Houtyš

Houtyš is a former pub in Hanspaulka, a quiet villa quarter in Prague's Dejvice district (Prague 6), whose name and legend have outlived the closure of the actual venue by more than three decades. The building stands on the corner of Na Hanspaulce and Krocínovská streets, with the old restaurant's entrance at Na Hanspaulce 33.

Where does the name Houtyš come from?

The house itself was built in 1927 to a design by architect Jaroslav Pešta and has stayed in the private hands of the Beránek family through every political system since. A year later, in 1928, a restaurant called "Na Pískách" opened in the basement, run by Alexandr Tyšer while his wife managed the kitchen. In 1933 an enclosed veranda was added to cope with growing demand. The nickname "Houtyš" only appeared around 1977, as a contraction of "Hostinec U Tyšerů" — the Tyšer family's pub.

Why does this place matter to Prague?

The pub was nationalized after 1948 and placed under the state enterprise "Restaurace a jídelny." Its real fame, though, came in the 1970s and into the early 1990s, when it turned into an informal cultural hub for Hanspaulka — a meeting point for musicians, poets, and free-thinking artists during the communist era. Several well-known Dejvice-scene musicians and bands trace their roots back to this circle: Ivan Hlas (Navi Papaya), Yo Yo Band, Ondřej Hejma's Žlutý pes, Petar Introvič's Bluesberry, and Martin Krause's Krausberry. Regulars even published their own literary-music magazine called "Lógr." The venue itself was tiny, seating only 50 people, with a modest bar, a kitchen, a narrow corridor, two small rooms, and a toilet — all tucked into the basement of a larger residential building.

What can you actually see there today?

Houtyš closed as a working pub in 1991, and its former interior was converted into office space — there is no way to step inside as a visitor anymore. In 2013, marking the 85th anniversary of the venue's opening, a memorial plaque was unveiled on the building to commemorate its history and its place in Prague's alternative culture scene. That plaque, together with the building itself on the corner of Na Hanspaulce and Krocínovská, is the only tangible trace left of the legendary pub today — worth a short stop while strolling through the peaceful streets of Hanspaulka.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you still go inside Houtyš today? No — the building now houses offices, and the former restaurant space is not open to visitors. Only the memorial plaque on the facade can be seen from outside.

Where exactly was Houtyš located? On the corner of Na Hanspaulce and Krocínovská streets, in the Hanspaulka villa quarter of Prague's Dejvice district (Prague 6).

Why is Houtyš well known? Because during the 1970s and 1980s it served as an informal music and literary hub for Hanspaulka, giving rise to well-known Dejvice-scene musicians and bands such as Ivan Hlas and Žlutý pes.

Where does the name Houtyš come from? It's a contraction of "Hostinec U Tyšerů," the pub run by the Tyšer family, and the nickname took hold around 1977.