Best rooftop bars in Budapest for cocktails and skyline views

What is it? In terms of view, drinks, snacks, service and downright zing, nothing tops the High Note SkyBar where rooftop bars in Budapest are concerned. Top-quality, inventive cocktails come with a vista second to none, with the Buda Hills in the background and the clock of the Basilica at eye level.

Why we love it Taking their musical cue from the themed Aria Hotel below, the mixologists here have tailored their signature cocktails around legendary artists and composers. Tchaikovsky was born too early to appreciate the Ketel One vodka in his eponymous drink but you can make up for lost time. And what better combination than a Frank Sinatra (Aperol, white wine, cherry) and sunset over Budapest?

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)

What is it? Once you’ve reached the top of this former department store on the showcase boulevard of Andrássy út, you'll soon see why so many will have done the same that evening. Your cocktail, snack and/or full meal comes with a panoramic view of the entire city, from the Danube to the Basilica.

Why we love it The 360 Bar lives up to its name by putting all that cityscape at your feet. At sunset, it cannot fail to be stunning, and the perfect setting for a romantic weekend in Budapest.

Time Out tip: Come here in the colder months and the bar will have been winterised, heated igloos housing groups of friends and cosy couples sipping on warming drinks as the Christmas lights twinkle down below.

Address: Andrássy út 39, 1061 Budapest

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

Expect to pay: Golden Hour cocktail of Aperol and watermelon cordial Ft 4,550 (€11.40). Hendrick's G&T Ft 4,550 (€11.40)

What is it? Overlooking the Chain Bridge and its signature stone lions, the inevitably swanky Leo tops the Hotel Clark, named after the Scots engineer who completed the iconic crossing below. Above is Buda Castle, ahead the cityscape of Pest punctuated by the dome of the Basilica. There could be better settings but we can't think of one right now.

Why we love it It's not only us – visiting film stars such as Scarlett Johansson and Jason Momoa seemed to appreciate the offerings up here on the eighth floor. And what's not to like? Provided you have the wherewithal, those signature drinks, perhaps chosen from the new Tree of Life selection, keep on coming, accompanied by delicately presented little snacks.

Time Out tip: Plan your visit as there's a two-hour limitation on table time – although they probably didn't chase out Scarlett Johansson tapping their watches.

Address: Clark Ádám tér 1, 1013 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily noon-midnight

Expect to pay: Tokaji Admiral Highball from the Hungary Rocks selection, with Monkey Shoulder whisky and Hungary's favourite sweet wine, Ft 6,750 (€17). Sun and Moon from the Tree of Life range, with Tanqueray and honey, Ft 6,450 (€16.25)

What is it? At one end of Budapest’s main shopping street of Váci utca, St Andrea was founded by the winery of the same name in Egerszalók and has the drinks list you’d expect from a leading producer. An extensive champagne selection is accompanied by excellent Hungarian varieties from local grapes such as Kadarka and Kékfrankos. 

Why we love it Because you can explore the wealth of Hungarian wine while watching the sun set over the capital – there's a whole directory of Bull's Blood options, for example, for which Eger is best known.

Time Out tip: Twisted cocktails are those given a little Magyar touch, such as the apricot pálinka grappa in the Hungarian Pornstar and the smoked elderflower in the Smokey Hugo.

Address: Deák Ferenc utca 5/Váci utca 1, 1052 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 3pm-midnight

Expect to pay: Small glass (1.5dl) of St Andrea white Mária Egri Cuvée Grand Superior, Ft 6,000 (€15). Hungarian Pornstar martini, Ft 5,200 (€13)

What is it? A stylish cocktail bar crowning the long-established high-end Hilton in the Castle District, the White Raven opened around the time of a lifting of pandemic restrictions. It sseemed a brave move at the time, not least because Budapest has got rooftop bars in spades, but the fact that it has to go that extra yard to attract non-guests up Castle Hill means that you'll get stunning cocktails, great service and a view of Budapest's must-see sights up close.

Why we love it Welcome to Disneyland – sip your Macarena surrounded by the gingerbread Zsolnay-tiled roof of Matthias Church and the fairy-tale towers of the Fishermen's Bastion. 

Time Out tip: Many a music star has stayed at the Hilton – for a time, it was the only place that could house a top visiting Western pop band – so you may as well investigate the signature cocktails range. The citrus vodka, rosé and lavender in a Here Comes The Sun seems the perfect way to greet those orange rays disappearing over the skyline – even if the Beatles didn't play Budapest.

Address: Hess András tér 1-3, 1014 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 2pm-midnight

Expect to pay: Signature cocktails, Ft 7,000 (€17.65). Small glass (1.5dl) of Balassa Nyúlaszó Furmint from the Tokaji region, Ft 4,500 (€11.35)

What is it? Tucked in behind Nyugati station, the Sky Garden sits atop the Mystery Hotel on busy Podmaniczky utca. Deeper into Pest than the other popular rooftop bars, it offers the familiar Buda backdrop complemented by a few key buildings on this side of the river, not least Eiffel's heritage railway terminus itself.

Why we love it From the gorgeous lobby to the lifts, Zoltán Varró’s décor is not only eye-catching, it links back to the building's original function as a meeting place for Budapest's freemasons – hence the hotel name. This extends to the rooftop, adding a sense of mystery.

Time Out tip: When in Rome... the Mystery Fizz house cocktail features Roku gin, Italicus bergamot liqueur and a few other strange potions thrown in.

Address: Podmaniczky utca 45, 1064 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 3pm-11pm

Expect to pay: Mystery Fizz house cocktail, Ft 5,800 (€15). G&T with Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla & Fever Tree Indian tonic Ft 5,500 (€14)

What is it? Opened while Budapest was bereft of tourists in between pandemic lockdowns, the Cortile remains under the radar despite its location near the Opera House and marvellous rooftop pool and skybar. You've got the Basilica in full view and top-notch spirits (Hendrick's, Roku, Belvedere) in your surprisingly affordable long drink. The only catch is that non-guests have to book (+36 30 2884 683)

Why we love it The pool is right next door to the bar area so you really can glide through the water and come up for your Mai Tai.

Time Out tip: If you like fruit in your cocktail, you're in luck – check out the pineapple, coconut (and white rum, of course) in the Coco Loco among the house signature range.

Address: Dessewffy utca 14, 1066 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 2pm-10pm

Expect to pay: Belvedere vodka with soda & lime, Ft 3,600 (€9). Negroni, Ft 4,200 (€10.60)

What is it? More top deck than rooftop, but the A38, a bar, restaurant, concert venue and party spot on a former Ukrainian cargo ship moored on the Danube, offers some of the best uninterrupted views in Budapest – and some of the best DJs and live music.   

Why we love it A mainstay of the city’s music scene for a good 20 years, the A38 can also be used as a place to plot up over a drink and watch the sun set. The A38 is also close to the all-night tram 6 route on Petőfi Bridge above, meaning you needn’t mess around with taxis afterwards.

🤫 Time Out tip: In summer, look out for DJ parties starting late afternoon on Saturdays on the stern of the ship

Address: Petőfi híd, Buda side, 1117 Budapest

Opening hours: Ticket office Daily 8am-10pm or until the end of the last event. Bistro Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat 10am-4pm, closed Sun

Expect to pay: Concerts (foreign acts) Ft 8,500 (€21) advance/ Ft 10,000 (€25) on the door. Hungarian acts Ft 4,000 (€10)/Ft 4,500 (€11.25). DJ parties Ft 2,000 (€5)/Ft 3,000 (€7.50)