Few European cities do nights out like Budapest. According to a recent poll, Budapest boasts the fourth-best nightlife on the planet, based on the number of late-night events and nightclubs, the search volume for parties, the availability of public transport and the quality of its bars and restaurants.
Budapest’s unique contribution to nightlife is its cool and quirky ruin bars, formerly abandoned buildings that have been converted into bars, nightclubs, and event spaces. But the Hungarian capital excels in high-energy nightclubs too, as well as unique experiences like thermal bath parties.
This guide will take you through the best spots to experience the best of Budapest nightlife.
How is the Nightlife in Budapest?
Budapest’s nightlife generally plays out around its central neighbourhoods or districts. The capital is vast, so people tend to plan their nights out around certain areas.
Budapest’s nightlife begins around 11 pm, with clubs closing around 4-5 am. Students can find many clubs offering free entry and reasonably priced drinks.
Best Districts for Nightlife in Budapest
District 7 (Erzsébetváros or the “Jewish District”) boasts the best nightlife in Budapest, with plenty of ruin bars and late-night clubs that are open until the early hours. In particular, Király Street — Király utca as it’s known — is packed with dozens of quality cafes, pubs, nightclubs and bars.
Wesselényi Street is another of the district’s main drags, as is Akácfa Street and Kazinczy Street, the starting point for our Budapest Food Tour.
In Downtown Budapest, Deák Ferenc Square is where plenty of people start their nights out, as it sits at the intersection of three of the city’s four metro lines. Also check out Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street, which runs south of the square, and Rákóczi Street (between districts 7 and 8).
Oh, and Deák Ferenc Square is also where we start our Tipsy Tour of Budapest 😉
Best Clubs in Budapest
Instant-Fogas Complex
Address: Akácfa utca 51, 1073 Budapest
Open: Daily until 6 am
Website: instant-fogas.com
Instant-Fogas complex might sound like a chronic psychological disorder caused by smoking too much skunk, but it is actually the most popular nightclub in Budapest. And by quite some distance. This massive venue combines seven dance floors spanning 12,000 metres and 18 bars under one roof, catering to diverse musical tastes from techno to Latin beats.
The Instant room is among the coolest ruin bars in the capital, with a banging dance floor and a billiard room for some competitive fun. The Fogas room bangs out electronic tunes in an old-school garden setting. Underwelt (I think that means “underworld in German”, perhaps also in Hungarian, but I am not doing any homework to find out) showcases international RnB DJs spinning discs against a cool video setup while Frame bangs out broken beats and Latin classics that drive the señoritas loco.
Rock’n’roll lovers will love the oddly named Robot room (surely this would be better suited to EDM?) and people wanting to lounge around, relax, or come down off a massive MDMA high can chill out in the Liebling room. Which I seem to remember is German for “darling”.
Entrance to the Instant-Fogas Complex is free!
Club Heaven
Address: Near Danube River (specific address varies)
Open: Thursday to Saturday, 11 pm – 6 am
Website: clubheavenbudapest.com
Baby you’re all that I want, when you’re lying here in my arms; I’m finding it hard to believe; we’re in—Club Heaven, a lively disco down by the Danube River. Known for its high-octane parties and diverse crowd, Club Heaven guarantees a cracking night out. Much better than the biblical version of heaven, anyway, which surely by this stage must be running short on chairs.
Buy your event tickets here
Akvarium Klub
Address: Erzsébet tér 12, 1051 Budapest
Open: Daily, 3 pm – 2/4 am (weekdays) 6 am (weekends)
Website: akvariumklub.hu/en/
Centrally located beneath a large glass structure at Deák tér, Akvárium is a great venue for concerts and vibrant club nights. It houses a phenomenal sound system and cutting-edge lighting system, making for audio-visual shows that will blow your mind without blowing your eardrums, and its excellent location make it a great choice for a night out in Budapest.
Its main hall, small hall, and lokál make for excellent indoor venue spaces, as does the terrace, one of the best meeting spaces in Budapest during summer.
Click here to see all upcoming events
Morrison’s 2
Address: Budapest (specific address varies)
Open: Daily (except Sundays), 11 pm – 5 am
Website: morrisons2.hu/en/
Not only does Morrison’s share the name of a British budget supermarket, but it also shares its prices. Morrison’s 2 is wildly popular among Erasmus students due to its affordable drink specials on “Morrison’s Monday,” where all beers are so cheap they’re basically giving them away. If you buy so much affordable beer that you don’t know what to do with it, you can always pour it into some plastic cups and challenge complete strangers to beer pong, courtesy of its beer pong tables.
The music’s pretty good too, with each of its rooms showcasing different genres.
Ötkert
Address: Zrínyi utca 4, 1051 Budapest
Open: Thursday – Sunday, 11 pm – 5 am
Website: otkert.hu/en/
Situated not far from the River Danube, this fun, late nightclub is famous for its lively parties. Club nights range from dance and hip-hop to 90s and themed nights, and while Ötkert tends to attract mostly younger crowds, it’s still a must for its guaranteed high-energy atmosphere.
Click here for the events calendar
Doboz
Address: Budapest, Király utca 13, 1075
Open: Friday and Saturday 6 pm – 6 am
Website: doboz.co.hu/en/home/
Located smack bang in the centre of Budapest, Doboz is endowed with a unique ruin-bar design that sprawls into an outdoor garden area that hosts parties and cultural events. Doboz is especially popular among reggaeton fans, but its numerous rooms, two dance floors, and three bars pack plenty of genres and experiences into one venue.
Make sure to check out the outdoor patio that holds a gigantic King Kong statue and a 320-year-old tree, best admired while enjoying a refreshing beer or seven.
Here’s the full calendar of events
AlterEgo
Address: Budapest, Dessewffy u. 33, 1066
Open: Friday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 am
Website: alteregoclub.hu/en/
Spread across two dance floors and four bars, this famous and long-standing gay bar specialises in electronic music and hosts drag shows every Friday night. With new drink specials every night, different music genres every week, and a super chilled and inclusive environment AlterEgo is always a great night out.
A38
Address: Petőfi Bridge, Buda side, 1117, Budapest
Open: Monday – Saturday 10 am – 10 pm
Website: a38.hu/
The A38 is simultaneously a minor UK motorway that runs from Cornwall to Nottinghamshire and a legendary party boat in Budapest that hosts international DJs and artists. Playing genres from techno to pop, A38 offers a thrilling night out on the Danube and is fast becoming one of the main performance spaces for international acts.
Browse their website for a full list of upcoming events
Unique Nightlife Experiences in Budapest
Budapest Tipsy Tour
Address: Starts in front of the Budapest Eye ticket office
Runs: Daily, at 8 pm
Website: Tipsy Tours
Looking to meet like-minded travellers on a bar crawl like no other? By joining a Tipsy Tour you’ll try plenty of tasty local drinks and shots, visit two ruin pubs and gain fast-track entry into four popular bars, all while exploring Budapest’s wild nightlife with a fun local guide and cool international travellers — like you 😎 Forget the bog-standard bar crawls in Budapest and live your best life on a drinking tour like no other.
Sparty at Széchenyi Baths
Address: Állatkerti körút 9-11, 1146, Budapest
Open: Check the website for dates and times
Website: spartybooking.com/
DJ sets, laser lights and captivating acrobatic performances held within Budapest’s thermal baths? What could possibly go wrong? No, but seriously this is a really fun night out that gets you inside the famous Széchenyi Thermal Baths after dark.
Just don’t get so drunk that you drown.
Getting the Most from Budapest Nightlife
Don’t worry about starting late
Since most nightclubs only open around 11 pm and stay open until 4 – 6 am, you’ll want to pace yourself. Start by getting some dinner — or joining a delicious Budapest Food Tour 👀 — and then head out to one of Budapest’s ruin bars. The Jewish Quarter, home to many ruin bars, is the beating heart of the nightlife scene, but Budapest’s bars and nightclubs are spread across the city.
Plan where to go
Many clubs offer free entry or budget-friendly drink deals which are perfect for students or travellers on a budget. There are plenty of ways of finding out where to go. Apart from searching on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, most locals use Cooltix to discover upcoming events or Bands in Town to find pop and rock concerts and shows in Budapest.
Most of all — enjoy!
Budapest’s nightlife is already world-class, and it’s only getting better. Whether you’re looking to experience iconic ruin pubs or dance until dawn in clubs like Instant Fogas or Doboz, you’re guaranteed to have a great night out in Budapest. Make sure to check out our Budapest Tours and Experiences and experience living Budapest like a local.
Book your Budapest Tipsy Tour below! ⬇️
