72 Best Bars in 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.

Somewhere between a snazzy lounge and a culture-club dive music bar, Akvárium is one of the city’s most popular downtown venues. A top-notch lineup of international and Hungarian musical guests fills the program weekly. Recently renovated, the main hall features a state-of-the-art sound system and sound insulation that keeps audiences coming back and due to its location (under the square), there are no city volume restrictions imposed on its concerts. The glass ceiling in the main room is the bottom of the water fountain located on the neighborhood square above, creating a fantastic, surreal effect, with the help of multicolor lighting. A huge outdoor, open-air terrace sprawls out over the concrete steps leading down to the club---the perfect meetup point for pre-concert drinks or before a night on the town on clear summer nights. Free cultural events often take place here, too.

Heaven for oenophiles seeking out Hungary’s lesser-known wineries, Bortodoor was founded by three longstanding expats as a store, event space, and, most importantly, a wine bar. Here you’ll sample a curated selection of Hungarian wines by the glass, some of which you won’t find anywhere else, amidst an enthusiastic mix of local and international patrons. Friday and Saturday are the liveliest, but Sunday offers the best value when the week’s leftover bottles are served at discounted prices.

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 gorgeous wine terrace, situated high in the hills above Badacsony with spectacular views of Lake Balaton, is just about the most romantic spot imaginable for a wine tasting—particularly at sunset. A 150 ml glass of Laposa estate wine will set you back just 990 HUF, so you can curate your own tasting. There's also a small menu of delicious meals and platters available. It's a popular spot in summer, so it's best to prebook a table (as well as a taxi, unless you fancy the steep, 30-minute walk each way).

As the name suggests, this charming little bar specializes in pálinkas (Hungarian fruit brandies) with more than 120 different varieties on offer. Sit inside to enjoy the retro decor, including the apothecary-style cabinets, or sit out on the terrace to people-watch as you drink.

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.

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.

The centrally located All in Music Café is Esztergom's go-to spot for an instant party and features both live music and an enormous selection of wine and brandy.

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.

Budapest’s most popular gay bar is regularly only open two nights a week, Friday and Saturday, but on those nights it’s where the party's at. While there are a few other gay bars in town, this one is the most inclusive and features two dance floors. The program changes according to seasons, trends, genres, and moods, so it's worth checking their website for updates---but you can always count on the Transvarieté drag show at 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.

For beer aficionados, nowhere beats this dimly lit underground bar: there are more than a dozen Belgian brews available on draught, with many more bottles filling the fridges. The food, including Belgian staples like mussels and fries, is nothing special, but it does help keep you upright.

Located around the back of the eye-catching Hattyú haz (Swan House), an example of the short-lived "organic" architectural style, this quirky little pub is a great place for a local craft beer and a bite to eat. If the weather is good, sit out in the leafy garden, complete with puddle-sized pond and wooden bridge.

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 café is a rye slice of Tsarist Russia in the heart of modern Budapest. Antique chairs and leaning reading lamps, corner nooks with Victorian curtains, and a second-floor wooden railing overlooking the gallery: Café Zsivágó is almost a staged backdrop that insists on memorable nights. Small traditional bands play regularly on the ground floor and spontaneous concerts are held by guests who fancy plonking the old piano in the back room. For those on a budget, affordable draft beers and local wines are on offer. For everyone else, there are lovely cocktails and a fantastic selection for teetotalers here, too. Just don’t come hungry, as food options are slim.

Come for the wine, stay for the decor: this beautiful 17th-century wine cellar sits beneath a gorgeous Gothic building that once played host to the Diet of Hungary (the medieval kingdom's parliament). Today, you can sample a good selection of local vintages, along with a wide choice of meat and cheese platters.

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.

This understated two-room bar is all about Hungarian wine, and with 29 winemakers filling up the listings above the main counter, you have your pick of the latest types trending locally. Complete the experience by having a meat or cheese plate to accompany your wine tasting. The chain has another bar at the Gozsdu-udvar, but the one on Szent István tér is the biggest and busiest. Take a table on their huge patio outside and enjoy a view of the Basilica.

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. 

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.