63 Best Bars in Budapest, Hungary

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.

The "pit" is as dark and dingy as its name suggests---a subterranean live music venue set below one of downtown's busiest streets. It plays host to counterculture acts, from blaring rock bands to late-night DJs, be it local or international artists. Check the website for the latest program, including the occasional dance and culture festival events.

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.

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.

Just a classic craft brewpub, run by friends, done right: a vast range of fresh beers, a cozy cellar location, and a relaxed atmosphere that entices people of all ages. There's traditional food on offer too, along with sports and cultural events.

The kis (little) sibling to its main venue down the street, this bar holds an unparalleled location on the Palace District's most gorgeous square. The drinks, while fairly standard with regular beers, wines, and long drinks, are well-priced, as is the decent food. But on a warm summer's eve, surrounded by some of Budapest's most stunning architecture and prettiest people, the ambience is unbeatable.

Budapest's quintessential dive bar, Klub Vittula made headlines a few years back when actress Jennifer Lawrence got into a "beer fight" here with a pestering fan. Down its steep basement staircase, expect an unexpected crowd of bearded hipsters, broke students, and general weirdos. DJ sets are played from an extremely small stage in the front room, and you can never guess what odd event is taking place in the back, from garage sales to artsy movies.

If you're desperate to escape the party district's endless crowds, this subterranean dive bar offers the perfect respite. Despite its name, you'll find more locals than students here. It's a solid, friendly crowd of regulars who are drawn by near-nightly live music, cheap beer, and tucked-away nooks where conversations flow freely.  

Next to Clark Ádám tér, a large square in Buda at the end of the Lánchíd (Chain Bridge), this tiny pub attracts tourists and locals alike. The walls are covered in black-and-white photos from Budapest and Paris. Ask for owner Róbert Nagy, who speaks excellent English and loves to meet visitors from abroad.

An extension of the Hotel Clark, this chic and atmospheric rooftop bar offers a breathtaking view of the Chain Bridge below, as well as along the Danube to the Parliament. Soak up the views while sipping one of the bar's signature cocktails (the whisky sour is especially good). The seating area is covered and heated, meaning the bar is open year-round; though it's always hard to get a table so book ahead.

Across the street from Budapest's Millenáris Park, this bar and pizza parlor is a kitsch, somewhat tongue-in-cheek tribute to communism, including graffiti-scrawled walls, chicken wire, and black and red paint smeared everywhere. Drinks are low in price and wide in range and the atmosphere tends to get very lively as the night progresses. For food, try the "Gulag Pizza," covered in spicy red paprika, ham, and corn.

Built in 1907 by iron and copper worker Tivadar Mika, this dignified building houses one of the city's most popular outdoor ruin bars, with a lovely garden courtyard crowded with locals and tourists alike.

Featuring swings at the bar and 10 draft Hungarian and international beers on tap—including several of MONYO's own brews—this local tap house is run by a friendly team who has made it an essential stop for craft fans since 2005. Only a few snacks are available on-site, including chips, peanuts, and simple panini. It's a popular hangout for guys with epic beards and baseball caps, so reservations are recommended. 

This cozy brewery, with Maria-Teresian yellow wallpaper overhead and original wooden parqueting below, all preserved from times gone by, has been serving traditional Flemish-style dishes alongside its excellent range of Belgian and international beers for decades. Try as you may, you won’t be able to stay for just one round. Choose from eight beers on tap and forty bottled specialties, and get the mussels, too.

The outdoor terrace of this hip drinking joint is ideal for watching the comings and goings of Széll Kálmán tér. Things can get busy on the dance floor on Friday and Saturday evenings.   

Just around the corner from Széll Kálmán tér Metro station, this hip Tinseltown-themed bar attracts a mixed Hungarian and international crowd, who come for the delicious cocktails and classic Hollywood memorabilia.

If you want to try Hungarian wines in relaxed but knowledgeable company, this is your spot. There are also tastings, snacks, a snatched view of the Liberty Bridge, and a sign that rather encapsulates the ethos: Wine not?

This authentic Hungarian tavern’s namesake, Horseshoe Andi, was a legendary betyár (highwayman); Hungarian folklore waxes romantic about his swarthy character’s Robin Hood-like feats. The wood-paneled pub is decorated with puskák (rifles) and other bandit memorabilia.

For a deeply immersive Újlipótváros experience, stop by for a beer and perhaps even a shot of Unicum at this teeny-tiny watering hole right on Pozsonyi út. Customers consist of brainy neighborhood regulars with a fondness for alcohol. Outside the bar there is a pin board with artworks and poems by the regulars.

The name of this pub means "spare key," and this one attracts a hip, bohemian crowd. There is no sign outside, just a metal door bearing the name and address. Walk through the door and down the small pathway to find outdoor seating in warm months, or stay inside for regular live music acts. Various hot meals are also available.

Rabbit Hole is a welcome relief at a time when most cocktail bars charge entire-meal prices for a single drink. Fun, friendly, and unfussy, the vibe is relaxed and the cocktail menu is heavy on the classics, but the bartenders are equally happy to whip up something special based on your tastes. Prices are refreshingly affordable, with all cocktails under 3,000 HUF; beers, wine, and palinka are even cheaper.

Rácskert is a relaxed outdoor ruin bar in the center of the party district. It's less boisterous than its neighbors, and the affordable drinks, air of artistry, and generally sedate setting make it a favorite of the area's creative types. A vegan food truck serves up decent bites, and in the winter the smaller indoor bar offers refuge from the cold.  

Rumpus' humble entrance belies the sprawling, multilevel, intricately designed Polynesian bar inside. Sink into their bamboo chairs with a punchy cocktail theatrically served in a ceramic god mug---it's not inexpensive, but a well-crafted cocktail rarely is, and here they're often excellent (and potent). Make a reservation or risk waiting up to an hour to gain entrance.

If you need a break from the party district's endless beers and shots, this is your spot: a cool mixologist bar serving classic and contemporary cocktails, free of pretension. The concoctions here are creative and punchy, served in hip surroundings by chipper, friendly bartenders, with all mixology-focused drinks on the menu priced under 4,000 HUF. Reservations are recommended on weekends.