natalie

leaving june 15 for one week in prague ane one week in budapest, would appreciate any suggestions for good local restraunts and pubs. also special things you liked.thanks Nqtalie

DanL

Budapest is a great city. We stayed at the kulturinnov. The city itself has a wonderful atmosphere. the Castle District is my favorite attracton, but Gellet hill was very nice too. Other attractions worth visiting would be the Hero's Square, a tour through the parliament building, the downtown, Margit Island, and the baths. there are many others but this is all we visited except for the baths, which we heard were great. Also take a daytrip to the town of Szentendre, it is worth a visit.

DanL

Budapest is a great city. We stayed at the kulturinnov. The city itself has a wonderful atmosphere. the Castle District is my favorite attracton, but Gellet hill was very nice too. Other attractions worth visiting would be the Hero's Square, a tour through the parliament building, the downtown, Margit Island, and the baths. there are many others but this is all we visited except for the baths, which we heard were great. Also take a daytrip to the town of Szentendre, it is worth a visit.

s.fowler

I didn't respond here initially because I'm not a "nightlife" person! I think a search for the two cities on this forum will bring up a wealth of information! <BR>You might try adding restaurant to the city and see what you get! <BR>

s.fowler

Sending this to the top for Valerie. <BR>

Linda

Do a search for prior entries on these two cities. Also, for Prague, go to the Rick Steves website and download his 16 pages on Prague. <BR> <BR>Restaurants - don't know what your price range is: <BR>Prague - lU Radnickych - it's local cuisine and very inexpensive, just behind Old Town square - on Havelska. Also, Kampa Park is great - on the water right by Charles Bridge. More continental about $60-65 for 2 with wine. <BR> <BR>Budapest - Castle Hill area- Alabardos- one of our best meals. Also, Cyrano, dowtown about 4 blocks from the Marriott. Both of these are mentioned in Fodor's book on Budapest. <BR> <BR>Enjoy, we just got back from 2 wonderful weeks. <BR> <BR> <BR>

local

Hi everybody! <BR>Well I am really very sorry to hear that Alabardos and Cyrano were named as good Hungarian restaurants. <BR>the food is awfull and the prices are outrageous. <BR>Even if the prices were O.K. not a single Hungarian would ever go there for food. For showing up and shine all your diamonds, well this is another story. <BR>I could only name you a few like Nancsi neni's, Fatal, Kispipa, Articsoka(this one is a little bit more expensive) etc. They are 3 (Yes, three!!) times cheaper and in no comparison more likable for your palate. Maybe I am very demanding for food, but I really think that the guys writing resumes about restaurants for the guide-books (and not only in Hungary), probably have spent their childhood in good ole army canteens. <BR>Just joining some other people, one friendly advice, ask the locals and not the guide-books. <BR>Cheers, <BR> <BR>Amateur Gourmet

Beth

You might be interested to know that there is a new book in Sandra Gustafson's Cheap Eats/Sleeps series called "Cheap Eats in Prague, Vienna and Budapest". Her books for Italy and Paris have been much praised in this forum, so it may be something useful.

cherie

Prague Pub: Without a doubt---U Fleku (been there since the 14th Century.) Also, we found good eats at the Ministry of Culture (go figure?) and there was a restaurant that only served "wild" food like boar & pheasant...I'll find out the name if you're game (couldn't resist the horid pun). The entire meal served to our group of 8 was US$34 ! We were lucky enough to stay with friends in Prague and ate mostly at their home. They made the most wonderful hot dogs (Americans love hot dogs & baseball)....they were called "parkys". The Czech National dish utilized a terific variety of cabbage that had more flavor that American cabbage. And in Budejovice, we stopped at a bakery that made cream puff horns that were fabulous.

linda

Dear Local, <BR> <BR>For someone with sure strong opinions, I'm surprised you don't sign your own name. <BR> <BR>I did not say that these restaurants were local Hungarian food! <BR> <BR>Price at Alabardos with a $40US bottle of excellent Merlot was $90US <BR>Dinner at Cyrano with a bottle of wine was $55. <BR> <BR>I'm not in to value, just good food, good service, and good atmosphere, By the way we did talk with locals at both restaurants. At Alabadosl, the table next to us was a llocal business woman entertaining a foreign client. <BR> <BR>Linda

local

Dear Linda! <BR>You answered your own message. <BR>The Alabardos and Cyrano and alike are the places where local businessman entertain their foreign clients (there is some fancy atmosphere there), but they will never go there to eat themselves. The best example is the Gundel. You go there for representation but you go to eat to its affiliate the Bagolyvar. <BR>As for the prices, you can have an enormous dinner for two with wine in the Fatal for example, just for 25-30 $ US dollars. The atmosphere is not only great it is a feast. You jave to wait in line to be seted sometimes for half an hour almost every day any time of the year. Just go there next time and you will see what I mean. The other restaurants, but the Articsoka are even cheaper. <BR>My e-mail address, well I had some problems with a few very angry people, so I decided never put it out again. <BR>All the best from Budapest.

anne

To "local" - I'd appreciate the addresses of the restaurants you mention. Thanks! <BR>

s.fowler

Dear "local": <BR>Thanks for deigning to mention Bagolyvar. I have recommended that restaurant on this forum several times. <BR>Instead of criticising us for our obviously bourgeois tastes, please share more of YOUR insights on where to eat. <BR>I do need to state, though, that your hiding behind an alias means that I will only take your word IF it matches other information that I have. In the case of Bagolyvar and Kispipa it does. <BR>

s.fowler

Just reread the thread. "Local" states that he/she/it had trouble with angry people. I can't imagine why.

Eric

The best place we went to was the;"For Sale Pub" at Vamhaz utca 7 on the Pest side by the Szabadsag (Freedom) bridge. The bean soup is excellent. My wife, native of Budapest, loved it. <BR>Try also a delecacy called;"Langos" <BR>Jo etvagyat kivanunk! <BR>Moni es Eric <BR>

local

To Anne <BR>Here are the addresses requested: <BR>FATAL : 1056, Váci ú. 67 (tel: 266 2607) <BR>KIS PIPA : 1072, Akácfa ú. 38 (tel: 342 2587) <BR>NÁNCSI NÉNI : 1028, Ördögárok ú. 80 (tel: 397 2742) <BR>PAKSI HALÁSZCSÁRDA : 1027, Margit krt. 14 (tel: 212 5599, probably the best fish restaurant in town) <BR>All these places, where you can have a dinner for two for about 25-30 Dollars or cheaper without alcoholic beverages. <BR>In the FATAL the portions are absolutely huge and delicious. If you take their mixed platter for two persons (ités about 15 Dollars), You can ask for more plates and that will be enough for 3-4 people. The snitzel "Mizsei" style is bigger than an Italian pozza. The ice-cream cup for one can suit 4 persons. They serve everything in pans and on wooden plates (Fatal - means wooden plate) right from the oven and real hot (means heated) and fresh. <BR>Next time a little bit more. <BR>Tell you frankly, I don't like waisting much time on the Internet, sometimes I am checking my mail once in 4-5 days. There is much more to life than Internet. <BR>All the best from Budapest. <BR> <BR>To S. Fowler. <BR>1. I am really sorry to disappoint you, but the LAST thing I wanted is to persuade you to go to the above mentioned restaurants. Of course you can go there after you heard them advised buy more than one person. Sure visitors can tell you more about a restaurant favored by the locals then a person who spent there 30 something years. <BR>All the best from Budapest. <BR> <BR>2. Just look at the remarks and comments given by many people on your messages at the Lonely Planet Forum and you will understand my willing for incognito. <BR>All the best from Budapest. <BR> <BR>P.S. The LANGOS means a pancake, kind of a pizza, but no ketchup. We eat it with sour-cream, or shredded cheese etc., but you can find it only at street-vendor's booths. <BR>

local

Just a few words to finish my yesterdays letter. <BR>I traveled all around the world, but I would never ever recommend a restaurant in a foreign country to any of my friends. <BR>First of all it is a part of a fun to find you a nice place to eat. <BR>Secondly, to offer a place for someone in a foreign land, you ought to have the same cultural, educational and financial backgrounds with the person you are making your suggestions to. You all know, tastes differ. <BR>And last but not least, the place you liked today, could be a major disappointment tomorrow. Unfortunately this happens quite frequently, in Budapest for instance, there are probably only a dozen of restaurants, where I had the same service and taste for many years. I mean for the good restaurants, the bad restaurants are very keen on keeping the same lousy standards every time you go there. Before you ask me why I go there at all, it is unfortunately part of my job. <BR>All the best and happy eating out. <BR>