The Trendy Prague Speakeasy That Interprets Drink Orders Via Ink Blot

CORRECTION 1/12/23: A previous version of this article stated the bar was opened in 2021, it opened in 2016.

In the early 1920s, psychologist Hermann Rorschach began using inkblot assessments with his clients (via  Simply Psychology). Rorschach would present blotchy patterns while asking a variety of questions to glean information and draw conclusions about his clients' personalities and worldviews. Since then, the Rorschach test has been replicated and used in clinical settings, schools, courtrooms — and now, bars.

A visit to the Shrink's Office in Prague will also have you staring at ink patterns, but instead of paying for professional psychological or counseling services, you'll be served drinks. Started in 2016 by two brothers (who prefer to remain anonymous, clarifies Prague Life), the underground cocktail bar is designed to resemble an American speakeasy. Hidden behind a secret door, the cozy atmosphere of the Shrink's Office is anything but clinical, insists Prague Stay. Yet what makes this particular environment unique is the way in which drinks are ordered and served.

Upon reaching Shrink's Office, guests are served cordials that change colors as a collection of inky images are presented by masked bartenders, explains Cake N Knife. Not only are you asked to select a design, but you're also asked why you chose that particular ink blot so that the bartender can learn more about you and your drink preferences (and whether or not you are the kind of person who appreciates house-made bitters with oak barrel essence). "Cocktail therapy" is how the team describes the experience, and the "shrinks" behind the bar aim to mix the right "medicine" for each customer's ails.

The bar menu is listed according to a series of numbers that represent each design, so if you want to know what you're ordering, you'll need to open up and talk to the bartending shrinks. For those simply wanting a drink with less engagement, a more traditional list of alcohols and spirits is provided. Should you need solid food after your visit — we don't judge — wander upstairs to the group's Ideas Are Bulletproof restaurant for twists on classic American dishes like chicken wings and crispy duck burgers. The same group is also responsible for AnonymouS Bar, a cocktail bar based on the "V for Vendetta" movie. You'll be in capable hands in any of these establishments, but if you're looking for a memorable experience while visiting Prague, be sure to pencil in a visit at the Shrink's Office.