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Nightlife
New clubs and discos are constantly sprouting up all over Budapest and there is no district especially renowned for its nightlife. The bars offer something for everybody (from sleazy sex bars to calm cafs) and there is plenty of time to experiment. Many bars are open until dawn, although most close at around 0400. Borozos are cheap wine cellars, where it is rare to see women, especially unaccompanied. Sorozos are beer houses that will also serve good and moderately priced food. Clubs charge Ft500-1000 entry and may ban people in shorts or tracksuits. The minimum drinking age is 18 years. Alcohol is inexpensive, with a beer costing Ft200-300 (far more for imported bottled beers) and sprits Ft500. Under no circumstances should one clink beer glasses – this was adopted by the Austrians, when Hungarian generals were executed after the failed Revolution of 1848-49.
Probably the best source of nightlife listings in Budapest is the free weekly publication, Open (published on Thursday). Pesti Est is also very complete and is available free from cinema foyers. Pesti Msor (website: www.pestimusor.hu) is a paid for publication and is also comprehensive. However, these are in Hungarian and English-speaking revellers may prefer to pick up a copy of Budapest Week (website: www.budapestweek.com) or Budapest Sun (website: www.budapestsun.com). Where Budapest is a monthly guide in English, available free at most hotels. The bi-monthly Budapest in Your Pocket is free on Malv airplanes or can be purchased in newsagents.
Bars: The Crazy Caf, VI Jkai utca 30, stocks over 20 draught and 100 bottled beers and is popular with the young set. Caf Mediterran, VI Liszt Ferenc tr, is open until 0200 and has a friendly atmosphere and attractive terrace that is packed in summer. Night and Day, VI Andrssy t 46, draws an older crowd 24 hours a day, as its name suggests. For those yearning to hear their native language spoken, the Irish Cat, V Mzeum krt, provides relief. It is open daily until 0200 and is often packed – there is Latin music on Monday and blues on Tuesday. Beckett’s, V Bajcsy-Zsilinszky t, is one of the few bars that accepts major credit cards. This huge Irish pub with excellent food draws the Anglophone business community, as most Hungarians are out priced. Portside, VII Dohny utca 7, is popular with a young crowd, at the weekend, with an excellent menu, pool tables and dancing, while Negro, II Szent Istvar ter, is the place for cocktails.
Casinos: Budapest has over a dozen casinos, mostly located in the luxury hotels along the Dunakorz. Anything but formal dress precludes entry, except at the Las Vegas Casino, Hyatt Regency Hotel, V Roosevelt tr 2 (website: www.lasvegascasino.hu). Other casinos include Casino Budapest Hilton, I Hess Andrs tr 1-3, Casino Budapest Gresham, Gresham Palace, V Roosevelt tr 5, and the grand Vrkert Casino, 1 Ybl Mikls tr 9 (website: www.varkert.com), designed by Mikls Ybl (architect of the State Opera House). In all casinos, photo ID must be presented for registration on the first visit and the minimum age is 18. Credit cards are now generally accepted.
Clubs: Most clubs are open until at least 0300 (many until 0600). The admission fee varies from about Ft300 to over Ft1000. Most do not accept credit cards and English is not spoken in some clubs. Budapest bouncers often belong to organised crime, so it is best to smile sweetly and pay the entrance fee. Franklin Trocadero Caf, V Szent Istvn krt 15, plays good Latin music, while retro is provided in the cellar-club Nincs Pardon, VIII Almssy tr 2. Fat Mo's, V Nyry Pl t. 11, is always busy and the dancefloor is usually filled, during and after the live jazz concerts. Piaf, VI Nagymezo utca 25 has a piano bar upstairs and a lively bar with a dancefloor in the basement. Despite its inconvenient location in Obuda, the Supersonic Technicum, III Pacsirtamez utca 41, a former factory cellar, is very much the centre of Budapest’s underground dance scene, with three dancefloors with ducts, pistons and fountains and two bars – the music ranges from Goan trance, drum ‘n’ bass, reggae to techno. Kashmir Underground, IX lloi t 151, near the Ferenc Krt metro, is a new hip club with very good food. The Old Man’s Music Pub, VII Akcfa utca 13, although crowded, is one of the city’s most fun night-time hotspots, with live music from 2100 to 2300. Angyal Bar, VII Szvetsg ut 33, is the gay club in Budapest, specialising in good old-fashioned high-NRG dance remixes of all your favourite hits from the Pet Shop Boys, Cher and Ricky Martin.
Live Music: Mexican music is played on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at Latin Kocsma, V Havas utca 2. Mellow jazz is featured at Club Seven, VII Afcfa utca 7, a classy caf, bar and music club, and at Incognito, VI Liszt Ferenc tr 3. Dance houses (tnchz) feature Magyar folk music from isolated areas such as the Transylvanian region of Romania. Gykr Restaurant, VI corner of Etvs utca and Szobl utca, is popular (especially on Friday) and also serves good food. Kalamajka DH (Belvrosi Ifjusgi Muvelodesi Haz), V Molnr utca 9, was started by Bla Habmos (the founder of the dance house movement in the 1970s) and is open Saturday 2000-0100. The Petofi Csarnok, in Vrosliget (website: www.petoficsarnok.hu), and the Almssy tri Szabadido Kzpont (Almssy Square Leisure Centre), VII Almssy tr 6, are the two favourite venues for small pop concerts and folk music. International stars perform at Npstadion, the main sport stadium, XIV Istvnmezei t 1-3.
Tickets for rock and jazz can be purchased at TEX ticket express, I Dli plyaudvar, VI Andrassy t 18 and other locations (website: www.tex.hu), and at Publika, VII Kroly krt (website: www.publika.hu). VII. Szvetsg u. 33.
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Nightlife