Summer nights, open bars and other Budapest, Hungary Nightlife Tips

Nightlife Spot: Szimpla and others

In the center of Budapest, especially in the 7th district there are a couple of mostly open air places which are quite popular both among Hungarians and visitors lately.

They are located in the gardens of old residential houses, which are not used at the moment, some of them might even be under deconstruction soon...

This are right now (until the good weather lasts) the best places to go, if You want to have a drink, talk to friends, listen to music, and also - at some of the places - if You want to dance .

They are not easy to find at first, but just go to the Synagogue (Dohány street) and ask anyone about them (or ask me :)!

The places are rapidly changing sometimes. There are some who are thankfully alive since years now, like "Szimpla Kert" (7th district, Kazinczy u. 14.), but there are some old ones who disappeared unfortunately, due to the local governments regulations usually.

There is also "Corvin tető" which is just off Blaha Lujza square, at the roof of the ex-Corvin department store.

And then there is also the A38 boat on the Danube at the Petofi Bridge, "cha-cha-cha terasz", "Holdudvar" and others on the Margaret Island, and so many more!! :)

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Theme: Dancing
Dress Code: Whatever you want to wear is just fine :)
Address: See above!
Directions: The general area is the old jewish part of the city (with the biggest synagogue of Europe at it's front end, near the Astoria metro station).

Nightlife Spot: Often seen near Liszt Ferenc square

There are various companies now who sell flowers in nightspots around Budapest, but the "idea's owner " is this man, as far as I remember.

He is often seen around (and in) bars and cafés on Liszt Ferenc square and in the close neighborhood.

Do you want to conquere the heart of a beautiful starnger? Or just give a nice red rose to your girlfriend/wife? Buy one from him! :)

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Theme: Other
Address: Liszt Ferenc square and around

Nightlife Spot: Cuba Libre

Good party place with maybe some too trendy people, but the music is good, so it's worth a try!

They usually have funky/latin/etc music (Just like watching MTV Top 40...), eith some extras sometime. There is a chance to catch a salsa night (rare thing though) or other live concerts.

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Theme: Dancing
Dress Code: Casual but a little more "elegant" then some other places. However jeans and a t-shirt can be enough, but don't go in your oldest sneakers, because you will feel bad...:)
Phone: 345-8367
Address: 2nd district, Lövőház u. 2-6., top floor
Directions: The place is in the Mammut 2 shopping center near Moszkva square (1 stop with the tram no. 4 or 6 from Moszkva tér, but it's easier to just walk there). Inside just follow the music to the top floor! :)

Nightlife Spot: Kameleon mulato

Once partying on the Buda side and especially if you are already in the Mammut shopping mall (Cuba Libre for instance...:), you might want to try Kameleon as well.

They have salsa parties every Friday, and regular and not so regular parties on Thursday and Saturday.

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Theme: Dancing
Dress Code: No coat and tie, but don't go in your worst jeans there...:)

You might want to take your salsa shoes and black silk shirts on Friday :)
Phone: (+36 1) 345 8547
Address: 2nd district, Lövőház u. 2-6., top floor
Directions: The place is in the Mammut 2 shopping center near Moszkva square (1 stop with the tram no. 4 or 6 from Moszkva tér, but it's easier to just walk there). Inside just follow the music to the top floor! :)
Website: www.kameleonmulato.hu

Nightlife Spot: Fat Mo's Pub

Fat Mo's is one of the good bunch of Budapest's "cellar-clubs". It has kitchen as well, but it's nothing special (good though for a dinner before dancing! :).

The place is usually quite full during weekend evenings, music is mostly funky.

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Theme: Dancing
Dress Code: No coat, no tie, just a good pair of jeans or whatever is confortable for you.
Phone: +36 1 267 3199
Address: 5th district, Nyari Pal utca 11
Directions: Nyari Pal utca is close to Ferenciek tere underground station. The street is off Vaci utca, between Ferenciek tere and Fovam ter.

Nightlife Spot: Godor Klub

Godor Klub is an excellent location giving space to concerts, dancing parties and exhibitions in the very heart of Budapest, on Erzsebet ter.

Check their site for program details.

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Theme: Concert
Dress Code: Just take it easy! :)
Phone: +36 20 943 5464
Address: 5th district, Erzsebet square
Directions: From Deak square where the 3 underground lines meet, just walk over into the direction of the St. Stephan Basilica (or the "TDK" advertisement on the top of the building in fornt of Erzsebet square) and you will shorty find it.
Website: http://www.godorklub.hu/
Other Contact: info@godorklub.hu

Nightlife Spot: Soho London Pub

There is also kitchen and stuff, but that's nothing special...

But the music is good, so if you want to dance you will like the place! :)

Wednesdays: ex-Fortuna party (funk-house and stuff)
Thursdays: 80's British new wave and pop
Fri-Sat: funky and latin

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Theme: Dancing
Dress Code: Take it easy. Jeans will be just fine!
Phone: +36 20 233 6489
Address: 6th district, Nagymezo utca 31.
Directions: Nagymezo utca is easy to reach from the M1 underground stations Opera or Oktogon. From there you can reach Nagymezo utca on Andrassy Avenue and then just walk in the street and you will find it shortly on the right hand side (some 200-300 m).
Website: http://www.soholondon.hu/
Other Contact: info@soholondon.hu

Nightlife Spot: A38 ship

The A38 ship is the reincarnation of an old ukranian stone-carrier ship (The Artemovszk 38). It was rebuilt to become a cultural and concert center for the people who wants something else/more than the average parties.

It was opened in April 2003, and since then it became a very important place for demanding party-goers. The ship has a big concert hall (in the container part of the ship), an open-air bar with place to sit down and a restaurant (this one is a bit expensive, but the rest is OK) on the deck and another bar with place to dance on the terrace and some more smaller spaces as well.

The ship is regularly hosting jazz, world, electronic, contemporary and rock music bands and events. They have also other cultural events, readings, film festivals, etc.

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Theme: Concert
Dress Code: Nothing special, jeans will be enough for most of the events.
Phone: +36 1 464-3940
Address: Bank of the Danube near Petofi Bridge, Buda side
Directions: If you are at the Buda bridgehead of Petofi Bridge, you will see it, it's towards the south.
You can get there with the tram No. 4 and 6, ba walking through the Petofi Bridge or just simply with a bike :)
Website: www.a38.hu
Other Contact: info@a38.hu

Planning to go out in the summertime, but don't want to use/have no possibility to use a nightbus? Want to visit more places during the night without spending a fortune for cabs or walking off your legs? Take your bike to party! :)

Most of the places have sort of "bike access" and also place to store your bike.

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Theme: Dancing
Directions: All over the city! 7th district open air bars, party places along the Danube-side, etc.

Nightlife Spot: Old Man's Pub

Old Man's is one of the very few places which offer live concerts and dancing every day including Monday!

Concerts (rock, blues, jazz, latin, etc.) from 9pm until 11pm and then party (funky, latin, etc.) until the sun comes up! :)

Be sure to make a reservation if you want to eat during the concerts (and if you make a reservation for that time, you actually have to eat anyway...:)! These are the best places to see the concert as well (non consuming guest will be able to go until the bar only, which is also great by the way...).

Every sunday Cotton Club Singers (jazz and 30's-40's songs) is on - my personal favourites.

The kitchen is open from 3pm until 4 am!
Admission is free!
What else can you ask for? :)
(Maybe a little less people and less smoke...)

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Theme: Concert
Dress Code: Just take it easy, jeans will be fine! :)
Phone: +36 1 322 7645
Address: 7th district, Akacfa u. 13
Directions: From Blaha Lujza ter (M2 underground station, tram 4 and 6, bus 7...) enter Akacfa utca (it's towards the center the first one to the right) and you will reach the place in 2 minutes.
Website: www.oldmans.hu