Budapest Ruin Bars: The Best Pub Crawl Tours and How to Do It Yourself

I walked into Szimpla Kert on a Tuesday afternoon in October, mostly because I had two hours to kill before a thermal bath reservation. The place was half-empty, which made it even better — I could actually see the bathtub hanging from the ceiling, the old Trabant car repurposed as a table, the walls covered in so many layers of art and stickers and random objects that they looked like some kind of archaeological dig site for pop culture.

That was the moment I understood what makes Budapest’s ruin bars different from every other nightlife district I have visited. This is not about trendy cocktails in minimalist spaces. It is about taking something broken — literally, these were abandoned buildings in the Jewish Quarter — and turning it into something that feels alive in a way that a sleek rooftop bar never could.

If you are heading to Budapest and want to experience the ruin bar scene properly, here is everything I know about doing it — from guided pub crawls that handle the logistics to going solo and finding your own way through District VII.

What Are Budapest’s Ruin Bars, Exactly?

Back in the early 2000s, Budapest’s Jewish Quarter (District VII) was full of abandoned buildings. The area had been neglected for decades, and property developers had not moved in yet. A group of young Hungarians had the idea to turn these crumbling spaces into temporary bars — just throw in some mismatched furniture, string up some lights, maybe drag in an old car or a bathtub, and serve cheap drinks.

Szimpla Kert opened in 2004 and became the template. The name literally means “Simple Garden” in Hungarian, which is funny because there is nothing simple about the place now. It sprawls across multiple floors, has a cinema room, a hookah lounge, and hosts a farmers market on Sunday mornings. What started as a summer pop-up has become one of the most visited bars in Europe.

The ruin bar concept spread fast. Within a few years, dozens of them had opened across District VII. Some have come and gone, but the best ones — Szimpla Kert, Instant-Fogas (a mega-club that merged two bars into one massive complex), Ellato Kert, Mazel Tov, and Anker’t — have become permanent fixtures of Budapest nightlife.

What makes them unique is not just the aesthetic (though the aesthetic is wild). It is the fact that they function as genuine community spaces. During the day, you will find people working on laptops at Szimpla. In the evening, it transitions into a bar. Late at night, it becomes a full-on party. Some host live jazz, some have DJs, some just have a guy in the corner playing guitar badly and everyone loves it.

Guided Pub Crawls vs. Going Solo

Here is the honest truth: you do not need a guided pub crawl to experience ruin bars. You can walk into Szimpla Kert by yourself, order a beer, and have a great time. District VII is compact and walkable — you can hit four or five bars in an evening just by wandering.

But there are genuine reasons a guided crawl makes sense, especially if you are visiting Budapest for the first time or traveling solo:

• Skip-the-line access — On weekend nights, Szimpla Kert has a line that can stretch down the block. Guided tours usually get priority entry.
• You meet people — Solo travelers especially benefit from this. Pub crawls attract a young, social crowd and the drinking games break the ice fast.
• Somebody else figures out logistics — Honestly, the $16 pub crawl is worth it just so you do not have to stand on a street corner at 11pm trying to decide where to go next.
• Included shots — Both tours below include shots at each stop, which adds up to real value when individual shots cost 800-1200 HUF each.

If you are a confident solo traveler who does not mind navigating a new city at night, going DIY is perfectly fine. But if you want a guaranteed social night with the logistics handled, the guided crawls are legitimately good value.

The Best Budapest Ruin Bar & Pub Crawl Tours

The Best Ruin Bars to Visit (DIY Guide)

If you want to explore on your own, here are the ruin bars that are actually worth your time. I have left off the tourist traps that charge Budapest prices for Vienna-quality cocktails.

Szimpla Kert — The One That Started Everything

You have to go at least once, even though it is touristy now. The trick is timing: visit on a weekday evening around 6-8pm and it is manageable. Go on a Saturday at midnight and you will spend most of your time trying not to spill your drink on strangers. The Sunday morning farmers market (9am-2pm) is genuinely great for local produce, honey, and handmade crafts — completely different vibe from the nighttime scene.

Pro tip: head upstairs. Most travelers cluster on the ground floor. The upper levels have quieter nooks, better photo opportunities, and you can actually sit down. The garden courtyard in the back is also usually less crowded than the main entrance area.

Instant-Fogas — The Mega Complex

This is what happens when two ruin bars merge into one enormous nightlife complex. Multiple rooms, multiple floors, multiple DJs on weekends. It is the one locals actually go to when they want to dance. The cocktails here are a step above typical ruin bar quality — try whatever the bartender recommends because they take it more seriously than you would expect.

Ellato Kert — The Chill One

Open summer only, Ellato Kert is a garden bar that feels less hectic than Szimpla. Good for earlier in the evening when you want to sit outside, have a beer, and not shout over music. It gets busier later but never reaches Szimpla levels of chaos.

Mazel Tov — Ruin Bar Meets Restaurant

Technically a restaurant-bar hybrid, Mazel Tov serves excellent Middle Eastern food in a beautiful open-air courtyard. Come for dinner, stay for drinks. The hummus is legitimately some of the best I have had outside the Middle East, which is not something you expect to say about a ruin bar in Budapest.

Anker’t — The Local Favorite

Less Instagram-famous than Szimpla but more authentic at this point. Anker’t attracts a good mix of locals and travelers, has decent food trucks in the courtyard, and the music is not quite as ear-splitting. Good starting point for an evening before moving to Szimpla or Instant-Fogas later.

When to Go and What to Know

Budapest’s ruin bar scene runs year-round, but the experience varies dramatically by season and day of the week.

Best months: May through September, when the outdoor courtyards are open. July and August are peak tourist season but also when the bars are at their most vibrant. October still works — I was there in mid-October and it was great, just chillier in the outdoor areas.

Best nights: Thursday through Saturday for the full party experience. Wednesday is underrated — decent crowds without the weekend crush. Avoid Monday and Tuesday unless you specifically want a quiet ruin bar experience (which, honestly, is not a bad thing).

Timing your evening: Ruin bars typically open around 3-4pm but the party does not start until 10pm at the earliest. If you want to see the bars and actually appreciate the decor, go between 5-8pm. If you want the nightlife experience, arrive after 10pm.

Prices: Beer runs 600-1000 HUF (roughly $1.70-$2.80). Cocktails are 1500-3000 HUF ($4.20-$8.50). Wine by the glass is 600-1200 HUF. Entry is free at most ruin bars, though Szimpla sometimes charges a small cover on peak weekend nights.

Getting there: Take tram 47 or 49 to Astoria, then walk into District VII. The M2 metro line also stops at Astoria. From there, Szimpla Kert is a 5-minute walk. All the main ruin bars are within a 10-minute radius of each other. Uber works well in Budapest too if you prefer to arrive directly.

Safety: District VII is generally safe at night, but use common sense. Keep your phone in your front pocket in crowded bars, watch your drinks, and have a plan to get back to your hotel. Budapest taxi drivers can be notorious — use Bolt or Uber instead of hailing one off the street.

Tips From Someone Who Has Actually Been

• Eat before you drink. Hungarian food is heavy in the best way. Get a bowl of goulash or a plate of chicken paprikash before heading out. Your midnight self will thank your early-evening self.
• Bring cash. Most bars accept cards now, but the smaller ones sometimes have card minimums or broken machines. Keep 5000-10000 HUF on you just in case.
• The Sunday farmers market at Szimpla is worth waking up for. Local honey, palinka tastings, handmade pasta — it is a completely different experience from the nighttime version.
• Do not skip the Jewish Quarter during the day. The Dohany Street Synagogue is stunning and the whole neighborhood has incredible architecture. Context makes the ruin bar experience better.
• Sit near the back at Szimpla if you want to talk. The front rooms and ground floor courtyard are loud. The back corners and upstairs rooms are where actual conversations happen.
• Try palinka. Hungarian fruit brandy. It is strong, it is everywhere, and it is an experience. The apricot version (barack palinka) is the most approachable if you are new to it.

More Budapest Guides

Ruin bars are just one piece of Budapest. If you are planning a full trip, I have put together guides for the other major experiences in the city too.

The Budapest thermal baths guide covers Szechenyi, Gellert, and Rudas — including which one is actually worth your time depending on what you want (spoiler: Szechenyi for the experience, Rudas for something more local). Perfect for the morning after a ruin bar night, honestly.

For daytime exploring, the Budapest food tours and cooking classes guide is worth a look. Hungarian food does not get enough international credit, and a guided food tour through the Central Market Hall or the Jewish Quarter pairs well with a ruin bar evening in the same neighborhood.

If you want to get on the water, the Danube sightseeing cruise guide covers the daytime options, while the dinner and drinks cruise guide is ideal for a more romantic evening on the river. Both give you a completely different perspective of the city.

Wine lovers should check out the Budapest wine tasting guide — Hungarian wine regions, especially Etyek just outside the city, are seriously underrated. And for culture, the St. Stephen’s Basilica guide has everything on tickets, the terrace viewpoint, and visiting tips.

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