Ruin pubs are pubs located in old dilapidated buildings, mostly old tenements. The trend began in the 00s, when it was possible to rent a building (or part of it) owned by the municipality, which no sane person would rent for housing, for almost a trifle. We cleaned off the mold, sometimes along with paint and plaster, then put in some second-hand furniture, a bar counter, and here is the Ruin Pub. After the first few copies (one of them was actually called Instant) became huge hits, the practice spread like a mold they were trying to get rid of.
In one of them, we actually had a drink in our friend’s old apartment, after he (and all the other tenants) moved out of the building. His name was still on the entrance to the men’s room!
Frequently visited by students, teenagers, independent artists, their friends and tourists, you can find them all over Budapest. Some of these are now a new breed where the building is technically still a “ruin”, everything else is brand new and/or top shelf catering to the needs of a wealthy clientele that wants to enjoy the “ruin pub feel”.
