told him, that we are coming to this bar, he didn't seem to be exploding by happiness.
When we've arrived and entered, this bar was packed with people. First of all,straight fter You enter, You will notice, that this cocktail bar is huge. By the size I would compare it to american bars in New York, because it is not just few rooms rented and rebuilt to a bar. It is a dedication of whole building to a cocktail bar. 3 floors in total - in the ground floor there is the main cocktail bar, under the ground there are toilets and in the first floor there is another cocktail bar, which has the same menu and service as the one on the main floor. All three floors are connected with elevator made from glass or by stairs.
Another thing, which You will not miss for 100% after You enter, is the display of the main bar. There are 4 big columns made out of the glass, that are coming from the height of the bar desk up to the ceiling, which is very high. And on this display, there are hundreds of bottles. I've been in big bars, but I do not remember, if I have ever seen so many bottles on display. But it makes sense. These guys had a lot of space, so they used it. Another dominant factor of the desing is definitely the huge chandelier, which is also made from glass. Then You've got bar stools from dark, almost black wood, bar itself made from light colored wood and on the floor red carpet.The oppite wall is made just with bricks. The overall design is a bit contrasty but definitely matching. Use of the glass makes it look even more spacy. Considering, that this bar is situated to 20's maybe 30's, it is very, very posh looking.
Oh, and one more thing, which is a supercool detail. If You don't want to sit on the bar, You will be sitting on the table and chairs which are just as high as the ones on the bar. That may make it a bit less comfortable for some people, (but that is just everyone's preference) but it makes it more comfortable for the actual feeling of the bar. ANd it is important especially here, because as I said, the bar is very high and spacy, so if You would be sitting somewhere close to the floor, people sitting on the bar would be higher than You and then even people passing around would be higher than You and the difference between the height of the display and You would be too big and by my opinion, You would feel, like You are drowning. And also, if You sit higher, the whole interaction between You and the personnel is bit more comfortable.
In meanwhile I was noticing all of those things written above, we were still waiting for 2 seats. It's been like 20 minutes. We moved in the queue to ''pole position'' though, because many people before us gave up, while the queue behind us was just growing. It was incredible. It reminded me the same situation of my visit in Happiness Forgets, which was hopelessly full until the very last minute. Mine and my brother's will and spirit was strong this evening and we waited another 5 minutes and then we have seen 2 guys coming down the stairs from the bar in the first floor. And that was our chance.
Indeed it was. One waitress took us upstairs and gave us the two seats at the display-cabinet, which was holding even more bottles. This time with the premium quality. We sat down and got a menu, which was a book with all the beverages, and where was also written : ,,If You came here for a beer, we will be glad to serve You in another bar, which is located just beside us with huge selection...'' In another words : Here we want You to have a cocktail. I am not writing it here, because of it would be bad. It is actually nice to write it there and in this way, unless You are like my brother. He was obviously disappointed by the fact, that there is no beer. Now he had no choice except of taking a cocktail.
After passing the whole menu he has actually chosen the cocktail even faster than me. And in comparison to all other cocktails, that we've tried, I have to say that Erudite was the best.
Erudite
- Jameson Caskmates
- Red vermouth infused with Rooibos Tea
- Beer Malt Syrup
- Teapot Bitter
- Few drops of walnut oil
Quite bitter, but well ballanced cocktail with rich and full taste that had so many different layers! Longer You drink it, more profiles You will find. Sometimes You get bored, when You drink some cocktails, because the taste is the same despite the fact, that the initial impression was interesting enough. This cocktail will keep You interested until the last drop.
Now let me explain why the service was extraordinarily good. So we have been seated down by a guy, also taking orders. Then another waitress brought us the drinks and another waitress was taking the empty glasses out. That means 3 people rotating for every single order. All of them were super nice and very easygoing, but they were also polite and very professional. And most importantly - every single member of the team had FANTASTIC knowledge of every detail of their bar. In our case, the waitress who was taking our glasses out, was asking us, if everything was fine, if we want to leave or if we want the menu. I ordered a Boulevardier outside the menu and my brother wanted Erudite for the second time. But he didn't say the name of the cocktail. But the waitress took the glass, smelled it and said : ,,Oh yes! Erudite is fantastic cocktail, however from this menu it is the most unique cocktail and there are no any other. So if You want take another one.'' At this point I broke the conversation with : ,,But come on, We are in one of the best cocktail bars in Czech republic, there are so many things to discover! Don't You think, that it would be a waste of time to order the same taste twice?''
Unfortunately, they both agreed with my theory. I don't remember my brother's second cocktail at all. But it was not even close to be as good as Erudite. (Otherwise I would remember.) My Boulevardier was not good either. It didn't come in a cocktail glass, but in a short tumbler glass and with a twist of a lemon peel. It was too bitter and not ballanced. But still - before the waitress, who was taking out our glasses, was serving us the second round and the girl, who was bringing us the first round was taking our glasses out after the second round. She just looked at our glasses and asked by saying the name of our cocktails, if they were good. It was not a question : ,,Is everything fine.'' It was the question : ,, Was Your Boulervardier all good?''
That is next level of service. I don't know, how they do it, but here You can really feel, that they care about You. She was not even there, when I was ordering a cocktail outside the men, but she still knew it by name. Try to imagine the full picture : In a huge bar with 2 floors and 2 cocktail bars with a massive selection of everything, in a bar which is also completely full of people, there are 3 people rotating between all the orders and they still manage to keep on mind even these little things. That is a level of service fully comparable to 5*Hotels in London or in Milan. Mind blown.
Then we (I) paid and we had to walk down the stairs to the ground floor. And there it is. On the way up, You may not notice it. But on the way down, You will have a stunning view on the main bar, which will be underneath of You. The whole bar with all the lights, all the display and all the people and the atmosphere. This view reminds me a view from a skyscraper in the center of some big city. I will remember this view for the rest of my life just as clearly as it was yesterday and just as much as I reemmber walking down on the wooden stairs in one of the best bars of Prague - The Black Angel's.
I am really, really impressed. No any other bar like this one exists in this city. Or does it?
Erudite
- Jameson Caskmates
- Red vermouth infused with Rooibos Tea
- Beer Malt Syrup
- Teapot Bitter
- Few drops of walnut oil
Quite bitter, but well ballanced cocktail with rich and full taste that had so many different layers! Longer You drink it, more profiles You will find. Sometimes You get bored, when You drink some cocktails, because the taste is the same despite the fact, that the initial impression was interesting enough. This cocktail will keep You interested until the last drop.
Now let me explain why the service was extraordinarily good. So we have been seated down by a guy, also taking orders. Then another waitress brought us the drinks and another waitress was taking the empty glasses out. That means 3 people rotating for every single order. All of them were super nice and very easygoing, but they were also polite and very professional. And most importantly - every single member of the team had FANTASTIC knowledge of every detail of their bar. In our case, the waitress who was taking our glasses out, was asking us, if everything was fine, if we want to leave or if we want the menu. I ordered a Boulevardier outside the menu and my brother wanted Erudite for the second time. But he didn't say the name of the cocktail. But the waitress took the glass, smelled it and said : ,,Oh yes! Erudite is fantastic cocktail, however from this menu it is the most unique cocktail and there are no any other. So if You want take another one.'' At this point I broke the conversation with : ,,But come on, We are in one of the best cocktail bars in Czech republic, there are so many things to discover! Don't You think, that it would be a waste of time to order the same taste twice?''
Unfortunately, they both agreed with my theory. I don't remember my brother's second cocktail at all. But it was not even close to be as good as Erudite. (Otherwise I would remember.) My Boulevardier was not good either. It didn't come in a cocktail glass, but in a short tumbler glass and with a twist of a lemon peel. It was too bitter and not ballanced. But still - before the waitress, who was taking out our glasses, was serving us the second round and the girl, who was bringing us the first round was taking our glasses out after the second round. She just looked at our glasses and asked by saying the name of our cocktails, if they were good. It was not a question : ,,Is everything fine.'' It was the question : ,, Was Your Boulervardier all good?''
That is next level of service. I don't know, how they do it, but here You can really feel, that they care about You. She was not even there, when I was ordering a cocktail outside the men, but she still knew it by name. Try to imagine the full picture : In a huge bar with 2 floors and 2 cocktail bars with a massive selection of everything, in a bar which is also completely full of people, there are 3 people rotating between all the orders and they still manage to keep on mind even these little things. That is a level of service fully comparable to 5*Hotels in London or in Milan. Mind blown.
Then we (I) paid and we had to walk down the stairs to the ground floor. And there it is. On the way up, You may not notice it. But on the way down, You will have a stunning view on the main bar, which will be underneath of You. The whole bar with all the lights, all the display and all the people and the atmosphere. This view reminds me a view from a skyscraper in the center of some big city. I will remember this view for the rest of my life just as clearly as it was yesterday and just as much as I reemmber walking down on the wooden stairs in one of the best bars of Prague - The Black Angel's.
I am really, really impressed. No any other bar like this one exists in this city. Or does it?
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