My first choice (Lokal) was full at 7pm, (!) So I went looking around. About a block away I found In Loco. Lokal is a giant bar serving good food, In Loco is a restaurant. Nice but not pretentious, it is a silverware already on the table kind of place.
The menu features a wide variety of Czech dishes, just what I was looking for. The waiter was very helpful with suggestions and answers to questions. I went with a beef goulash with potato dumplings. I had not eaten much all day so decided I could also handle an appetizer, sauteed mushrooms on greens. Both dishes were delicious. I would have liked a bit more of the meat, but the number of (dense and filling) dumplings was about right. The dish swims in the goulash gravy, which is normal. If you think you want more meat, go with pig knuckle or a steak.
As with restaurants and bars in most of Europe, In Loco is licensed to one brewer, in this case Budweiser Budvar. They do enough volume that it is delivered in large vats, not just kegs. BB is a very good Czech lager and is not connected in any way to the American Budweiser. Read the Wikipedia article for more.
The restaurant was smoke free, and there are a few sidewalk tables. For Americans right now, Europe is on sale. My dinner and one large beer was $18.45, including tip. If this restaurant had been in an average American city, it would have been a $25 meal, at least, before tip.
There are so many fine places to eat in central Prague, and I don't get here often, so I may never return here. But I highly recommend it. Clean, quiet, comfortable with very good food. read more