In the past when traveling through Italy we sometimes actually got approached by police after leaving a restaurant who asked us if they could see our receipt, so it's probably a thing that happens more often in touristy places and the 'receipt police' is indeed on it.
@@manfredmilksteak6314 it’s not illegal to not give a receipt. It’s against policy to not give a receipt of specifically requested by the customer. If the actual police were really checking receipts at the door that is a huge misuse of police services and whoever the chief is should be fired.
Not true. Many businesses now ask to pay cash only and it costs a lot electronically. But the fact they don't offer receipts aswell would suggest tax avoidance.
Card machines cost money and charge high transaction fees, so it's not automatically suspicious. There are legitimate reasons for small businesses with low margins to prefer cash. But in a business with as ridiculous a mark up as the one here it is definitely dodgy. Especially as they don't seem to like giving receipts.
@@stefan-ox8qs It was probably somewhere in the small print. OR... what's even possible (had this in Budapest someday): two different menus. One without the information to pick your dishes, and one WITH the information for when customers question their check.
Simple rule for restaurants in Prague - if they don’t take cards, leave. Village pubs outside of Prague can be great and only take cash, but this is never done in Prague or other big cities unless there’s something shady going on.
"Village" pubs can be great. I would advise to check for "zal" there (in English it would be "Est"). If it was established more than 5 years ago and there is no advertisement for it (except the classic umbrellas outside), it is probably a good place. Do not expect 5 star treatment, but most probably you will get good beer, fine soup and good meal.
@@mateusz5872I think what they meant was whether you could get a receipt without having made the transaction first. The receipt is proof of payment, no?
@@xybersurfer I don't know in which country you live but in all countries I've ever visited, restaurants always give receipts before you pay. That's how you know how much you have to pay.
Just for comparison, I work in a small restaurant in Austria. We also serve different toast. Our basic toast, with cheese, ham from a local butcher, and the toast bread from a bakery in the shop next door is only 3 euros
Lol can I just say that as a Czech guy, I'm actually a bit disappointed that the Czech word at the end of the video wasn't mold? 😂 Mold is "plíseň" [plee-sen] in Czech, you're welcome.
@@jimmygadd Yes, it's litelary a law, part of the fiscalisation efforts since like 2010 or around then, so been a while and people should definitely know about this..
Fun trivia... Cafe Imperial used to have a "Bowl of Saturnin's Donuts" - a huge bowl of stale donuts (koblihy) costing CZK 1934. If you paid, you got to throw the donuts at all the other diners - a tribute to a scene from the novel Saturnin by Zdeněk Jirotka. Sadly (for the loss of a tradition) and thankfully (because it would be a disaster in the age of viral social media), it was ended in 2007. I never witnessed a donut fight and at the time could not afford it at all, but I did at least see the donut display.
about 20 years ago we really did it, we paid I guess 1000 czk (40 euros) for the bowl with about 50 hard donuts and we threw it all around on everybody sitting there, tilted with them many of their drinks, too. It was funny and nobody beat us up, most of the people were laughing or telling us names, but the staff hollered very loud just at the beginning - warning, some group has purchased the bowl, everybody be careful! There were some videos floating around here on YT, but unfortunately I cannot find them any more
22 euros is insanely expensive. If you order in the Netherlands in a normal shop then you pay around 7.50 - 10 for a lot more and lot better. and yes, that cheese is a death sentence here. ;-)
As I mentioned, just prior to filmming this I have visited your amazing country, and what you call "normal food" is heaven to us. :) Really had a great time.
This is like a steal, we got scammed way worse on the Loretánská street!... A sandwhich half of this size, a tiny bowl of Borsch or other similar soup, 2 ice tea bottles for 27-28€!
@@janekrubes glad to hear, i do hope you come back one time. I really love your videos and always try to watch the moment they come out. keep up the good work! 👍👍👍
that's just really weird tourists aren't some kind of human to be exploited, they're people just like you and I keep up the good work and keep exposing places like this!
We travel the world full time. Tourists ARE in many countries treated as something to exploit. After you do this long enough, you develop very good strategies to avoid this type of BS. You only get scammed a few times to realize how different things work. Never happens anymore.
The problem with avoiding tourist traps is fatigue and location. You are walking around all day seeing the sights and then you get tired and hungry. Most people don't want to walk out of the tourist area to search for good food. They just plop down somewhere with a good view and pay way to much for crap. I admit I am guilty of doing this also. Sometimes your feet ache and you just want a beer.
There are literally restaurants in Prague on every counter and quite often there are literally great restaurants and shitty tourist scam places like these just across the street. Ffs, people, just use your phones, takes you few seconds to check for restaurants with good reviews in your location. This Svejk restaurant has like 2.6 stars out of 5 on Google reviews, it so blatant that it is a shit place... all you have to do is to take few moments and you can easily avoid these hellholes.
I got ripped off at "Next door" which is run by Imperial Cafe. The charged for a dessert that i did not have, and another 10% service charge (automatic tip). When i mentioned it to the waiter, all of a sudden he didn't speak English anymore.
The service charge is indeed part of the price... . as long as it is printed on the menu, then it is legal. I thought the same about Imperial and revisited and it is clearly printed on the menu!!!
Next is a really weird place. They have charged us wine which we did not drink (all wines are with 200-500% mark up). Food there is good, but nothing special.
It would be interesting to see what happens when an actual Czech speaker goes in and orders the same thing. Do they charge for the box and the use of utensils? Do they add any other charges and refuse to give a receipt?
0:47 If they tell you they only take cash, this smells often like corruption (statement from a German that goes to several Kebab-stores lol)The cash money mostly goes into their pockets :) I love it when you correct them and tell the real prize, they suddenly can’t speak German anymore and get very quiet. So it also can be the other way around in terms of language :D Happy honest Sunday, Guys!
The pistachio cream pastry you got actually isn't a croissant, it's a cornetto (like the Italian version of a croissant, with less butter and more egg). I had one of those pastries in a tiny cafe in Italy and had the exact same reaction you did - the most delicious pastry I ever had!
My wife, my daughter and I have gone to a concert in Prag. Wer had an overnight stay and enjoyed the next day by getting some breakfast from the kolacherie, lifting some real gold, enjoying some other nice places and having real good lunch! Thanks to you!❤
Anything "ARO" means leave. And one joke, ARO is short for "Anesteziologicko-resuscitační oddělení", which is the most intensive care unit in hospital. Using ARO products will send you there.
Ah yes, This brings back memories from my schooltrip to Prague, where I ordered frutti-di-mare-Pizza and sat on the toilet the whole night, sweating and discharging in both directions. The weed I bought on some plaza was better than the food.
I been to Prague with a mate of mine few years back to see Pear Jam. After the concert we wanted to grab a bite. It was in the old town, it was late and we ended up in a pizza place. We asked if we could pay with card. No problem they said. After we had food and drink we wanted to pay. It turned out the card terminal was out of order. We had no Czech money. The waiter offered to walk us to a cash machine round the corner. The machine was set up only to exchange the minimum equivalent of €500 in Czech Koronas. Also these was additional charges involved. At this point it was clear we are being scammed. I offred the waiter who went with us to the ATM that we either go back to the restaurant and pay Visa, or we walk away. When he got back to the pizza place the terminal was miraculously working again. Prague is lovely,, but better exercise caution as the scammers seem to be everywhere. Great job Janek. Fair play to you for exposing them all
As someone who has traveled a lot, I am glad I have the knowledge to check first and clarify 3 times. I have been scammed with taxis before and I have just gotten out and walked away. Thanks for your videos and the lessons! Don’t stop the awareness!
Nice work guys. We need more channels and videos like this exposing these rip off places to avoid. The 2nd place looked awesome! Hope to make it back to Praque one day.
I have to say that I love your videos because as I'm not english fluent I can literally understand each word you speak and of course, I love all of your content. thank you!!
It ain't that good tho, interior is nice but food is medicore at best tbh, was there twice - and would never come back. But as a one time experience, it's cool I guess :D If you want to eat something tasty, I would rather choose this train restaurant in Prague, it was cool af 😊
I watched so many of your videos a few months ago when researching traveling to Prague, and I'm watching all your videos again because I visit next month!
In germany in every bakery you can get a "Belegtes Brötchen", it's just a bread roll with toppings and you can get it for just 3 to 5 Euro. Better then any Sandwich
@@lienbijs1205 There are lot's of scams, but it's more spread and not only at one location. For us germans a belegtes Brötchen for sometimes 5€ feels like scam, just "a few" years ago they cost 2-3€. Also there are many bad locations for belegte Brötchen and if you get it at a train station often there isn't much filling. But the worst food scams here are with restaurants that sell Döner and/or Pizza. Some are used by criminals for money laundering, others sell bad food and small sizes for way too much money. Also if you don't get a receipt (which should be offered without asking) chances are high that either the location is used to launder money, or the ower doesn't want to pay taxes because "from what else should he life" while paying the lowest wages possible etc.
Janek, I just love your videos. Not only are they always entertaining and informative, you are so likable and seem so comfortable in front of the camera! I visited Prague in 2017 and had a great time, but I wish I had discovered your channel back then. Thank you!
I am pretty sure that the Czech Trade Inspection (Česká obchodní inspekce, ČOI) would be interested to see this as well as the local Hygiene Bureau. Automatic service charge is against the law in Czechia. Any tips are optional only. Also, Schweik is a terrible restaurant chain overall. I avoid it like a plague here in Pilsen. Unfortunately, they are usually very well located.
Cafe Imperial is such a magnificent place. I've reserved a birthday dinner for my wife a month beforehand, with cake and candles and the waiters sang her a happy birthday song ❤ Also I assumed the waiter was Italian and he judged our choice of drinks, which was hilarious 😂 Can't recommend that place enough, 10/10
Wow I am in Prague now, our 3rd day. We were in Cafe Imperial for breakfast yesterday. We took the buffet and it was very delicious, the service was quick and the price is reasonable. We walked in and were lucky to be given a table. For dinner just now, we wanted to go to Svejk Restaurant, the one that you featured. But our friend said to go Fat Cat for their burger. Although the price is on a high side too, but the customer service is good there. The margarita pizza and the burger did not disappoint. It could have been worse if we went ahead with Svejk
Someone once told me that a long time ago, a restaurant had the idea to charge you _less_ if you ordered food but didn't eat it there. You would save some money and the restaurant didn't have to clean after you and they'd have one more free table for other people. Everyone would win. Then, people being people, some restaurants flipped it: they charged you the normal price if you left with the food and charged you _more_ if you decided to eat inside. I don't go to restaurants very often but I once went to Portugal and ate at a restaurant inside of a shopping mall in Lisbon while I waited for the bus to go to another city. You could either eat at a table inside of the mall but outside of the restaurant itself (which was hard to find because there were a lot of people sitting at those tables at that moment of the day) or pay more and eat inside of the restaurant. Is this a common thing in your country?
In Germany, VAT for food you eat at a restaurant is 19%. If you decide to take the food home or get it delivered, it's 7%. So, technically, food should be a bit cheaper if you decide to take it home with you. However, I've yet to see this put into practice. Usually, you pay the same amount and the restaurant pockets the difference. Even at McDonald's.
Pretty common in the UK, I know Greggs do that and we have 3500 of them. Have seen other places do it aswell though and like Germany it’s linked to tax
ITs 2 euro in bakeries in Serbia ,my breakfast usually is in bakery here and usually cost me 2 euros does not matter what i eat ,it always around 2 euro and off course there is no siting fee.But we dont have tourist in our town
hahaha 'Bohemian Toast'. I remember Prague 20 years ago, it was wonderful. Woke up one morning with my head on the bar, and the barmaid: "Good morning! Would you like some breakfast?"
I live in central Oklahoma in the US. We have a fairly large Czech population here. They have been coming over to live here for generations now. The reason saying this is because kolachis were mentioned. I know we don't spell it the right way, but it is something we all love very much. They actually sell them in schools for lunch, and we have a Kolachi Festival every year in Yukon, Oklahoma.
Why on earth you wouldn’t talk to the chef is utter silliness. Now I’ll be checking the toast in cafes. No doubt they use the older bread to toast, at times.
Guys I am just home after a few days in Prague and I want to thank you as I used many of your tips.... The food was lovely and it was a most enjoyable trip.
Was in Prague 2 years ago in the summer. Stayed there for a week. People in hospitality are not welcoming at all. They also are very rude and not helpful of u aske them a simple question. They also threaten me in a club because I didn’t want to leave a tip in a 12 euro bill! 😂😂
The toast is even called "Old Bohemian Toast" which seems even more absurd, but there are probably some clueless tourists who think oh yeah, let's eat something that they've been eating here for hundreds of years... 😭
That breakfast in the Cafe Imperial definitely looked so good, I'm now hungry - thank you :D (The place itself also looks amazing. Definitely on my list when I'm visiting the city!) Keep up your style - I very much enjoy your videos!
I love cafe Imperial. We even stayed there many years ago when the hotel was more like a hostel with cheap prices and breakfast included which was served at cafe Imperial. In the evening there were jazz and Dixie concerts, we really enjoyed our stay there. And didn't they even have a pater noster at the hotel? I think it was anywhere at the end or the beginning of the century... We were sad when we came back and it changed into that expensive hotel it is now. But every time we come to Prague at least we stop there for a coffee😊.
Go to the Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland, they charge 12 euros for a pint of Guinness. The food prices are also ridiculous, the worst tourist trap in Dublin.
in all fairness, this place has a terrible google score, and the prices are listed (12 euro for ham and cheese is also crazy) so you kinda have to blame anyone who goes in there. cool to know these guys worked on peklo na talir...they did a great vid on tesco salad i showed to all my colleagues at the tesco main office
That Svejk Restaurant gets 1.5 stars on Tripadvisor. 1.6 on Yelp. We always check online before choosing any restaurant while overseas. And rule #2 is NEVER eat at a restaurant that has pictures displayed outside and a waiter on the sidewalk trying to talk you into coming in.
So excited to see you in Café Imperial! The prices and the sheer quality you get for the food is insane, I highly recommend it for anyone visiting Prague. The attached Hotel is my favourite hotel in the world, I was only there two weeks ago and it's a consistently perfect experience.
Theres these overpriced tourist traps in almost all European big cities, even here in Denmark in inner city of Copenhagen theres some "Italian" Restaurants owned by some eastern Europe men,they serve Pizza's that have the same quality as frozen supermarkets Pizza's,im quite sure the owners uses their Restaurants to withdrawal moneys or cheat in taxes in different ways,while naive tourists,people from the suburbs and the countryside falls directly in the trap ! The good thing is that theres fewer and fewer of these places because alot of locals and newcomers that knows about food quality starts alot of new places where you can get actual quality for the same price or even cheaper than these tourist traps sometimes. These places that cheats people with bad discount quality food sold overpriced as "gourmet" needs to be held accountable for their scams ! Very important job to do so !!! If they dont change they need to be closed and their accounting etc needs to be investigated in details by authorities, because it is really often these places that are totally corrupt and does not benefit local culture, business or people,they are known for using mafia methods and it needs to be stopped!!!
Foreigners probably won't recognise this guy on the photo at 6:48 - a local chef celebrity, Zdeněk Pohlreich. :D He runs a TV show about cooking, where he goes into restaurants that invite him cuz they don't have many customers, he reviews the menus, goes to the kitchen, reviews their sterility and safety, and generally helps them to get better. It's obviously very exagerrated in the TV, for the show.
@@a1xly Yeah, I commented before I've finished the video. Immediately after I resumed to watch the rest, he did talk about Zdeněk. I was just too lazy to correct the comment. :D
No locals inside. Cash only. Does not offer a receipt. Avoid, these are sure signs of a tourist trap. That place probably didn't give a receipt as they were technically breaking the law (it's a bit of gray area) charging you for stuff like that without physically telling you, or making you aware of the fee prior to eating there. If you're in doubt, look at reviews. They're there for a reason.
I've been to Wien, Austria. One of the restaurant tried to scam me with the same trick of Fork & Knife + having a Seat (charge 5€). I ordered and then I run away before they serve me
I’ve enjoyed your videos without being a Patreon, I admit it, but there must be a better way than charging for your honest map. It sounds like great work and something that should be available to those passing through. Have you looked at ad-walling it on a website?
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
Not only do they scam tourists they're also clearly tax evading with the cash only no receipt. Isn't it illegal to refuse to give a receipt?
It is illegal.
of course :)
Yea super illegal. The receipt police are on the case.
In the past when traveling through Italy we sometimes actually got approached by police after leaving a restaurant who asked us if they could see our receipt, so it's probably a thing that happens more often in touristy places and the 'receipt police' is indeed on it.
@@manfredmilksteak6314 it’s not illegal to not give a receipt. It’s against policy to not give a receipt of specifically requested by the customer. If the actual police were really checking receipts at the door that is a huge misuse of police services and whoever the chief is should be fired.
Cash only = „we do not pay taxes“
LOL true
And no receipt, too.
Often with these places in Prague they would excuse it with something like "Sorry, the card terminal is broken today"
Not true. Many businesses now ask to pay cash only and it costs a lot electronically. But the fact they don't offer receipts aswell would suggest tax avoidance.
Card machines cost money and charge high transaction fees, so it's not automatically suspicious. There are legitimate reasons for small businesses with low margins to prefer cash. But in a business with as ridiculous a mark up as the one here it is definitely dodgy. Especially as they don't seem to like giving receipts.
The Czech government needs to do something about these scams, it reflects very badly on the country
If just the city hall would do something. They are absolutely oblivion to these things and care very little about tourists in general.
@@HONESTGUIDE I refuse to believe that noone is getting kickbacks. But I guess malice and incompetence are hard to tell apart.
Don't be so silly, the government; your leaders probably have shares in the place.
My impression is that it is more specifically a Prague problem.
@@Barl3000 Not only Prague, unfortunately. Other places, like Karlovy Vary, also have the same problem.
Mold is 2 € extra!
😂
💀
"Added protein!" 😂
I like my mold drippy bruh
Anthony Moldeste approves
Paying for using silverware, for breathing air, for sitting down.
talking too, the more you talk, the more you'll pay
"Good morning" - 2 €
If you charge me for silverware i wont pay it. Ill just leave.
Am i blind?where they have to pay for silvervare?
Do videos of scamming and make most clikbaiting video ever😂
Those add-ons are absolutely criminal
agreed
also, the cheapest ones, they could find :)
And in europe is hidden fees even forbidden, all prices must be known before you order.
@@stefan-ox8qs It was probably somewhere in the small print. OR... what's even possible (had this in Budapest someday): two different menus. One without the information to pick your dishes, and one WITH the information for when customers question their check.
seems the entire restaurant is criminal,thru and thru... starting with "only cash"....
Simple rule for restaurants in Prague - if they don’t take cards, leave. Village pubs outside of Prague can be great and only take cash, but this is never done in Prague or other big cities unless there’s something shady going on.
"Village" pubs can be great. I would advise to check for "zal" there (in English it would be "Est"). If it was established more than 5 years ago and there is no advertisement for it (except the classic umbrellas outside), it is probably a good place. Do not expect 5 star treatment, but most probably you will get good beer, fine soup and good meal.
If they refuse to give you a receipt I think you should refuse to pay because there's no proof of how much it cost and that you even owe the money
true, but how do you get a receipt without paying?
@@xybersurferthe receipt needs to come first. You pay based off of what the receipt is and when you pay you keep the receipt.
@@xybersurfer the sellers are obligated to provide a receipt. If there isn't one, there is no transcation so you don't need to pay
@@mateusz5872I think what they meant was whether you could get a receipt without having made the transaction first. The receipt is proof of payment, no?
@@xybersurfer I don't know in which country you live but in all countries I've ever visited, restaurants always give receipts before you pay. That's how you know how much you have to pay.
I don´t know why you were disappointed with the sandwich. The menu said Old Bohemian Toast and the bread was really old just like they described. 🤷
True :)
Okay, But 22 Euro?!!
@@Anonymous73728 its like with wine - the older the pricier
@@Anonymous73728 Aging bread is expensive, just like aging wine or cheese.
@@garnet1223 Without your mansplaining, I would never have understood that from the video. Thanks! You should be proud of yourself.
Pretty sure it’s illegal to deny giving out a receipt
Yes it is,.
so plankton has a right to know what the formula is? 🤔
@@PROL1SHED666 Think harder.
Only if it's enforced; otherwise... :(
Just for comparison, I work in a small restaurant in Austria. We also serve different toast. Our basic toast, with cheese, ham from a local butcher, and the toast bread from a bakery in the shop next door is only 3 euros
strudel at Cafe Savoy in Vienna + hot chocolate cost me less than 10 euros. for 22 euros I can get like 7 doners or schnitzel sandwiches
Cafe Savoy rules ❤❤@@AyaaAcademia
Lol can I just say that as a Czech guy, I'm actually a bit disappointed that the Czech word at the end of the video wasn't mold? 😂 Mold is "plíseň" [plee-sen] in Czech, you're welcome.
and dont confuse it wit plzeeň
yeah he showed it in his phone tho 😂
more like plee-señ
On Serbian it would be: plesan :D
@@lukebruce5234 Yeah, I wasn't sure how to clarify the pronounciation of ň but tbh I wouldn't use ñ either because it's not a letter English uses. :D
my favourite thing about the channel is watching honza pretending to be a tourist
People REMEMBER, in all of EU there is a slogan by our government, "if no receipt, no need to pay" :)
its a law on that i think the whole EU, in sweden they must ask or give you a receipt or they just have it printed out infront of you
@@jimmygadd Yes, it's litelary a law, part of the fiscalisation efforts since like 2010 or around then, so been a while and people should definitely know about this..
@@TheBalkanSpy Think some countrys try to evade it with a back thought
@@TheBalkanSpy "people should definitely know about this" - you mean tourists? Also the ones from outside of the EU? Nah man.
@podr0znik1 yes. Isn't it common sense to expect a receipt or at least all costs disclosed ?
Fun trivia... Cafe Imperial used to have a "Bowl of Saturnin's Donuts" - a huge bowl of stale donuts (koblihy) costing CZK 1934. If you paid, you got to throw the donuts at all the other diners - a tribute to a scene from the novel Saturnin by Zdeněk Jirotka. Sadly (for the loss of a tradition) and thankfully (because it would be a disaster in the age of viral social media), it was ended in 2007. I never witnessed a donut fight and at the time could not afford it at all, but I did at least see the donut display.
You can pay for food fight? Damn, what a crazy day back then
2k for being able to throw old donuts bruh 😂 was that 2k for a person? 😃
about 20 years ago we really did it, we paid I guess 1000 czk (40 euros) for the bowl with about 50 hard donuts and we threw it all around on everybody sitting there, tilted with them many of their drinks, too. It was funny and nobody beat us up, most of the people were laughing or telling us names, but the staff hollered very loud just at the beginning - warning, some group has purchased the bowl, everybody be careful! There were some videos floating around here on YT, but unfortunately I cannot find them any more
@@cetitm That's some proper alternative universe stuff, so hard to even imagine. Thanks for sharing.
CZK 1934 is about 77€ using today's exchange rate (you're welcome)
22 euros is insanely expensive. If you order in the Netherlands in a normal shop then you pay around 7.50 - 10 for a lot more and lot better. and yes, that cheese is a death sentence here. ;-)
As I mentioned, just prior to filmming this I have visited your amazing country, and what you call "normal food" is heaven to us. :) Really had a great time.
This is like a steal, we got scammed way worse on the Loretánská street!... A sandwhich half of this size, a tiny bowl of Borsch or other similar soup, 2 ice tea bottles for 27-28€!
@@justaparps8088 yuck!
@@janekrubes glad to hear, i do hope you come back one time. I really love your videos and always try to watch the moment they come out. keep up the good work! 👍👍👍
in netherlands we go to mcdonald and for 7 euros we have good breakfast
that's just really weird
tourists aren't some kind of human to be exploited, they're people just like you and I
keep up the good work and keep exposing places like this!
yes this is really undignified to human beings, although in hidden way
We travel the world full time. Tourists ARE in many countries treated as something to exploit. After you do this long enough, you develop very good strategies to avoid this type of BS. You only get scammed a few times to realize how different things work. Never happens anymore.
Unfortunately there are people who really don't care :(
Honza really took one for the team, hope you guys didn't get sick.
The problem with avoiding tourist traps is fatigue and location. You are walking around all day seeing the sights and then you get tired and hungry. Most people don't want to walk out of the tourist area to search for good food. They just plop down somewhere with a good view and pay way to much for crap. I admit I am guilty of doing this also. Sometimes your feet ache and you just want a beer.
yes, fatigue is a bane for human race 😫😫😫😫
There are literally restaurants in Prague on every counter and quite often there are literally great restaurants and shitty tourist scam places like these just across the street. Ffs, people, just use your phones, takes you few seconds to check for restaurants with good reviews in your location. This Svejk restaurant has like 2.6 stars out of 5 on Google reviews, it so blatant that it is a shit place... all you have to do is to take few moments and you can easily avoid these hellholes.
I got ripped off at "Next door" which is run by Imperial Cafe. The charged for a dessert that i did not have, and another 10% service charge (automatic tip). When i mentioned it to the waiter, all of a sudden he didn't speak English anymore.
Welcome to Prague :(
The service charge is indeed part of the price... . as long as it is printed on the menu, then it is legal. I thought the same about Imperial and revisited and it is clearly printed on the menu!!!
Next is a really weird place. They have charged us wine which we did not drink (all wines are with 200-500% mark up). Food there is good, but nothing special.
I serioursly doubt it. Charged for a dessert you didn't have? Makes no sense to me at all.
@@clays4337 It was not on the menu.
This is actually crazy. How could she list those add-ons so calmly? I would burst out laughing on the spot if somebody did that to me.
Exactly! Not even embarrassed.
It would be interesting to see what happens when an actual Czech speaker goes in and orders the same thing. Do they charge for the box and the use of utensils? Do they add any other charges and refuse to give a receipt?
No sane person would go there, as the place does have like 2 stars on Google. Just use the internet...
That's what I'd love to see, I often have the feeling that I'm being charged more than locals, not just Prague by the way
0:47 If they tell you they only take cash, this smells often like corruption (statement from a German that goes to several Kebab-stores lol)The cash money mostly goes into their pockets :)
I love it when you correct them and tell the real prize, they suddenly can’t speak German anymore and get very quiet.
So it also can be the other way around in terms of language :D
Happy honest Sunday, Guys!
We should just do what greeks do and mandate that everyone has to accept cashless.
11:27 serving beread as a side for a sandwich 😵💫
The pistachio cream pastry you got actually isn't a croissant, it's a cornetto (like the Italian version of a croissant, with less butter and more egg). I had one of those pastries in a tiny cafe in Italy and had the exact same reaction you did - the most delicious pastry I ever had!
Yes I want to have bread with more bread on the side please!
maybe they will put 2 grams of meat or the flavor of it in the bread!
British: let me introduce you to the toast sandwich
@@fatweeb1545 You jest, but a toast sandwich (made right) is surprisingly good.
"Sorry, only cash"
Translation: Our card terminal was taken away because of fraud and we are fiddling our taxes.
quick note, u got 22 dollars on the video picture, but its actually 22 euros, which is more like 27 dollars
It's not more like $27, $23.50 at most.
@@iloverssomutch so 27$ is 23,50$ or you missed this bad boy €
You know restaurant is bad if they give you a whole bottle of Aro (private wholesaler company brand) ketchup :D
My wife, my daughter and I have gone to a concert in Prag. Wer had an overnight stay and enjoyed the next day by getting some breakfast from the kolacherie, lifting some real gold, enjoying some other nice places and having real good lunch! Thanks to you!❤
Aro Ketchup says it all.
yup
Anything "ARO" means leave.
And one joke, ARO is short for "Anesteziologicko-resuscitační oddělení", which is the most intensive care unit in hospital. Using ARO products will send you there.
Ah yes,
This brings back memories from my schooltrip to Prague, where I ordered frutti-di-mare-Pizza and sat on the toilet the whole night, sweating and discharging in both directions.
The weed I bought on some plaza was better than the food.
Man, ordering seafood in a landlocked country is a terrible idea!😂
2:26 the cheapest ketchup brand on the face of the earth
Well... $2 to use it :) I guess that makes it the most expensive?
@@HONESTGUIDE absolutely outrageous
It literally hurt my soul when I saw it
@@katarinkasweet 😢🤣
Hahah Yes the store brand from the Makro (ARO) not Heinz
I been to Prague with a mate of mine few years back to see Pear Jam. After the concert we wanted to grab a bite. It was in the old town, it was late and we ended up in a pizza place. We asked if we could pay with card. No problem they said. After we had food and drink we wanted to pay. It turned out the card terminal was out of order. We had no Czech money. The waiter offered to walk us to a cash machine round the corner. The machine was set up only to exchange the minimum equivalent of €500 in Czech Koronas. Also these was additional charges involved. At this point it was clear we are being scammed. I offred the waiter who went with us to the ATM that we either go back to the restaurant and pay Visa, or we walk away. When he got back to the pizza place the terminal was miraculously working again. Prague is lovely,, but better exercise caution as the scammers seem to be everywhere. Great job Janek. Fair play to you for exposing them all
Boze... I'm not sure what is worse. The multilevel scam or the downfall of Czech culture where Hasek's poor Svejk is exploited in such a way.
Well, Hašek was quite a rowdy scumbag himself but that doesn't change the fact that almost all Švejk restaurants in Prague are tourist traps/scams.
the scam definitely
When I order that toast for 22 euros it better be singing the Bohemian Rapsody as well!
Fr 😂😂😂
As someone who has traveled a lot, I am glad I have the knowledge to check first and clarify 3 times. I have been scammed with taxis before and I have just gotten out and walked away. Thanks for your videos and the lessons! Don’t stop the awareness!
@5:36 your channel makes so much more sense.. love the lore
Nice work guys. We need more channels and videos like this exposing these rip off places to avoid. The 2nd place looked awesome! Hope to make it back to Praque one day.
I have to say that I love your videos because as I'm not english fluent I can literally understand each word you speak and of course, I love all of your content. thank you!!
why am I always watching this? I've been only two times to prague
same, but i wasnt in prague
I HAVENT STILL WATCHING
I havent been but would love to go
I've never been and never will.
Only because I'm poor
Because you're gunna go back, but don't know it yet.
I was in that restaurant last month 😭 the worst place to eat in Prague. I didn't know it 😭😭😭😭
The 2nd restaurant looked like culinary therapy over due from food trauma of lesser establishments.
It ain't that good tho, interior is nice but food is medicore at best tbh, was there twice - and would never come back. But as a one time experience, it's cool I guess :D If you want to eat something tasty, I would rather choose this train restaurant in Prague, it was cool af 😊
I watched so many of your videos a few months ago when researching traveling to Prague, and I'm watching all your videos again because I visit next month!
In germany in every bakery you can get a "Belegtes Brötchen", it's just a bread roll with toppings and you can get it for just 3 to 5 Euro. Better then any Sandwich
That is one of the reasons why I love Germany, good food, no scams, clean, like that.
Yeah, but 5 Euros is still too much for that 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@lienbijs1205 There are lot's of scams, but it's more spread and not only at one location. For us germans a belegtes Brötchen for sometimes 5€ feels like scam, just "a few" years ago they cost 2-3€. Also there are many bad locations for belegte Brötchen and if you get it at a train station often there isn't much filling.
But the worst food scams here are with restaurants that sell Döner and/or Pizza. Some are used by criminals for money laundering, others sell bad food and small sizes for way too much money. Also if you don't get a receipt (which should be offered without asking) chances are high that either the location is used to launder money, or the ower doesn't want to pay taxes because "from what else should he life" while paying the lowest wages possible etc.
in poland we also have them, but its about restaurants
Expensive
Janek, I just love your videos. Not only are they always entertaining and informative, you are so likable and seem so comfortable in front of the camera! I visited Prague in 2017 and had a great time, but I wish I had discovered your channel back then. Thank you!
I really thought the word for the day would be "mold". But morning is good, too.
Mold would be "plíseň", spelled like "pleesenh"
Can you make more videos of both of you together. It was really entertaining
I am pretty sure that the Czech Trade Inspection (Česká obchodní inspekce, ČOI) would be interested to see this as well as the local Hygiene Bureau.
Automatic service charge is against the law in Czechia. Any tips are optional only. Also, Schweik is a terrible restaurant chain overall. I avoid it like a plague here in Pilsen. Unfortunately, they are usually very well located.
Cafe Imperial is such a magnificent place. I've reserved a birthday dinner for my wife a month beforehand, with cake and candles and the waiters sang her a happy birthday song ❤ Also I assumed the waiter was Italian and he judged our choice of drinks, which was hilarious 😂 Can't recommend that place enough, 10/10
Wow I am in Prague now, our 3rd day. We were in Cafe Imperial for breakfast yesterday. We took the buffet and it was very delicious, the service was quick and the price is reasonable. We walked in and were lucky to be given a table. For dinner just now, we wanted to go to Svejk Restaurant, the one that you featured. But our friend said to go Fat Cat for their burger. Although the price is on a high side too, but the customer service is good there. The margarita pizza and the burger did not disappoint. It could have been worse if we went ahead with Svejk
You went to a rip off cafe that serves mouldy food and call it delicious 😂 bless you
Tourists like you is why these tax avoiding scam places stay open
Someone once told me that a long time ago, a restaurant had the idea to charge you _less_ if you ordered food but didn't eat it there. You would save some money and the restaurant didn't have to clean after you and they'd have one more free table for other people. Everyone would win.
Then, people being people, some restaurants flipped it: they charged you the normal price if you left with the food and charged you _more_ if you decided to eat inside.
I don't go to restaurants very often but I once went to Portugal and ate at a restaurant inside of a shopping mall in Lisbon while I waited for the bus to go to another city. You could either eat at a table inside of the mall but outside of the restaurant itself (which was hard to find because there were a lot of people sitting at those tables at that moment of the day) or pay more and eat inside of the restaurant.
Is this a common thing in your country?
In Germany, VAT for food you eat at a restaurant is 19%. If you decide to take the food home or get it delivered, it's 7%. So, technically, food should be a bit cheaper if you decide to take it home with you. However, I've yet to see this put into practice. Usually, you pay the same amount and the restaurant pockets the difference. Even at McDonald's.
Pretty common in the UK, I know Greggs do that and we have 3500 of them. Have seen other places do it aswell though and like Germany it’s linked to tax
Is there a Netherlands video coming out soon? I think you have a lot of viewers from here :)
dude why would you turn down an offer to meet the owner...
You can literally get this sorta sandwich in a store for like 1.5 euro in Lithuania
Not really, it is between 2 or 3 euros now
ITs 2 euro in bakeries in Serbia ,my breakfast usually is in bakery here and usually cost me 2 euros does not matter what i eat ,it always around 2 euro and off course there is no siting fee.But we dont have tourist in our town
I honestly hope that nowhere on the planet you can get THIS kind of sandwhich...
hahaha 'Bohemian Toast'. I remember Prague 20 years ago, it was wonderful. Woke up one morning with my head on the bar, and the barmaid: "Good morning! Would you like some breakfast?"
I would be grateful they didn't give you a receipt, it cost an extra $2
I live in central Oklahoma in the US. We have a fairly large Czech population here. They have been coming over to live here for generations now. The reason saying this is because kolachis were mentioned. I know we don't spell it the right way, but it is something we all love very much. They actually sell them in schools for lunch, and we have a Kolachi Festival every year in Yukon, Oklahoma.
ARO ketchup? Really? Like the cheapest ketchup ever from Metro?
Yup :)
Honestly, you guys do a great service. I can't wait to visit!
Where ever you are, go eat where you see locals eat
Exactly. If you area in a tourist area, expect for someone to try and rip you off.
You man, you are just a kind, funny guy!
I enjoy watching your adventures 🙌🏻
Regards from Vienna
Bad things everywhere. Not just in America. Thanks for sharing all of this!
I love that Honza is getting more camera time. I love seeing a face to a name.
Loved - Healthy Longevity Café - when I went to Prag, which is probably the one here 0:11
Always happy to see Honza, hope he did not get sick from that moldy toast. Keep up the good work guys.
Literally, my first food in Prague was in Cafe Imperial. Great place. Across the street is Next Door and the other hotel. Both recommend!
Why on earth you wouldn’t talk to the chef is utter silliness.
Now I’ll be checking the toast in cafes. No doubt they use the older bread to toast, at times.
Love your videos!!!
Love seeing Honza on camera ✨️
That's even expensive for San Francisco, CA!
Another interesting thing: these restaurants are a mere 20 minute walk away from each other, less that if you're not taking your time.
1:37 *"Can I get a czech please?"*
That's discriminatory if the waitress has to be czech
Guys I am just home after a few days in Prague and I want to thank you as I used many of your tips....
The food was lovely and it was a most enjoyable trip.
2:43 Not even the bee wanted that crap!
Wasp?
to musí byt náročný natáčet videa na dva kanály,respekt
Teach us how to say, “ you’re a scam” to this restaurant
"Co to na mě zkoušíte zmrdi?!"
(Don't actually say that unless you are ready to punch someone)
@ I won’t. But I love Prague and dislike scammers. We visit Prague because it’s beautiful, and is unfortunate that these places scam tourists.
@@gabyluchagabythey are literally scammers everywhere, watch videos from Paris on this channel, it was even worse...
Was in Prague 2 years ago in the summer. Stayed there for a week. People in hospitality are not welcoming at all. They also are very rude and not helpful of u aske them a simple question. They also threaten me in a club because I didn’t want to leave a tip in a 12 euro bill! 😂😂
The toast is even called "Old Bohemian Toast" which seems even more absurd, but there are probably some clueless tourists who think oh yeah, let's eat something that they've been eating here for hundreds of years... 😭
Yep, back then, people weren't so fussed about a bit of free penicillin with their bread... 😉
+ the traditional Aro ketchup, popular since medieval times
@@Darwinek 😂😂
That breakfast in the Cafe Imperial definitely looked so good, I'm now hungry - thank you :D (The place itself also looks amazing. Definitely on my list when I'm visiting the city!) Keep up your style - I very much enjoy your videos!
I love cafe Imperial. We even stayed there many years ago when the hotel was more like a hostel with cheap prices and breakfast included which was served at cafe Imperial. In the evening there were jazz and Dixie concerts, we really enjoyed our stay there.
And didn't they even have a pater noster at the hotel? I think it was anywhere at the end or the beginning of the century...
We were sad when we came back and it changed into that expensive hotel it is now. But every time we come to Prague at least we stop there for a coffee😊.
Go to the Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland, they charge 12 euros for a pint of Guinness. The food prices are also ridiculous, the worst tourist trap in Dublin.
Dublin is very expensive
in all fairness, this place has a terrible google score, and the prices are listed (12 euro for ham and cheese is also crazy) so you kinda have to blame anyone who goes in there. cool to know these guys worked on peklo na talir...they did a great vid on tesco salad i showed to all my colleagues at the tesco main office
You should have had the chef come your table. You are a big time RUclipsr. Loved the video, will be checking out more.
7:51 any fellow dankpods enjoyers?
Volume 1000000%
That Svejk Restaurant gets 1.5 stars on Tripadvisor. 1.6 on Yelp. We always check online before choosing any restaurant while overseas.
And rule #2 is NEVER eat at a restaurant that has pictures displayed outside and a waiter on the sidewalk trying to talk you into coming in.
mold on the bread, your buddy ate the entire one half knowing it "smelled funny"
A sacrifice wont be forgotten. 😂
Thank you for taking us inside that gorgeous restaurant. The architectural detail is breathtaking. One day...
If Ryanair did restaraunts. Hidden charges for everything.
Crap joke ryanair has zero hidden charges 😂 actually a very good cheap reliable airline
That's how budget airlines work. They just remove most addons they you'll get on a midrange/flagship airline
So excited to see you in Café Imperial! The prices and the sheer quality you get for the food is insane, I highly recommend it for anyone visiting Prague. The attached Hotel is my favourite hotel in the world, I was only there two weeks ago and it's a consistently perfect experience.
Wait until they make you pay for the time you spent in their place breathing the air.
Occupation charge - a different, more hungry customer could've sat where you are sitting. Hahaha. Don't give these scammers any ideas....
@@mbirth pay me for doing nothing
Man thank you love your videos
Theres these overpriced tourist traps in almost all European big cities, even here in Denmark in inner city of Copenhagen theres some "Italian" Restaurants owned by some eastern Europe men,they serve Pizza's that have the same quality as frozen supermarkets Pizza's,im quite sure the owners uses their Restaurants to withdrawal moneys or cheat in taxes in different ways,while naive tourists,people from the suburbs and the countryside falls directly in the trap ! The good thing is that theres fewer and fewer of these places because alot of locals and newcomers that knows about food quality starts alot of new places where you can get actual quality for the same price or even cheaper than these tourist traps sometimes. These places that cheats people with bad discount quality food sold overpriced as "gourmet" needs to be held accountable for their scams ! Very important job to do so !!! If they dont change they need to be closed and their accounting etc needs to be investigated in details by authorities, because it is really often these places that are totally corrupt and does not benefit local culture, business or people,they are known for using mafia methods and it needs to be stopped!!!
I really appreciate your work!!!❤
Foreigners probably won't recognise this guy on the photo at 6:48 - a local chef celebrity, Zdeněk Pohlreich. :D He runs a TV show about cooking, where he goes into restaurants that invite him cuz they don't have many customers, he reviews the menus, goes to the kitchen, reviews their sterility and safety, and generally helps them to get better. It's obviously very exagerrated in the TV, for the show.
blud did not watch the video
@@a1xly Yeah, I commented before I've finished the video. Immediately after I resumed to watch the rest, he did talk about Zdeněk. I was just too lazy to correct the comment. :D
Great episode!
"dont get scammed with addons" but also "pay $5/month for google maps" 😄
No locals inside. Cash only. Does not offer a receipt.
Avoid, these are sure signs of a tourist trap. That place probably didn't give a receipt as they were technically breaking the law (it's a bit of gray area) charging you for stuff like that without physically telling you, or making you aware of the fee prior to eating there.
If you're in doubt, look at reviews. They're there for a reason.
I've been to Wien, Austria. One of the restaurant tried to scam me with the same trick of Fork & Knife + having a Seat (charge 5€).
I ordered and then I run away before they serve me
I’ve enjoyed your videos without being a Patreon, I admit it, but there must be a better way than charging for your honest map. It sounds like great work and something that should be available to those passing through. Have you looked at ad-walling it on a website?