We are two older women (late 60s) but young in heart and will be visiting Budapest end Sept/early Oct for 6 nights. We are interesting in checking out some ruin bars.
Any suggestions on what might be good ones. We are staying in an apartment on Paulay Ede Street.
Appreciate any assistance
Mary
Okay Mary, late 60’s is not “older”. I should know. Do know that the majority of the people in the ruin bars will be children. That doesn’t stop me from going from time to time.
Start with the granddaddy of them all, Szimpla Kert https://szimpla.hu/. It really is “typical” and it really is very nice. Kazinczy utca has a number of other, all worth at least looking in the door. If you start at Andrassy ut, walk down
Then you might want to go exploring a bit. Walk east up Wesselényi utca through typical old Budapest to Doboz https://doboz.co.hu/en/home/. It tries to market itself as a bit more upscale than the others, and it is a tiny bit so.
Then head north to Instant-Fogas https://instant-fogas.com/ It’s a huge complex over several floors. Some areas quiet some areas large dance floors like you see in the movies. Always very interesting for the experience. It is near the Klauzál Market Hall and Mazel Tov Restaurant https://mazeltov.hu/ both also worth visiting.
Finally a ruin of a pub witout the tourists; Kisüzem https://www.facebook.com/Kisuzem before heading off the a slightly more mature crowd at Kadarka Wine Bar. http://kadarkawinebar.com/
Here is the list on a map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wwh2AwKKeHnazN4Z9
Check the websites and go close to opening time if you want to avoid crowds. These places get packed with European Trust Fund Brats after 9pm; but are pretty nice earlier in the day / evening.
What is a ruin bar?
Its changed a lot over the years, but in the begining towards the end of the russian occupation, enterprising individuals would buy some kegs of beer, get some second hand patio furniture and move into the courtyard of one of the many old abandoned apartment block buildings in town. The abandoned buildings were literally scattered everywhere, but the focus seems to have been in the area of the old Jewish deportation ghetto. Maybe because the owners no longer were amoung us.
Like everything else, with time and prosperity they became legitimate commercial enterprises. They generally take up what was once an abandoned old apartment block and are still somewhat rustically decorated. Besides the courtyard they flowed into the spaces around the courtyard and the floors above.
If you look at the photos in the links you will see the character of these places.
Mr. E-
Again you have come to our rescue with great information. Those ruin bars look perfect for us. I also really like that Wine Bar - do we need reservations for it or can we just pop in?
I really appreciate your assistance with info on the wine bars, ruin bard (you see a pattern with us. lol) and also about the free Senior Fare trams etc.
I have one more question but will create a different topic for it.
Can't wait to spend some time in Budapest. We are traveling all over Europe for 7 weeks. Most of the cities I've been to except for Budapest, Prague and Vienna. I've scheduled the most time in Budapest -so that we can relax and really get a feel for it.
Just pop in
I've scheduled the most time in Budapest -so that we can relax and
really get a feel for it.
You choose well.
