More about: 9 Best Ruin Bars in Budapest
To understand the spirit of a city, you need to experience its nightlife, and Budapest is a city that is undoubtedly worth exploring at night; only then can you truly get to know its soul and understand all its secrets.
And there’s no better way to do this than with a ruin pub tour, where you’ll explore these popular, shabby-chic bars that attract both tourists and locals alike. Here are the best options in the Hungarian capital.
1. Szimpla Kert, the pioneer of ruin bars in Budapest
What is now an unmissable attraction came about almost by chance. In 2002, the owners wanted to launch a new bar concept where you could do a bit of everything, from listening to live music to smoking a hookah with friends. To realise their dream, they rented a derelict building in the old town.
After carrying out some renovation work, they decided to leave it looking a bit shabby, and the formula proved a hit. Today, Szimpla Kert is the most popular ruin bar in the Hungarian capital and a must-visit if you book a party tour of Budapest’s ruin pubs. Any long weekend should include a stop at this legendary spot.
It’s a real labyrinth, and I recommend spending a bit of time exploring its atmosphere. You might end up having a pint in the old Trabant car in the courtyard or in the comfortable armchairs on the first floor.
Useful information
- Address: Kazinczy utca, 14.
- Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, from 3 pm to 4 am. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, it welcomes its first customers at 12 noon and closes its doors at 4 am.
2. Instant-Fogas, Europe’s largest ruin bar
In 2008, the legendary venues Instant and Fogas joined forces to create Europe’s largest ruin bar. This huge venue, which you must include in your party tour of Budapest’s ruin pubs, features seven distinct areas dedicated to different musical genres: techno, live concerts, remixes of famous songs, rock, metal, EDM and Latin music.
Entry is free and the doors close at six in the morning. In short, Instant-Fogas is the ideal place to let your hair down after a day of sightseeing.
Useful information
- Address: Akácfa utca, 51.
- Opening hours: open every day from 6 pm to 6 am.
3. Csendes Létterem, for a visit by day or by night
Tucked away in a narrow street near the National Museum is Csendes Létterem, a ruin pub housed in an elegant 19th-century building. If you don’t see anything unusual from the outside, step closer to the windows and take a peek inside. All sorts of objects hang from the walls: a bicycle, mannequins, messages left by customers, mirrors, traffic signs and other curious items.
Unlike many ruin pubs, Csendes Létterem opens early and is a great choice for breakfast. As well as traditional dishes, the menu features vegan options including pancakes with maple syrup and fruit, chia pudding with coconut milk, and mango purée.
You can also include it in your party tour of Budapest’s ruin pubs, as at night this peaceful spot transforms into a DJ set featuring soul, funk and jazz. To get an idea of the nightlife on offer, I recommend reading the post on the 10 things to do in Budapest at night.
Useful information
- Address: Akácfa utca, 51.
- Opening hours: open every day of the week, from 10 am to 2 am.
4. Kőleves Kert, the “stone soup garden”
If you’re visiting Budapest in summer, don’t miss the terrace at Kőleves Kert, a ruin bar in the Jewish quarter. Make sure to add it to your list of party tours of Budapest’s ruin pubs.
In the warmer months, you can enjoy a pint of beer or a glass of wine at the colourful tables in the garden. The trees and plants create a green oasis and, with a bit of luck, you’ll be able to relax in their hammocks.
The drinks menu at Kőleves Kert is as varied as the food menu, which includes: salads, vegetarian dishes and heartier fare such as roast duck (a Hungarian speciality) and baked beans with hard-boiled eggs.
Useful information
- Address: Kazinczy u., 37-41.
- Opening hours: open daily from 11.30 am to 11 pm.
5. Mazel Tov, to sample the best dishes and cocktails
Located in the heart of the Jewish quarter, Mazel Tov is a cultural venue with a nod to gastronomy, a must-visit on your party tour of Budapest’s ruin pubs. This ruin bar is more of a restaurant serving up tasty Middle Eastern dishes. The place gets very busy, so it’s best to book a table in advance via their official website.
Its classic dishes include hummus (served with tahini, parsley, olive oil and pita bread), falafel and sabich, an Israeli sandwich with fried aubergine, hard-boiled egg, tomato, cucumber and other ingredients. There’s no shortage of fusion dishes either, along with some delicious desserts to round off your meal.
At Mazel Tov, the most striking feature is the plants hanging from the first floor, creating a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. After dinner, you can pop in here to enjoy a cocktail such as the peach spritz, a variation on the Italian drink made with peach and prosecco, or the cosmojito, made with Absolut Blue.
Useful information
- Address: Akácfa utca, 47.
- Opening hours: Monday and Tuesday, 5 pm to midnight, and Wednesday to Sunday, noon to midnight.
6. Grandio Jungle Bar, the urban oasis in the Jewish quarter
Just a few metres from the Great Synagogue lies the Grandio Jungle Bar, a newcomer that has quickly risen through the ranks. As the name suggests, the bar is set in an inner courtyard and its tables are shaded by lush greenery.
Many of its customers stay at the party hostel on the first floor, but you can access the bar even if you’re not staying there.
As well as having a few drinks, at this venue you can watch football matches or take part in a karaoke night. So don’t hesitate – add it to your party tour of Budapest’s ruin pubs.
Useful information
- Address: Nagy Diófa utca, 8.
- Opening hours: open every day, from 12 noon to midnight.
7. Élesztőház, to sample the best beer in Budapest
Hungary and beer are inextricably linked. The first document to mention it dates back to 1152 and refers to a funeral that was to conclude with a ‘beer party’. Today, you can find brands such as Dreher, a pilsner-style lager, and Soproni, a refreshing IPA that you’ll find in any bar in the capital.
Clearly, this Eastern European country also produces craft beers, and Élesztőház is the perfect place to sample them – a must-visit on any ruin pub crawl.
If you’re feeling peckish, take a look at the menu. The venue is renowned for its mushroom salad and its unbeatable burgers.
Useful information
- Address: Tűzoltó utca, 22.
- Opening hours: open all week at different times; Sunday and Monday, 3pm to 1am; Tuesday and Wednesday, 3pm to 2am; and the rest of the week, 3pm to 3am.
8. Dürer Kert, the mecca of punk and metal
Unlike the other ruin bars on the list, Dürer Kert isn’t in the Jewish Quarter but in Kelenföld, a district that emerged in the 1970s. Although it’s a bit out of the way from the centre, you can get there by trolleybus or bus. The journey takes about 30 minutes, but I assure you it’s worth it.
Experiencing Budapest by night is a must, and even more so on the banks of the Danube. Right here stands a building with a unique history. Before the arrival of the Soviets, it was a boarding school run by the French nuns of the Sacré Coeur. With the establishment of the People’s Republic of Hungary, the nuns left the building, which was then allocated to the communist nomenklatura.
Today it houses a ruin bar that has become a Mecca for fans of punk, metal and trash. Its gigs have been livening up Budapest’s nights since 2008. It also features pinball machines, table tennis tables, lounges with sofas and an old bus converted into a chill-out area.
Useful information
- Address: Öböl utca, 1.
- Opening hours: the concert venue is only open when events are scheduled. Before planning your visit, I recommend checking the official website.
- Fun fact: Dürer Kert has a sister venue, Dürer Part, a beach bar on Lupa Beach, a destination just a few kilometres from the Hungarian capital and the perfect spot for both having a few drinks and enjoying outdoor sports. If you’re interested in activities outside the city, I recommend reading the post on the best day trips from Budapest.
9. Szatyor Bárun, a unique spot in Budapest
Like Dürer Kert, Szatyor is not located in the Jewish quarter but on an elegant avenue in the capital: Bartók Béla. This residential street is home to bookshops, art galleries (Faur Zsófi, Gross Arnold, etc.), cafés (Addicted2Caffeine, Hadik, etc.) and some of the capital’s best restaurants.
Szatyor is one of the few ruin bars on this side of the Danube. Unlike the other bars on the list, it isn’t very popular with tourists, who tend to prefer the bars in the city centre. Its décor has a slightly run-down feel, though it doesn’t go to the extremes of Szimpla Kert. To get here from the Old Town, you can take the tram from Deák Ferenc Square (lines 47 and 49) and get off at the Gárdonyi tér stop.
Useful information
- Address: Bartók Béla, 36.
- Opening hours: open daily, from 12 noon to midnight.