EBG Rating: 8.4/10

Choice/Quality of Drinks:
❤️❤️❤️
Policka 11 on draft, bottles and cans, limited but typical liquor selection, old fashioned soft drinks.

Style/Décor:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Austrian era interior. Leafy front garden with terrace seating leads into the main pub room with Orchestrion to the left of the entrance and rows of tables. Dated, worn-in and charming set-up with a small bar in the far corner. Events hall to the left which is accessible and also well-preserved.

Atmosphere/Character:
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A true one-off. After visiting Czech pubs like these you’ll not want to step into the characterless, soulless vacuums that are Kozlovna, Potrefena Hus, Krusovicka Salanda or any other of those cut and paste chain pubs (that are really restaurants) ever again.

Amenities/Events:
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Food, snacks, events venue, orchestra, musical instruments, games, outdoor seating.

Value For Money:
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Literally the cheapest draft beer in the entire country.

Description:
A legendary pub that even features on Czech Television’s series ‘Pribeh Starych Hospod‘, Tales of Old Pubs.

Miloš Brabec, a trade union leader ran the family business for years, a pub which was built and then operated by Josef Tesař since 1921. Much of the equipment is still from his era, including its unique selling point a mechanical orchestrion made around 1870. It became a family treasure; Brabec did not sell it, even when he was offered millions of Czech crowns.

This can be played upon request. It’s loud.

The business was transferred to Miloš’s daughter Krystina, but it remains a local, family operation all-round, and on our visit an elderly lady with a very pleasant manner was tapping and serving.

Despite the pub being a national treasure, the assistance for the pub during Covid was limited, regulars dwindled and these days they make much of their money from local events rather than the pub and shop which appears to be selling food and drink for virtually trade prices.

The inclusion on national television was a huge fillip that has caused the pub to deservedly re-enter the wider consciousness.

It is really special, from the preserved Austrian-era interior, with its large framed artwork and ornate styling to the events hall which looks frozen in time.

It is no museum though, with a main pub-room that is ideally set-up for socialising and hanging out.

Just to reiterate, you’ll find prices here that are so low they verge almost on self-harm. 30 crowns for a tap beer (Policka 11) or a large shot of liquor in 2025 is nothing short of extraordinary. The limited food menu and its prices are similar, almost competing with themselves at this point to keep as low as possible.

As you approach the pub there is little sign of this magnificence, although the front garden is leafy, verdant and attractive, a good choice for summer.

There is so much to extol. It really is the kind of place you would hold to your heart, and visit every opportunity to you could. Use it, or lose it, Czechs!

For the rest of us, know that this pub is not that difficult to get to. A single train, 1 hour 10 minutes from Brno to Žďár nad Sázavou with a brief change there to a local service, 5 minutes away. Yes, it really is worth it.