Ruin bars are Budapest’s best-known contribution to nightlife: bars set up in old, half-derelict apartment buildings and courtyards in the Jewish Quarter, filled with mismatched furniture, odd art and plants. The first, Szimpla Kert, opened in 2002. Today a handful of them run all year and most are free to enter. Here are the ones worth your time, and how to do them with a group – whether it is a Budapest stag do or a weekend with friends.
Ruin bars at a glance
2002
Szimpla Kert, the first ruin bar, opened
VII
almost all are in District VII
Free
entry at most ruin bars
06:00
Instant-Fogas closes – every night
18
the legal drinking age
The best ruin bars in Budapest
🧱 Szimpla Kert
Kazinczy utca 14. The original and still the most atmospheric – a maze of rooms around a courtyard, with an old Trabant car you can sit in. Busy and touristy, but you have to see it once. On Sunday mornings it hosts a farmers’ market.
💃 Instant-Fogas
Akácfa utca 49–51. The biggest ruin bar: a whole building with 18 bars and several dance floors, open until 6 every night. The best one for a group that wants to dance.
🍽️ Mazel Tov
Akácfa utca 47. A cleaner, more elegant ruin bar with a glass-roofed courtyard and Middle Eastern food. The best place to eat before the bars.
🕯️ Csendes
A quirky café-bar near the city centre, full of vintage furniture. Quieter – good for a first drink.
🥣 Kőleves Kert
A garden bar on Kazinczy utca with hammocks and cheap drinks – at its best in the warmer months.
🎶 Doboz
A ruin bar and club in District VII, busy late at weekends.
🍺 Élesztőház
A craft beer ruin bar in District IX with many Hungarian beers on tap – the pick for beer fans.
🌳 Kobuci Kert
A summer garden in Óbuda with live music – a short taxi ride from the centre.
Which ruin bar for what
First time
Szimpla Kert
If you only see one ruin bar, make it this one.
Dancing
Instant-Fogas
Several dance floors under one roof until 6.
Dinner
Mazel Tov
Proper food in a ruin bar setting.
Craft beer
Élesztőház
The widest choice of Hungarian beer.
A ruin bar route for a group
All the main bars in District VII are a few minutes’ walk apart. A good order for a Friday or Saturday:
20:30
Mazel Tov
Dinner and a first drink in the courtyard.
22:00
Szimpla Kert
Arrive before it gets packed and explore the rooms.
23:30
Kőleves or Doboz
A smaller bar in between to keep the group together.
01:00
Instant-Fogas
Dance until the doors close.
Tips for groups
⏰ Go early
Szimpla Kert gets very full after 23:00 at weekends – arrive by 22:00 with a big group.
👥 Split into smaller groups
The bars are made of small rooms. Agree a meeting point and a time to move on.
💳 Card is fine
Most ruin bars take cards, but keep some forints for the cloakroom and small bars.
🔇 Keep it down outside
People live in these streets. Noise outside bars annoys the locals and can bring fines.
📍 Use a current list
Some older guides still list Ellátó Kert, which closed in 2019.
Prefer a guided crawl?
Our Budapest pub crawl takes your group through several ruin bars with a guide and ends in a club, so nobody has to decide where to go next. For clubs, rooftops and boat parties, see our Budapest nightlife guide.
FAQ
What is a ruin bar?
A bar in an old, half-derelict building or courtyard, decorated with mismatched furniture and found objects. Most are in District VII, the Jewish Quarter.
What is the best ruin bar in Budapest?
Szimpla Kert is the original and the most famous. For dancing, Instant-Fogas; for food, Mazel Tov.
Do ruin bars charge entry?
Most are free to enter. Instant-Fogas sometimes charges for special events.
What time do ruin bars open and close?
Most open in the afternoon or early evening and close in the early morning. Instant-Fogas is open until 6 every night.
Are ruin bars open in winter?
Yes. Szimpla Kert, Instant-Fogas, Mazel Tov and the other indoor ones are open all year. Garden bars like Kobuci Kert are summer venues.
Is there a dress code?
No – ruin bars are casual.
Are ruin bars good for stag groups?
Yes, but big groups should split up and arrive early. A guided pub crawl is the easiest way to do several in one night.
