After a veritable Czech smorgasbord—pork, potato knedliky, sauerkraut, sausage, and a pint of Kozel each—at a restaurant near Wenceslas Square, we were revived from our jet-lagged stupor and ready for more beer. We’d both read about U Fleku in numerous places while researching our trip, and it looked to be nearby on our map. Anyone who has visited or lived in Prague will know that it did not actually qualify as "nearby:" we spent half an hour wandering through Nove Mesto (below Old Town), taking pictures of striking sights we couldn’t identify along the way and hoping that we were reading that street name correctly, before finally stumbling upon this, reportedly the oldest beer hall in Prague.

U Fleku isn’t much from the outside, set down a small street near the river, but it was clearly the place to be at 8pm on a Saturday. Cars were pulled up all along the front, and we could hear cheerful traditional music emanating from within. Upon entrance, we saw an array of rooms anchored by a central bar area, which seemed to be turning out trays of pints with impressive speed. We steered ourselves into the room at left, packed with people and two roving musicians—one on the accordion, the other on a tuba with which he continued to play the exact same bass line on top of every song for the rest of the evening.

The interior was instantly likable—leaded glass windows, a wood-accented ceiling, and iron chandeliers hanging over a series of long communal tables filled with a mix of locals and tourists of all ages. It took a few minutes to figure out the ordering system—flag down the waiter carrying a huge tray of beers, and he’ll slam down two of them while making two slashes on a slip of paper next to you. Finish those and repeat. The beer, brewed on-premises, was a dangerously delicious dark, and we enjoyed several pints with a rotating group of neighbors that included a young Austrian couple, a large group of older German couples, and a healthy dose of Czechs. One of the highlights was enjoying an extremely drunken group of tourists—perhaps on an organized tour—sitting behind us, shrieking with laughter, knocking chairs over, and intermittently making out (no kidding).

Before we left, we decided to try one of the shots of clear liquid that kept passing us on trays; the German group next to us explained that it was Becherovka, an herbal liquor originally formulated by—get this—a count, a doctor, and a pharmacist. The liquor had a strong cinnamon flavor and a pleasantly bitter aftertaste—a refreshing break from the pivo we’d been enjoying in large quantities all night. When we finally tallied up our bill—about $6 (or about 140Kz), if I remember correctly—we stumbled into the balmy Czech evening and managed to find our way to the Charles Bridge, whose crossing, of course, deserved another beer.

This is supposedly the oldest brewery in Europe, or something like that. They have been brewing the same type of beer since the 13th or 14th century. Bottom line is that this place has been around for a long time and is worth visiting both because of the beer and because of the history behind it.

Because of its status as the "oldest brewery," it is very touristy. They have huge long tables set up and people running around serving steins of beer. The beer is dark, but very good. People will often break into song and you'll end up singing with other groups of people there.

They made us take shots of Becherovka with our beer. They don't exactly explain what it is very clearly, but forced it upon us. All they say is that it "aids digestion." Becherovka is a Czech alcohol that began as a digestive aid and is very herb based. It is made in Karlovy Vary (aka Carlsbad) and is actually pretty tasty. I recommend at least trying one shot while at U Fleku.

Make a stop at U Fleku, soak in the scene, drink a beer or two, and have a shot of Becherovka. You will understand why you just need to do this once.

I have to admit to not being that impressed - it's a tad touristy and like a mass market. The beer was welcomed, though, and the shots of Bekarovka served with them seemed like a good idea, but looking back, a little less might have been better!

Still, it was busy, the staff was up to coping with the numbers, and there was definitely an atmosphere to the place - right down to the oompa duo.

U Fleku has been there a very long time, and does what it does well.

U Fleku, a bar, restaurant, and brewery, is A MUST! If the trees in the courtyard could talk, they'd tell you many a tale of my dad's younger days!!!! Everyone went here when they lived there back in the day. It is a big place, a beer hall I guess you would call it, except that it is not even close to as smoky as some of the beer halls. There are some you can smell before you even approach them! Two are Pivnice and Pivovar - open the door to one and there is a cloud of smoke, the stench of cigarettes, and stale beer. It’s very Czech.

Back to U Fleku... it is pretty touristy now, which disappointed my parents, but still a place to see. It's set up like a beer hall with long wooden tables. We ordered beer and topinka, which is toasted rye served with garlic cloves that you rub onto the bread. Beer is sold by the numbers 10 and 12. The 10 is lighter, whereas 12 is stronger. They have entertainment, too. Founded in 1499 in an ancient building, the "house" is a complex of rooms, each with its own individual style and identity: If it's a quick drink you want, just pop in and find a seat, but if you want to have dinner there, I recommend reservations. We had a hard time getting a table in the winter, and summer will be more packed I assume.

It is located on Kremencova 11 in New Town, which is Prague 1.

Busy, crowded but world-renowned and worth the wait for this historical 'brew pub,' though Prague is one of the world's great pub cities and merits wandering off the beaten track for tastes of what is counted by many as the world's finest beer, including hallmark brands Pilsener Urquell, Velkopopivicky, Staropramen...the standard Czech liquer, Becherovka, also merits a thorough taste test.