Going out in Budapest
Summer places
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 Café Del Rio |
Petőfi brigde Buda side |
| No phone |
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| Open air place open every day in summer. |
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| Zöld Pardon |
Petőfi brigde Buda side |
| No phone |
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| The fenced-in complex has trees that create private spaces, and a big deck for a dancefloor. Great grilled foods too. |
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| West Balkan |
XI. kaposzi-gát (bus 3 or 103 to Dombóvári út) |
| Tel: 371-1807 |
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| This cool club gets known international DJs and the better local ones. The crowd is somehow much mellower than in Zold Pardon. There’s decent food, tree-covered grassy spaces and the free-flowing Danube just past the fence. |
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| Partside |
XI Vízpart u. 2. |
| Tel: 463-0422 |
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| A tree-shaded club with a mini-wading pool, grassy patches and it own sandy ‘beach’ on the Danube, complete with beach chairs. It could be sublime, but the meat-rack atmosphere tends to drive up the testosterone level on weekends. |
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| Szimpla Kert |
VII. Kazincy u. 55 |
| No phone (Deak tér) |
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| In the heart of Pest and close to many bars, including sister venues the Szimla/Dupla, is the most centrally-located outdoor club, but it is still private, hidden in the 500sq m back courtyard of an abandoned building. Looking like an outdoor squat party, it has paper lanterns, picnic tables, a busy bar and a stereo that shuts off by midnight. Music or no, Szimpla Kert stays full until it is lost to urban renewal. |
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| Szechenyi Főúri Söröző |
XIV. Állatkerti krt. 9. (Széchenyi fürdő) |
| Tel: 363-8290 |
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| It is in the City Park. DJs come from Juventus, a mainstream local radio station, and the place is handy for nearby one-off party venues Petőfi Csarnok and Olap Palme Ház. |
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Music Bars & Clubs |
| Alcatraz |
VII. Nyár u. 1. |
| Tel: 478-6010 |
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| Large prison-themed bar/restaurant. Enter a prison door, pay at the ’warden’s booth’, then descend for more jail buffoonery. Arrow-suited mannequins dig through a wall and Al Capone sits in his cell. Good live acts range from trad jazz to funk. |
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| Bamboo Music Club |
VI. Dessewffy u. 44. (Oktogon) |
| Tel: 312-3619 |
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| Tropical-themed bar with a small cellar attracts a youngish, undiscerning crowd who drink, flirt and dance to aminstram jazzy house and funk.
Occasional live bands and amateur talent nights. |
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| ChaChaCha |
V. Kálvin tér metro station |
| No-phone |
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| In a metro underpass, this crazy late-night dance bar with zebra-print furniture and pop-art fixtures is run and patronised by good-humourd mutters. Schizophrenic musis ranges from dreadful Magyar disco to breakbeats and house by the town’s best DJs. |
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| Nincs Pardon |
VII. Almássy tér 11 |
| Tel: 351-4351 |
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| The thirtysomething media crowd favours this cramped and fiendly Gaudí-esque cellar. Enjoy well-mixed coctails before hitting the oxygen-free dancefloor, which is packed, despite atrocious music: top 40 hits and Magyar party staples. |
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| Pesti Est Café |
VI. Liszt Ferenc tér 5. (Oktogon) |
| Tel: 344-4381 |
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| The Pesti Est, with its big terrace, is a fine place for daytime snacks and coffee, but, unlike other bars on this square, it also goes on late. The bright, bold design, with lots of metal and neoan sighs, is a bit shouty, but they can get interesting DJs and events. |
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| Piaf |
VI. Nagymező u. 25. (Oktogon) |
| Tel: 312-3823 |
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| Piaf has an upstairs bar that is done in bordello red and comes with a piano player. A dangerous staircase leads to a cellar with tiny dancefloor, where live bands or jazzy pop provide the soundtrack. |
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| Roktogon Music Pub |
VI. Mozsár u. 9. |
| Tel: 353-0443 |
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| Fun, medium-sized cellar bar/disco specialising in local live bands, from Doors impersonatores to hardcore acts. DJs play MTV hits between acts. Clientele is generally young, excitalbe and friendly |
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| Sakáltanya |
V. Curia u. 2. (Ferenciek tere) |
| Tel: 266-1165 |
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| Inspired by the film Coyote Ugly, Sakáltanya attempts to recreate the flick’s crazy, tequila-fuelled madness, where waithresses are sexy-cool and completely in charge of the salivating male customers. It just about succeeds and can be a goon laugh- but only once. |
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| Noiret |
VI. Dessewffy u. 8-10. (Arany János u.) |
| Tel: 331-6103 |
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| Billed as a pool and darts club. The central location and late hours also make theis a good bet for a last drink and natter. Bar snacks include hefty pizzas. |
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| Stex Alfréd |
VII. József körút 55-57 (Baross u.) |
| Tel: 318-5716 |
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| Large, idiosyncratic and recently renovated complex offering pool, gambling, large-screen footie and a bar and restaurant that serves decent Hungarian food until 4am. Nice terrace on the bustling ring road. |
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| A38 Boat |
XI. Petőfi bridge |
| Tel: 217-4354 |
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| A new and very interesting club, a beautifully renovated Ukrainian barge. The top deck offers a large open space for dancing, small tables and a bar. There is a glass-walled restaurant and below decks a windowless concert hall. Slightly higher door prices mean a more mature crowd. |
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| Bed (nightclub) |
III. Reményi Ede u. (HÉV Kaszásdülő) |
| Tel: 06-70-208-8389 |
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| Flashy nex house /Goa trance club near the city’s northern edge is popular with those wishing to be seen dancing. Glass VIP section overlooks the dancefloor; huge Buddha statue looks over the decks. Open from 11pm-5am |
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| Capella |
V. Belgrád rkp 23. (Ferenciek tere) |
| Tel: 318-6231 |
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| Altough invariably billed as a gay club, starights are welcome to take in the midnight drag show and get down to house and disco till dawn. Cover charge will be included on your drinks bill. Can be one of the best nights out in Budapest. |
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| Citadella Club |
XI. Citadella sétány 2. |
| Tel: 209-3271 |
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| Indoor club and garden complex in the Citadella affords unbeatable view of the city. It is now a venue for one-off parties, which are pretty frequent. Scene varies depending on the party, so check flyers. |
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| Jailhouse |
IX. Tűzoltó u. 22. (Ferenc körút) |
| Tel: 06-30-989-4905 |
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| Smoky two-level cellar where some of the better new DJs entertain a yung, musically discerning crowd. Currently, Wednesday is African funk and jazz, Thursday chilled jazz and downtempo, Friday drum’n’bass, Saturday breakbeats. Every second Sunday is progressive, industrial and ambient. |
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| Közgáz Pince Klub |
IX. Fővám tér 8. |
| Tel: 215-4359 |
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| Huge cellar club in the University for Economic Science, where students sink cheap booze, listen to loud Magyar pop, fall over and snog drunkenly. Fag makers BAT have turned the inrerior into one large cigarette advert. Fun if you like this sort of thing. |
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| Kultiplex |
IX. Kinizsi u. 28. |
| Tel: 219-0706 |
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| Excellent arts cinema/club/bar complex run by Tilos Rádió and friends. Two dancefloors, three bars and table football draw a young, trendy, hedonistic crowd. Music often provided by reliable DJs with accent on drum’n’bass and dancehall regae. There are also live acts. Great beer gar garden with balcony and barbecue. |
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| St Tropez Ship |
V. Petőfi tér. Dock 8 |
| Tel: 266-7036 |
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| This large, stationary boat moored to dock 8 along the Danube currently rocks every Thursday night. |
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| Trafó Pince |
IX. Liliom u. 41. (Ferenc körút) |
| Tel: 456-2040 |
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| Large basement in Budapest’s alternative theatre has comfortable booths and an ample dancefloor. Good DJs. Young, up-for-it crowd, great music, low prices. |
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 Your Top Choice! Budget place, great location & helpful staff! Different rooms and apartments.
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 Self catering apartments in the downtown Cheap solution for your stay.
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 Mini-hotels/bed and breakfast places. Clean rooms with bathroom, TV & minibar.
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 The cheapest way to stay in the City is in a dormitory room. If you like it go on!
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 For a more pleasant and luxury stay we also offer 3 and 4 star hotels in the capital.
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