49 Best Bars in Budapest, Hungary

Originally a Ukrainian stone-freighter, A38 is now a fantastic addition to the nightlife of Buda, permanently moored a 15-minute walk south of Liberty Bridge (just beyond Petőfi Bridge). It has a restaurant upstairs, an exhibition space, a bar, and a large dance floor downstairs. There's a different band on hand every night, from jazz to Latin, retro to electronic.

A wonderful place to experience Hungary's diverse wine culture, Cintányéros is warm, friendly, and charmingly designed. The staff here care deeply about local wines. House pours are very affordable and their seasonal menu offers varied choices for those seeking finer vintages.

Among Budapest's best ruin bars—drinking holes built within old, abandoned postwar buildings and populated with flea market furniture—Csendes oozes underground atmosphere. Csendes means quiet in Hungarian, but this vintage bar is, in fact, almost always lively. The junk shop chic decor (think hanging bicycles, vintage knickknacks, and industrial artworks) brings in the hipster crowds, while the great beer selection, quality bar food, and incredible prices ensure they stick around. A few doors down, Csendes also has a lovely café-wine bar with a terrace (at the corner entrance to Károlyi-kert).

It's a trek to get here (not as bad if you drive or bike it), but it's worth it. This place is a gem: a waterfront "cultural bistro" that's part beach, part music club, part outdoor cinema (on Wednesday), and part good old-fashioned bar and bistro. Open every day all summer, dogs, children, and ducks are all welcome (they even cater to kids wishing to feed the ducks). Dangle your feet in the Danube as you enjoy drinks and then wander to the other venues dotted along the strip of beach.

This complex of seven buildings and their interconnecting courtyards is home to some of Budapest's liveliest bars and restaurants---it can be touristy and overpriced, but it's a great pit stop on a night out. Spíler Original is the most popular hangout in the complex. Other places to visit include sister property Spíler Shanghai, plus Vicky Barcelona, Spritz Bar, and Blue Bird Karaoke Rooms. On weekends you'll find a flea market here, and the complex also has its own escape rooms.

This hidden spot down a dilapidated backstreet is the ideal place to rub shoulders with the city's coolest locals. Low-lit and cozy, the craft beers and cocktails are well-curated and the tapas plates are generously portioned. It gets very busy on weekends, and they close every summer to transform into a roving bar at Hungary's many music festivals.

Rub shoulders with Budapest's artists, intellectuals, and various movers and shakers at this divey neighborhood bar. It regularly hosts art shows plus the occasional busker-like music event. Prices are a bargain for the area and the homestyle Hungarian food is often delicious.

This unique, colorful, and charming bar and bistro started life as a little theater—just a one-room space where seating faced a small stage. Púder still holds the occasional showcase, but post-pandemic, it's been transformed into an upscale pub, with local craft beers, cocktails and a hipster-friendly menu of vegan and Asian fusion dishes. The place gets busy on weekends when reservations are essential.

The oldest and best-known of Budapest's uniquely Hungarian romkerts (ruin bars), Szimpla Kert is known for its wild, exuberant, grungy style. Built inside a former stove factory, this maze of dark rooms, eclectic furnishings, local art, and crazy light installations attracts a raucous crowd of locals and tourists frolicking their way through the night with wild abandon. Expect a noisy, lively night here with the occasional patron's dog darting between tables while the owner downs shots. Visit by day to get a better feel for the decor, although expect to be joined by a steady stream of influencers, as it's one of the city's top attractions. Szimpla also hosts a weekly farmers' market featuring all-natural products on Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm, and runs an antiques shop next door.

This large complex of indoor and outdoor spaces set in a dilapidated building is part romkert (ruin bar), part culture hub. Students come here for cheap drinks, and businesses and clubs book meeting rooms for their membership events, so the place is buzzing almost every night of the week. Brightly painted walls and funky, cozy couches and chairs pepper the interior and lively courtyard. There’s not much in the way of food—it's mostly about the beers, spritzes, and games here.

One of the most mixed of the gay clubs draws from the gay, lesbian, and heterosexual communities equally. No doubt the laid-back, friendly atmosphere contributes to its appeal. Friday and Saturday are the party nights, featuring a transvestite show after midnight.

The name translates roughly to "morning, dusk, evening," and this comfortable, slightly upscale gastropub is a welcoming spot at any of those times of day. The breakfasts and brunch, with live music, are lovely and worth booking in advance. And for evening imbibing, there's a convivial atmosphere and a wide range of beers and other drinks.

"Bár, étterem, lakás, arborétum" ("Bar, eatery, loft, arboretum") is how Béla describes itself. This pleasingly eclectic bar serves great cocktails and good food, and has the feel of someone's roomy loft apartment: check, check, check. However, a handful of plants hanging from the ceiling and one (admittedly cool) bird wall mural does not an arboretum make. Look out for secret swing concerts in the cellar.

Budapest’s top venue for live jazz music boasts a café and a restaurant in the front, some bar seating in-between, and a huge concert hall with over 150 seats in back. There are international stars on the bill as well as Hungary’s leading jazz musicians: Bea Palya, Dresch Quartet, Veronika Harcsa, and the Bálint Gyémánt Trio. Free entry Monday and Wednesday for open jam sessions at 10 pm.

This men-only bar is in a huge cellar with an industrial-looking brick-and-metal motif. There's a small dance floor with a nightly DJ. Formerly called Chaos, CoXx also hosts several themed parties a month. No admission fee, but 1,000 Ft minimum consumption policy.

Csakajósör (Only Great Beer) offers a wide range of premium beers, from historic Belgian, Czech, and German varieties to modern craft styles. It's a favorite of connoisseurs, a funky combination of bar and shop. Browse its shelves, order up a draft beer, or chat with the resident aficionado about Hungarian craft suds. As the name suggests, don’t expect any food here.

While Budapest was a little slow to embrace the craft beer movement, it's finally and enthusiastically exploring the world of independent beermakers. One example of this new trend is Élesztő, which combines the grungy exposed-brick-wall-and-metal-barrel aesthetics of romkerts with a fine selection of high-quality beers and beer-based cocktails.

Beer lovers meet Élesztőház (Yeast House)—an industrial-themed, half-outdoor craft beer spot. The friendly staff here will happily explain all the local beers on offer—and with light, dark, IPA, APA, and more, you might be here a while. Not a fan of the suds? They also serve wine, cocktails, and locally made spirits. The immense courtyard is perfect on a hot summer night in the city.

The "Supplier" is one of Budapest's most popular event venues. Down its pedestrianized alleyway, rowdy crowds gather to chat outside on the covered terrace or get busy in the spacious, multiroom interiors. Expect local and visiting bands, pumping DJ sets, and themed dance nights, from Samba to African beats. It's a fun, sweaty affair, the kind of place where you pair a traditional shot of Unicum (Hungarian herbal liquor) with your beer.

A cozy, grungy bar with a unique atmosphere and a great selection of wines and draft beers, Fekete Kutya is equally as popular with artistic crowds and young intellectuals as it is with expats and late-night revelers. A small but delectable menu of sharing plates is on offer, but you'll have to fight your way to the bar to order. Grab a table in the back and note the wall mural: an homage to the history of modern art, with a decidedly Budapest twist. In the warmer months, people spill out to the small outdoor tables underneath the arched alley.

Félix Hélix is a friendly neighborhood bar set in one of Budapest's busiest areas. A hidden gem, it's staffed by a longstanding Irish expat who regales you with banter as he pours perfect pints of Pilsner Urquell. Sit outside to enjoy the ruin bar-like setting or snake your way upstairs to the low-ceilinged mezzanine for quiet chats among fairy lights and vintage posters.

From the street, you would hardly imagine just behind the fence is one of the cutest neighborhood garden bars. Inside, cheery fold-up rainbow-colored chairs surround a tiny koi pond, shaded by garden umbrellas and lots of trees overhead. Figaró Kert is a repurposed community lot, and one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Though the service is known to be a little cantankerous, prices are good, and the atmosphere is summer chill.

This popular wine bar and bistro, with a name that means "chick," is close to the cog-wheel railway and has a lovely garden for a glass or two of Hungarian wine in summer. The food is bright and modern.

At the southern tip of the Inner Town, facing the Central Market Hall, this popular pub is most notable for the thousands of pieces of paper stuck all over the walls and ceiling. Every guest is encouraged to add their own note—but only after enjoying a drink and a hearty meal (like the enormous bowl of homemade goulash soup).

While you may not want to spend all night here, this classic ruin pub and courtyard garden bar is open daily from 4 pm to 4 am, so you can pop in any time to get a feel for what cool, young Budapest is up to. With its cheap drinks and smoking area, tucked into a leafy courtyard, it’s easy to see why it's a favorite with rowdy students and backpackers.

Located in the historic Fészek Klub, this lively Cuban theme bar and restaurant features some lovely old design elements, live music, and a lively atmosphere. It's a little noisy for a relaxing dining experience, but perfect for cocktails. The leafy, outdoor courtyard is nice for a summer evening, featuring live Cuban dance shows. Or, you can grab a bite to eat in the bar in the front room, or head downstairs where the dance floor invites everyone to groove the night away.

"Don't worry, feel hippy" entreats this chill restaurant and bar (albeit a little cheesily) with trippy motifs, groovy energy, and a large terrace with views of the Danube. The bar’s menu is nothing special but it's decent and priced reasonably. It's all about the drinks (smoothies to alcohol) and the vibes.

Hopaholic prides itself on its extensive selection of local and international craft beers. As the sister bar to Csakajósör, it's an equally quirky little venue with a hip, alternative interior. The beer selection is finely curated, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable.

Instant-Fogas is an unrivaled clubbing hub in the party district. It's often packed by midevening, so if you want to dance, you're in the right space. The building complex includes seven individual venues, each with a distinct atmosphere and its own character and music style. Move from one vibe to the next, taking breaks in the connecting covered courtyard bar area. Things can get rowdy on weekends; try to avoid the notoriously aggressive bouncers.

Kadarka boasts possibly the most extensive by-the-glass list of Hungarian wines in Budapest, each priced reasonably compared to stores. While the interiors are outdated, the food only decent, and the staff often surly, the streetside terrace is lovely for sampling Hungary's varietals while watching the world go by.