Best of Budapest

Food is a matter of taste and so are the restaurants, bars, clubs and much more. I visited a lot of places in Budapest for dining, drinking and party so I have reviewed a lot of locations but somehow there has to be a list of my favourite place in Budapest so here we go. This is an absolute subjective ranking of restaurants, bars and clubs in the city but I assure that none of these places paid me to be on that list so it is my opinion.

My Top 5 Restaurants in Budapest:

1. Restaurant Goa
Just the masterpiece of a restaurant in any city the Goa would be in the top range of the list. A mix of Asian, Idian, Italian but also Hungarian food with amazing taste and a lot of different dishes. My all time favorite restaurant in Budapest which you should have a dinner at. Try the home made lemonade, it’s just amazing. If you want alcohol in it ask for a shot of Vodka.

2. Restaurant Chez Daniel
Calm, romatic and very good French food. Thats how I would describe Chez Daniel in one sentence. You get a bit of a French feeling in there with a lot of French specialities either drinks or food. The service is very nice and friendly. For those of you who speak neither Hungarian nor French there will be no menu but the waiter speaks English. For a romantic dinner Chez Daniel is the number one.

3. Restaurant Trattoria Toscana
Italian food at it’s best and for sure the best Italian restaurant in Budapest I have been to. You will get any food the Italian way in here, no matter if pasta, pizza, fish or meat and all of what I have ever tasted was fantastic. The location is brilliant, next to the Danube, and you get good wine.

4. Restaurant Náncsi Néni
For sure the best Hungarian restaurant in Budapest and that is not only my opinion but also of many others. Restaurant Náncsi Néni received a Michelin star because the food is really excellent. Unfortunately a bit outside the city and above average price but for that quality of food it is fine.

5. Restaurant Hemingway
If you go to Hemingway you should leave your car at home because they serve excellent cocktails. Also the food is very good here and I like the location, next to a little lake, very much. Also the staff is very friendly, English speaking and just want your best. The food is mainly Hungarian style but you can also find international dishes.

My Top 5 Clubs in Budapest:

1. Holdudvar
When I first went to Holdudvar it was located in the backyard of a university. Nowadays Holdudvar is on Margit Island which makes it not less attractive. The flair of the old Holdudvar is missing a bit but the new is fantastic as well. Holdudvar is an open air club so it is just open in summer.

2. Szimpla Kert
Szimpla Kert in Budapest is half open air, half inside. Actually it is not a club to dance rather a bar or pub but its flair is unique. In between the old walls of an unused house in the middle of Pest you can hardly find this place. Once you are in there you don’t want to leave anymore.

3. West Balkan
Just like Szimpla Kert West Balkan is half open air and half inside with the little difference that West Balkan has a place to dance. There have been and will be some great parties in West Balkan and it is always worth a visit.

4. Bed
A bit of a snobbish place is Bed in Budapest. The prices are above average and the audience sometimes a bit strange but the parties there are quiet good and you have enough chance to dance. If you are looking for some nice Budapest girl this is the place to go.

5. Romkert
Romkert is one of the open air clubs where you don´t want to leave even if daylight is coming up. Good music, awesome location and fair priced drinks make Romkert a perfect club to have a party. As usually in Budapest the girls there are fantastic as well so any friday or saturday night in Romkert is a big bang.

My Top 5 Bars in Budapest

1. Bar Instant
Bar Instant is a fairly new place which opened up not long ago. It is much like Szimpla Kert but less known thus less foreigners coming with their Travel Books in hand to have a beer and see the place. Bar Instant also offers a cellar which is used as a club for dancing with, for my taste, not too good music. Nevertheless Bar Instant is the best place to go these days.

2. Holdudvar
Holdudvar is not just a bar, so it could belong to restaurants or clubs as well but I don´t go there because of the food which is quite average. The reason I love Holdudvar it is on Margit Island and let´s you escape from the city. You won´t hear a car passing, a road construction going on or anything which can disturbe a nice evening with a few glasses of beer out in the sun.

3. Bar Karma
A bit of a relaxed place with the possibility to eat is Bar Karma on Liszt Ferenc Ter near Oktogon in Budapest. The interior of Karma is some kind of Indian, Goa style and so is the music running in the background. Bar Karma does offer great cocktails for fair prices even though compared to other bars in Budapest still a bit overpriced… well it is Liszt Ferenc Ter the place to be for many locals.

4. Szimpla Kert
Well a bit comercial nowadays and always packed to the last seat but the first time I have been in Szimpla Kert I fell in love and honestly can´t let go going there. Szimpla Kert is the embodiment of all “Kert” Pubs in Budapest. Prices are even after several years still fair, you can play Csocso (Table Football), chill in a Trabant or dance in the night.

5. Caladonia
I am German but I love this Scottish Pub for the friendliness and for the Belhavens Best they serve.  A beer with headache guarantee but it tasts great. Caladonia has a lot of traditional Scottish parties, sunday rost and of course different types of Whisky. So if you are from the island and like to have a real pint of Ale I recommend this pub.