Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, is full of old-world charm. One of the main attractions in the city is found in District VII where you’ll find the ruin bars. Hidden within the ‘ruined’ walls of some of the pre-war buildings in the area, most of these bars are easy to see on the sidewalk, but no signs point the way to them. You have to stumble upon them or use this list to know where to go. There are three bars that every visitor to the city has to check out.
Szimpla Kert
This is the original ruin bar, and one of the biggest. The Szimpla Kert building is an old factory, and full of upcycled furniture. You can wander around different themed rooms, sip on a beverage of your choice, and check out the old Soviet-era Trabant car.
Fogasház
While some of the ruin bars tend to have loud music pumping out of their speakers, Fogasház is a little bit quieter. It’s built on two levels, with the courtyard having tables and fairy lights for a more romantic atmosphere. The bar’s name means “House of Teeth” on account of the old dental office sign that hangs in the bar.
Doboz
No tour of the ruin bars would be complete without a stop at Doboz. This is more of a nightclub than a ruin bar. The blue room and the red room each have their own DJ. You can hang out in the courtyard and try some craft brews and cocktails if you don’t feel like dancing.
