_Life is short: Why not dive into fishbowls while naked girls dance?
It’s easy to get caught in the routine of the same bars and clubs every week. But the great thing about Prague is, there’s always someplace new right around the corner. So when Peach Pit Mondays and Radost Thursdays bring on a deja vú-like sensation, Zlatý Strom offers a new take on Prague’s nightlife.
This conglomerate of strip club and bar is just another one of Prague’s anomalies, an alluring combination of topless dancers and cheap drinks that attracts men and women alike. We sat down with NYU sophomore Josh Coonin, a finance major in Stern, for the insider’s dish on why Zlatý Strom adds more than a little spice to your night.
Survival Guide: What kind of vibes did you get when you first walked in?
Josh Coonin: Well, it was kind of weird at first, because the entrance is in a small lobby of a hotel. You pay on the ground floor, but the whole bar and club is in the basement. Basically, some guy is taking your money and you don’t know what you’re getting.
SG: Sounds like a back-alley speakeasy. How did it look once you were inside?
JC: You walk downstairs and first thing you see are places to sit; it appears that there’s nothing but this one room. To your right and down two steps, there’s a bar. On the left was a room so packed I couldn’t even step into the doorway. But just peering through, I immediately saw why: strippers in bikinis and thongs.
SG: We assume you went to get a better look?
JC: Well, yeah. As I inched my way down the stairs, trying to get a better view of the last dancer on the right, who happened to be topless, the room started getting more and more packed with NYU people. Everyone was drinking and laughing, both guys and girls. It’s a big enough space to branch out from the NYU bubble, but small enough at the same time to chill together as a group.
SG: That last part is comforting – it’s easy to get caught in the bubble and never really escape. What stands out as the best part of your night?
JC: As it got later in the night, girls rotated in and out, but then they all left at once. Then two women dressed as nurses walked onto the stage. They started dancing and to no one’s surprise, they began undressing. Then, to everyone’s surprise, a lesbian sex act began.
SG: Other than the 69 on stage and room full of male camaraderie, what about Zlatý makes you want to go back?
JC: The drinks. They’re basically big fishbowls to share with about four people, depending on the size. They’re about 400 Kč for the large and 250 Kč for the small, which was definitely a good deal considering how strong they were. It’s a fun way to drink with a group of people.
SG: What makes this place worthy of your recommendation?
JC: It’s really a place for everyone. I mean, girls get in for free but the cover for guys is only 100 Kč. Also, the naked women are easily avoidable if it’s not your thing. You wouldn’t notice they were there if you weren’t looking for them.
SG: Sounds like a chill bar more than a strip club. Why wouldn’t you tell your parents about Zlatý and the notorious nurses?
JC: It’s pretty obvious. I mean, maybe if my dad asked, but it’s not something you bring up around the dinner table. It just attracts the kind of people you wouldn’t want your parents to know you hang out with.
Zlatý Strom
Location: Karlova 187/6, Prague 1 – Old Town
Phone: 222 220 441
Website: www.zlatystrom.com