Cintányéros
Cintányéros is a bare-brick wine bar tucked behind the Corvin Plaza complex in District VIII, specializing in affordable Hungarian wines with a heavy focus on Balaton-region bottles. The interior keeps things stripped back: exposed brick, reclaimed wood tables, a chalkboard listing the current pours, and a handful of bar stools along a counter. Most of the 60-or-so Hungarian wines on offer come from small producers that do not export, including whites from Balaton-felvidék, reds from Szekszárd and Eger, and occasional Somló rarities. Prices stay deliberately low as part of the concept: glasses run 700-1500 HUF, full bottles from 4500 HUF, and a wine-and-cheese evening for two comes in well under the cost of a single cocktail at a central-district lounge. The crowd is primarily local: Budapest musicians, artists from the nearby cultural spaces, and District VIII residents who have been coming since the bar opened. Tourists find their way here through recommendations rather than signage. The bar opens late afternoon and runs until midnight or later on weekends, with conversation rather than music dominating the atmosphere. Staff are friendly, English is spoken reasonably well, and wine recommendations come readily.
What to Expect
A small brick-walled room with maybe 20 seats, a chalkboard listing rotating wines, and a crowd that looks like the neighborhood rather than a travel guide. Conversation-focused with no live music; soundtrack stays low.
Quiet, neighborhood-focused, and wine-forward. A Budapest bar for locals that happens to welcome visitors who find it.
Low-volume jazz, Hungarian indie, and acoustic folk; never loud enough to compete with conversation
Casual. No code; locals dress down and the bar follows suit.
Wine drinkers on a budget, travelers wanting a genuinely local District VIII experience, couples seeking a quiet early-evening stop
Cards accepted; cash HUF also welcome and sometimes faster during busy hours
Price Range
Wine by glass 700-1500 HUF, bottle from 4500 HUF, cheese/charcuterie plate 2500-4500 HUF, pálinka shot 800-1200 HUF
Wine ~$1.80-4, bottles from ~$11.90, cheese plate ~$6.60-11.90
Hours
17:00-00:00 Mon-Thu, 17:00-02:00 Fri-Sat, closed Sun
Insider Tip
Ask for Balaton whites or Szekszárd reds if you want the bar's strongest hand; these regions dominate the list. A bottle plus a cheese plate for two is often cheaper than two cocktails elsewhere. Cash HUF tips are appreciated even on card payments.
Full Review
Cintányéros sits on a side street behind the Corvin Plaza complex in District VIII, an area that most tourists pass through on the tram without stopping. The bar is small by design, maybe 20 seats in total, with exposed brick walls, reclaimed wood tables, a chalkboard listing the current wine pours, and a counter that handles drinks and the limited food program. The whole operation looks stripped back because the owners wanted to keep prices down, and the savings on design clearly pass through to the wine list.
The program is Hungarian wine from small producers. The rotating list of around 60 bottles leans on Balaton-felvidék whites, Szekszárd and Eger reds, and occasional Somló whites for curious drinkers. Many of the wineries do not export at all, which means Cintányéros functions as a window into Hungarian viticulture beyond the Tokaji and Egri Bikavér names most travelers recognize. Glasses run 700-1500 HUF, bottles from 4500 HUF, and a generous cheese-and-charcuterie plate rounds out most visits for under 4500 HUF. Two people can eat and drink well for under 10000 HUF total, which is unusual at this quality level in Budapest.
The crowd is the other draw. The bar sits close enough to several District VIII cultural spaces that local musicians and artists end up here as a default, along with residents of the gentrifying blocks around Corvin. You will hear Hungarian dominate the room on any given evening. Staff are happy to talk you through the list in English, but the bar does not perform for tourists. It is simply a local wine bar that is friendly when outsiders arrive.
Music stays low: jazz, Hungarian indie, acoustic folk at a volume that allows normal conversation across a small table. No live programming, no DJ nights, no event calendar. The bar operates as a wine-and-talk space rather than a nightlife destination, which is the right fit for District VIII's slower evening pace.
Compared to DiVino Borbár in District V, Cintányéros is smaller, cheaper, less central, and more focused on obscure small producers. DiVino is the better introduction to Hungarian wine for a short visit; Cintányéros rewards travelers who want to go deeper and who enjoy finding bars outside the standard tourist map.
The Neighborhood
Bókay János utca runs just east of the Corvin Plaza complex in District VIII. The immediate blocks are residential with renovation ongoing. The Corvin cinema and shopping zone sit two minutes west, and tram connections to the center are close. District VIII's historic reputation has softened significantly in recent years around the Corvin area.
Getting There
Metro M3 blue line to Corvin-negyed station, then walk five minutes east past the Corvin Plaza complex and onto Bókay János utca. Tram 4 or 6 on the grand boulevard to Corvin-negyed also stops nearby. Taxis from downtown run 1500-2500 HUF.
Address
Bókay János u. 52, 1083
Where to stay in Budapest
Compare hotels near the nightlife districts. Free cancellation on most properties.
Other Venues in District VIII
Turbina
A cultural center and club hosting techno, house, and live music across multiple rooms and a courtyard. Popular with locals who prefer it over the tourist-heavy District VII scene.
Auróra
Community bar and cultural space doubling as an NGO hub, with a ground-floor cafe and a cellar that opens evenings for DJ sets and concerts. Most events are free or donation-based.
A Grund
Large open-air beer garden and indoor bar built around a mulberry tree in the Corvin quarter. Draws a local crowd looking to avoid the District VII tourist circuit, with late-night hours on weekends.
Zsír
Basement bar on a quiet side street with regular live acoustic sets, alternative music, and pavement tables in summer. The old-school interior hasn't changed much despite new ownership.