Entertainment in Hungary
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A
Picasso Point
A stalwart of the Budapest entertainment scene, Picasso Point is a laid-back place for a drink, listening to canned blues and jazz and meeting people.
reviewed
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B
Dante Café
Occupying the ground floor of the Csontváry Museum, this is a good place to meet local students. It has a huge garden and occasionally live music.
reviewed
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Woodstock Bar
Situated at the end of a courtyard just off Ady Endre utca, this is a modern joint with outdoor seating. The crowd is often young and rather exuberant.
reviewed
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C
Café Mirador
More of a cocktail bar than a café, this is a fine place to kick back after a hard day's sightseeing with a beer or cocktail and very smooth tunes.
reviewed
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D
Zöld Pardon
What bills itself as the ‘world’s longest summer festival’ is a rocker’s paradise in Buda just south of Petőfi Bridge.
reviewed
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E
Wigwam 2
A new branch of Wigwam, it unfortunately keeps the tacky ‘cowboy and injun’ theme (dead or) alive. It hosts some big-name Hungarian rock and blues bands.
reviewed
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F
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
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G
Óbuda Society
This very intimate venue surrounded by appalling Óbuda housing estates takes its music very seriously and hosts recitals and some chamber orchestras.
reviewed
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H
JATE Klub
JATE Klub is a student haunt without compare in Szeged; it is fairly grungy, hosts a mix of DJs and live acts, and is packed to the gunnels with students.
reviewed
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I
SZOTE Club
SZOTE Club is a student haunt without compare in Szeged; it is fairly grungy, hosts a mix of DJs and live acts, and is packed to the gunnels with students.
reviewed
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Club No 502 S&M
This may be a garrison town, but the bar scene is pretty dire. Club No 502 S&M is a boisterous option for those looking to have more than their fair share.
reviewed
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J
Arizona Ranch
Pubs and bars line the entire length of Király utca, so you should have no problem finding one that suits. Reliable choices include Arizona Ranch at No 29.
reviewed
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Hatlépcsős Wine Bar
This is a cheap wine bar that attracts students and dipsomaniacs, but its massive patio isn't a bad place to sample one of Balatonfüred's famous Rieslings.
reviewed
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Babalu Restaurant and Music Club
With its cane chairs and tropical plants, Babalu exudes a safari feel and attracts a more mature crowd. It's also one of the better spots to catch some live jazz.
reviewed
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Teaház a Vörös Oroszlánhoz (Ráday Utca branch)
This serene place with quite a mouthful of a name (it means ‘Teahouse at the Sign of the Red Lion’) is quite serious about its teas (490Ft to 790Ft).
reviewed
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K
Petőfi Theatre
This beautiful theatre with National Romantic-style mosaics on the front façade is just around the corner from the Ferenc Liszt Conference and Cultural Centre.
reviewed
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L
Country Pub
Like so many Hungarian towns, Kecskemét has a plethora of 'Wild West' themed pubs. One convivial example is Country Pub, west of the József Katona Theatre.
reviewed
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M
Royal Café
Pubs and bars line the entire length of Király utca, so you should have no problem finding one that suits. Reliable choices include the Royal Café at No 1.
reviewed
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N
Sándor Rónai Cultural Centre
There are also performances at the Sándor Rónai Cultural Centre. The Hungarian Orthodox church and Orthodox synagogue are sometimes used for opera concerts.
reviewed
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O
Budapest Sportaréna
This purpose-built 12,500-seat arena named after local pugilist László Papp is where big local and international acts (eg James Blunt, Beyoncé) perform.
reviewed
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P
Organ Concerts
There are free organ concerts in the New Synagogue from late March to mid-September; it's a good chance to take in the splendour of the building without having to pay.
reviewed
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Q
International Buda Stage
Farther afield on the way to the Buda Hills, the IBS is a more recent arrival than the Merlin, with occasional performances – often comedies – in English.
reviewed
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R
Royal Söröző
A popular pub with sidewalk tables on the northeastern side of Fő tér, opposite the House of Arts. What's more, it has Internet access (Ft130 per half-hour).
reviewed
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S
Central Europe Dance Theatre
This wonderful pan-European dance theatre, Hungary’s first when established in 1989, often has cutting-edge contemporary dance performances. Enter from VII István út 4.
reviewed
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T
József Katona Theatre
A 19th-century theatre that stages dramatic works, as well as operettas and concerts by the Kecskemét Symphony Orchestra; check with the ticket office for details.
reviewed