Open-air dance floor in Insatnt-Fogas
Open-air dance floor in Insatnt-Fogas

Instant-Fogas – The almighty ruin pub complex of Budapest

Combining 7 different venues, Instant-Fogas is a must-visit party complex.

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If you’re planning to visit Budapest, you’re probably coming for one or more of the following four reasons: to immerse yourself in the healing waters of thermal baths, to see all the famous attractions, such as the Parliament  and the Buda Castle, to admire the centuries-old buildings of the inner city, or to explore the buzzing nightlife of the city. Whether the latter has a priority on your list or not, when you’re in Budapest, you must visit Instant-Fogas, the largest and most diverse party venue of the capital! 

Instant and Fogasház used to be two separate clubs back in the days and both were pretty popular by themselves. Ok, saying they were popular may be an understatement, as these two ruin pubs had already attracted the largest crowds even before the merger, so you can imagine how busy it is nowadays. They joined forces in 2017 placing their headquarter in Akácfa street and have been ruling the city’s nightlife scene ever since. The ruin-complex has 7 different music floors, 18 bars, and more than 10,000 performers a year, and all this on 1200 square meters (bigger than two soccer fields) so there’s enough space for it all. Believe us, there are many reasons why Instant-Fogas is the primary destination of every partygoer! 

The Building of Instant-Fogas

 The building of Instant-Fogas from outside
The building of Instant-Fogas from outside

True to the ruin pub genre, Instant-Fogas is situated in a worn-down building that looks like an abandoned house from the outside. However, when you see dozens of young people lining up in front of the entrance at night, it becomes evident that this building is anything but abandoned. After you get through the bouncers – which won’t be hard as they’re just there to break up fights and not to bother you – you can already hear the loud music and smell that signature ruin bar scent (it’s a delicate mixture of mold, sweat, and spilled beer). As soon as you set foot in the large inner garden (which can be extremely pleasant during hot summer nights the premises), you get caught in the ruin bar vibe. We recommend that you do not get stuck in the line of the first bar, as many newcomers do, but go inside and find another, more hidden one where you can get a drink in a significantly shorter period of time. 

Huge party in Instant
Huge party in Instant

The furniture and design are very special, everything looks like it’s refurbished or second-hand, but the overall picture is amazing. You can find everything here from a dentist’s chair through penguins to aircraft parts. It might seem a bit worn down at first, but the funky furniture and decorations give ruin pubs a special, eclectic, Eastern European charm. The indispensable accessories of ruin bars, such as billiards, table football, pinball, and hockey all can be also found here, so the place is also perfect for lovers of pub sports. 

Dance floors and other spots in Instant-Fogas

With 18 bars and 7 dancefloors, there’s more than enough to discover in Instan-Fogas, and we haven’t even even mentioned the private rooms and lounge areas yet. The venue can easily make you feel like you’re in a labyrinth, especially if you’ve already had a few cold ones. It’s best to be prepared and examine the venue beforehand when you’re still clear in the head. Let us guide you through the different locations of the venue!

Private Rooms in Instant-Fogas

Only a few people know, but Instant-Fogas has are private VIP rooms upstairs with exclusive interior design and private bathrooms, making it an ideal choice for a birthday or bachelor/bachelorette party as well.

Dancefloors:

1. Instant

Being the „main” hall of the venue, this the largest and most crowded place in Instant-Fogas. Disco ball, pixel cloud, and a huge floor area. When it comes to music, the range of this hall is as wide as the Grand Canyon: from Abba and Nickelback, through Sean Paul and Earth, to Wind & Fire, everything blasts at the maximum. This room is ideal for dancing, flirting, and getting to know each other.

The main garden of Instant-Fogas
The main garden of Instant-Fogas

2. Fogas

Is this the real life or some circus fantasy? Party in a magical garden surrounded by colorful paintings and eclectic furniture while the best dance music is blaring from the speakers. The circus tent is heated during winter and cooled in summertime, so you don’t have to worry about the open-air structure. Party until the morning and welcome the sun with your new best buddies you’ve just met! 

Party in Fogas
Party in Fogas

3. UNTERWELT

Shake that booty to the wildest r’n’b and reggaeton remixes at Unterwelt! If you can handle non-stop dancing to the rhythms of international DJs, this is definitely your place to be. When was the last time you attended a good ol’ video disco? Instant-Fogas brings back the top club trend of the 2000s, so here you can enjoy the visuals as much as the music! 

Party in UNTERWELT
Party in UNTERWELT

4. Liebling

This part’s specialty is live music, relaxing, eating, drinking and light pre-drinking. Thanks to the huge terrace, this place is perfect for summer nights and outside gigs. If you want something delicious, you can taste their cocktails, quality wines, filling main courses, and mouth-watering desserts as well.

The chill atmosphere at Liebling in Instant-Fogas
The chill atmosphere at Liebling in Instant-Fogas

5. Lärm

Lärm is one of the best techno music clubs in Budapest, a real underground heaven – which probably makes it hell on earth for a layman. Dark rooms, heavy basses from the Martin Audio system, barely flashing lights, and well-known underground DJs. Being the headquarter of the scene, it’s a second home to many rave lovers. If you’re looking for an authentic techno party in Budapest, this is your go-to place.   

Techno party at Lärm in Instant-Fogas
Techno party at Lärm in Instant-Fogas

6. Roboto

Roboto provides entertainment for the real rockers with regular live concerts and unmatched atmosphere. Not many places can wear the title of “rock club” nowadays, but the Instant-Fogas complex can help you with this, too! Well-known rock musicians and fresh meat jam here alike. The closing chords of the concerts are never the sounds of the last call, as a rock disco comes after each event, letting you head bang until the morning if you want. 

A night at Roboto
A night at Roboto

7. Frame

We had pop, dance, r’n’b, techno, and rock already. Can you guess which music genre is missing? The hottest rhythms of Latin and Cuban music! Crazy beats, unleashed drums, and sweat all around. Put on your dance shoes cause the ladies in Frame won’t be satisfied with some leg crossing – you’ll need to move that hip like your life depends on it!

People dancing at Frame
People dancing at Frame

Downside 

Unfortunately, the toilets (as many ruin pubs’ toilets) are not cleanest and the nicest, so prepare for some hovering. Unless you’ve booked a VIP room though, because in that case you won’t have to worry about this. Another disadvantage of Instant-Fogas is that during regular times (not a pandemic) it’s always packed. Packed in the most literal sense of the word, as in 110%, so we recommend you either go early or really late. 

Don’t miss any party at Instant-Fogas! 
Don’t miss any party at Instant-Fogas! 

Q & A

What is the best party place of Hungary?
There are dozens of great clubs in Budapest, but there’s one which is a primary target of many party loving tourists. Instan-Fogas is a ruin pub complex which is combining 7 different venues and has 1200 sqm overall dancefloor. The entry is free, it’s open every day, and the drinks are fairly priced.
Is Instant-Fogas expensive? 
Not at all. The entry is always free, and the drinks are totally fairly priced. 
What kind of parties does Instant-Fogas has? 
It has 7 different dance floors and all focused on a different genre. Instant is for the best dance hits of all times, Fogas is for mostly electronic music, Lärm is an underground techno club, Unterwelt is for r’n’b, Roboto is for rock music, Frame is for Latin rhythms, and Liebling is for chilling and live gigs. 
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