Going to Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, allows you to take part in its lively nightlife and try out many cool bars and pubs. Those looking for lively ruin bars or elegant cocktail lounges will find what they are looking for in Budapest. On the other hand, the same as with any other city, a few places are not worth your attention or money. It helps to approach nightlife carefully to prevent bad surprises. In this text, we want to support you by explaining which places in Budapest are best to stay away from on a night out.

1. Pricey Tourist Traps

Because it’s a popular travel destination, Budapest attracts a lot of bars that take advantage of innocent guests. They often set very high prices for drinks and sometimes hide other costs. Place like these often use bright signs, claim to give out free alcohol and have energetic promoters standing by with special deals. But after you’ve entered, you might notice the prices are twice as high or that you get charged for drinks that weren’t yours.

Watch out for businesses that have a person outside offering you to go inside and for shops that are found in well-known tourist spots such as Váci Street or around the Chain Bridge. During the day, these spots are impressive, yet many of the bars at night only care about profits over good experience. There might be a casual atmosphere and it’s usually not very crowded with locals—this is usually a sign.

Avoid the crowded tourist routes by strolling just a bit farther to enjoy cheaper and more authentic places that local residents like.

2. Dingy and Depressing Dive Bars

Although many areas in Budapest are great, the bars in them may not always be what you are looking for. Certain bars are designed to look rugged and attract those who want that experience, but others may be just plain run down. The hygiene, upkeep and service in many of these places are usually not done very well.

Try to stay away from bars that seem old, dirty or not welcoming. You might not get high-quality drinks at these locations and their surroundings may be unsafe for guests. Filthy glassware, low lighting covering up the restaurant’s flaws and bored staff members may indicate problems. In areas like District VII (the Jewish Quarter), where nightlife is very popular, you will find some bars that fail to meet basic standards.

Pick locations that people rave about because of their atmosphere, neatness and friendly staff.

3. Clubs That Market Aggressively

While out for night in Budapest, you may run across promoters who are very persuasive in offering club or bar advice. Make sure you’re careful in these cases since the sales may be pushy and the entrance fee might be too high. Such clubs could offer you special events, chance to see celebrities or free alcohol to drum up interest. As soon as you’re in the hotel, you can see that these promises are not fully met.

Research before signing up for any promotion and read what other tourists have written about the place. Most well-known bars and clubs in Budapest get customers by relying on people’s recommendations and positive experiences. If a promoter tries to be vague or very forceful about parts of the event, you should consider leaving.

Do not let anything catch you by surprise by planning ahead. Choose some popular bars or clubs from Gozsdu Udvar or Kazinczy Street and do business there.

4. Empty or Deserted Nightclubs

There is a great selection of bars and restaurants all around the lively areas of Budapest. A deserted or empty bar is usually a good indication that something is off there. It might seem nice to get a corner table alone, but a hardly-used restaurant in a crowd usually shows there are concerns.

A lack of customers might indicate that the drinks are not good, the service is poor or the atmosphere is missing. Nobody likes enjoying a cocktail quietly when the street is full of activity. What is most worrying is that it might point to a reputation for customers being ripped off or mistreated there.

Choose areas that attract both local people and tourists in good numbers. The sense of a good establishment is usually clear when you open the door—are folks having a good time, chatting and sticking around longer? It often means the bar is worth visiting.

5. Bars with No printed Drink Menus

Being clear about things is important when having a meal or a drink. Places that do not show prices or menus sometimes cause customers to be surprised when the bill arrives. Often, this way of serving drinks is meant to make tourists pay more for their cocktails.

It’s a good idea to know the prices and what you will get before making a drink order. Gently ask the server for the list of dishes if you need to see it. A refusal or unusual behavior by the person is an instant reason to leave. If the menu of the restaurant is written outside or on a chalkboard, you’re most likely avoiding unfair prices.

6. Despised by Local People

Doubt your own choices and follow the habits of the locals. A bar that is often deserted or stays empty most nights, usually has a reason. Those who live in a place are likely to give you the best recommendations, so it’s best to trust them.

You can ask the concierge, local guides or fellow travelers for things to do in the area. People who live in the area are more than willing to give you their secret places and show you how to avoid tourist traps.

If you search online or look at user reviews on Google Reviews or TripAdvisor, you may be able to tell how the place is regarded.

Conclusion

Always watch out for dodgy places when enjoying the exciting nightlife in Budapest for a fantastic time. Be careful of overpriced attractions, low-class, rundown hangouts, places that advertise a lot, empty bars, restaurants without drink lists and places local people would avoid. If you plan a bit and keep your eyes open, you can miss out on possible problems during your night.

If you understand this, you can try out many of Budapest’s excellent bars more efficiently. You can enjoy unique cocktails on a rooftop or dance until dawn in one of Budapest’s ruined bars – both are special experiences in the city. Cheers!