The 7 Best Rooftop & Patio Bars In Budapest, Summer 2020

  1. Top 10

These scenic outdoor bars offer sweeping views of Budapest, many of them from up above. Expect a lively crowd of trendy people along with pricey wines and cocktails. Being indoor-outdoor spaces, most are open year-round, but they're most enjoyable during the al fresco season. For more locals, lower prices, and laid-back vibes, try these casual outdoor bars, too.

#1 Kiosk Pest

Kiosk Pest is a buzzing restaurant and cocktail bar in the heart of Budapest, favored by trendy locals and plenty of tourists. Kiosk has at least two things going for it: a stunning view of the Danube and the Elisabeth Bridge from its outdoor patio, and a dramatically high-ceilinged, industrial-chic interior. (The building houses a Roman Catholic high school upstairs, in fact, there's a chapel right above Kiosk.)

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#2 360 Bar Budapest

With a panoramic vista of Budapest, 360 is one the hottest rooftop bars in the city. Trendy locals peppered with tourists nibble on sliders and sip cocktails here, perched atop one of the tallest buildings along Andrássy Avenue, also known as Budapest's Champs-Élysées. From Thursday to Saturday, hip-hop and R&B ooze from the DJs booth in the evenings.

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#3 High Note Sky Bar

High Note Sky Bar offers some of the most spectacular rooftop views in Budapest. To get to the bar, you'll need to walk through the sumptuous, a bit over-the-top lobby of the five-star Aria boutique hotel and take the elevator to the top floor. The panorama is truly stunning: the Liberty Statue, the Buda Castle, and the St. Stephen’s Basilica all appear within arm’s reach, which in case of the church is practically true.

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#4 Leo Budapest (Outdoor Only)

A rooftop view in Budapest can amount to an impromptu 20th-century history lesson of Hungary. Scan the Danube's bank from atop, and you'll see classically-proportioned, grand buildings alternating, seemingly randomly, with glass and concrete boxes. Those modern structures, not all of them visually pleasing, sprung up during the communist era (1947-1989) to replace what's been flattened by WWII bombings.

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#5 St. Andrea Wine & Skybar

Open year-round, St. Andrea Wine & Skybar is an upscale rooftop bar perched atop Budapest's downtown. St. Andrea is a Hungarian success story: starting as a small winery in northeastern Hungary's Eger wine region, they've become a nationally recognized wine label now also involved with a fine dining restaurant in Budapest and, since 2017, this posh rooftop bar towering over Vörösmarty Square.

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#6 Esetleg Bistro

It's tough to beat the location of Esetleg Bistro, a trendy, partially outdoor bar and restaurant situated on the Danube's bank, inside a dramatic, whale-shaped contemporary building in District 9. Esetleg offers sweeping views onto several Budapest landmarks, including the Liberty Bridge, Gellért Hill, and the imposing building of the Budapest University of Technology right across. This lively space is best for winding down with an afternoon drink during the warm months.

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#7 Tereza

Mexican food may not be your first choice when in Budapest, and no one can blame you for it. But if the craving for tacos and margaritas strikes, you are unlikely to be disappointed by Tereza, as long as you remain mindful that Mexico (and California and Texas) are half a world away. Tereza—whose moniker is a playful latinization of Terézváros, the local district's name—is run by the owners of Mazel Tov, the wildly successful ruin bar just a few blocks away.

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Rankings are based on a combination of food/drink, atmosphere, service, and price. The author visits all restaurants incognito and pays for his own meals and drinks.