The 8 Best College Bars in Budapest

Opened in 1968, Ibolya Espresso is an iconic café and bar in Budapest's downtown. Ibolya is deeply anchored in Budapest's collective memory as two generations of local residents have been coming to this unfussy spot for everything from first dates to business meetings to class reunions. The interior furnishings are a genuine throwback to the communist era, featuring Mid-century modern-inspired light fixtures with orange plexiglass, and curvilinear chairs topped with red faux leather upholstery.

Mélypont is a cavernous, below-ground bar situated on a quiet backstreet in downtown Budapest. The inside features a mishmash of worn-out, communist-era furniture and usually fills to capacity with students from the nearby law and political science colleges of Eötvös Loránd University. It's a small miracle that this wallet-friendly student bar continues to exist in an otherwise expensive neighborhood — let's hope it stays that way.

Grinzingi is an unpretentious downtown wine bar with a simple formula that has changed little since its opening in 1983: serve cheap drinks in the center of Budapest that's otherwise teeming with overpriced, tourist-oriented bars. Fast forward 35 years, some of the early patrons still pay repeated visits, as do plenty of college students from nearby universities. Inside, heavy wooden fittings evoke the atmosphere of the bar's namesake Austrian village (Grinzing, known for its wine taverns), and the weathered furniture bears marks of long, alcohol-fueled nights.

Fahéj is an adorable café and bar on a quiet backstreet in Budapest's downtown. Fahéj eschews the trendy vibes and the tourist-centered approach of other places in the neighborhood, relying instead on a loyal group of regulars, both young and old. Apart from the low-priced drinks, the highlight here is the two softly glowing, high-ceilinged rooms fitted with wooden floors, bookshelves, and small round tables. Fahéj works well for a casual weeknight drink, a date, or a heart-to-heart over a bottle of wine. Go for the hot wine or the rum-laced tea during the colder months; also tasty are the grilled sandwiches. Cash only!

It’s easy to miss Altair, a cozy, below-ground teahouse on a sleepy side street in Budapest's Palace Quarter, but you shouldn't. Defying space limitations, they've squeezed in myriad tiny nooks and crannies that are separated from one another by curtains, pillows, and wooden beams. This faintly lit labyrinthine haunt is an ideal date spot, offering a bit of seclusion from the hustle and bustle of the city center just minutes away. Besides the almost 100 types of teas, including black, white, oolong, and green teas, Altair also has a selection of (hot) wines, beers, spirits, and hookahs (water pipes). Note that there's a no-shoes policy, so make sure your socks are on point.