ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by rgjbloke

Never been there but some friends went a few years ago. Four of them were walking down the road when they got chatting to two young ladies who told them they were from out of town. So there they were walking along the road with them when it was suggested that they have a quick drink in a bar a little way along the street. Four rounds later, they found that they owed the bar about four hundred quid and they weren't going anywhere until the bill was paid. When they said they didn't know it would be that expensive, they were shown a menu with the extortionate prices printed on it. One of them was escorted to a cash point by the two women who obviously by now, were not from out of town while the rest had to stop at the bar.

Fucking expensive beer. Just watch out!

That happened to me in a lapdance bar. If you don't take anything from the ladies there's an 800% surcharge on your bar bill. Question it and you're surrounded by Hungarian Mr. T's. Good job my boys turned up on time.

I live in Budapest for a fair chunk of the year.

Places to go: museums, the zoo, etc. Usual dull boring pump that you can see anywhere, and probably below 700th on the list of the things the lad wants to see and do.

Several places are seasonal dependent, so depending on when he/you come to Budapest, will decide if they are still open or not (open air bars and clubs). Favourite restaurant (sensible money): Cafe Bouchon on Zichy Jeno utca 33 (utca is Hungarian for street). Favourite restaurants (silly money): Costes at Ráday utca 4 and Fausto's at Székely Mihály str. 2 (next to my excellent tailor if you fancy spending 2k on a suit). Also TomGeorge on October 6 utca is good. Best Italian restaurant (apart from Fausto) is Pomodoro at Arany János utca 9: very reasonably priced.

Places to avoid: ALL titty bars apart from Palace (near the Basilica, 2 minutes walk from the Kempinski and Meridien hotels) and Marilyns (Kalvin Ter (Ter being 'square' in Hungarian)).

Nightclubs: Rio, Dokk Club are fine, but don't ask me as I'm an old fart and married.
Bars: A38 is very good (a boat on the Buda side of the Danube). I like De Vino and Negro (both near Basilica).

If you are a smoker, be aware that smoking is now illegal in all bars and restaurants (all enclosed spaces). If you come in winter be prepared to gibber your tits off outside for your fag as it got down to -20 last January.

There are plenty of good and cheap hotels, and even the 5* hotels are cheap compared to the UK. A friend of mine is a manager with the Mercure chain in Budapest so can get you a reasonable deal, but to be honest your best bet is an internet deal. Hotel Zara is a good 4*. The Marriott is crap (nice, but utterly without soul). The Kempinski, InterContinental, Sofitel and Meridien are all nice, and the FourSeasons Gresham Palace is great: best vodka martinis in the whole of Central Europe.

Have a look at Tripadvisor for more details (www.tripadvisor.com).

Have fun.

For the lads who got ripped off by the 'hyenas': working girls who patrol the tourist areas in pairs looking for stupid tourists to lure into a bar, whereupon after one beer or "champagne" they dissapear and a bill for US$300 per beer appears: they are fucking idiots for walking into a trap. Do pretty women walk up to you in your home town and invite you for a drink? Didn't think so, so why should it happen in Budapest? There are only two safe strip joints in the city: Marilyns is cheap and cheerful (about 3 quid a pint) and Palace is high class and expensive (but you get what you pay for).

Also have a look at this website: http://www.caboodle.hu/ for restaurants and places to drink and things to do. The website is written by an Expat (Erik D'Amoto) who has lived in Budapest for years.

Thanks to all,

Just hope the little fecker gets the grades to justify the trip now.

Mush_dad,
i too spend a fair bit of time in Hungary hunting, a good friend of mine owns thousands of acres of hunting ground, and is based in Tokal just outside Budapest, if thats your thing mukka contact me on; bmaacademy@hotmail.co.uk and i'll hitch you up with him.
Leaf

Make it the middle of September and they have the national wine festival. In the castle its a hell of a weekend.

that'll be worth doing, red wine and polinka, great combo