What is it?
Imagine a nightclub and live venue on Trafalgar Square, and that’s Budapest’s Akvárium Klub. This was once the concourse of the city’s main bus station and mooted as the site of the new National Theatre. Now it’s a split-terrace alfresco bar open from mid-afternoon, and a multi-space party place and concert hall, ideal for top Hungarian bands and reasonably big foreign ones.
Is it worth visiting?
If you want to it central, Akvárium is ideal. Even if the act that night might not be to your liking, you can always hang around outside, where a water feature provides the perfect backdrop for Insta shots.
What are the prices like?
Admission varies entirely according to the act – for a Paul van Dyk appearance in May 2024, advance admission was £22, free for the mobility-impaired, while the charge that April for a little-known Hungarian band in the 300-capacity hall was just over £4 in advance, £6.50 on the door.
Where’s good to eat nearby?
There’s a kitchen here for bar food but you’re right in town – the urban eateries by the Basilica, such as Bestia, are just around the corner.
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