Brno is a city that never sleeps. Whilst at day it enchants with beautiful monuments and tourist attractions, at night its streets become alive with party goers and vibrant nightlife seekers. The best bars in Brno welcome their guests until the early hours of the morning with their own signature cocktails, intriguing interiors, and warm hospitality.
I have never seen so many incredible bars in one single city, constantly winning awards and being included on lists of the best bars in the world. And taking in consideration that the population of Brno is just shy of 380,000 people, there are a lot of bars here.
The Best Bars in Brno
The best bars in Brno combine mixology with storytelling, in eccentric spaces where each sip takes you on a journey of discovery and flavour. Once the darkness descends over Brno, the streets come alive with locals and tourists alike, looking for a good time. And let me tell you, Brno excels at that. Be it a bar in the basement of a century-old cellar, or a modern rooftop terrace, there is plenty to discover about the bar culture of Brno, one sip at a time.
In this article I will tell you my experience about visiting Brno’s most exceptional bars. I’ve included the classics, which are the foundation of today’s exquisite bar experience in the city, but also some interesting finds which I thought worthy of the title of the best bars in Brno.
Super Panda Circus
Super Panda Circus is, in my opinion, the best bar in Brno. The concept is so unique and innovative, offering a true experience no matter if you visit with a group or on your own. And I like that a lot! It also doesn’t take reservations, which again is great in my opinion. Super Panda Circus is an experimental bar, almost like a ‘speakeasy’.
Located at Husova 4, Super Panda Circus is only advertised through a pair of purple curtains in front of the main door. To enter, you have to ring the bell and then be invited in. Inside, it’s a different world. Firstly in the foyer, I had the concept of the bar described to me, then I was given a short introduction about each character, and explained how the story works. You can experience Super Panda in two ways: either choose a character and follow the story, or just order from the menu. The first option is much more exciting though.
Once I picked my character, I was led upstairs, where the main bar is. There are 35 seats, in a tribune and alongside the bar. Just like in a circus, watching what is happening in the arena in front. The lights are dimmed, revealing the pretty décor out there, with large comics and symbols and with red fabrics hanging from the ceiling.
The story begins on a tablet, and the cocktail suggested to you depends on the choices you make. I chose the Shaman, which came with notes of freshness combined with hints of sweetness. And after a few choices in the story, my first cocktail arrived: ‘The Sweetest Hell’, with a base of Pampero Especial Rum, pistachio orgeat, blueberry and blackcurrant. I was surprised at how it matched me so well in terms of the flavours I like!
The story continues with 4 to 6 cocktails, depending on the character. Each cocktail is priced between 200-250 Czech korunas, which are approximately £7-£9.
The cocktails are sophisticated, and not your usual Martini or Gin Tonic. I really enjoyed watching the bartenders, who were dressed in black and gold ringmaster uniforms, do their magic, playing with ice and fire right in front of me on the bartop.
The Bar That Doesn’t Exist
The Bar That Doesn’t Exist is the first avant-garde bar that opened in Brno. It was the first project of Jan Vlachynský and Andrej Vališ, who now own five unique bars in Brno. Their story started with a small stall in the Christmas market in Brno, selling cider infused with apple liquor. As the Christmas season is limited and they wanted to expand, they came up with the idea of opening a bar. They went to New York to visit the best bars in The Big Apple, and came back with a lot of exciting ideas for their new venture.
The intriguing name of the bar comes from their first Facebook page, opened before the location of the Bar That Doesn’t Exist was known. And it stuck, and now it has become one of the best bars in Brno and in the Czech Republic.
The Bar That Doesn’t Exist stretches on two storeys, it has an industrial look and is located just around the corner from Freedom Square. It has an elegant atmosphere, with jazz played at an ambient level, resembling the flair of a New York style cocktail bar.
The bar is very popular, and I actually failed to visit it during my first two trips to Brno because of that. I did finally manage to get in though, at my third attempt. And I was not disappointed. I got a seat at the bar, with the imposable tall shelves of bottles displayed behind it. I had a prime view of the bartenders creating their signature drinks. Most of the unique ingredients used for cocktails, such as infusions or syrups, are made in the bar’s own mixology lab.
The menu at The Bar That Doesn’t Exist has a selection of classic but also signature cocktails of the resident bartenders. I chose a rum based cocktail, with pineapple, lemon and lavender foam, which was delicious. I also ordered one of the burgers that the bar is also famous for. And it was so worth it: the perfectly cooked juicy beef patty covered with melted cheese, tangy pickle relish and sweet ketchup provided a true American gastronomic experience.
4pokoje
4pokoje is another concept bar, one of the best in Brno, belonging to the same creative team as Super Panda Circus and The bar That Doesn’t Exist. The idea of 4pokoje is that it changes several times a day, to adapt its atmosphere to the present moment. The bar opens at 8am in the morning and doesn’t close until 2am, sometimes even 5am.
The design of the bar is very daring, with a lot of colour, neon lights, and a curved bar that mirrors the ceiling.
In the morning, 4pokoje is a café serving breakfast and brunch. Then, lunch, followed by a cheeky aperitif in the afternoon. In the evening, 4pokoje becomes an intimate cocktail bar, then after midnight the bar once again transforms and the party starts. The bar changes through the colours, the lights, the menu, as well as the playlist. To best experience 4pokoje go for a night out here, then have breakfast in the morning at the same place. You will see the difference.
Compared with its sister bars, 4pokoje serves food as well. The menu changes on a daily basis, and, if you want to, you can choose to have breakfast for dinner, or dinner for breakfast.
The cocktail menu at 4pokoje is experimental, with a twist on classics. I tried the Pornstar Maliny, inspired by the classic Pornstar Martini. It is made with scotch whiskey, raspberries, vanilla, apple and cava, and it tasted delicious. For the second cocktail, I asked the bartender for inspiration. After asking what flavours I usually like when it comes to cocktails, she delivered a tasty take on Pina Colada, with spiced rum, lychee, and coconut milk.
Slast
Slast is another unique bar in Brno. If you have visited the labyrinth under the Cabbage market during the day, by night, you can have a drink in one of the intricate 18th century underground rooms. Descending a steep pair of stairs, I found myself inside Slast, a maze in itself, with small rooms scattered around all directions.
The concept of Slast is a Tiki Bar, a place where once you close the door behind you, you descend into a different world of pleasures. In Czech, Slast means Pleasure – and this is the Pleasure bar. Besides cocktails, beer and wine, Slast also offers shisha, so the entire place smells sweet and it’s somehow a bit smoky. The colourful bulbs lighting up the rooms, the opulent furniture, as well as the industrial pipes on the walls, give this bar so much personality.
ROTOR Bar
I stumbled upon Rotor Bar on a busy Friday evening, trying to find a place for a few cocktails with friends. Most of the bars were already full, so we headed on a side street and found ROTOR. The bar is very small, with an intimate atmosphere, dim lightning, and cosy armchairs. They have an extensive menu of cocktails, but also serve Guinness as well.
As soon as we sat down, we were offered glasses of water, on the house. As soon as I saw the Pisco Passion Sour in the menu, I knew that’s what I wanted to order. I haven’ had a Pisco Sour since my trip to Chile, years ago. This version was enhanced with the addon of passion fruit puree, which is part of my all time favourite cocktail, the Passion Fruit Martini.
The only downside of this bar is that it is cash only.
Terraza
I didn’t find many rooftop bars in Brno, so I was happy when I attended a bar crawl that introduced Terraza to me. This rooftop bar is located just off Freedom Square, and accessible through the interior courtyard of the Renaissance palace Dům pánů z Lipé. The bar features a lovely rooftop terrace, as well as a small observation point, higher than the bar, from here you can see Brno by night. The panorama is really pretty, with a 360 degree view over the old town and the castle.
Here I tasted an interesting lavender based cocktail, which was quite floral but with a light fresh aftertaste.
Air Café
Air Café is one of the most interesting bars in Brno because of its unique décor which celebrates the bravery of the Czech airmen during the second World War. The bar could well be a small museum, with period posters covering the walls, glass cabinets displaying old RAF uniforms, equipment and memorabilia, as well as a small plane hanging from the ceiling.
The bar specialises in rum, with an extensive menu of drinks and cocktails created with it. As I visited during a hot day, I chose a peach spritz made with peach gin, prosecco, and soda.
But Bar
I spent my last evening in Brno at But Bar, a small establishment that advertises itself as a place with gay & straight clientele. Whilst the place is small and can get quite crowded, especially on a weekend, the service is great and their cocktails menu varied.
I really enjoyed their extensive G&T menu, which had a large selection of different brands and tonics. I ended up ordering the cherry gin and tonic twice, which was refreshing, with a sweet finish – and a Morello cherry in the glass to enjoy at the end of the drink.
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I know nothing about drinks, but these bars are something! I like that they opened the bar with a concept. Your experience at Super Panda Circus was awesome! I’ve never heard something like that before. The Bar That Doesn’t Exist sounds great, too. I think I can go there for a burger. 🙂 Before I went through your explanation about 4pokoje, I was like “What? A bar open at 8 in the morning?” Haha…
Thanks for this wonderful bar guide to Brno. I have not yet been to Brno, but as we are looking to limit airtravel we have checked several destinations in Czech Republic and Brono is quite high on the list for a shorter trip. And I love exploring some bar night life. The Bar that doesn`t exist look great to me – I would start there. Research for this post was fun, I am sure ;-)!
I am heading to Brno ! Mainly because I caught your post on the restaurants there that are so varied. Now I will add on to visit the interesting bars. The Super Panda Circus is of course intriguing with its storyline. I hope we are able to visit it. If not, then Terraza is definitely on my list as I love rooftop bars. Your list has ensured me that I have a goto reference for nights out in Brno!
I used to enjoy pub hopping a few years back but now it has become exhausting. However, you did encounter some unusual pubs and I think I still have it in me to give it a shot. I specifically loved your experience with the Super Panda and follow the story. It seems like quite an adventure and one that gives you drinks at the end ot it. Thanks for inspiring me again
I’ve never bar-hopped as such, but I have sought out roof-top restaurant/bars for the views. I actually had no idea bars could have such unique experiences, such as the story-telling character experience at Super Panda Circus. Good to know The Bar That Doesn’t Exist also has a delicious menu; that burger looked amazing! Terraza has a beautiful view of the castle and church — that’s probably where I would hang out in Brno!
After reading your post, I regret my decision to turn into a teetotaller. Since Covid, I am avoiding drinks. But if I do ever reach Brno, then Super Panda Circus would surely be on my list. I really like the storytelling concept. Another one would be Slast for the pleasure. Air Cafe also sounds jazzy.
I must admit we don’t do a lot of bar hopping. But we do enjoy finding very different spaces. And enjoying fun cocktails created for the settings. The Super Panda Circus would certainly be worth a visit for the scene they put on. Fun to match drinks to characters. I can certainly see why you would make multiple attempts to visit the Bar That Doesn’t Exist. The changing atmosphere in the 4pokoje bar would bring me back at different times of the day. Good to know I can get a perfect Pisco Sour at the Rotor Bar. And a great view at the Terrazzo Bar. Having developed a taste for unusual gins and tonics, I would have to visit the But Bar and find something new. I guess I might drink more than I thought on a view to Brno.
I love the concept of Super Panda Circus! Would definitely go there if I make it to Brno.