Author: Budablogger

Blogger who wrote a Budapest blog, but once it ceased to exist I moved my previously written blog posts to the Budapest Guide. In other words, these posts were not originally written for the guide, but the posts were moved here as I stopped updating the Budapest blog.

Hard Rock Cafe Budapest review and thoughts

Posted on by Budablogger

I just visited Hard Rock Cafe in Budapest. It wasn’t the first time I visited the place, but since I hadn’t been there in more than a year I thought it was about time to return to heaven for people who like to listen to loud music while eating.

Hard Rock Cafe arrived in Budapest just before Christmas in 2011 and my impression is that it has turned into a big success. It seems to be large crowds of people there throughout the entire day and lots of tourists I speak to visit the place, not only because it is cool, but because they love the food.

Hard Rock Cafe location

It must be said that Hard Rock Cafe in Budapest has the most brilliant location of all restaurants in the Hungarian capital. At the location with most tourists in all of Budapest it is located just at the corner where the shopping street Vaci Utca meets Vorosmarty square, so couldn’t be better. As the sun starts shining and the thermometer shows more than 10-15 Celsius they add an outer terrace making it possible to eat in open air.

Hard Rock Cafe review

From the first second you enter Hard Rock Cafe you get a feeling that this is American. The service and the way they treat their guests is somehow not typical for Eastern Europe. The waiters are really polite and “cool” at the same time and they do their uttermost to make all guests feel at home entering the restaurant.

If you have a favorite course in Hard Rock cafe you will probably find it in BUdapest as well, because the menu is a traditional Hard Rock Cafe menu with the legendary burgers, sandwiches and other courses waiting for you. After visiting the Hard Rock Cafe in Budapest 4 times I have still yet to become disappointed with the quality, but the only “problem” is that it feels a little pricy. It isn’t expensive compared to other Hard Rock Cafe restaurants around the world, but compared with other restaurants with similar profile in the capital.

This means that if I want to eat an excellent steak I’d rather eat a bigger and better one in Pampas Steakhouse or Prime Steakhouse, than in Hard Rock Cafe. The hamburgers aren’t that expensive, so if you want a great, big and juicy burger, the Hard Rock burgers should be considered. The most expensive burger costs around 4000 HUF which is quite similar to the hamburger prices in for example TGI Fridays.

Hard Rock Cafe is family friendly

A very positive thing about Hard Rock Cafe in Budapest is that it is family friendly. They have high quality chairs waiting for families coming with small children, they have facilities where mothers can change diapers on the smallest ones and they have big children menus where you find special offers for children, in addition to the fact that it is possible inside the menu to color guitars and draw other pieces of art.

The ketchup problem

This isn’t really a problem, but still it gave us a good laugh during our last visit. Most ketchup lovers agree on the fact that Heinz ketchup is among the best available in the world. So, next to my fries which was served together with the hamburger I thought I wanted to use some ketchup. The problem was just that it was impossible to get the ketchup out of the bottle it was in. We got a few drops on our plate, but after fighting the bottle for a minute we gave up, only to see that the people on our neighbor table fought exactly the same fight. The father wanted to give some ketchup to his son, but it simply did not leave the bottle… huhu! Guess we were all to lazy to ask the waiter for help.

Hard Rock Budapest wrap-up

If you want a Hard Rock experience while in Budapest, do not miss out on this one. They give you an authentic Hard Rock meals with guitars on the walls, music videos on big screens and quite loud music on the loudspeakers. I guess I am conservative, so I would enjoy my meal even more if the volume was turned down a bit, but I guess that is just me. The price level is higher than in most other Budapest restaurants, but it seems as if people and tourists in general gladly pay what Hard Rock Cafe asks for, so why lower the prices then?

Hard Rock Cafe Budapest information

Address: 1051 Budapest, Deák Ferenc utca 3-5
Opening times: 12.00-01.00 or 02.00

Budapest in June

Posted on by Budablogger

June is an amazing month in Budapest with lots of things going on and with nice and warm weather. The temperatures are normally bearable, making it a more ideal month to come to the capital of Hungary than for example July.

Since I started writing about the June weather in Budapest it might be useful to know that the average temperature in Budapest in June is around 20 Celsius. This might very, so in terrible years it goes as low as 15 Celsius, but in very warm years it might be around 25 Celsius. Still, June is month when you normally will be able to wear your summer clothes, without having to escape to often into the shadow to escape from degrees above 35 Celsius.

Budapest in June programs

There are quite a lot of festivals going on in June in Budapest. Some of them are not arranged at the same time every year, but here you will find information about some of those festival you should not miss out on if you come to Budapest in June.

Buda Castle Beer Festival

This is one of the most popular festivals in Budapest throughout the entire year. In the start it was arranged in September, but the arrangers have now made it a pre summer festival instead. Hopefully it will prove out to be a good decision. This is the place to taste hundreds of different kinds of beers and have lots of fun for 4-5 days.
Beer festival dates 2013: June 13th-16th

Belgian Beer Festival

The Belgian Beer festival is the place for those who love Belgian beers. It is arranged in the Vajdahunyad Castle area in the City Park in the Museum of Agriculture there. Check it out if you are a beerlover in Budapest when this festival is going on.
Belgian Beer Festival dates 2013: May 31st-June 2nd

Goose liver festival

Hungary is very well known for its goose liver (foie gras) and if you love it just as much as many Hungarians do, you definitely need to be there at the goose liver festival. This was arranged in June in both 2011 and 2012, but so far it seems as there will be no festival in 2013
Goose liver festival 2013: no dates yet

Gourmet festival

Hungary has for a long time been known as a nation where you get lots of food on your plate, but not so well known as a nation where you come to eat the finest bites of upper quality. This pictures is however changing, and now with two Michelin starred restaurants in town and lots of focus on fine dining, the Gourmet festival will let you taste and see the best of the best in Hungary.
Gourmet festival 2013 dates: May 31st-June 2nd

More June activities

New in 2013 is the Giant Ferris Wheel on the Elisabeth square. This opened on June 7th and will be running until the end of July in 2013. Make sure to check it out if you are in town.

Other great June activities in Budapest are river cruises on the Danube, wine tastings, folklore shows, organ concerts in the St. Stephens Basilica and lots of other stuff.

If you have any further advises and tips, why not write a comment and share your ideas.

[toggle Title=”What happened in June 2013?”]June in 2013 in Budapest was most of all famous for the giant flood. In Budapest the water was almost 9 meters above the normal height. Luckily Budapest managed to resist the water in quite a good way. When it comes to the weather the first weeks of June had cold weather, then followed by extreme heat for 10 days, and after that back to 20 Celsius.[/toggle]

Hungarian Shadow Dancers in Britain’s Got Talent

Posted on by Budablogger

A few days ago a Hungarian showed up on the stage in Britain’s Got Talent. The group known as the Hungarian Shadow Dancers entered the talent show because they said it is the biggest of all such shows and they wanted to show themselves to the world.

Upon presenting themselves to the jury it was quickly discovered that the group did not have British origin. They therefore introduced themselves as the Shadow Dancers from Hungary and said that they came to the show to let the world get to know their skills as they entered the biggest talent show in the world-

Wonder what the performance of the Hungarian shadow dancers looked like? Take a look at it yourself in the video beneath originating from YouTube. If you want to watch a video where you can see the presentation and the comments from the jury in addition to the performance, take a look at the following video on YouTube.

Reactions to the Shadow Theatre Group

Simon Cowell after watching the performance of the Hungarians said: “Guys, I just want to say thank you actually for coming over to enter this competition. I’m always very flattered when people from other countries want to compete on this show and it is one of the best acts I’ve ever seen in terms of originality and it was very touching.”

Another member of the jury, Amanda Holden, said with a tear in her eye that “I actually can’t speak. I found that just so emotional and touching. You just made me really think about everything. It was amazing.”

The Shadow Dancers from Hungary, also known as Attraction or the Shadow Theatre Group, has now been raised as one of the favorites to win the entire competition. It would be extremely cool if they would get all the way to the final and win, but there is always a challenge to keep the quality of future performances, especially after such an awesome start.

Monopoli Bar Pizzeria

Posted on by Budablogger

Two weeks ago I visited Pizza Hut in Arena Plaza and wrote an article about it. In my eyes they serve some of the best pizzas in Budapest restaurants, but not everyone agrees with me on that. A person commenting the article told me that Monopoli between Oktogon and Nyugati has much better pizza.

I love pizza so I took the challenge and a few days later I visited Monopoli Bar Pizzera together with a buddy of mine and my little son. We ordered two pizzas; one traditional with corn and ham and another with mozzarella cheese and parma ham. The service was great and while waiting I noticed how someone came complaining because of a pizza they had bought. The man in charge did his uttermost to satisfy his customers and even offered them a new pizza if they wanted… after all he did not want anyone to live Monopoli unsatisfied. That is great service!

How did we enjoy Monopoli?

It is important to understand that Monopoli is not a restaurant like Pizza Hut or other Italian restaurants in Budapest. This is a mix between a kebab place and a restaurant, so it doesn’t give you the ultimate restaurant feeling. But, to sit down a place with friends to grab a pizza this is great and ideal. It is especially nice to sit by the windows and enjoy the view of the trams, traffic and trespassers.

Pizza toast in Monopoli

The pizzas were typical Italian, a bit too Italian for me. That is probably my problem, but I like the thicker bottom better, but I can absolutely bear over with a thin bottom, if it doesn’t taste to much tomatoes. Unfortunately the pizza in Monopoli was a bit to tomato like to me, so the ingredients didn’t help what I call the „foundational” problem.

In addition to the pizzas we ordered a pizza sandwich and a kind of calzone. They were both okay, but not a place I would return to for further eating and to taste the same pizzas again.

Final Monopoli conclusion

Pizza is a difficult subject, because there are so many ways to make them and we all like them prepared in different ways. If you like those typical Italian pizzas, go check out on Monopoli. We paid for the two pizzas, the pizza toast and the calzone kind of thing and two drinks about 6000 HUF. The service is great so you will be taken good care of and this is ideal if you want to eat Italian without visiting one of those expensive Italian restaurants in Budapest.

If you disagree with me, please write a comment and let me know. If you know about a place in Budapest where they serve fantastic pizzas, please write and I will visit those places and review them (as soon as possible).

Budapest in April

Budapest in April

Posted on by Budablogger

Coming to Budapest in March can be risky, because the weather can be great, but it can also be terrible. Coming to Budapest in April is much safer, because by then spring has arrived and you should be able to count on nicer temperatures and sunshine.

In April the life comes back to the streets of Budapest and one can easily see and feel that the tourists start to invade the city. More people walk along Vaci utca and restaurants get fully booked during weekends. The question is still what to do in Budapest in April?

This article is outdated. You can find a fresh and updated article about Budapest in April here.

Cool festivals

There are different events and festivals taking place in Budapest every year. One of the big festivities that often happens to be in April is Easter. In the weeks before Easter and until some days after Easter visitors can enjoy the Budapest Spring Festival. This is a festival packed with professional dancers, musicians and performances in some of the nicest venues in Budapest. During the entire Spring Festival a Spring Fair is set up on the Vorosmarty square (that is where the annual Christmas market can be found as well). The Spring Fair is very similar to the Christmas fair, except from the fact that the weather is better. The Spring Fair normally last for some more days after the Spring festival is finished, so make sure to check it out if you are in town in this period.
Spring Festival dates in 2013: March 22nd – April 7th

International Book Festival

If you like a good book, then you better check out the International Book Festival in Budapest. This is normally arranged in Budapest in April and the venue is the Millenaris Park on the Buda side. At the festival you can meet up with famous and not so famous authors, buy lots of books, During the festival you can in addition to reading and buying books also enjoy programs at stages, eat some good food and visit one of the nicest park areas in Budapest together with more than 50,000 other people.
Book festival dates in 2013: April 18th – 21st

Buda Soup Festival

The soup festival in Budapest will be arranged for the first time in 2013. The venue is the open air parking lot next to the Mammut Shopping Center and during the festival visitors will be able to taste soups, learn how to prepare soups and watch soup making competitions and other cool stuff!
Soup festival dates in 2013: April 26th-28th

Visit Margaret Island and Szentendre

If you are lucky and visit Budapest on a period with nice weather and sunshine in April, you should absolutely go visit the Margaret Island. Travel with tram number two along the Danube all the way to the Margaret Bridge (Jaszai Mari ter) and walk from there unto the bridge and down to the Margaret Island. On the island the most important thing is to relax, walk, borrow a bike and eat an ice cream. If the wind is blowing or if it is bad weather, skip this activity!

Another great activity in April if the weather is nice is to visit Szentendre, the idyllic city 30km north of Budapest. This little town is completely different from Budapest and you should consider spending some hours there. Ladies can easily spend even more, while men get bored after an hour. That is why many people combine a trip to Szentendre with a wine tasting which immediately makes the trip more interesting for the male members of the travel company as well.

Cultural programs

With more tourists arriving the traditional tourist programs are arranged on a more regular basis. This again means that you can watch traditional Hungarian folklore programs on quite a lot of evenings in April, listen to organ concerts in the St. Stephens Basilica and symphonic concerts in the Danube Palace.

If you want some more action you could also consider enjoying a traditional puszta program with horse show and authentic Hungarian cuisine. The latter horse and puszta program normally last for 5 hours in total, so a perfect half day program if you want to see something else than shopping windows in central Budapest.

Budapest basics in all months

There are some activities you should not miss out on when you come to Budapest, no matter what month you arrive. Such activities are:

  • Danube River cruise with stunning view (especially in the evening)
  • Take a swim in the hot springs of the Szechenyi furdo
  • Drink and taste lots of Hungarian wine
  • Eat the legendary Hungarian Goulash soup
  • Visit Szimpla kert or some other ruin pub in Budapest

These were some simple advises for everyone who come to Budapest in April. If Easter happens to be in April in the year you visit Budapest you can read more about Easter in Budapest in the linked article.

Weather in Budapest in April

Just in the end it is worth mentioning that the average temperature in Budapest in April is somewhere between 7 and 17 Celsius. This again means that during daytime we often enjoy temperatures far above 17 Celsius, so you should be prepared with a nice t-shirt when packing your suitcase. However, do not forget your jacket, because if you get the 7 Celsius weather with some wind, it isn’t to cozy to walk along the Danube.

If you have further thoughts about Budapest in April, make sure to write a comment with your experiences, comments or advises.

Dinner in Il Treno

Posted on by Budablogger

Not long ago I had the chance to dine in Il Treno in Budapest. Until now I have only eaten pizza slices from Il Treno on the run, but this was the first time I actually sat down in an Il Treno restaurant to really eat. And I am glad I did!

There are quite some Il Treno’s located in Budapest, but I visited the Il Treno restaurant located in Bartok Bela ut. This is a bit outside the city centre of Budapest, but if you live in hotels such as Hotel Griff, Hotel Mediterrean, Danubius Hotel Flamenco or maybe even Hotel Gellert, it isn’t that far away.

What we ate in Il Treno?

I am a pizza fan so I ordered a pizza, but I made sure that everyone else ordered something else, making me able to taste lots of other main courses in Il Treno as well. My father in law ate a spaghetti carbonara, my mother in law a fajitas with chicken and my beautiful wife a pasta with tasty sauce made up of smoked cheese, broccoli and other snacks.

After a while the food was served. I tasted all four main courses and to my surprise they tasted great, all four of them, especially the two spaghetti/pasta courses. I can warmly recommend those to everyone. After the main courses success we ordered four desserts hope for same great success over again. We had different sorts of pancakes with sauce and cottage cheese and the traditional Hungarian sponge cake (somloi galuska). Unfortunately the main course success did not remain for the desserts. It was not big mistakes with them, but at the same time they were nothing special, so if I would return another time I would probably skip the dessert.

Even though we did not enjoy our dessert as much as the main course, we were still very satisfied with our dinner and also with the price level of the restaurant. We all ordered drinks and the total price of five main courses, four desserts and drinks for everyone was just beneath 12,000 HUF.

If you have been to Il Treno yourself we would love to have you share your thoughts and your experience as you write a comment!

Il Treno information

1116 Budapest, Bartók Béla út 105-113
Tlf: +36 20 953 7261

Il Terzo Cerchio Budapest review

Posted on by Budablogger

The seventh district in Budapest is getting more and more popular, and in the area where Il Terzo Cerchio is located you can find popular bars and clubs such as Szimpla Kert and Kuplong and some very nice hotels, for example Continental Hotel Zara which is the nearest neighbour of the restaurant.

Il Terzo Cerchio is thus not located by the shopping street, but a bit outside the main center of Budapest, but still in a popular area where lots of people walk around, for example looking for a restaurant after visiting the second largest synagogue in the world, also located in Dohány Utca. Sitting in the restaurant eating on a Wednesday evening it was obvious that quite a lot of people end up in this restaurant in this way, simply walking around and then they bump into this Italian restaurant. And as the restaurant looks good, many people make this their dinner place for the evening.

If you visit this Italian restaurant during lunch time you can get a three course meal deal for a great price. When coming for dinner the restaurant has quite a lot of dishes on their menu, so everyone should be able to find something pleased their tongue and stomach. They write about themselves that “It’s a bit more sophisticated than your typical Italian eatery, but the atmosphere is still homey and inviting.” Concerning the interior they describe Il Terzo Cerchio as a restaurant with “Large windows, plenty of space and a brick-covered, vaulted ceiling all contribute to a warm, rustic ambience.” I totally agree, and both descriptions suite the restaurant very well.

As a sophisticated Italian restaurant you will of course find lots of pizzas on the menu, lasagne, carbonara and other Italian dishes. There are also quite a lot of fish dishes on the menu at Il Terzo Cerchio and the price level is not to bad, though for sure not the cheapest in the area. When coming to the desserts they have some really good ones, and my personal favorite is the Chocolate Souffle (see picture).

Some price examples:

Dessert in Il Terzo Cerchio

Selection of bruschetta: 2150 HUF
Grilled chicken breast: 2450 HUF
Capricciosa pizza: 2550 HUF
Lasage: 2550 HUF
Chocolate Souflfe: 1200 HUF

Il Terzo Cerchio information

1074 Budapest, Dohány utca 40
+36 1 354-0788

Hungary and the Eurovision Song Contest – The big problem

Posted on by Budablogger

The Eurovision Song Contest is approaching and only a few days ago the Hungarian people voted for ByeAlex to represent Hungary in the Song Contest of 2013. I considered naming this article Bye Bye Alex, but the problem is much bigger than ByeAlex…

I remembered the first time I listened to the song with which ByeAlex won the hearts of the Hungarians. I thought that it fits perfectly into the Eurovision Song Contest, because it is so boring and strange. The problem is that it is nothing more than boring and strange. Last year the amazing Russian grandmothers sang about partying and it was a terrible song, but because it was cool and gave people a reason to smile, it ended up on second place. Well, ByeErik gives us a good reason to sleep, at least he gives me a reason to sleep.

The real Hungarian problem

But, the real Hungarian problem is not ByeAlex. Strange songs have won the Eurovision Song Contest before, so since miracles still do happen, ByeAlex might somehow qualify for the final, and if he first gets there, who knows. Maybe he will even get some points?!

The challenge is that it is real people voting for the winners in the Eurovision Song Contest. The voters vote for two things:

  • Great songs
  • Friends and nations they sympathize with

It is strange to notice how often a nation gets lots of points from the neighboring nations. If you start paying attention you can notice how Spain always get points from Portugal and France and there are lots of similar cases. This is where the problem starts. Hungary does not get points from their neighbors. The nations surrounding Hungary doesn’t really sympathize with the Hungarians, so when the points are given from Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Ukraine, Austria and Serbia there are very few points sent in the direction of Hungary. The nearest one can come to a Hungarian neighbor when it comes to giving points is Finalnd… and that is it.

Eurovision 2011 example

In 2011 Kati Wolf performed for Hungary. I remember she was among the favorites for winning the entire competition… and yes, it was a great song that I still enjoy hearing when it is played on the radio. Hungary then received a total of 53 points (giving it an amazing 22nd place). They received points from the following nations: Finland (12 points), Sweden (5 points), France (2 points), Romania (7 points), Austria (2 points), Azerbadjan (2 points), Iceland (5 points), Spain (6 points), Ukraine (4 points) and Serbia (8 points). They received some points from their neighbors, but it could have been so many more points to gather.

Did you know that there is something called OGAE, which is the General Organisation of Eurovision Fans. Since 2007 they vote for a winner of the Eurovision Song Contest and here are the statistics.

  • OGAE winner 2007: Serbia (also won the Song Contest)
  • OGAE winner 2008: Sweden (ended up as number 18 in Song Contest)
  • OGAE winner 2009: Norway (also won the Song Contest)
  • OGAE winner 2010: Denmark (ended up 4th in the Song Contest)
  • OGAE winner 2011: Hungary (ended up as number 22 in Song Contest)
  • OGAE winner 2012: Sweden (also won the Song Contest)

There is one exception with Sweden in 2008, but normally the songs selected by OGAE does very well in the main competition. Not so for Hungary in 2011. That is why it doesn’t really matter if we send ByeAlex or Gigi Radics or anyone else to the Eurovision Song Contest, Hungary wan’t win anyway.

Back in 2007 Hungary got a ninth place in the Eurovision Song Contest when Magdolna Ruzsa performed her Unsubstantial Blues. This was the best performance in the Hungarian history of Eurovision Song Contest since 1994 when they got a fourth place as Friderika sang “Whom can I tell my sins?” That was also the first year Hungary took part in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Will Hungary ever win the Eurovision Song Contest?

If Hungary stay in the same relationship with their neighboring nations as now, they will not. They might get some points from here and there, but if a great song like the one in 2011 only grabs a few points from the neighboring nations it will never be enough to win the entire competition.

In 2013 ByeAlex will represent Hungary… if he qualifies for the final I will be very surprised. If he qualifies for the final and gets more than 50 points I will be greatly surprised. If he gets more than hundred points I will find my guitar, clear my voice and get ready for recording, because then I will publish the Budablogger version of the song of ByeAlex…

Budapest in March

Posted on by Budablogger

After a long winter March comes with hope and normally temperatures that make Scandinavians think it is summer. So, what has Budapest got to offer tourists dropping by in March?

It is useful to know that March is still pre-season in Budapest, meaning that you should be able to find cheap hotels and lots of half-full restaurants eager to have you visit them. If you are lucky you can experience temperatures above 15 degrees, but if you are unlucky it can be between 0 and 5 Celsius. In the best years the average temperature in Budapest is 10 Celsius in March, while in less tourist friendly years the average temperature can be around 2 Celsius.

Spring Festival and Spring Fair

The most important festival in Budapest in March is the Budapest Spring Festival. The dates differ from year to year, but the festival normally last for two weeks and it is packed with national and international stars performing in several different venues in Budapest. If you like ballett, classical music, jazz and similar expressions, this is the festival for you.

Budapest Spring Festival 2013: March 22nd – April 7th

Another popular activity that comes together with the Spring Festival is the Spring fair at the Vörösmarty square. This is very similar to the Christmas market at the same square, except from the fact that the weather is better and it stays bright for much longer. If you come in this period, make sure you visit the Spring Fair and have some Hungarian sausage, eat some Chimney cake and buy some hand-made souvenir.

If you are lucky with the weather you should also enjoy the best cakes in Budapest at the Gerbeaud confectionary sitting outside enjoy the first rays of the sun at the Vörösmarty square.

More cultural events in March

Since tourists start coming to town in March some of the typical programs start showing up again. In March you can for example take a look at a traditional Hungarian folklore program several times in the beautiful Danube Palace. Another popular program is the traditional Puszta programs arranged at several spots around in the nation of Hungary. At such programs you will normally enjoy a spectacular horse-show combined with lots of food and lots of drinks on the table.

If you like organ music there are concerts availabe in the St. Stephens Basilica a couple of days a week during this period, so that could be an option for some of you.

If you want to know more about Hungarian gastronomy and handicraft, why not visit the Handicraft Fair of Hungarian Flavours from March 8th to 10th in 2013.

Other March activities

If you are really lucky with the weather a great place to go is the Romai part. It is located north of Budapest, not far from the Aquincum museum. Here you can stroll along the Danube and eat and drink in an area that reminds you more of a traditional seaside than Hungary. Do not forget to visit the museum while in the area, as it will give you great insight in the history of the area.

Visit the Franz Liszt square and enjoy a lunch outside in open air together with both locals and tourists. At the square you will be able to eat traditional Hungarian courses and a whole lot of other stuff, of course depending on what restaurant you choose. We can warmly recommend Menza and Fresco Cafe.

In addition to these advises, here comes some general advises valid for Budapest throughout the entire year!

River Cruise in March in Budapest

All year round Budapest advises

  • Take a swim in Szechenyi Furdo, the hot springs are delicious
  • Go taste some wine on a Hungarian wine tasting
  • Enjoy the night view of Budapest on a Danube Cruise
  • Visit the Grand Market Hall and feel like a local
  • Taste the Goulash soup in 2-3 restaurants, just to get to know the national soup of Hungary

We wish you a pleasant stay in Budapest in March. If anyone have further advices or experiences, please write a comment. We would love to hear from you!

Colombus Budapest review

Posted on by Budablogger

There are some restaurants in Budapest located on great places, and there are those with absolutely perfect locations if you want to enjoy good food accompanied by a beautiful panorama. Colombus is such a place.

Colombus is the name of a boat restaurant located on the Pest side of Budapest on the Danube. The boat doesn’t move, so it is lying still, but with windows looking towards the Buda side and with a terrace giving you a great view towards the Gellert Hill, the Castle of Buda, the Chain Bridge and lots of other Budapest attractions. The location and the view is perfect, but what about the food?

The wiener schnitzel, a traditional main course in Budapest

Colomus Budapest review

At the menu in Colombus you will find quite a lot of fish dishes and some traditional Hungarian dishes. We ordered a fajita with chicken and a traditional Hungarian wiener schnitzel, followed by two desserts. Service was good and the fajita and the wiener schnitzel tasted just the way they are meant to. For dessert we ate a chocolate mousse and a chocolate brownie (we do like chocolate). The brownie with ice cream was great, while the chocolate mousse was average.

Colombus is not only known for great panorama and good food, but they have live music available regularly, salsa evenings and other musical events. Many know the boat as a jazz boat, so if you want to combine good food with live music and wonderful panorama, why not choose Colombus. Next to Colombus you will find Spoon Cafe & Lounge, another restaurant boat. If I had to choose which place to visit of the two I would without hesitation choose Colombus, because based on my own experience I enjoyed my visit to Colombus much more than I enjoyed my two visits to Spoon.

The brownie was a good choice for dessert

The price for the one starter (the fajitas was only a starter), the wiener schnitzel with mashed potatoes and cucumber salad, the two desserts and two drinks was totally around 8500 HUF. I must admit that some people would pay that price for the panorama alone!

Colombus information

1051 Budapest, Vigadó tér, Peer 4

Panorama from the Colombus terrace

Have you been to Colombus yourself? Share your experience and write a comment/review. If you want to make a table reservation in Colombus, use the forms further down