Budapest Bistro

Closed May 2013… sad.

The chicken paprikish and the goulash are insane! Their selection of polenka is limited, but the food makes up for it.

I don’t even know how to start about this place. :)) The first experience walking inside was a bit shocking, a bit funny, and a little weird too. Even though there were a few tables open, and no waiting line, and it is a pretty tiny place, the waitress «welcomed» us by saying «Sorry guys, but we can’t handle it! We can’t serve you.» In other words we can’t take more guests because we are too stressed out. :)))
However, we pushed through and we insisted we have time to spare so we finally sat at an uncleaned table where we waited at least 10 – 15 for some waters and drinks. The waitress who «welcomed» us was probably too embarrassed or too busy to come take care of us so the other waiter came. He did apologized for us waiting and he also listed us the things they can’t serve anymore because they were so busy, they ran out of food. (This was around 8PM and the restaurant opens at 5PM). Long story short, the service and the management was poor.
The appetizers (Langos) and the soup (Paprikas) we started with were actually really good, however the main course (Gulas) was OK. Not a lot of flavor and pretty small portion. They are limited on drinks. We just had beers which for Denver were pretty over priced at around $ 7 a bottle.

I’ve thought long and hard about this one. I think the food is good and the décor was wonderful. Our server was very charming, if not a little shy.
But here’s the thing: I wasn’t wow-​ed by anything. And for the prices they were charging, I felt like I should be having a more visceral response to my food than I did. I left feeling too bloated to move, which is what happens when you eat a giant plate of pasta.
This place has good food, but I’m not sure I was impressed enough to go out of my way to go there again.

I am the only one there at 5:30 on a Wednesday night. What do I hear? The microwave. Really? I’ll just buy TV dinners at home.

Budapest Bistro is good for hearty fare on a cold or rainy night. Begin with the Lagos, which is served up hot and fried, and don’t be self-​conscious about ordering the classics, because they’re all good: the Goulash and Schnitzel are excellent, and the Stuffed Peppers on Friday and Saturday night are delicious. The dessert list includes several inspired crepes. The interior is small and red and the booths are oddly uncomfortable to sit in. The wine list is limited and the prices are a little high for the fare. Parking on South Pearl is a pain, so look for parking on a side street and walk a few blocks. Nonetheless, I’ve never had a bad meal here, the waitstaff is attentive, and I’ll definitely be back again.

We’ve tried to go back to Budapest Bistro a couple of times (and introduce our friends to good eastern European cooking), but this place seems to be operating in a different time zone. Although the website and the sign out front say it’s open Tues — Sun from 5pm — 9pm, we continue to encounter locked doors on weeknights. Soooo frustrating that they don’t have the courtesy to post accurate hours. And it will be hard to feel sorry for them when they go out of business …

First impression: Cute restaurant with great service.
The Woman and I came here on a Saturday night and there were only 3 other tables there… we rolled in around 8pm with our fam bam in tow. I was excited about coming here because of the reviews by fellow Unilocalers and because one of my coworkers, lets call him Diamond Dallas, spent a few years in Hungary and loved the food there.
Yeah…and he also called me a food racist and said I never go to places considered «white food». I said, «no way dude… we go to Red Lobster and Olive Garden ALL THE TIME!!!» But I digress.
Ordered what I think everyone orders… fried bread (7.95), Chicken Papriskash (14.95), Beef Goulash (14.95) and a bottomless cup of coffee (1.95). Hum… maybe I just don’t like Hungarian food or maybe my pallet is too used to Eastern European fare… felt like I was eating a well prepared Lean Cuisine or maybe fancy food I can get from Ikea for a quarter the cost. Everything was just too expensive. The Chicken seemed like just sauteed chicken breasts (maybe 75 cents worth) over dumplings. The Beef (we counted only 5 pieces) felt like just stewed beef over a bed of mash potatoes… both dishes, though good, could be fabricated at home at a cost an order of magnitude lower than here.
So I think my review would provide a better rating if say… the overall meal only cost me 20 bucks than 40.

Wow! This place exceeded my expectations and was such a delicious restaurant. There were four of us and we ordered a few appetizers and entrees to share. We wanted to get the full experience and try a lot.
We started with the Spinach & Feta Bruschetta, Roasted Pepper Bruschetta and Hungarian Antipasto. We all loved it all. The roasted pepper bruschetta was my favorite. It was sweet, full of flavor with a little bit of a kick. The bread was lightly toasted perfectly – not too crisp. I could have finished off the entire plate.
We ordered four entrees to share between the four of us including Pork Schnitzel, Beef Steak Gypsy Style, Mushroom Paprikash and Stuffed Peppers. We ate every single bit. The pork schnitzel was my least favorite although I still enjoyed it. I didn’t love the flavor of the horseradish cream – tasted more like tartar sauce to me. The beef steak was done perfectly topped with a spicy chutney. The mushroom paprikash was probably my favorite and a great vegetarian option. We were too stuffed for dessert, but the dessert menu was quite tempting. Next time.
Service was timely and extremely friendly. Our waiter answered our questions and was on top of refills but not too «In your face.»
I highly recommend trying this restaurant. We will definitely be going back.

Horrible experience! Slow, inexperienced staff. Out of red wine — and they only have 4 offerings to start with. Ran out of clean wine glasses. Soups so disgusting we couldn’t eat them. Ridiculously long wait between soup and dinner and they didn’t even clear our plates. Entrees were lackluster and over salted. The place is lit up like a cafeteria. Just don’t go.

There is no question this place gets 5 stars, I’d give 6 if I could. The food is the epitome of authentic (she’s Hungarian) and made by the hands of a woman full of love. You can literally taste the love :). Everything we ordered was outstanding and an awesome wine list (wish there was a Hungarian beer to try). A mouth-​watering taste of the old country.

Spicy, Mouth Watering and Delicious, these are the first things that came to mind when thinking about my meal at the Budapest Bistro on South Pearl Street. My friend Sonia and I had just had been shopping at the shops on Pearl and for the first time in a long time, I had not made prior arrangements while down in that area for dinner. I typically visit The Pearl Street Grill or Sushi Den or one of the many others in that area but never Budapest. When we walked in around 8:00p.m. there was only one couple dining and as my friend and I watched them have their food delivered we both noticed that they were good portions and the aroma coming from their plates was inviting. I asked what they were having and one was dining on a vegetarian dish and the other on one of the pork dishes the Bugac selection.
Our waiter a very polite, a soft spoken gentlemen and was great, he brought water right away and offered us bread. We decided on not having wine or soda so we could just enjoy the flavors of our dishes. My friend ordered the Steak (Beef Steak Budapest — Topped with fried onion strings, Pinot Noir gorgonzola glaze, mashed potatoes, grapes) which was cooked just right per her request and served with mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes looked like they had been hand mashed (slightly lumpy) which in many restaurants you know they have been processed, upon my taste of both I thought yummy. I ordered the Hungarian Goulash Dinner Bowl– the evening special for just under $ 10, this is where I became excited, it was served in a small pot, over a small flame (candle) to keep it warm, served with their Puffy Fried Garlic Bread (Langos). I could only eat half before I knew I had to stop but it was so tasty that it was difficult. The Goulash was so superb with its tender perfectly cooked meat and tiny spatzels and tender vegetables and just right amount of spice that I have to suggest they offer it more often-​rather then just as a special.
So with this said, we were in no physical position to have dessert… which means I have to go back! These two caught my eye on the menu, Apple or Plum Strudel (Retes) :Flaky pastry wrapped around slices of fresh fruit seasoned with caramelized sugar and touch of cinnamon $ 6.00 and the Floating Island (Madartej):Bourbon-vanilla custard in a chilled glass cup with whipped cream dumpling floating on top. $ 6 I am sure there will a visit soon to have both!
Thanks for letting me share and I hope you check out this hidden gem.

The food to me seems a lot like comfort food. I can’t say much for this place because I only got to try one entrée on the menu. I ordered the Chicken Paprikash. I’m def not trying to be rude because I really liked the atmosphere and the server, but it tasted a lot like hamburger helper to me.
I’m not really sure I got a true experience of this place, but I would give it another try if the time permits.

Great meal, fantastic service and you have to try the chicken paprikosh. Love the small business feeling!
Really a great, reasonablyriced meal

Had dinner last night here with friends, and after reading all the Unilocal reviews, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. To be honest, have never really had Hungarian food, but the place came highly recommended from my brother and his wife and I am pretty easy going when it comes to food, so bring it on.
My friend and her husband shared two appetizers — the fried cauliflower/​zucchini and the highly touted Langos — both received high marks. I tried a bite of the Langos — basically puffy fried bread with garlic and sour cream and yum — tasted sort of like a less greasy funnel cake.
The hubby started with the Transylvanian Beef and Kraut, which he liked and I thought looked like cat food. I had the beet and apple salad — very yummy, particularly the horseradish sauce although I argued the salad could have used candied nuts to give it some crunch and dimension.
For entrees, we were pretty boring — two Beef Goulash and two Chicken Paprikash. Although the Goulash was enjoyed, I have to say that the Chicken Paprikash could be on my top ten list of favorite meals EVER! The sauce was so delicious if I wasn’t in public I may have licked the plate. My friend, who had ordered the Goulash, upon trying her husband’s Paprikash actually made him switch! The Paprikash sat on a bed of spatzel — heavenly.
I agree with other Unilocalers comments about the portion size — I was satisfied by the hubby who eats a lot was still a bit hungry. I also agree about the service — it was attentive and friendly, but unobtrusive.
I would definitely return to Budapest Bistro — I suspect I will find myself dreaming of that Chicken Paprikash sauce!

Hungry? Hungary. Wait, what?
Now don’t be silly — if you’re that peckish, why not pop down to South Pearl Street and sample the magnificent Magyar delights at Budapest Bistro? The restaurant’s red-​and-​black color scheme is elegant, yet at the same time inviting, so sit yourself down and peruse the seasonal-​themed offerings on their ever-​changing menu.
Kick things off with an order of the gargantuan fried-​bread rounds called Lángos, served with plump garlic cloves and cool sour cream. Or you might like the chunky-​tangy-​spicy condiment called Lecsó, brimming with tomatoes, onions and red peppers. No, not all of their appetizers begin with «L», as Körözött (a spread made from creamy Liptai Túró cheese) ably demonstrates.
OK, I see you eyeing the soups and salads. On my most recent visit, I was graced by a silky-​smooth Tökleves (pumpkin soup), with just a touch of coconut milk and a dash of cayenne pepper. Or indeed, there’s always the refreshing Uborka Saláta (diced cucumbers in a tarragon vinaigrette) if you’re interested in sampling the greenery.
But remember — you’ve still got to choose your main course. As expected, paprika finds its way into many recipes here, like the zingy Paprikás Csirke and the hearty Pörkölt. You may well know these two items better as Chicken Paprikash and Beef Goulash. (Interestingly, the word «goulash» comes from yet another Hungarian dish, Gulyás, which is similar to Pörkölt, but thinner — it’s closer to a soup, in fact). Or what about a quick-​fried pork loin in a mushroom and garlic reduction, a specialty of the southern town of Bugac?
The aforementioned entrées come with a variety of sides, such as mashed potatoes, Nokedli (egg dumplings similar to German Spätzle), or different vegetable combinations. I’m still holding out hope that, if I behave nicely enough, I may one day see Tökfözelék (shredded zucchini with dill) on my plate.
Hope you saved room for dessert! How can you say «no» to a bite or three of Palacsinta (homemade pancake) with fillings of sweet cheese and raisins, tart raspberries, or decadent chopped walnuts? Or if you think you simply couldn’t eat another morsel, why not tempt fate anyway, with a taste of the feather-​light custard called Madártej.
Well, I know your lips have been watering since you started reading this, so get yourself down to Budapest Bistro already. Egészségetekre!

Comfort food so good you’ll dream about it for weeks!
My husband and I have walked past Budapest Bistro for years, always saying «we should try this place» and we finally did … man, oh man what took us so long?
We started our meal by sharing a beet salad and some traditional «garlic» bread. We fought over who got the last bites! The salad was a simple mix of greens with beets, julienne apples with a sour cream-​horseradish dressing – it was AMAZING! Definitely one of the best salads I’ve ever eaten. The bread was almost the texture of funnel cake without the greasiness, served with raw garlic that you rubbed onto the bread then dipped into a sour-​cream based sauce … unbelievable good! I had spaetzle with breaded pork loin strips tossed in the most delectable red wine gravy. My husband opted for the mushroom paprikash, which was just a delicious … comfort food at it’s finest! We ended the meal with the special strudel of the day which was the delicate pastry filled with perfectly tart but sweet plums.
The wait-​staff was very helpful, made excellent suggestions and gave perfectly attentive but not hovering service. The atmosphere is simple but in it’s own way comforting and elegant, just the right mix or casual but still able to be romantic if that’s the kind of dinner you’re wanting.
My only complaint would be that the vegetarian portion seemed a bit small, but on the up side they have several vegetarian options.

This place is amazing. I spent last summer in Eastern Europe, and a few months after I got back found myself craving some authentic traditional goulash, and Budapest Bistro delivered. Their dishes are finely spiced with perfect portion-​sizes (not too much, not too little). I have also tried their chicken paprikash, which is delicious.
A few months ago, my boyfriend and I were craving some good Hungarian food. We called them around 8:45pm to see if they were still open, and they said they would make sure to stay open until we got there. The servers are all incredibly friendly, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Plus, the food is always awesome.

Lord, I am feeling old as I write this review. I first was introduced to Anna and Rudy’s Hungarian cooking a very long time ago when they were on South Broadway in a place called Czardas. It was always a blast — strolling gypsy violins. A really Eastern European adventure for a boy from the wilds of New Mexico. Watched sadly as they priced themselves out of the market and closed. And, then was delighted to see that they reopened on South Pearl under a new name. I think Rudy has flown the coup and Anna is holding down the fort but I haven’t been updated on ownership and marital relations lately. So, who knows? Anyway, the food has not changed. The atmosphere certainly has though. This is more like dinner at grandma’s house than some wild gypsy camp. Not nearly as much fun but the food is still incredibly consistent. I’ve never had a bad meal here. Those of you who think this style of cooking is «simple», I offer you the use of my Hungarian cookbook and dare you to replicate it.
Anyway, the food doesn’t appeal to me this time of year but on a cold blustery day in the fall or winter, you cannot beat it. I much prefer the food here to Café Berlin or any of the other Eastern European places I’ve tried. I still think they are pushing the price point though and usually I think twice before shelling out a Benjamin at this place for dinner for two.
Quickly now. To start you must share the Langos (a couple pieces of garlicky sopapilla like fried bread — $ 7.95) on to which you spoon the Transylvanian Kraut (beef, pork, spices, kraut, sour cream — $ 8.95). These two together on a cold night will keep you warmer than (insert name of favorite porn star here). Soups are also great but at $ 5.95 for a small, $ 7.95 for a large — totally overpriced IMO. Salads are similarly overpriced but the cucumber salad is a great palate cleanser at this point.
Entrees encompass the traditional Paprikash, Roulade, Stuffed Cabbage, Schnitzel, Goulash and a few veggie options. My favorite is the Ham and Cheese Pork Schnitzel served with mashed potatoes and red cabbage — $ 14.95). They are pretty good about substitutions if you’d rather have spatzels instead of potatoes, for example. So, having pretty much gouged you on apps, soups, and salads — the entrees are quite reasonable — nothing over $ 19.
On to desserts and wine. Dessert are pretty standard Hungarian leaning strongly toward Palacsitas (sweet dessert crepes in a couple of varieties — $ 7ish). $ 6.50 for a short shot of some obscure Hungarian liqueur — pass. Wine list is short but perfect for the food. You should have a Tokay or maybe the Bull’s Blood — these wines are not for the faint of heart.
So, I think you can do worse, and certainly spend far more money and leave less satisfied at any number of places on this stretch of South Pearl. When the North winds begin to howl — check it out.

Things you must know about Budapest Bistro:
1. Very expensive for the food you get.
2. Average to upper average food, but nothing worth going for.
3. The food is so simple that one could prepare many of these dishes at home.
4. Atmosphere leads a bit to be desired for the prices there charging. Presentation of the entrees are nice, but scream pompous because the food is so simple.
5. Conclusion: Food is so simple. Desert not worth getting. Prices are high. Won’t be going back