Forbína Bar is a new elegant player on Prague’s cocktail bar scene, aiming to rank among the most renowned places for a cocktail. It was opened in August 2024 in the Lažanský Palace on Národní třída in Prague, directly opposite the National Theatre.
The same operators behind the neighboring Slavia café and SmetanaQ are behind Forbína.
Forbína’s cocktail menu is inspired by the repertoire of the National Theatre and is divided into four sections: Ballet, Drama, Opera, and Laterna Magika. Each cocktail bears the name of a specific performance, and its composition and presentation reflect its character. For example, the cocktail “Swan Lake” is served in a glass shaped like a swan, while “The Snow Queen” is a strawberry-flavored cocktail, topped with a cap of finely shaved ice grated onto the drink using a special hand-operated kakigōri-ki machine.
Forbína places great emphasis on the detailed preparation and presentation of each cocktail. Each drink comes with a brief description in the menu, but if interested, bartenders are happy to share a longer story upon serving the cocktail. Most guests are reportedly still Czech, the staff also speak English, and one bartender is even fluent in Spanish. However, if you prefer not to hear the story, it is entirely up to you.
The bar space is designed to evoke the atmosphere of a theatre forestage, the area in front of the stage, where pre-scenes unfold. This concept is highlighted by a heavy curtain at the entrance and an overall interior design that reflects the theatrical theme.
The space now occupied by the bar previously served as a billiard hall and later as a restaurant. During the renovation, led by the architectural studio Olgoj Chorchoj, the interior was restored with an emphasis on the use of natural materials.
The centerpiece is an unmistakable massive stone bar counter. Rosewood paneling with artwork by Michal Bačák gives the space the feel of a magical garden. Hand-blown glass lighting and the use of natural materials emphasize the luxurious character of the interior.
Forbína is not yet as well-known as, for example, Hemingway Bar, so while on Tuesday around 10 p.m. there was a queue of about ten people waiting to enter Hemingway, you could easily find a seat at Forbína.
I enjoyed the gin-based cocktail Magical Circus and the Servant of Two Masters (in which, honestly, I tasted basil more than truffle; Italy concentrated in a glass, but it still reminded me of it). I also tasted La Syphilde and The Conference of the Birds from my friends, all the cocktails were excellent.
The bartenders’ storytelling was engaging, even though they have likely told these stories many times. The music in the bar was not too loud, the service was quick, and card payments are, of course, accepted (a cocktail here typically costs 300CZK/12 EUR).
Have you visited this new venue directly opposite the National Theatre? What is your favorite drink?
Cheers!
For more information about Bar Forbína, click on the map link:
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