BudapestEntertainment

Club entertainment in Budapest

  1. A

    Dokk Club

    One of the perennials in Budapest’s ever-changing club scene, Dokk is a cavernous club in a converted warehouse on an island in the Danube. It attracts a well-heeled crowd and employees from the nearby porn-movie studio; it’s at its hottest, grinding-est best on a Friday night. Take a taxi, or it’s an easy walk over Árpád Bridge from the HÉV or bus stop.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Morrison’s 2

    Far and away Budapest’s biggest party venue, this cavernous cellar club attracts a younger crowd with its four dance floors, half-dozen bars (including one in a covered courtyard) and enormous games room upstairs. Live bands from 9pm to 11pm in the week. No 2’s daddy is the much smaller and more sedate Morrison’s Opera.

    reviewed

  3. C

    Cinetrip

    By no means should you miss this regular event at the Rudas Baths, if one is taking place during your visit. It combines partying and dancing with music, film and bathing and is just short of being an all-out orgy. Woohoo! It is usually held monthly from 9pm on Saturday; schedules are available at the box office of the Merlin Theatre.

    reviewed

  4. D

    Piaf

    Piaf is the place to go when everything else slows down. There’s dancing and action well into the new day. There’s a piano and some louche lounge lizards on the ground floor but most of the fun and the characters – including some professionals – are in the smoky cavern with a dance floor below.

    reviewed

  5. E

    Bank Dance Hall

    In the southern wing of Nyugati train station next to McDonald's, this enormous disco has rhythm and blues on the 1st floor, house and trance on the 2nd, dance on the 3rd and funk-house (a Hungarian thing) on the 4th. Lots of young suburban types reeking of cologne and on the prowl.

    reviewed

  6. F

    Merlin

    This venue is one of those something-for-everyone kind of places, with everything from jazz and breakbeat to techno and house. It hosts the biggest names on the international DJ scene passing through Budapest and is most visitors’ first port of call.

    reviewed

  7. G

    Cökxpôn

    A club, a live-music venue, a cafe, a theatre, a cultural space almost on Boráros tér in Pest – welcome to the world of esoterica. Making Ambient a philosophy, Cökxpôn (nope, no idea) offers one of the best underground nights out in Budapest.

    reviewed

  8. H

    Klub B7

    The biggest club in central Budapest, B7 plays house and R&B classics at full throttle to a crowd that’s obviously spent some time deciding what they’re wearing tonight. You might try chatting up but forget conversation.

    reviewed

  9. I

    Trafó Bár Tangó

    One of the hottest cool venues in town, this club in the basement of the Trafó House of Contemporary Arts attracts arty (ie less booze, more smoke) types and their cohorts and features some of the best DJs in town.

    reviewed

  10. J

    Közgáz Klub

    With few frills and cheap covers, this never-cool club at the Economics University is the pick-up venue of choice for many a student and there’s plenty of dance room. Don’t hang about if (when) the karaoke kicks in, though.

    reviewed

  11. Advertisement

  12. K

    Corvintető

    This ‘underground garden above the city’ is on the rooftop of the former Corvin department store and has excellent concerts. Enter from a Somogyi Béla utca and take the goods lift to the top floor.

    reviewed

  13. L

    Kaméleon

    This throbbing club in the newer wing of Buda's massive Mammut shopping mall is a true 'chameleon', with a different party in swing every night of the week - from La Noche Cubana on Friday to live bands on Monday.

    reviewed

  14. M

    Soho London

    With its art deco neon light outside luring in the punters, Soho is a lively pub for much of the week but goes ballistic from Thursday night, with ‘funky’ (a Hungarian thing), Latino and ’80s pop parties.

    reviewed

  15. N

    Tűzraktér

    Once housed in an abandoned factory building and now in an equally ‘distressed’ location just off Király utca, this independent community turns werewolf by night with DJs, concerts and parties.

    reviewed

  16. O

    Szóda Udvar

    This rather well-heeled venue - a former bank headquarters - pulls in a rather subdued crowd that lets loose on the basement dance floor in the wee hours.

    reviewed

  17. P

    Cha Cha Cha Terasz

    In the stadium at the southern tip of Margaret Island, Cha Cha Cha Terasz is an attitude-free venue, with eclectic party music and dance space.

    reviewed

  18. Q

    Dürer Kert

    Very relaxed open space on the southwestern edge of City Park; boasts some of the best DJs on the ‘garden’ circuit.

    reviewed

  19. R

    Sark Café

    This popular alternative music pub and club on three floors has a big cellar with a dance floor where bands occasionally perform.

    reviewed

  20. S

    Holdudvar

    A popular ‘garden club’ on Margaret Island, with a relaxed atmosphere but fairly predictable music.

    reviewed