A real slice of the Emerald Isle, it’s something we’ve been long missing from Budapest’s pub-land. When we headed to Guinness House, I’m not going to lie, I had my doubts and was already prepared for another touristy, stereotypical, whiskey-in-the-jar pub; another pint of disappointment. Surprisingly, what I found there was neither what I expected, nor a snug, wooden-decked tiny local.
The second we entered I saw that the owners hadn’t tried to recreate the stereotype that lives in the minds of many about how an Irish pub should look. With its huge windows and an airy feel, Guinness House has a contemporary lounge vibe about it. Still, the sparsely-decorated pastel walls swing you into some Irish nostalgia; with pictures of the Guinness factory plus both old and recent Guinness ads.
Unlike many other slick places, the design also serves practical needs here; there’s an especially long bar (we all know how the Irish like to sit and chat there), a large sitting area as well as three flat screen TVs and a massive projector screen. And they’re not there without a purpose. As proud owner Charles Griffin told us, they’re planning to screen the whole of the RBS 6 Nations Rugby Championship, the English Premiership, the World Cup and other big sporting events. Sounds fun so far?
Charles also told us that they’re really flexible; if someone wants to have a dish from the breakfast menu at 7 p.m., so be it. He also knows many of his guests. While we were there, he had a couple of warm welcome words to say to anyone who headed in. Although, it was a calm Tuesday night, they still had a few groups sitting around, either looking into their perfectly tapped Guinness or happily eating goulash (aye, they have that, too).
Finally, we dove into our Irish feast. The menu is far more varied that you’d expect from a pub, and as we experienced later, so is the quality. Apart from the usual sports’ bar essentials, they’ve got a good selection of mains, both Irish and international (like the Italian Corner). First, we considered the Ultimate Guinness House Platter, enough for two meat-lovers, packed with Southern-fried chicken, Buffalo wings, meatballs, BBQ ribs, onion rings and more. Then I opted for a lighter option.
As a starter, I went for the Guinness House Bruschetta – a fresh idea with an extra twist of crispy sausage slices. My companion went for the Spicy Buffalo wings; he said he was only missing some great rugby on TV, otherwise the wings were great. For my main, I decided to have Fish ‘n’ Chips, a great way to test a restaurant. They did pass; a nice piece of cod in a crispy beer batter parcelled in Irish newspaper was served with fries, pea puree and tartar sauce. The Full Irish Burger arrived with bacon, real black pudding – that fortunately had nothing to do with Hungarian véres hurka (later, we learnt from the chef that they import it directly from Ireland) – and a pan fried egg, served on a floury bun with tomato, red onion, fries plus a side salad. With hardly any space for desserts, we only tasted the specialty of the house, If Heaven Had Ice Cream – full flavor vanilla ice cream with Frangelico liqueur, whipped cream and thick caramel sauce.
Okay, maybe Guinness House isn’t the stereotypical Irish pub. And maybe it’s for the better. It’s what Ireland looks like today, modern and delightful with a pinch of hospitality. Also, you probably won’t find a better place in B-town for a great St. Paddy’s fest with a friendly landlord, who really seems to care. In case your Irish isn’t that polished, Céad Mile Fáilte means a ‘hundred thousand welcomes’. Head to Guinness House to get them.
From the Menu
Starters and Soups
Spicy Buffalo Wings
The Guinness House Bruschetta
Sharing Is Caring: multi-platters
The Ultimate Guinness House Platter
Mains and Burgers
Fish ‘n’ Chips
The Full Irish
Desserts
If Heaven Had Ice Cream
Bread&Butter Pudding
On weekdays, look for their value lunch menu between noon and 3 p.m. or only 990 HUF.
Guinness House – Café Bar Restaurant
1052 Budapest, Pilvax köz 1-3. (Városház utca 10, in a taxi)
Open: Sun.-Wed., noon-midnight; Thu.-Sat., noon-2 a.m.
Brunch menu Sat & Sun 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Food served till 10 p.m. each night.