You’re in Budapest, a city full of life and lovely buildings, fascinating sites and great nightlife. In the following article, we’ll show you the ideal way to enjoy the bar scene in Budapest by introducing you to great bars, traditional habits and the best drinks. Brace yourself for some fantastic Budapest bar experiences!

1. You won’t find anything like Ruin Bars elsewhere.

When you’re bar-hopping, the Ruin Bars in Budapest are a must-see. Abandoned buildings, courtyards and factories serve as homes for these widely decorated bars with mainly mismatched furniture. Szimpla Kert is the most well-known Ruin Bar, offering different types of drinks, delighted by live music and featuring a flea market. Remember to look into popular spots such as Instant and Fogas Ház too.

It’s the unusual, homemade decor and the clever use of old urban sites that makes the Ruin Bars unique. Local street art, old furniture and curious art installations give the place a chill and offbeat feeling. Lots of bars organize live DJ parties, themed nights and cultural events, so no evening is the same. You can sample a craft beer or shake to electronic tunes, as the Ruin Bars make each night time in Budapest extraordinary.

2. Cocktail Bars: The Taste of Fine Spirits

If you’re in Budapest and like cocktails, you’ll find a lot of exciting places to try them. Visiting Boutiq’Bar is a must, as they offer many new and professionally created cocktails. In a hidden spot in the city, this bar gives visitors an experience of comfortable and close quarters. If you like the look of a Negroni, go for that or opt for their special cocktails such as the Budapest Bramble.

Boutiq’Bar’s bartenders create amazing drinks that mix local ingredients and favorite cocktail trends. What makes this bar great is the care put into serving drinks with the right tools and delicious flavors. If you’re looking for great city views with your cocktails, check out High Note SkyBar and if Asian twists on your cocktails appeal, try Tuk Tuk Bar. From first-timers to connoisseurs, everyone will find quality and some innovation at Budapest’s cocktail bars.

3. Haromszék Special Drinks

No visit to the bar area of Budapest would be balanced without trying local favorites. For more than 200 years, Unicum has been produced in Hungary and serves as an aperitif or as a drink after meals. Many people choose pálinka, a powerful brandy made from various fruits. Try the traditional Hungarian drinks while you are there!

3.1 Unicum

You’ll find herbal and bittersweet notes in the taste of Unicum. This drink is often drank as a shot or with soda or tonic. Enjoy the special taste and you might also learn a bit about how this traditional drink became popular in Hungary.

The liqueur is made from over 40 different herbs and spices, all blended following a family recipe from 1790. Most people in Hungary drink Unicum to help digest their meals or as a memorable drink before dinner. There are bars that help you enjoy different types of this traditional drink by giving you tasting flights.

3.2 Pálinka

A strong fruit brandy called pálinka is mainly created from plums, apricots or cherries. Unri inumati ca si sere dar, mai des geamas si mersuarele tradiitonale ale Ungariei. There’s a good chance that, while at a Hungarian bar or restaurant, someone might suggest drinking a toast with pálinka – so don’t be surprised.

Orchard fruits shine through in the Hungarian drink, pálinka which is made in a traditional way. A few bars have tastings of pálinka and visitors get to sample different fruit options to see what they like best. Even though it’s popular during the winter, tea is tasty and can be enjoyed throughout the rest of the year with people.

4. Craft Beer Bars: Divine Drinks Happen

If you love craft beer, don’t miss Élesztő in District VII; it has many types of craft beer from Hungary as well as abroad. If you want a mellow environment and to try great craft beer, check out Jónás Craft Beer House and chat with the staff. Drinking beers from local breweries lets you see what the area has to offer.

Craft beer in Budapest is surging and brewers are opening taprooms and taste rooms all the time. Several bars highlight Hungarian microbreweries, giving customers lagers they cannot find at broad scales. You can find something you’ll love, whether it’s hoppy, rich or sour. With regular beer-pairing festivals happening in many places, it is always an exciting time to visit as a craft beer fan in Budapest.

5. Hungarian Wine Bars Give Wine Lovers Something to Smile About

Vintage wine made in Budapest is well known. If you’d like to try Hungarian wine, head to DiVino. Red, white and rosé wines from Hungary are the main focus at this wine bar. While at this pub, you can savor an Egri Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) red wine and enjoy the warm feeling in the place.

Some of the best wines in Hungary come from Tokaj, Villány and Eger, all of which exhibit the local conditions where they are grown. Places like DiVino allow you to enjoy wines by the glass, while enjoying tasty goals and bites. Kadarka Bistro is another wonderful wine place, offering traditional Hungarian food and a cozy setting.

6. Taking Part in Pub Crawls: Incredible Evenings

If meeting fellow travelers is your goal or you’d like to visit some bars in Budapest, going on a pub crawl is a great way to do so! With these tours, you stop at several bars and clubs, allowing you to meet new people, have fun dancing and find great places you might not know about. You can find pub crawls for any taste on sites such as “Budapest Pub Crawl” and “Alternative Budapest.”

As you hop from pub to pub, local guides will let you in on tales about Budapest’s history, culture and the city’s nightlife. It’s common for crowded crawls to have gratis shots, discounts on drinks and admission to praised nightspots. No matter if you are traveling alone or with companions, you can use a pub crawl to sample the city’s bars and meet strangers.

Conclusion

In Budapest, you’ll find both quirky ruin bars and craft beer places, as well as classic wine bars. Regardless of whether you enjoy cocktails, beer or want to try Hungarian drinks, you’ll find something here for you. Don’t neglect experiencing local customs and make sure you join in on pub crawls to get the best out of bar-hopping. To great evenings spent in Budapest!