Café bar & restaurant Melichar Trost’s — Restaurant in Prague

I’ve been here a couple of times. I quite liked it, but I want to describe an experience I had recently.

We were three people (two visitors to Prague) sitting on the terrace for beers and pizza. We had different servers, and the service was fine (if unexceptional). But then we went to pay. We planned to pay separately, since two of the three were low on budget. We arrived at the register, and a server (who’d served us a total of one beer) took our bill. When we asked to pay separately, this server told us this wasn’t possible, because it was busy (there was almost nobody indoors, and the terrace was maybe 60% full). Now, everybody who has worked in a restaurant knows that splitting a bill for 6+ people is hassle, but 3 people is a matter of about 2 minutes extra: nor was there anyone else waiting to pay. Either way, I agreed to pay the whole amount. The server asked if I’d like to include a tip, which started at 10% (so, at least 6 euro on our bill). I declined. Why, I felt, should someone who barely served us, who won’t even allow us to pay separately, get a gratuity? This person started wailing. Don’t you pay tips in your country?

My country? Czech Republic. You are in it. Is the tip compulsory, I challenged? No, but blah blah blah complaining. Rather than wasting time with this, we turned and left (having paid).

To be clear, I am not asking for this person to be punished: hence why I have obscured their identity. But maybe this person - and all staff - should be reminded that the gratuity is by no means a given. This isn’t America: a tip shall be issued based on the standard of service, not as a general standard. When a person expects to receive one for - what - handing us a card machine? Then there’s a problem.

I don’t think I’ll be...

😭Terrible service and lack of flexibility

We were a group of four people who sat down for breakfast. When the blonde waitress came to take our order, I asked for breakfast items like toast, but surprisingly, they had none of the basics I requested. She didn’t suggest any alternatives or try to help me find something I could order—instead, I was left with no options.

While the rest of my group ordered food and drinks from the restaurant, I decided to just order a drink and pick up a sandwich from a nearby place. When I returned and stood literally two meters away from our table on the sidewalk to eat it, the same waitress insisted I couldn’t stay there, even though I was outside and not bothering anyone.

It’s extremely disappointing that the staff showed no willingness to accommodate a paying customer, and even worse, chose to be unreasonably strict when I tried to find a solution that didn’t impact them in any way. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this place, especially if you’re expecting basic service or a bit of...

A proper little gem tucked away in Prague’s old town. We stumbled upon Melichar Trost’s on a rainy evening and ended up having one of the most relaxing nights of our trip. The outdoor seating is so atmospheric – fairy lights, candlelit tables, and the sound of the cobbled streets glistening after rain. Perfect.

We had a freshly baked pizza (absolutely lush – light, crispy crust, and generous toppings), a plate of nachos, and a couple of drinks: an Aperol Spritz and a really refreshing Mojito. Everything was well-priced and tasty.

Service was lovely – friendly and laid back, without being slow. It’s the kind of place you could easily spend hours people-watching with a drink in hand. Definitely recommend for anyone looking for a calm, cosy vibe away...