8 Communist-era Bars To Try In Budapest

By Tas TóbiásLast updated: Aug. 16, 2025

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Budapest's cafes, bars, and restaurants increasingly mirror those in other big cities, while establishments that might feel more rooted in Hungary are fast disappearing. The bars below are among the last vestiges of the Communist-era (1947-1989) – visit these time warps before they vanish. All I ask is that refrain from complaining about the quality of the wine, which is completely beside the point here.

#1 Bambi Eszpresszó

When I meet people for coffee or a drink, I often find myself at Bambi Eszpresszó on the Buda side. It would be a misnomer to call Bambi “legendary” because Bambi defies these kinds of categorizations – Bambi is a given, a fixture, a native element in the life of the city, kind of like the Danube River which drift by a stone’s throw away from Bambi’s spacious terrace.

Not much has changed here since the 1961 opening. The socialist modern furnishings are still in place: the small metal tables; the stools; the long banquette upholstered with red faux-leather; the “ceramic city” decoration on the wall.

My standard order is an omelet, a toasted sandwich, perhaps an isler cake, and surely a milk coffee (tejeskávé), the latter served in a child-friendly white mug emblazoned with red dots. The waiters are known to be practical with an emphatic “the customer is not always right” approach.

A glance at the nearby tables reveals that the Unicum-and-beer combo is also favored around here, especially among older customers. Not that they are the majority. Plenty of Millennials and Gen Z-ers frequent Bambi for a travel back in time without the artifice that often plagues intentionally retro establishments (the no-wifi policy feels deeply authentic).

Fans of architecture should take note of the seven-story building whose ground floor Bambi occupies. Designed in 1957 by a woman architect, Olga Mináry, its modernist facade features spacious Danube-facing loggias.

Despite its popularity, Bambi has remained affordable and – on its own terms – welcoming. On warm days, I like to linger on the terrace as the sun makes its way across the river and a comforting background noise fills the air. One more tejeskávé, please.

#2 Ibolya Espresso

Opened in 1968, Ibolya Espresso is deeply anchored in Budapest's collective memory as currently the third generation of twentysomethings patronize this unpretentious drinking joint located right in the city center. The interior is a throwback to the Communist era (1947-1989), featuring socialist modern design pieces – a local, cheaper variant of mid-century modern. Think hemispherical light fixtures made from orange plexiglass and alluringly curvilinear chairs topped with red faux leather upholstery.

Despite the downtown location, most patrons are local college students who might be here for various reasons: skipping class, taking a study break from the university library across the street, first date (lovebirds usually occupy the secluded tables upstairs), a soccer game projected on the big screen. Or to wolf down an outsized toasted ham and cheese sandwich blanketed in ketchup before calling it a night. Please take note of Ibolya's timeless typography above the entry door.

#3 Grinzingi Borozó

Grinzingi is a neighborhood watering hole located in an unlikely place: the heart of Budapest's city center. Little has changed here since the 1983 opening – the rustic wooden furnishings evoke the atmosphere of the bar's namesake Viennese suburb, Grinzing, known for its folksy wine taverns. Fast forward forty years, some of the early patrons still pay repeated visits, as do plenty of college students from the nearby universities. I usually pair my fröccs (two parts wine, one part sparkling water) with a side of meatball (fasírt) or zsíroskenyér, the latter a slice of bread slathered with lard and drizzled with salt, paprika, and red onions. A true-to-Budapest experience, this one!

#4 Mátra Borozó

Opened in 1948, Mátra Borozó is one of the oldest and quirkiest bars of Budapest, a genuine throwback. Instead of a regular bar counter, a simple metal box equipped with wine containers stands in the middle of the space. Owner Gábor Abendschein, donning a white lab coat, mans the bar with a perennially world-weary expression as he shleps over to prepare your fröccs (a wine spritzer, the most popular order). He uses a measuring ladle that wouldn't seem out of place in the permanent collection of the Hungarian Museum of Hospitality. The classic fröccs – two parts wine, one part sparkling water – won't set you back very much.

The dim rear section offers an intimate hideaway, not to mention the “secret room” in the very back, attached to the kitchen. Be sure to the food: the toasted sandwiches, the körözött-layered (Liptauer) finger foods, the roasted sausage, all of them bearing Gábor's idiosyncratic aesthetic sensibilities and culinary principles. As do the artworks on the walls, which alternate between darker and lighter themes; regular customers gifted them to Gábor and some are available for sale.

#5 Borpatika

Borpatika, which translates to "wine pharmacy,” is a low-priced neighborhood watering hole on the Buda side, in District 11. Not much has changed here since the 1986 opening, which is of course part of the charm. Customers are a blend of college students from the nearby Budapest University of Technology and downtrodden neighborhood regulars who come here for spirit-lifting liquors and friendly banter. I like to stop by for a freshly made meatball, a zsíroskenyér, or, best of all, a delicious pogácsa (savory biscuit) stacked behind the glass case. Open every day of the week.

#6 Zsír (Fővárosi Kulipintyó)

For a long time, Zsír, Fővárosi Kulipintyó (called Hordó then) was the kind of below-ground watering hole that abound in Budapest’s working class neighborhoods. The outer District 8 in this case. But in 2022, a new owner transformed this place into a thriving hub of musically inclined local alternatives while retaining the old-school interior. Every night of the week, a band performs live music to a high-energy audience: Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays often feature folk music.

Draft beers, zsíroskenyér – open-faced sandwiches spread with pork lard and sprinkled with onions and paprika – and even a few craft ales are also served. An exemplary case of carrying the native spirit to the present day!

#7 Libella

Open since 1975, Libella is a longtime watering hole of engineering and architecture students from BME, the university located across the street. This of course means that drinks are low-priced and unpretentious: no craft IPAs or natural wines here, but you can gulp down a cold lager from the draft for less than two euros. Order also a melegszendvics; toasted bread topped with ham and melted cheese is hardly a foodie's dream, but it's delicious – especially when smothered in ketchup – and with hangover-mitigating powers.

#8 Giero Pub

If you find yourself in a place with live gypsy music in Budapest, chances are you're in a tourist trap – overpriced downtown restaurants tend to hire gypsy bands to fabricate “nostalgic vibes” for unsuspecting tourists. But if you’re curious to listen to Roma musicians perform in a less formulaic setting, head to Giero, a tiny, below-ground bar tucked away on a District 6 backstreet.

Opened in 1990, Giero is named after the late father of Gizi, the loquacious, ever-present proprietor. Don’t let the neglected interior hold you back and you might be in for a special experience. The band usually starts at 10 p.m., performing both Hungarian classics and international evergreens. It's customary to buy a round of drinks for the band members. Closed on Sundays.

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