The best cocktail bars in Budapest

What is it? Celebrating its 16th birthday in September 2025, this pioneer of cocktail culture in Budapest still makes waves with its concoctions. Drinks are served in a variety of unique vessels and glasses, each element painstakingly conceived, just as founder/owners Zoltán Nagy and Lilla Kocsis envisaged back in 2009.

Why we love it? BB could rest on its laurels, keep its many trophies and awards neatly dusted, and continue serving standards. That’s just not the Boutiq’ Bar way, which is why they also work from a special monthly menu, created in tandem with select brands to explore new flavours and ingredients.

One recent example was spicy January, in which Rivière du Mâts rum from Réunion formed the base of a range of zingy, warming mixes for winter. Seasonality matters, both in terms of sourcing contents and assessing guests’ moods according to the time of year. The signature menu changes each spring, again keeping long-established mixologists on their toes 3,000-plus recipes down the line.

Time Out tip: Intimacy is another attraction here – which means tables can be at a premium on busy weekends. To reserve yours, book a slot by paying a Ft 8,000 (€21) deposit for the pair of you, offset against your drinks once you arrive.

Address: Paulay Ede utca 5, 1061 Budapest

Opening hours: Wed 6pm-midnight, Thur 6pm-1am, Fri-Sat 6pm-2am. Closed Sun-Tue

Expect to pay: Peppe Garibaldi (Unicum Orange bitter, Moena Wermut, orange juice) Ft 4,450 (€11.75). Budapest Barbeque (Tanqueray gin, lime, maple, cranberry, peach) Ft 4,350 (€11.50).

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What is it? A long-established, speakeasy-inspired hideaway set up by three ambitious cosmopolitan Hungarians with a clear vision of what kind of cocktail bar they wanted to create.

Why we love it Refinement and attention to detail are paramount here. Not only do guests gather in a secret cellar reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties, they can peruse a menu inspired by 13 iconic buildings – the Chrysler Building, the New York Stock Exchange, the Metropolitan Museum of Art – selection from the New York cityscape. Their dimensions and architectural plans illustrate one of the most original drinks lists you’ll find this side of the Atlantic, complemented by eight equally inventive and enticing Hotsy Totsy classics.

Time Out tip: If you’re organising an event, the Hudson Private Room allows you to invite up to a dozen guests with your own choice of music (at the set volume you desire) played on the quality sound system.

Address: Síp utca 24, 1075 Budapest

Opening hours: Mon-Wed, Sun 6pm-midnight, Thur-Sat 6pm-2am

Expect to pay: Penn Station (mezcal, lychee, dry white wine, bitters) Ft 5,220 (€13.75). Museum of Natural History (Old Tom gin, lemongrass, pepper, bubbles) Ft 5,220 (€13.75)

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What is it? ‘As beautiful and as enchanting as Budapest’, Múzsa (‘Muse’) carries the mythology of Ancient Greece through its nine signature cocktails echoing a particular art form, its entertainment (‘Live Musings’) three nights a week and, most of all, its Art Nouveau surroundings, extending the celebrated grace of the Gresham Palace beyond its jaw-dropping lobby.

Why we love it How often do you witness a ballerina gliding her way around a cocktail bar for guests’ amusement? Yet these enchanting performances – the first Thursday of every month – are entirely in keeping with the spirit and style of Múzsa, the most elegant of cocktail bars in Europe’s most elegant metropolis. The menu itself is a work of art, channelling its inner muse to delight and inform.

Time Out tip: Sample some of the goodies which go with the cocktails – sticky mangalica pork bites, spicy yellowfin tuna tartare, crispy tempura.

Address: Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel, Széchenyi István tér 5-6, 1051 Budapest

Opening hours: Mon & Sun 11am-midnight, Tue-Sat 11am-1am

Expect to pay: Cosmos (Zacapa 23 rum, Ambrato, jasmine, peach, coconut and rose pepper) Ft 8,900 (€23). Gloria (Tanqueray No.10, pandan & lime leaves, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, yuzu sake, Fino sherry) Ft 7,900 (€20.75)

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What is it? In her role as a Habsburg Archduchess, Princess Marie Adelheid Amalie Clotilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha – aka Mária Klotild – had many links to Budapest, not least her marriage to the Archduke Joseph Karl, Palatine of Hungary. One was to create a secret rooftop hideaway for the fin-de-siècle Decadence Movement of artists and socialites to mingle. As architects of the matching palaces guarding the entrance to the Danube and Buda beyond, Flóris Korb and Kálmán Giergi crowned the Matild, revived as a luxury hotel in 2020, with the elegant eyrie you see today. Sixteen handcrafted cocktails, with or lacking alcohol, reflect this legacy, the surroundings and the same panorama that would have livened the discreet conversations here more than a century ago.

Why we love it After coming across the stylised key icon to find a secret side door, and riding the lift to the roof, you enter another realm. In fact, another century, as this was the milieu the Duchess wished to fashion, today conceived by London’s MKV Design, complementing the cityscape and slow-flowing Danube in immediate view.

Time Out tip: Along with an entourage and countless hatboxes, the duchess would have sampled manifold flavours on her various sojourns – which is why it’s worth sipping a Royal Harvest of Árpád Ginger spirit, quince, honey, lemon and sparkling wine to get in the mood.

Address: Matild Palace, Váci utca 36, 1056 Budapest

Opening hours: Mon-Thur 6pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 6pm-1am

Expect to pay: Evergreen (Ketel One vodka, green apple, vanilla, cardamom and ginger ale) Ft 6,700 (€17.50). Hacienda del Dragón (Código Blanco tequila, mango, Gochujang chili, mirin, Sichuan pepper and lime) Ft 7,200 (€19)

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What is it? The High Note, its name in keeping with the musically themed Aria Hotel it sits above, sets a very high bar indeed as far as rooftop drinking in Budapest is concerned. Top-quality, inventive cocktails come with a view second to none, with the Buda Hills in the background and the clock of the Basilica at eye level.

Why we love it Walking through a modest front door in the heart of downtown Budapest, you're little prepared for what’s in store, strolling over a huge piano keyboard in the lobby to the lift that whisks you up to the roof. Upon arrival, take in the vista, order a Frank Sinatra from the quarterly changing themed range and let the evening, and the sunset, take their course.

Time Out tip: Upping an almost unuppable ante, in 2025 the High Note SkyBar added a SKY Champagne Bar perched just above, to mark the hotel's tenth anniversary. Its designer is the same Zoltán Varró whose breakthrough success came with this hotel itself a decade ago.

Address: Hercegprímás utca 5, 1051 Budapest

Opening hours: Mon-Thur 4pm-midnight, Fri-Sun 2pm-midnight 

Expect to pay: Frank Sinatra cocktail of Aperol, white wine, cherry and amarena Ft 6,200 (€15.50). Antiobiotic of Unicum Riserva, ginger, honey and lemon Ft 5,900 (€14.80)

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What is it? Tucked behind a side door off the architectural wonder that is the lobby of the Kempinski Hotel in the heart of Budapest, Blue Fox The Bar has been a major player on the city’s cocktail scene since 2013. A decorative overhaul in 2024 gave it a new concept of ‘a life cycle’, also reflected in the signature drinks list.

Why we love it There’s something inherently cool about sipping cocktails in five-star luxury surroundings, above which pop legends, film stars and sports heroes sleep. On warmer evenings, the front porch of the hotel doubles up as a terrace, allowing guests to gaze at the Ferris Wheel of Budapest as it revolves above Erzsébet tér opposite. While you can stick to old favourites – the Foxstar Martini with Ketel One vodka, the Fig Sour with Maker’s Mark whisky – the nine-strong Life Cycle range involves the inventive use of kiwi and lavender, pomegranate and pistachio, making good on the Blue Fox promise to focus on fruit, flowers and seeds. Complex comfort food best describes the bar snacks, which run from crushed avocado and tortilla chips to grilled Wagyu flank tagliata.

Time Out tip: At weekends, live music and DJ sets entertain a post-work and international crowd.

Address: Erzsébet tér 7-8, 1051 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 5.30pm-1am

Expect to pay: Pink Cadillac (Bombay Sapphire gin, rhubarb, strawberry, lemon) Ft 4,900 (€13). Pomegranate Pulse (Maker’s Mark whisky, Amaro Montenegro, pomegranate, citrus) Ft 5,100 (€13.40)

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What is it? An alluring cocktail bar hidden behind an unmarked door and thick velvet curtains in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, the Black Swan caters to an exclusive clientele, up to a dozen of whom gather for separate mixology workshops in the Black Swan Lab.

Why we love it All sleek décor, high-end spirits and sassy mixes, Black Swan exudes luxury. Ideal for a tight-knit group or a couple on a first date, against a tasteful backdrop echoing the classic cocktail era between the wars, it rises above the considerable competition in this city by always pushing the envelope on its drinks selection. A main barroom of only 28 seats ensures that chatter is at intimate level.

Time Out tip: While Black Swan is mainly (but not exclusively) geared towards groups and private bookings, walk-ups arriving shortly after opening time or from 10pm should be led to a suitable seat.

Address: Klauzál utca 32, 1072 Budapest

Opening hours: Tue & Sun 6pm-midnight, Wed-Sat 6pm-2am. Closed Mon

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What is it? Like the luxury Hotel Clark below it, Leo takes its name and theme from the Chain Bridge spanning the Danube beyond the roof terrace, completed by Scots engineer Adam Clark and featuring revered lion statues at each end. Artistic representations of lions with huge manes, typical of the work of sculptor Gábor Miklós Szőke, greet visitors at the main entrance.

Why we love it It’s not just the view from the eighth floor, although that’s what you’ll be Insta-ing, but also the unusual cocktails you’ll be perusing. You’ve got to respect a drinks list that features Tito’s vodka, beeswax and cannabis grapefruit.

Time Out tip: Note that each visit is limited to two hours, unless you book as a group and be shown to a private booth.

Address: Hotel Clark, Clark Ádám tér 1, 1013 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily noon-midnight

Expect to pay: Sun and Moon (Tanqueray gin, goji berries, coconut, passion fruit, honey and tepache) Ft 6,450 (€17). Tokaji Admiral Highball (Monkey Shoulder whisky, sweet Tokaji, lemon, pineapple and soda water) Ft 6,750 (€17.70)

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What is it? Tucked inside the design-forward Casati Budapest, one of the city’s prime affordable hotels, the Tuk Tuk takes its lead from the Far East. Asian-inspired décor and drinks give the convincing impression that you’re in a Shanghai speakeasy between the wars instead of the centre of Budapest. 

Why we love it Fun, lively and cosmopolitan, Tuk Tuk takes its cocktails seriously without being po-faced about it. It’s not that Maltese-trained Tamás Markarian and his team don’t care about what goes into their ten Tuk Tuk 10 Year signature range, designed to celebrate a recent milestone birthday – they’d just rather you sank your Pink Paradise with your friends and kept the atmosphere animated. And then ordered another…

Time Out tip: It’s worth exploring the bar’s extensive and exotic ten-strong G&T selection, from a Bombay Bramble to a Ukiyo Yuzu Citrus.

Address: Casati Budapest Hotel, Paulay Ede utca 31, 1051 Budapest

Opening hours: Mon, Wed-Sun 6pm-midnight. Closed Tue

Expect to pay: Signature cocktails Black Opyum (Campari, poppy seed, shisha and cherry), Pink Paradise (vodka, lychee, lemon balm, guava) Ft 4,900 (€13)

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What is it? Embracing contemporary customs and concerns while creating cool cocktails, the Elysian sources seemingly disparate ingredients – pine cones, Jerusalem artichokes, wild garlic – to fashion something sassy yet sustainable.

Why we love it Don’t worry, it’s not all nettles and beetroot. Base spirits are high-end – Ketel One vodka, Tanqueray 10 gin – and if you’re not in the mood to go off-piste, order from the tried and trusted classics. Finlandia is used in the Moscow Mule, Woodford Reserve in the Old Fashioned.

Time Out tip: Invention doesn’t just come in a glass here – upscale bar snacks include cheese and kimchi, fries with raspberry red-wine vinegar, and beetroot hummus with nachos.

Address: Akácfa utca 38, 1072 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 6pm-midnight

Expect to pay: Wild garlic & vodka (Ketel One vodka, fermented wild-garlic blossom, dry Vermouth) Ft 5,290 (€14). Gooseberry & cheese (Tanqueray 10 gin, gooseberry, pink peppercorn, grana Padano) Ft 4,980 (€13.15)

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What is it? Atop one of Budapest’s most revered buildings, a fin-de-siècle department store on the showcase boulevard of Andrássy út, the 360 Bar not only encompasses full panoramic views of the city but goes year-round, too. Here, cocktails temper the heat of high summer and take the edge off winter in cosy warming communal igloos. DJs feature throughout, along with prime snacks and those gobsmacking views.

Why we love it The 360 is one of Budapest’s most unique experiences, albeit a pricy one. Take the lift to the top and walk out into one of those magical scenes that will live you for a long while to come, a lively rooftop surrounded on all sides by gorgeous cityscape. Even watching Andrássy traffic go by along Budapest’s most prestigious boulevard below is mesmerising.

Time Out tip: Time your visit for around sunset and you’ll soon see why. Budapest never looked better – but make sure to reserve a table https://reservours.com/360bar/tablereservation?s=website. Either side of Christmas, book an igloo, gather a few friends and get toasty – each one is individually heated.

Address: Andrássy út 39, 1061 Budapest

Opening hours: Mon-Wed, Sun 2pm-midnight, Thur-Sat 2pm-2am

Expect to pay: 360 Highlife (Beefeater pink, Aperol, sugar syrup, strawberry, basil and Fever Tree raspberry/ rhubarb tonic) Ft 4,550 (€12). Roku G&T (Roku, Fever Tree Indian tonic, ginger and orange peel) Ft 4,200 (€11)

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What is it? A whisky shop and bar in the city centre stocking an encyclopaedic collection of spirits, which grew out of a family-run online business into a quality cocktail bar thanks to the expert involvement of globe-trotting mixologist Norbert ‘Schöki’ Schök.

Why we love it Few competitors in this genre work from a drinks list this extensive, with 14 whisky-based cocktails alone. Quality is the key here, as well as invention, fruit, bitters and purées all going into the mix, atop high-end spirit bases.

Time Out tip: There’s not explore the whisky-based cocktail selection, involving Redemption bourbon, Templeton 4-year-old rye and Teeling Small Batch.

Address: Veres Pálné utca 7, 1053 Budapest

Opening hours: Tue-Thur 5pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 5pm-1am. Closed Sun, Mon

Expect to pay: Cameron’s Kick (Teeling Small Batch, Arran Burns Blend, orgeat, lime and egg white) Ft 4,200 (€11). Trinidad Sour (Templeton rye 4yo, Angostura bitter, lime juice and orgeat syrup) Ft 6,700 (€17.50)

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