Is It Better To Visit Budapest’s Szimpla Kert By Day Or Night?

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The outside of a tall building in Budapest with a flag flying and a sign for Szimpla Kert ruin bar on a clear sunny day

Are you trying to decide if it’s worth going to Szimpla Kert when you visit Budapest? The short answer is yes, absolutely, 100%. We were in your shoes a few years ago when we were backpacking around Europe for 3 months. We’d heard about ruin bars and Szimpla Kert in particular as a great place to hang out, drink beer and have fun so we decided to check it out both during the day and at night.

In this guide we explain everything you need to know about visiting Budapest’s legendary Szimpla Kert ruin bar, based on our experiences.

Our Experience

Inside a bustling ruin bar in Budapest at night with lots of tourists drinking beers and dancing with lights flashing and lots of colorful exhibits
We took this photo when it was starting to get lively in the evening

We traveled the world non-stop for 6 years, and along the way we stumbled across so many amazing pubs, bars, lounges and other boozy establishments. Budapest’s ruin bar scene is up there with the most unique and enjoyable party atmospheres we can remember. And being the original, most popular and most touristy ruin bar, Szimpla Kert was at its heart.

We first visited around lunch time on a Sunday and the interior instantly stopped us in our tracks. After a lot of double takes at the sensory overload we’d just walked into, we got a beer and explored its weird but wonderful labyrinthine maze. It turned out Sunday had a farmers market and even a brunch. Win! But we knew had to come back at night, so we returned Monday evening ready to party and the place was bouncing. Read more about us.

What You Need To Know

Room in a ruined building with a bathtub next to a table and bench, writing on the walls and a mirror
This room on the upper level with the bathtub was interesting and easy to reach during the day

Okay, let’s get the important things out of the way first. Here’s a summary of what you should know before you visit Szimpla Kert:

  • It’s free to enter Szimpla Kert
  • The dress code is casual, anything goes
  • It’s open air so you’ll need a coat in winter
  • Each bar inside opens at different times
  • Take cash, the currency is Hungarian Forint
  • Onsite ATM’s charge 5 euros per transaction
  • You can pay with card but they might ask for tip
  • It’s very touristy, busy and loud
  • You can write on walls with markers
  • It has a library, cinema and art exhibits
  • It’s much busier at night
  • There’s an eclectic mix of people
  • Expect live music and DJ’s
  • There’s a wide range of drinks available
  • Drink prices have gone up since we visited

Safety

The overwhelming majority are going to have a fantastic experience at Szimpla Kert. But we wanted to raise safety awareness after reading comments on Tripadvisor mentioning theft, muggings and even drinks being spiked. This can happen in any popular tourist bar in the world, but it’s important to be aware and alert when you visit.

Going as a big group or even as part of a pub crawl tour would be the safest option. We never had any issues as a couple, but we were cautious and we never left any valuables or our drinks unwatched. Just take extra care if you’re a solo traveler, and maybe lay off the shots!

Location + Opening Hours

Long line of tourists waiting to go inside a colorful looking bar at night
Line of people waiting to get in as we left

Szimpla Kert is located on Kazinsky Utca near Wesselenyi Utca in Budapest’s Jewish Quarter. Here’s the exact location on Google Maps. The nearest metro stop is Astoria, a 6 minute walk away (500 meters).

Budapest is a very walkable city, so you’ll likely be able to reach it by foot. We’ve stayed near the Parliament Building and in the Jewish Quarter, both of which were easily walkable to the ruin bar.

Opening hours:

  • Monday-Friday: 3:00pm-4:00am
  • Saturday: 12:00pm-4:00am
  • Sunday: 9:00am-4:00am

Note: There’s also a farmers market on Sundays from 9:00am-2:00pm that’s well worth checking out for local produce, goods and souvenirs.

What You’ll Find

Lots of small computer monitors on a wall tangled with long cords and colorful fairy lights, and smashed up tv's on the ground in a ruin bar called Szimpla Kert in Budapest
This room filled with TV’s and old computer monitors was another fun one

Szimpla Kert means simple garden. But we can tell you right now there’s nothing simple about this open air ruin bar. You’ll find two floors and an outdoor courtyard filled with a mish-mash of eccentricities including colors, lights, bars, things hanging from the ceiling, indoor gardens, tv’s, cars, bath tubs, cables, signs and walls covered in marker pen. You can explore all parts of the ruin bar and write on the walls.

The bottom floor is more open with space to gather in groups at tables. Whereas the top floor is more maze-like with sporadic rooms and random seating areas. Finally, the courtyard out back is open with lots of wooden benches. The word unique gets used too often, but Szimpla Kert really is one of a kind. Even among the other other ruin bars in Budapest.

Visiting During The Day

Mannequin sat on a metal fence surrounded by plants inside a ruin bar in Budapest called Szimpla Kert
Mannequin on the upper level during the day

If you visit Szimpla Kert during the day you’ll have a more relaxed, chilled and quiet experience. It’s easier to explore and get a feel for the outlandish interior when there aren’t hundreds of drunk people flailing around. And you can get brunch on Saturdays and Sundays until 2:00pm.

The downside is that you won’t get the full experience because it’s quieter and less trippy, which we think is a major part of its allure. You might even think it’s a bit overrated after all the rave reviews you’ve read online before visiting. But it’s a good time to read a book, people watch or just grab a quick beer before moving on.

We recommend visiting during the day if you’re not too sure this is your style or you’re not into a clubbing type of atmosphere. For us, we enjoyed just sitting around at lunch time, hanging out, taking it easy and being able to explore. But we did think other ruin bars nearby with outdoor seating were better suited to a daytime visit because Szimpla Kert had a kind of dark and dingy feel.

Visiting At Night

Mannequin sat on a metal fence inside a ruin bar at night with a DJ playing behind and flashing lights
And here’s the same mannequin at night with a DJ behind

But Szimpla Kert is a different beast altogether at night. We found some great places to party in Budapest but Szimpla Kert was always the busiest and had a real international atmosphere. The vibe was awesome, the music was loud, the colors were vibrant and the lights were flashing. But it was harder to explore because the whole place was jam-packed with rowdy and tipsy tourists.

This is the time you’ll really get to see the wild side of Budapest’s most famous ruin bar. It’s busy but for the most part everyone’s out to have a good time. Remember, Szimpla Kert is open until 4:00am every single night of the week, so you might want to get a late dinner, pre-game and arrive here a bit later when the dance floor kicks off.

We recommend visiting at night if you’re in the mood for a fun, energetic and lively time. Groups of friends on holiday should definitely go at night when the DJ cranks up the volume and the beers really begin to flow. We had a lot of fun meeting people from all over the world and mingling with other couples over a few cocktails. Overall, we preferred it night by some distance.

The Morgan Conclusion

Photo looking down over an open courtyard with people sat at tables and chairs, and a roof made of flags
The outdoor courtyard was far more casual during the day

What we like: It was such a cool, bohemian and unique place to visit with an eclectic mix of people. Exploring the nooks and crannies was part of the adventure, and the drinks were also pretty good despite being overpriced. We think Szimpla Kert is better at night, but it’s still interesting to see during the day.

What we don’t like: The toilets were grim when we visited. Like, really bad. There’s also lots of reviews online about rude bouncers or bartenders, and not getting correct change. Robberies and crime are also on the rise. Nothing bad happened to us, but they’re all things to be aware of. And aside from the unhinged decor, there wasn’t much to shout home about during the day before it really livened up at night.

Is Szimpla Kert worth it? Yes, Szimpla Kert is definitely worth visiting and especially at night. It’s a unique ruin bar with thousands of excellent reviews and a trendy vibe. With that said we think it’s better suited to large groups, a younger crowd or anyone who enjoys a lively atmosphere. We enjoyed it and Mark’s been back since on a boys trip, which definitely got a bit boozy!

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We hope our guide to Szimpla Kert helps with planning your visit to Budapest!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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6 thoughts on “Is It Better To Visit Budapest’s Szimpla Kert By Day Or Night?”

  1. Been to Budapest in 1992 for the first time and went back last September 2023. I stumbled to this place while walking in the area one afternoon, the concept of this place is amazing and I end up coming back . I love Budapest especially the coffee shop culture 😉

    Reply
  2. Nicely done! I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of enjoying the many ruin bars there, too. Szimpla is my favorite… worth visiting both by day and by night. I have played the poor beat up piano there a hundred times. Anyway, thanks so much for sharing this, for bringing back many fond memories, and inspiring others to visit, too.

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  3. I’ve been going to budapest for 20 years…lived there for a couple years as well. It isn’t a ruin bar unless the bathrooms are scary.

    Reply

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