Szatyor: two types of unbridled fun

A bustling, bohemian hub on the Buda side Hadik/Szatyor.

There’s a place in one of the up and coming neighborhoods of Budapest that’s unlike any other. Szatyor Bár is the crown jewel of the hip establishments dotting Bartók Boulevard: with its ruin pub features combined with a posh café (known as “Hadik”), this place is truly the alpha and the omega of anyone visiting the Buda side.

The beginnings of Szatyor

Szatyor’s story starts with the legendary Café Hadik. Opened in 1906 and functioning all the way until the 1940s, it quickly rose to prominence. It was not, however, its allegedly terrible coffee or lackluster menu that attracted wider audiences: the bar’s appeal was a byproduct of its famous guests. Over the years, literary geniuses Frigyes Karinthy, Zsigmond Móricz, Dezső Kosztolányi, and Tibor Déry all became regulars at Hadik, which helped cement the café’s reputation for decades to come. And even though the post-world war era marked a long hiatus in Szatyor’s history, investors decided to breathe life into the bar anew, and make it a bohemian center of the Buda side of the city.

With its renovation, the owner’s intention was not only to open yet another ruin pub in the neighborhood: it was partially built as a gallery and they declared they would make supporting fine arts and literature part of their mission.

Named after… a bag?

It is said that when Frigyes Karinthy, a renowned author known for his satirical style, first entered Szatyor Bár, his eyes immediately caught the cheap straw mat covering the walls, prompting him to quip “Isn’t this a dilly bag?”. The resourceful owner took a liking of the comment, and thus the name “Szatyor Bár” (“Dilly Bag Bar” or just simply “Bag Bar”) was born.

The interior

Fortunately, following its refurbishment, the bar itself doesn’t come off as cheap at all. Now, you may enter through the “Hadik” entrance or the “Szatyor” entrance, but you essentially you enter the same venue: the same waiters and chefs cover both areas, so you’ll get the same quality service wherever you prefer to sit. As for the interior, though, there are plenty of differences. Szatyor is for the youth: its bohemian decoration, colorful wooden chairs and tables, rather crammed main space, it’s admittedly designed to attract younger generations. As for Hadik, which occupies a smaller portion of the establishment, it’s the polar opposite of Szatyor. Elegant tables located relatively far from each other, a stylish combination of beige and black dominating the color palette, all lit by dim lamps: Hadik is an elegant invocation of 20s and 30s nostalgia.

The menu

As you’d expect, a bar that also doubles as a café boasts a pretty formidable selection. Almost 20 different coffee types and a pretty exhaustive list of teas mean that even if you become a regular here, you can’t get tired of the hot drinks. And as for Szatyor Bár, their drinks selection is on par with any celebrated ruin pub on the Pest side. Don’t want to take our word? Go on and take a look here. Plus, they also offer a handful of “literary cocktails” that let you wet your whistle just like your favorite author does (or used to do). And let’s not forget about the food either! As you might expect, Szatyor/Hadik doesn’t necessarily proclaim itself to be a center of culinary arts, however, it does have a decent selection if you want to grab a bite. You can either pick a craft burger (their Double Bacon Burger will make your mouth water), or if you prefer something more traditional, go for their main dishes (“sztrapacska” is a home run for sure). But to see the full selection, check their menu here – and to check our review of Hungarian traditional dishes, read this article as well. 

The art hub

Something we haven’t really elaborated on is Szatyor’s prominent role in supporting contemporary arts and artists. You might’ve heard the main cultural establishments in the city, but Szatyor doesn’t lag behind too much either. Pre-lockdown (and presumably post-lockdown) events were as rich and versatile as any other art gallery in the capital: from piano concerts through literary events all the way to exhibitions, the bar/café is home to a bustling cultural life and quickly became a hub for contemporary arts. So much so that back in 2017, it won the prestigious award “Highlights of Hungary” for its quality events. One of its series of literary events was amongst the most popular ones in Budapest as over 10,000 guests have paid them a visit over the years.

Getting there

Szatyor right between two main hubs, Gellért square (home to the famous Gellért bath) and Móricz Zsigmond square. You can either take metro line 4 and walk 5 minutes tops, or simply take tram 47/49 from Deák Ferenc square and get off at Bertalan Lajos utca. As it’s fairly close to downtown Budapest, you can also choose to rent a bike or ride a scooter. It’s also within arm’s reach from other bars like Béla, and as many other bars, it’s just a few minutes’ walk from one of the Hop on Hop off bus stops.

Q & A

Where is Szatyor?

Hadik/Szatyor is on Bartók Béla Avenue, a 5-minute walk from Gellért square and Móricz Zsigmond square.

Are Hadik and Szatyor two different places?

Although decorated differently, Hadik and Szatyor are technically part of the same establishment.

Is Szatyor a bar or a café?

Szatyor is a bar that serves all the drinks and food that’s also available in Hadik café.

When is Szatyor open?

Szatyor is open every day till midnight.