9 Best Ruin Bars in Budapest
Dim lights, original decoration and messages written on the walls are three elements that identify the dingy bars of the Hungarian capital.
Budapest | ©Dan Freeman
To understand the spirit of a city, you have to discover its nightlife, and Budapest is a city that undoubtedly deserves to be discovered at night, only then you will be able to get into its soul and understand all its secrets.
And there's no better way than with a pub c rawl where you will explore these popular and unkempt looking bars that attract both tourists and locals. Here are the best options in the Hungarian capital.
1. Meet the ruin bar pioneer, Szimpla Kert
What today is an unmissable attraction was born almost by chance. In 2002, the owners wanted to launch a new bar concept where you could do a little bit of everything, from listening to live music to smoking a bong in the company of friends. To realize their dream, they rented a building in the old town that was in a state of neglect.
After some construction work, they decided to leave a scruffy look and the formula hit the nail on the head, and today Szimpla Kert is the most frequented ruin bar in the Hungarian capital and a must if you book the Budapest ruin pub crawl party tour. Any long weekend should include a stop at this mythical place.
It is a real labyrinth and I recommend you to spend some time to explore its atmosphere. You could end up having a pint in the old Trabant car in the courtyard or in the comfortable armchairs on the second floor.
Information of interest
- Address: Kazinczy utca, 14.
- Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, from 3 pm to 4 am. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the first customers arrive at 12 noon and the doors close at 4 am.
2. Dazzle yourself with the biggest ruin bar in Europe, Instant-Fogas
In 2008, the legendary Instant and Fogas venues joined forces to create Europe's largest ruin bar. This huge space, which you should include in your party tour of Budapest's ruin pubs, has seven different atmospheres dedicated to different music genres: techno, live concerts, remixes of famous songs, rock, metal, edm and Latin music.
Admission is free and the doors close at six in the morning. In short, Instant-Fogas is the ideal place to let off steam after a day of sightseeing.
Useful information
- Address: Akácfa utca, 51.
- Opening hours: open daily from 6 pm to 6 am.
3. Come to the ruin bar Csendes Létterem both at night and in the morning
In an alley near the National Museum is Csendes Létterem, a ruin pub housed in an elegant 19th century building. If you don't see anything peculiar from the outside, go to the windows and take a look inside. From its walls hang objects of all kinds: a bicycle, mannequins, messages left by customers, mirrors, road signs and other curious objects.
Unlike many dilapidated pubs, Csendes Létterem opens early and is a recommended choice for breakfast. In addition to traditional recipes, its menu features vegan options including pancakes with maple syrup and fruit, chia pudding with coconut milk or mango puree.
You can also add it to the party tour of Budapest's ruin pubs, as in the evenings this peaceful place transforms into a dj set with soul, funk and jazz. To get an idea of the entertainment offer, I recommend you to read the post about the 10 things to do in Budapest at night.
Interesting information
- Address: Akácfa utca, 51.
- Opening hours: open every day of the week, from 10 am to 2 am.
4. Relax in the "stone soup garden", Kőleves Kert
If you travel to Budapest in summer, you can't miss the terrace of the Kőleves Kert, a ruin bar in the Jewish quarter. Include it in the list of party tours of Budapest's ruin pubs.
In the warmer months you can enjoy a pint of beer or a glass of wine at the colorful tables in the garden. The trees and plants make for a green oasis and with a bit of luck you can lounge in the hammocks.
The drinks menu at Kőleves Kert is varied as is the menu which includes: salads, vegetarian recipes and heartier dishes such as roast duck (a Hungarian specialty) and baked beans with hard-boiled eggs.
Interesting information
- Address: Kazinczy u., 37-41.
- Opening hours: open daily from 11:30 am to 11 pm.
5. Taste the best dishes and cocktails at Mazel Tov
Located in the heart of the Jewish quarter, Mazel Tov is a cultural space that winks at the gastronomy, an option that you have to include in the party tour of the ruin pubs of Budapest. This ruin bar is more like a restaurant offering tasty Middle Eastern recipes. The establishment is very busy and it is preferable to book a table in advance on their official website.
Its classic dishes include hummus (served with tahini, parsley, olive oil and pita bread), falafel and sabich, an Israeli sandwich with fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, tomato, cucumber and other ingredients. There is also no shortage of fusion recipes and delicious desserts to top off the meal.
At Mazel Tov what is most striking are the plants hanging from the second floor, creating a friendly and cozy atmosphere. After dinner, you can come here to enjoy a cocktail such as the peach spritz, a variant of the Italian drink with peach and prosecco, or the cosmojito, made with Absolut Blue.
Interesting information
- Address: Akácfa utca, 47.
- Opening hours: Monday and Tuesday from 5 p.m. to midnight and Wednesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to midnight.
6. Step into the urban oasis of the Jewish quarter, Grandio Jungle Bar
A few meters away from the Great Synagogue is the Grandio Jungle Bar, a newcomer that quickly climbed the hierarchies. As the name suggests, the bar is located in an inner courtyard and its tables are sheltered by a large vegetation.
Many of its customers stay in the party hostel on the second floor, but you can access the bar even if you are not staying there.
In addition to a few drinks, in this establishment you can watch soccer matches or participate in a karaoke night. So don't hesitate and add it to your party tour of Budapest's dingy pubs.
Interesting information
- Address: Nagy Diófa utca, 8.
- Opening hours: open every day, from 12 to 24 hours.
7. Tasting the best beer in Élesztőhá
Hungary and beer are intimately linked. The first document mentioning it dates back to 1152 and speaks of a burial that had to be concluded with a "beer party". Today, you can find brands such as Dreher, a pilsner-style lager, and Soproni, a refreshing IPA that you will find in any bar in the capital.
Clearly, the Eastern European country also brews craft beers and Élesztőház is the perfect place to taste them, a place to include on the ruin pub crawl party tour.
If you get the itch, check out the menu. The establishment is known for its mushroom salad and incomparable burgers.
Interesting information
- Address: Tűzoltó utca, 22.
- Opening hours: open all week at different times, Sunday and Monday from 3pm to 1am, Tuesday and Wednesday from 3pm to 2am and the other days from 3pm to 3pm.
8. Immerse yourself in the history of Dürer Kert
Unlike the other ruin pubs on the list, Dürer Kert is not located in the Jewish quarter but in Kelenföld, a district that saw the light of day in the 1970s. Although it is a bit far from the center, you can get here by trolleybus or bus. The journey takes about 30 minutes, but I assure you that it is worth it.
Visiting Budapest at night is a must and even more so on the banks of the Danube. Right here stands a building with a unique history. Before the arrival of the Soviets it was a boarding school managed by the French nuns of the Sacré Coeur. With the establishment of the Hungarian People's Republic, the nuns left the building, which was destined for the communist nomenklatura.
Today it houses a dingy bar that has become a Mecca for punk, metal and trash fans. Its concerts animate the nights of Budapest since 2008. It also has pinball tables, ping pong tables, lounges with sofas and an old bus transformed into a lounge area.
Interesting information
- Address: Öböl utca, 1.
- Opening hours: The concert space is open only when events are scheduled. Before planning your visit, I recommend you check the official website.
- Curiosity: Dürer Kert has a subsidiary, Dürer Part, a beach bar on the beach of Lupa, a destination a few kilometers from the Hungarian capital and the perfect place for both drinks and outdoor sports. If you are interested in activities outside the city, I recommend you to read the post about the best excursions from Budapest.
9. Get into a different destination, Szatyor Bár
Like the Dürer Kert, the Szatyor is not located in the Jewish quarter but on an elegant avenue of the capital: Bartók Béla. This residential street is home to bookstores, art galleries (Faur Zsófi, Gross Arnold, etc.), cafés (Addicted2Caffeine, Hadik, etc.) and some of the capital's best restaurants.
Szatyor is one of the few ruin bars on this side of the Danube. Unlike the other bars on the list, it is not much frequented by tourists who prefer downtown establishments. Its decor has a sloppy touch, although it does not go to the extremes of Szimpla Kert. To get here from the old town, you can take the streetcar from Deák Ferenc square (lines 47 and 49) and get off at the Gárdonyi tér stop.
Useful information
- Address: Bartók Béla, 36.
- Opening hours: open daily from 12 noon to midnight.