A Restaurant Review: Restaurace Jama in Prague, Czech Republic

Located just a block from Prague's famous Wenceslaus Square, Restaurace Jama has been a welcoming haven for weary American travelers and expats for years. (See below for specific directions.)

Owned by two Americans who came to Prague shortly after the Velvet Revolution, Jama (or in Czech "The Hollow") was established to create a friendly, distinctively American bar and restaurant in a city whose people had not had much exposure to the West. Decorated with American rock and roll posters and vintage advertising posters, the décor at Jama is simple yet warm.

Jama is one of the few places in Prague to provide a no-smoking section (during the lunch hour). Jama also provides free wi-fi internet service. The connection is average over all, but it's best in the rear of the restaurant. In the front, it is slow.

In regards to the food, Jama makes much of their much praised and award winning burgers. But all Americans, be forewarned, a European's idea of a burger is McDonald's! Yes, a burger at Jama is better than McDonald's, but whose isn't? Ranging in price from 145,-kc for a plain burger to a "Texas Burger" with sauce and cheese for 175,-kc, Jama's burgers are mediocre at best, and the prices are outrageous.

Jama is also well known for its "Tex-Mex" faire, which is probably the most popular on its menu. Jama offers a basic chicken fajitas dish for 220,-kc and a steak fajitas dish for 259,kc. Quesadilla and enchilada dishes are offered at prices varying from 129,-kc to 175,-kc. The burritos go from 155,-kc to 170,-kc. All of them would disappoint any aficionado of Tex-Mex cuisine. The problem is that the staff in the kitchen that actually prepares the dishes are Czech, and Czechs do not have a taste for hot or spicy foods, and they cannot prepare them properly. Offer all, I'd rate their Tex-Mex menu as tolerable to disappointing.

The sandwich menu at Jama is also popular and for the most part, quite tasty. The Pepper-Cilantro Chicken sandwich at 99,-kc is my favorite; it never disappoints. The Cheddar-Chicken Caesar sandwich is a little pricy at 159,kc, but is quite good.

Jama does offer a Czech menu, which includes such items as a Duck baked in apples for 249,-kc and a "Classic Czech Feast" of pork and chicken and dumplings for 169,-kc. I've never had these dishes, and I doubt many others have.

Jama offers four types of beer, Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, and Kozel, and Kozel Dark. Only curious tourists drink the Kozel products here. The Pilsner is quite good, but it's also quite expensive at 42,-kc. The Gambrinus, at 30,-kc offers the best combination of quality and value.

The quality of the service at Jama has been debated for years, sometimes heatedly. Jama has a large contingent of regular customers who tend get top rate service. For everybody else, however, I can testify that I agree with those who argue that the service can be quite poor.

Jama is located at V jame 7, Prague 1. It is only one block from Wenceslaus Square. From the Wenceslaus Square, walk one block down Stepanska (street), take on right onto V jame (street). The Restaurace Jama is just a few doors down on the right. It has a green Pilsner Urquell sign.