Amigo Bar

Surrounding the trio of scarlet pool tables in the basement of downtown Budapest’s premier rockabilly nightspot, the walls and sound system are dominated by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran, and many other musical legends – including Hungary’s own old-time rock ’n’ roll maestro, Miklós Fenyő. The quality of the billiards facilities is far from top-notch; the tables’ surfaces feature flattened felt, and can be uneven to the extent that the laws of gravity seem askew… but the rowdy spirit of this place gives it a real roadhouse atmosphere. Pest VII, Hársfa u. 1.

Atlantis

This spacious restaurant and nightclub is located far from downtown, but anyone who ventures here will find plenty of good-time gaming awaiting them. In addition to a large room of billiards tables, Atlantis is equipped with pinball, auto-racing simulators, foosball, darts, air hockey, and even a professional poker table that can be rented by groups of friends. Nonetheless, it’s still the cue sports that draw most playing patrons, with numerous pool and snooker tables offered at reasonable rates – and the cuisine is priced quite affordably, as well. Pest XIII, Váci út 156.

Blackpool

A few steps away from Kálvin Square, this cherished dive bar is a great destination for long nights of drunken competition between loud crowds of beer-drinking buddies. The tables and cues are actually in much better condition than one might expect when first walking into this dimly lit tavern; between the dark atmosphere and the streetcars rumbling by outside, this place could easily pass as a setting for a scene in a film-noir detective movie. However, anyone who shows up here during the light of day enjoys a considerable discount on pool-table rates. Pest IX, Vámház krt. 15.

Glob Royal

Despite having a name that is inherently hilarious to native-English speakers, this neon-lit hangout is lively magnet for attractive clientele. Located nearby Buda’s up-and-coming Kolosy Square, the wooden-floored pool hall is lined with plush seating ideal for waiting your turn while watching neighboring players taking shots – and speaking of shots, an excellent selection of alcohol is served at the bar for friendly prices. Don’t miss the scene in the clandestine cellar, where free rock and blues concerts are hosted every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm. Buda III, Csemete u. 5.

Gold

Open 24 hours daily, this is probably Hungary’s preeminent pool hall, providing a huge center for professional-quality facilities – including snooker, carom, and even a bar-billiards table – which makes the pilgrimage to its location in Újbuda well worthwhile for anyone who takes cue action seriously. The pool tables are enhanced by foosball, darts, and pinball machines, but this is primarily a destination for perfecting your break and combination shots, especially since everything is quite affordable; on Saturdays, cocktails only cost 650 forints. Buda XI, Budafoki út 111-113.

Noiret

Downtown Pest’s most popular place for playing pool is undoubtedly Noiret, which is a good and bad thing – while the international crowd of customers is drawn here because of its cavernous chambers full of well-maintained billiards and snooker tables, it can be hard to get a spot here without booking it in advance. The good news is that other attractions are omnipresent, including an area for playing real steel-tipped darts and a nice bar that is constantly buzzing, particularly on Tuesday nights when 75 cocktails are sold for just 999 or 666 forints. Pest VI, Dessewffy u. 8-10.

Walhalla

Located across the street from the Great Synagogue, this Viking-themed restaurant features a long hall of nice pool tables, which remain something of a city-center secret; almost every time we’ve visited Walhalla, there were hardly any other billiards buffs in attendance. This isn’t exactly a negative point – dedicated players may appreciate the quiet atmosphere, as the sound of striking balls resonates satisfyingly with every shot – but the club’s often-empty condition might be partially due to the relatively high table fee of 1,500 forints per hour. Pest VII, Dohány u. 1/A.

Published on XpatLoop.com with the permission of We Love Budapest