Dhaba Beas — Restaurant in Prague

(Visited in February of 2018)

After a long day of walking around town, I initially just wanted to head to my hostel and chill for a bit before searching out dinner, but then I realised that that would probably require more work than just stopping by whilst in the area, so I walked back the block I'd passed whilst making up my mind and popped in.

Being a buffet-style, pay-by-weight kind of eatery, you'd think the concept would be pretty straightforward: get a metal tray, fill as you desire, weigh, pay, happy day. It is, really, but only if you either know Czech or had read (and, crucially, remembered!) the reviews online beforehand and knew that you're not meant to put the soups in the tray itself, as they're measured by bowl size instead. My luck being what it is, I recalled this just before going to pay, which allowed me to spare myself an awkward encounter by (very awkwardly) ladling the soup into a bowl and covering up the rest with something else. (Phew.)

Once you've paid your delightfully cheap sum and are seated, though, you'll find that everything is great, if not predictably a wee bit on the tame side spice-wise (I'm from southern Texas, so your mileage may indeed vary). Plus there's a jug of free water on every table - a welcome sight after having spent the day fruitlessly searching the city for a water fountain to fill up your bottle (and having had to pay for some at a restaurant the night before where your meal was 2.5x the price).

Overall, I was well pleased with my experience and would love to see a chain like this venture out into other European cities (looking at you, Vienna!).

Pros: Only YOU can decide what & how much you eat; great value; free water; gotta' love those metal trays and cups!

Cons: No English to be seen (could also definitely be a pro, now that I think about it, but the rules aren't clear unless you can read Czech - maybe some clever pictographs...

Came for lunch with a friend who is a regular visitor and I understand why. There is a cold and hot buffet. If you are vegan, you might need to check the labels. But if you are vegetarian you are ok the right place. I would’ve struggled to choose, but picked my dishes with some help from a friend. The flavours are a mix of Asian/North Indian. Serving trays are quite generous, little by little it all adds up. I have definitely underestimated the volumes on my first visit. They weigh your food and then you have a choice to sit outside in a small courtyard or indoors. Restaurant gets very busy lunchtime, if possible, avoid peak hours. But it seams that people don’t stay around too long. Just eat and go. I will definitely return here on my next visit. The food is exactly as I like it; great variety, unusual combinations, full of taste and aromas. Quick and...

It's authentic Indian Vegetarian food. For those from India, it is Indian Thali (full Indian meal) sold by weight. I landed post 7pm accidentally, which means a 40% discount. I am a medium eater and a typical meal for me cost around €5, which is super affordable, given the rate and quality at other places. Even without the 40% discount, I would end up paying around €9, which is easy given the tasty and wholesome food. The mango lassi is great too!

I highly recommend this place. I have had Indian vegetarian food at restaurants in Prague, Paris, Dublin and Berlin, and nothing else comes close to this one! Hats off to the chef! It's like getting a meal in an Indian...