420 — Restaurant in Prague

Me and 3 friends went there during the week at ~2pm and got a table in the center hall right away. Definitely ask to be seated in den center hall instead of outside if possible. The atmosphere is very nice and more relaxed than outside, where all the tourists are standing in front of the big clock. It is also cooler here in the summer.

Our waiter(s) all were very nice. We got asked if we needed anything else and if everything was in order multiple times. The dishes were all explained to us and finalized directly at our table.

We got complementary appetizers consisting of an asparagus soup, freshly baked bread, a very smooth herb butter and a kind of salami paté. We were already blown away by the quality of these appetizers. Amazing flavours.

I started my meal with the "duck and sweet bun". This was duck paté glazed with a cherry liquer jelly served with a bun and a kind of onion and apple chutney with hazelnut ice cream. Very interesting combination and definitely a recommended starter. The flavours and textures very amazing, but it could've been served with a little bit more bread. Amazing dish regardless. My friends had the fish soup with muscles and portobello with cumin buttermilk. Also very good dishes.

My main course was the pork neck with café de paris. Super tender and juicy pork meat served with a very rich dark sauce topped with mustard and served with charred spring onions topped with a herb sauce and fries. Again an amazing dish and it was only 385 Kc due to it being on the lunch menu. My friends had the rabbit and paprika chicken. Also recommended.

I finished my meal with a Katowice cigar: a waffle roll filled with chocolate cream served with a cherry jam granita topped with ice cream and infused with pink pepper. Very tasty and fun desert as it is served in a dish designed like an ashtray.

All in all we didn't expect this kind of service and quality of food for a very fair price at the city center. Each of us had 3 courses with beer and sparkling water and we paid 1250 Kc (50€) per person which was a very reasonable for the whole experience.

We will definitely be coming back the next time we...

I almost awarded three stars but I cannot after witnessing the tall husky chef sneeze into his bare hands and not wash them afterwards — this was a little disturbing. He then proceeded to take a drink from above his workstation and took a gulp over his work. I’m not sure of the exact food safety rules in this region but I am collegiately educated in infection control and would bet money that this isn’t the allowable protocol. Our reservation was set a day prior to arrival, upon our arrival we were not received in the warmest welcome (okay I can handle this) but to compound the unwelcome vibe was that we were told they weren’t ready for us so we awkwardly stood at the door waiting for 10+ minutes. Our waiter seemed disinterested in us and I, the woman, experienced a phenomenon of where he would ask my partner his drink order and then walked away. I didn’t take any extraordinary pause or delay in placing my order… he simply walked away. I thought this was a fluke however something similar happened again during dinner service and then AGAIN at the end of dinner service he asked if we would like desserts, my partner declined saying “for me? no, thank you,” while concurrently gesturing towards me to offer me an opportunity to answer but again it was too late as the waiter had already turned heel, his back to me, walking away. In short, service sucked. The food was over complicated for the lack of flavor it imparted. I had a perch dish with some sort of local pasta and fermented tomato panchetta sauce. Interestingly enough the tomato pasta dish was familiar, and then I remembered it from my past! It tastes just like Spagettios out of the tin. Alas I’m sorry to write such a long and critical review but we left feeling a total let down. Let down by not feeling welcome, let down by the food, let down by how loud the interior was. Entering the door with high Michelin star expectations and walking home with a...

A Beautiful Disaster

Well, well, well... where do I even begin? First of all, let me just say, I have some experience judging restaurants. You see, I currently run 8 thriving restaurants up in northern Canada, so when I walk into a place, I know exactly what to look for. And let me tell you, this place has a lot going for it in the looks department. The ambiance? Fantastic. The décor? Stunning. It's the kind of place where you want to snap a picture of the walls and pretend you live in a Pinterest board.

But... and it's a big but, the food? Yeah, it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t memorable either. To be honest, I wouldn't make the trip back here just for the food. I mean, when you have Café Imperial as an option, why bother? It’s like a high school prom with someone else’s boring date—sure, it’s fine, but you’re going to keep thinking about the one you really want to be with.

Now, here’s where things get a little interesting—or rather, infuriating. The service was slower than a Canadian winter morning. I thought maybe the staff was just taking their time to really soak in the ambiance, but no, they were too busy chatting amongst themselves to actually, you know, do their jobs. We were forgotten a couple of times. As in, we ordered, and they forgot to bring the order. And as if that wasn’t enough, I counted no less than three tables that sat dirty for a good 20 minutes. Lazy? Perhaps. Maybe they were just enjoying their own personal time more than us. How sweet of them.

So yeah, the place looks great. But let’s be honest, that’s the best part of the whole experience. Nothing was special enough for me to consider coming back, and I feel genuinely sorry to say that because I had higher hopes. Would I recommend it? Well, sure, if you’re looking for somewhere to snap pictures for your social media, but if you want great food and service... you can always just go to Café Imperial...