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Budapest is filled with söröz?s (beer bars), but the way to go is to head for one of the romkerts ("ruin gardens," which are housed in the courtyards of abandoned buildings). There you will meet a cross section of artists, professionals, students, and tourists enjoying a DJ or Hungarian microbrew. If wine is more your thing, don’t miss spending a few hours in a wine bar (more upscale than the divey borozós). Wine bars have lengthy wine lists comprising excellent Hungarian wines, and most servers speak reasonable enough English to recommend a wine and explain what you are getting.
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 popular grungy ruin bar lies through an unmarked rusty brown door, tucked discreetly in an ivy-covered brick wall. Everything here feels used and well-worn and that's exactly what endears it to locals, who come here for the laid-back atmosphere, live music events, art exhibits, and a nice, quiet garden out front. The food menu is sparse, but the fare itself is good, hearty, and homemade.
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.
The best place to sample neighboring Czechia's world-famous beers in Budapest, ČECH IN serves up an ever-changing selection of the country's finest beers, on tap and in bottles, among rustic wooden low- and high-tables. Pair your pints with simple fare from the short menu, including hermelin (Czech Camembert) and strapacka (potato dumplings). The place gets busy in evenings and especially on weekends, so try to arrive before 6 pm.
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.
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.
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.
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.
