The ruin pubs in Budapest

The ruin pubs in Budapest: what they are and where to find them

The ruin pubs in Budapest are a must for those visiting the Hungarian capital for the first time. Informal and creative atmospheres in these ruined pubs that dominate the night scene of Pèst, the most modern part of the city, for about ten years. But what are ruin pubs? Where are the best ruined pubs in Budapest? Here is a mini guide on the ruin bars of the Hungarian capital!

The ruin pubs in Budapest: what they are and where to find them

What are the ruin pubs in Budapest

The name "ruin bar", which means bar in ruins, is absolutely evocative and refers to the fact that these places were born from disused buildings in the area of ​​the ancient Jewish quarter, which decayed following the Second World War.

The origin of these premises, which today are real institutions in Budapest, is in the occupation, sometimes at the limits of legality, of buildings mostly abandoned and ruined with the aim of creating places of meeting between people, especially during the summer season. But there is actually much more. We do not create something new, but we work on a real work of restoration, which often includes the securing of the place, through recycled materials. The first ruin bar of budapest history is the Szimpla Kert, born in 2001 from the initiative of a group of young people and that has launched a new model of "pub".

Around thirty local eclectics, "romkocsma" in Hungarian, populate the streets behind the beautiful Jewish synagogue, in a unique way.

Where to look for the ruin pubs in Budapest: the Jewish quarter in Pest

The ruined pubs of the Hungarian capital are concentrated in the Pest area, the liveliest part in which nightlife is concentrated, especially in what is the old Jewish quarter along Kazinczy utca. It can be easily reached on foot, in about twenty minutes, starting from what is the most commercial area

The area underwent a gigantic transformation process that partly obliterated the oblivion that had characterized it for decades, and the sad past linked to the deportation of the Jews (it was a real ghetto).

From the outside these ruin pubs go unnoticed, but once you enter you can not help but be amazed by being enveloped by that feeling of "take it easy". The abandoned place is creatively furnished with material recovered from flea markets or stolen from the grandma's attic, some murals and many hanging objects. And in all this there is also room for holes in the walls and writings scattered all over the place.

A map of the best ruin bars in Budapest

It all started about fifteen years ago. The Szimpla Kert was the first to open and today is the most known and popular, not only by tourists but especially by the budapestini themselves . It was opened in 2001 thanks to the genius of four youngsters and for the first three years it moved from one ruined building to another before finding its definitive location in 2004. Born with the idea of ​​converting the remains of a factory into a vaguely eclectic and unusual place, as soon as you enter you find yourself in a maze of rooms and rooms , arranged on several levels, accompanied by a large outdoor garden. An atmosphere between the modern and the nostalgic: old monitors, bicycles hanging from the ceiling, Christmas lights, an old trabant turned into a picnic table, and lamps with absurd shapes.

L ' Instant , located in Nagymezo Street, is the largest ruin pub in the city with 23 rooms and two buildings . Lots of counters, more areas for dancing with different music and relaxation areas such as courtyards and gardens. Here too a bizarre and decidedly indefinable style . His journey begins in 2008 and sees a sort of further evolution in the panorama of the ruined pubs of Budapest. In fact, the Instant redesigns and renews itself with particular attention to the underground music scene and cultural events. In 2017, however, the owner of the property decides to build a hotel and the Instant has to move its premises and its eclecticism elsewhere. Here is another story born: the instant in fact joins the Fogas Ház, another ruin pub. The result is 1200 square meters of music, fun and opportunities for socializing.

Another ruin pub worth mentioning is the Mazel Tov , different from the others for a more refined and refined style and for the choice of a cuisine that smells of the Middle East. It is something between a pub and a real restaurant, located in Akácfa Street, next to the Fogas. Here the cuisine is not entirely kosher, but there is a large supply of hummus, falafel, couscous, and there are many vegetarian and vegan dishes served. The environment has been studied ad hoc and lacks some of the revisited decadence typical of the classic ruined pubs. But we must say that the desire to socialize and the serene atmosphere are the same.

What can you do in a ruin bar?

Savor typical dishes like goulash , drink a good glass of Tokaji (we talked about it HERE ), test your courage with a Pálinka shovel or go in search of locals to question about the life of Budapest. But do not think that everything runs out here. At the Szimpla Kert, for example, every Sunday from 9 to 12 the Farmer's Market is organized, with many fresh and local products, and every second Saturday of the month takes place the bicycle market .

Then there are concerts and music festivals. And to please everyone you can also dance and pull down until the morning. Let's say that the ruin bars are really "the place to be" during a trip to Budapest.

These environments are evidently privileged spaces for socializing, and this is also why they are very dear to young people in the city of Budapest. In recent years, the Jewish quarter has undergone numerous urban interventions for the construction of residential areas destined for a social class. All this has endangered the lives of the ruin pubs that, in an elegant and bourgeois context like the one envisaged, have little to do with. So in 2004 a popular committee called " ÓVÁS!" Protested against the demolition of investors.

The ruin bars will resist , given that they represent the new identity of the district and that they are a great tourist attraction. Without a shadow of doubt, it pulls marketing air. But we like it anyway. After a cold day walking between Buda and Pest there is nothing better than hiding inside those four decrepit walls, sit at a table enjoying a plate of goulash and challenge your travel companion to drink the Pálinka. For the record I lost, Gianna won. Hungarian Pálinka is not for me.

So book a low-cost Ryanair flight to Budapest, check out this list of the best ruin bars in the capital, and decide which one you want to challenge with Pálinka.