Nestled among ruin bars and a variety of eateries, BRKLYN occupies a contemporary corner building on Kazinczy Street, one of Budapest’s most popular thoroughfares for dining, drinking and partying. Displaying industrial elements, this once-abandoned edifice received a makeover in 2013 to transform it into a bar. In 2015, the restored construction earned praise for the Architizer A+ Awards, an annual international competition to celebrate the best architecture. For the past couple of years, this modern landmark has been housing the city’s revered BRKLYN bar, attracting a sophisticated crowd to enjoy a laid-back night out in Budapest.
Here, guests can make reservations for dinner and enjoy masterfully crafted culinary treats, while sipping on fine wines, potent potables and fancy cocktails. Past dinnertime, the place is swiftly turned upside down and the tables and chairs are removed to transform the restaurant into a spacious dance floor, where the city’s best DJs spin hits.
BRKLYN’s chef Gábor Krausz is an established epicure in Budapest’s gourmet scene with a career history at Buda's riverfront ZONA and Bestia by St. Stephen’s Basilica. Dishes prepared by Krausz are innovative and unconventional. He likes blending cosmopolitan influences, be it avant-garde flavors from Tel Aviv, Cajun cuisine or a creative twist from Berlin. The chef gains his inspiration while traveling around Hungary and beyond. Best of all, guests at BRKLYN can sample highlights of cool creations made by Krausz. The menu is concise to match the hangout’s leisurely vibe.
Retreat here to enjoy starters such as macaroni and cheese served with sweet potato and nduja, a spicy Italian salumi (1,690 HUF), arancini with tomato, smoked cheddar and rocket (1,590 HUF) or a plateful of palatable Scotch egg presented with black pudding and red cabbage (1,590 HUF).
Among the mains, you find oriental-style duck breast that comes to you with parsnip, sweet potato, bok choy and sesame seed (3,290 HUF). BRKLYN also offers burgers in bagel complete with onion relish, bacon mayo, fried egg and carrot chips (2,690 forints). Lamb shank with mashed potatoes and balsamic shallot jus (3,790 HUF) is another highlight on the menu.
Krausz doesn’t refrain from coating treats in breadcrumbs: he prepares flavorful fishcake by mixing three types of fish and covering this combination with breadcrumbs for deep frying. To crown your meal, order sweet crumble for dessert, enhanced with apple, pear and mixed berries (1,290 HUF). Then wash this all down with beer, wine or a cocktail.
Meanwhile, BRKLYN has introduced special cooking events. For these gastronomy gatherings, a guest chef is invited to prepare two pairs of treats together with Krausz and serve them to diners who make a reservation for the event. Restaurant guests can follow the entire cooking process being projected onto screens set up around the tables.
After the kitchen closes at 11pm, lights are dimmed at BRKLYN to transform a casual eatery into a lively dance club. Hit songs from the 1990s and 2000s are played on Thursdays, Friday is for hip-hop and R‘n’B, while the hottest club music draws revelers to the dance floor on Saturdays. And you never know what the night holds – last March, American actor Jamie Foxx showed up behind the decks to cause a commotion among the dance crowd.
Looking ahead, BRKLYN would like to enhance its bar service to offer masterfully concocted cocktails. During spring, the restaurant menu will feature new seasonal delicacies and guests will be treated to tasteful nibbles to share over drinks in the early evening hours, while partying continues late into the night.
