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Örökmozgó Film Museum
Part of the Hungarian Film Institute, this cinema (whose mouthful of a name vaguely translates as 'moving picture') shows an excellent assortment of foreign classic films in their original languages.
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Oscar American Bar
The decor is cinema-inspired - film memorabilia on the wood-panelled walls, leather directors' chairs on the floor - and the beautiful crowd often act like they're on camera. Not to worry - the powerful cocktails (some 150, in fact) go down a treat. Music most nights.
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Palace of Arts
The main concert halls in this palatial arts centre by the Danube, just opposite the National Theatre, are the 1700-seat National Concert Hall and the smaller Festival Theatre, accommodating up to 450 people. Both are purported to have the best acoustics in Budapest.
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Pesti Vigadó
This Romantic-style hall, built in 1865 and facing the Danube to the west of Vörösmarty tér, is a popular venue for concerts, dance performances and other cultural events. It was badly damaged during WWII and, though the original style of the exterior was retained, the interior is all new and has been recently renovated.
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Petőfi Csarnok
The city's main youth centre, the PC is in City Park and the place for smaller rock concerts (Jamiroquai, Yngwie Malmsteen etc).
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Piaf
Piaf is the place to go when everything else slows down. There's dancing and action well into the new day. Most of the action - and characters - are in the smoky cavern below.
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Picasso Point
A stalwart of the Budapest entertainment scene, this is a laid-back place for a drink and good for meeting people. Great décor.
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Poco Loco
At the corner of Harcsa utca and Frankel Leó út on the way to Óbuda, this one-time seamy place has cleaned up its act; however, it remains interesting. There's live music some nights.
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Pótkulcs
The 'Spare Key' is a wonderful little venue, with a varied menu of live music from most nights and táncház (folk music & dance workshop ) at every Tuesday. The little central courtyard is a wonderful place to chill out in summer.
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Sark Café
This popular alternative music pub and club on three floors has a big cellar with a dance floor where bands occasionally perform.
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Satchmo
As its subtitle 'Amerikai Kreol Jazztaurant ' would suggest, this club-restaurant with big windows just round the corner from Szabadság tér serves up 'American' Creole cuisine (lots of spices, shellfish and 'blackened' things) and live jazz music courtesy of Mr Louis Armstrong from Thursday to Saturday nights.
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Süss Fel Nap
Attracting a student crowd, this cellar club hosts lots of student bands and visiting talent. It's a lot of fun and less expensive than many of the other clubs. It's one of the few places in town offering a two-for-one happy hour ( to ).
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Symphony Ticket Office
Symphony Ticket Office sells tickets to the philharmonic and other classical-music concerts.
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Szimpla
This is a distressed-looking, very unflashy three-floor venue, and it's just a hop, skip and a tumble from the stilettos south of Liszt Ferenc tér. There's live music three nights a week.
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Szimpla Kert
One of the capital's first 'gardens', Szimpla is just that - a simple, low-key affair that keeps itself to itself.
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Szindbád
This place, named after the seminal 1971 film by director Zoltán Huszárik, shows good Hungarian and foreign films with subtitles.
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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.
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Teaház A Vörös Oroszlánhoz
This serene place with quite a mouthful of a name (it just means 'Teahouse at the Sign of the Red Lion') just north of Liszt Ferenc tér is quite serious about its teas. There's also a Ráday utca branch at IX Ráday utca 9.
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Trafó Bár Tangó
In the basement of the Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, what's also called Tütü Tangó is one place that attracts arty (ie less booze, more smoke) types and their hangers-on.
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Trafó House of Contemporary Arts
This is the best stage in Budapest to see modern dance, including a good pull of international acts.
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Tűzraktár
The 'Fire Warehouse', an abandoned factory building, and its big courtyard plays host to all sorts of cultural and party events.
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Upside Down
Below a coffee shop of the same name on the southern side of Podmaniczky tér, this is one of the hottest new gay clubs in town.
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Uránia National Cinema
This Art Deco/neo-Moorish extravaganza is another tarted-up film palace. It features an excellent café on the 1st floor, which is an attraction in itself.
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West Balkan Club Bar
This place without a sign has something for everyone - from live music and/or DJ to bars in the garden and films on the big screen. Bit alternative.
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Wigwam Rock & Blues Club
This place with the wacky name is one of the best of its kind in Hungary, and hosts some big-name Hungarian rock and blues bands on Friday and Saturday nights.
