Stopkova Plzenska Pivnice is located in the historic center of Brno. It is a restaurant/bar that seems to be patroned by locals and visitors alike.

I had read bad things about the service here, but did not experience any of that. We came in the later afternoon when the restaurant was not that busy, so maybe that had something to do with it. The staff did not speak English that well, but they did have menus in English and tried to communicate the best they could.

The meal started out with a massive bread basket that would have been enough for 4-6 people.

The Chicken Wings was served on a big wooden platter. The portion size was very generous and was served with a small side salad.

The Garlic Soup was rich and dark in color. It was a fairly clear broth with streaks of oil floating on top. The garlic was soft and sweet, toned down by the soft croutons.  The soup is very hearty, and great on a cold day. The soup did not have much spice to it, but was still good.

The Schnitzel was a variation of the norm, as it was made with turkey. It was well cooked, as it remained moist inside, and had a nice crunchy outside. It was served with a side salad to help cut through the richness of the schnitzel.

The Beef Cheeks were braised in a white wine sauce and were very tender and flavorful. It was served with a root vegetable and potato puree, which added an earthy punch to the dish. The side salad added a fresh component, and also helped to lighten the dish up.

Overall, I thought the food was pretty decent and did not run into the service issues that some have had in the past. Trying to stay away from the classical, heavy Eastern European dishes in Brno is somewhat of a challenge as most restaurants doing other types of cuisine fall a little short. But for mostly classical dishes this is a good choice.