Pivovar Národní has 3 of their Czech Lion beers on tap: an 11° unfiltered and filtered pale lager, and a 13° amber lager. Currently, the beers are brewed by Kácov, but at the time of our visit they were working on a brew. The 11° lagers are an example of a classic Czech style lager, typical of larger scale breweries. Heavy on the malt, and not too distinctly bitter, these lagers taste finished, are made for easy drinking, and don’t overwhelm the palette. The 13° amber lager was the poorer of the 3, having an out of place sourness and lacking any depth to its body or the caramely, roasty notes typical of amber lagers.

The menu serves Czech classic dishes, like goulash, roasted pork knee, and svíčková (beef in cream sauce), along with burgers, grilled chicken, and an array of salads. Their appetizers range from grilled camembert, (this came wrapped in bacon, and was deliciously gooey on the inside, one of the signs of a quality grilled camembert), to utopenec (a pickled sausage), and pâté.

Many of their dishes, like duck breast, entrecôte, and a mixed grill are all grilled on their huge indoor grill. There’s an outdoor grill too, but at the time of our visit it wasn’t in use. We tried the grilled pork neck, which was a tender, thick piece of pork meat, nicely spiced and grilled, and their goulash. Tender, lean pieces of beef were coated in a thick sauce served with fresh dumplings. Oddly, the plate was partitioned, so the dumplings were completely separate from the sauce, which defeats the purpose of dumplings. We really enjoyed the food here; it was well done, good quality, and the price was fair for the center.

Service is friendly, very professional, and quick. The indoor area includes a smoking and non-smoking section, as well as a first hand view of their mash and lauter tuns. In the back, they have a very pleasant and huge umbrella filled beer garden.

Pivovar Národní is already a popular pub for local Czechs and tourists alike. A huge restaurant, it can accommodate many, but a reservation is always a safe bet. Located right across from the tram stop Národní Divadlo, this tram stop is served by trams 22, 9, 18, and 6, and the metro station Národní Třída is just a minute walk away.