Szimpla Kert
Szimpla Kert is the original ruin bar and possibly the most important bar in Budapest. Opened in 2002 in a former stove factory on Kazinczy Street, District VII, it pioneered the concept of turning derelict buildings into bars. The space is a maze of rooms, courtyards, and levels, filled with mismatched furniture, bathtubs as seating, Trabant car-seats, and ever-changing art installations. Each room has a different character. The bar now hosts a Sunday farmers' market and regular cultural events. Despite massive tourism, the spirit of creative reuse and community remains.
What to Expect
The original ruin bar. A maze of rooms inside a former factory, each filled with eclectic art and furniture. The concept inspired hundreds of imitators worldwide but the original retains its magic.
The original ruin bar. Creative, chaotic, and essential.
Background eclectic: live shows on some nights, DJs on others
Casual.
Everyone visiting Budapest. This is essential.
Cash (HUF) and cards
Price Range
Beer HUF 700-1,000, cocktails HUF 1,200-2,000
≈ €2-5 / $2-5
Hours
Daily from noon to 4 AM
Insider Tip
Walk every room. The space keeps revealing itself. The farmers' market on Sundays is excellent. Go on a weekday to avoid the heaviest tourist crowds.
Full Review
Szimpla Kert is the ruin bar. The one that started it all in 2002, converting a former stove factory on Kazinczy utca into a multi-room maze of mismatched furniture, found-object art, and creative chaos. Walking in for the first time is disorienting in the best way: rooms branch off in unexpected directions, each decorated differently, connected by stairways and corridors that reveal themselves gradually.
The crowd is enormous and international. On a Friday or Saturday night, you're sharing the space with hundreds of people from dozens of countries. This is simultaneously Szimpla's strength and its challenge. The atmosphere crackles with energy, but the tourist density can overwhelm the experience. Weekday visits and afternoon hours offer a completely different venue: calmer, more spacious, and easier to appreciate the design details that make the space special.
Every other ruin bar in Budapest exists in Szimpla's shadow. Instant-Fogashaz is bigger. Doboz is more polished. But Szimpla is the original, and the creative energy that built it is still visible in every room. The Sunday farmers' market is excellent and draws a different crowd entirely.
Walk every room before settling in; the space keeps revealing itself. Drinks are priced at standard Budapest bar rates: beer 700 to 1,000 HUF, cocktails 1,200 to 2,000 HUF. Go on a weekday to avoid the worst crowds. The venue opens at noon and runs until 4am daily, giving you a wide window to find your preferred version of Szimpla.
The Neighborhood
Szimpla Kert sits on Kazinczy utca in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, the street that became ground zero for Budapest's ruin bar movement. The surrounding block is now dense with bars, restaurants, and street food spots.
Getting There
M2 metro Astoria or Blaha Lujza ter, then a five to seven minute walk into the Jewish Quarter. Tram 47 and 49 also stop within walking distance.
Address
Kazinczy utca 14
Where to stay in Budapest
Compare hotels near the nightlife districts. Free cancellation on most properties.
Other Venues in District VII
Instant-Fogas
A sprawling multi-room club complex spread across two connected buildings with different music on each floor. The largest nightlife venue in the district, open until dawn on weekends.
Doboz
A two-level ruin-style club with a courtyard garden and regular DJ sets leaning toward electronic and hip-hop. The upstairs balcony overlooks the main dance floor.
Anker't
A laid-back ruin garden bar in a former courtyard with string lights and outdoor seating. Popular for after-work drinks and lower-key nights compared to nearby clubs.
Kuplung
A former car repair shop turned ruin bar on Király utca with rotating street art on the walls. Live music and DJ nights keep the crowd going past midnight.
Mazel Tov
A restaurant-bar in a long greenhouse-style courtyard serving Middle Eastern food alongside cocktails. The atmosphere shifts from dinner spot to late-night lounge as the evening progresses.