9 Best Bars in Budapest, Hungary

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.  

Szabad offers an authentic ruin bar experience, minus the tourist throngs. Set streets away from the party district, this ramshackle bar proudly embraces its rustic setting, with bare brick walls as a canvas for a revolving display of local art. Friendly bar staff serve quality Czech beers and local Hungarian wines, while the food menu is exclusively vegan, presenting inventive and comforting reinterpretations of classic Hungarian cuisine.