back to Czechia
Krapkova 236/20, NovĂĄ Ulice, 779 00 Olomouc, Czechia
- Quality and/or choice of drinks â 10/10
- Style and DĂ©cor â 8/10
- Character, Atmosphere and/or Local Life â 10/10
- Amenities, Events & Community â 7/10
- Value for Money â 9/10
- The Pub-Going Factor â  10/10
Evenings in Olomouc are a tough time to get seated. Wherever you turn, each hostinec, hospoda, pajzl, minipivovar or vĂœÄep seems to be full. It is no exception when it comes to U KudÄje. Yet, frustrating though that is, there is all justification to persevere as you are searching for a drink in one of the best pubs in the city, if not in the whole country.
At first appearances HospĆŻdka U KudÄje may seem unremarkable. A Czech pub in a half-step basement of a very Czech city building? â seen plenty of those before. Wooden furniture from the Austria-Hungary era, with traditional ruralist dĂ©cor? A well-trodden choice, too but the true quality of U KudÄje is the combination of a number of smaller things contributing to a greater whole, known as genius loci, or spirit of a place. Which we will now come to.
U KudÄje is not based slap bang in the centre (it could potentially lose a fraction of its charm if it were) but a short walk west on the fringes between Olomouc’s old town and a residential neighbourhood west of Äechovy sady.
U KudÄje is named after the writer Zdenek KudÄj, the closest and perhaps long-suffering friend of Jaroslav HaĆĄek, who were both part of an anarchist/bohemian literary scene in the early 20th century, so is a fitting tribute to someone who spent huge amounts of time in pubs. You will find theirs and othersâ works available to read (in Czech, of course) within the pub. Here is a short explanation of the pub and connection to the writer: http://www.memorialmatejekudeje.cz/?cat=14
Drop down a short set of stairs outside to the basement level and enter, where the bar area greets you immediately, with a list of beers attached above the bar. The place feels warm and bunker-like and you will almost certainly find people sat at stools around the bar, and a cast of regulars sat on tables to your right. To your left is a small lounge area with people deep in conversation and set into the ritual of the place itself.
The pub has the atmosphere youâd expect from a neighbourhood dive and youâll quickly notice from the interactions there are folk sat around who know each other well. This in my opinion is the core of the pubâs appeal, the warmth and simplicity of a social scene that people invariably seek out when given the choice.
A busy pub full of locals can be intimidating at first, and if you canât see anywhere to sit you may be forced to hang at the bar (also awkward if there is no leaning room). Take a full look into the pub and if there is a spare seat ask âje tu volnyâ, and hopefully someone will yield. If you arrive as a group in the evening without a reservation, then all I can say is: Good luck. Yep, unfortunately Czechia does not do first-come-first served in pubs and will reserve tables for loyal locals at the expense of fly-by-night tourists and turf you out of your seat when the time comes.
U KudÄjeâs big thing – atmosphere aside – is a focus on regional Czech beer, which is very good news for any fans of unfiltered and/or unpasteurised lagers (me). Offering 5 or so on tap at any one time, this is a sensible number that helps ensure freshness, and a little rotation for new and recurring brands. The beers are also served on porcelain plates built with recesses to collect spillage – this is very old fashioned but seems to be making a comeback of late.
They may try to suggest that these beers are good for your health but quite frankly, who cares? If it makes you feel better then yes, yeast can in theory help repopulate your stomach with good bacteria. However if you need it repopulating because of an excess of beer the previous night then that rather negates the point, doesnât it? Prices are reasonable, perhaps on the high side for Olomouc, which isnât a problem given Olomouc is an extremely affordable city.
The pub snacks at U KudÄje are typical for Czech pubs â expect the usual cheese, ham, pickles but keep a look out for Moravian cheese if thatâs your thing, as thatâs quite the regional speciality.
Lastly, take a look at the opening hours â few places open later on a Saturday than they do during the week, but U KudÄje is one of them This place is does a short 5 hours service on weekends, and opens at 3 during the week. This makes it doubly difficult to try and get into.
Although U KudÄje may be a tough nut to crack as an outsider, I personally couldnât think of too many pubs on my travels Iâd prefer to make the effort to ingratiate myself in. Youâll find the true atmosphere and camaraderie of a mixed crowd partaking in a time-honoured tradition, rate authenticity, not to mention enjoying some of the freshest, well-kept and well-poured lager available.
Have you been? Any comments or suggestions? We’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch, particularly if any of the above requires amending.