Secret cellar bar Her Majesty the Rabbit now opens to the public

Dávid Popovits, owner of the Doblo wine bar currently not in operation, originally dreamed up the basic concept of a secret bar in Tokyo. In the end, it became a hidden nightspot in Budapest.

Originally based on a membership system and access cards distributed exclusively by insiders, this private cellar bar will now finally be open to all. Unusual opening hours, themed evenings, labyrinthine cellars – with the feel of the prohibition era – offer a tingling sense of excitement for those who appreciate something special.

Finding it is another matter. We stumbled at the intersection of Dob utca and Holló utca near Dobló, looking in curiosity at the old wooden door, dilapidated and closed, our destination according to the address we had been given. We weren’t dressed for breaking in anywhere, we had our Follow the Rabbit cards in our wallets and had been promised great cocktails in an exclusive setting...

One quick phone call, and David reassured us that we were in the right place, boldly opening the wooden door labelled Raktár (‘Warehouse’). Stumbling down the narrow stairs into the uncertain darkness, the idea of being kidnapped sprang to mind, with no chance of calling the police either. In our time, we’ve seen a lot of things happen around Budapest after dark, but the scene that greeted us downstairs was completely unexpected.

Around an arched, hidden tasting room lurk old, dungeon-like wine cellars, narrow corridors, gender-neutral toilets, hospital equipment, an opening to the VIP bar from the storage room and a rabbit-themed psychedelic atmosphere, more Jefferson Airplane than Lewis Carroll.

While now open to the public, this secret piano bar also has regular private and themed events, including gay evenings on Wednesdays, drink showcases at weekends, and philosophy sessions with a drinks.  

Gin Weekend starts this evening, Thursday 28 October,  with only South-African gins and tonics lining the back bar, and hundred-year-old classics out front, with a few modern favourites, too.

In addition to being free of politics and religion, as well as accepting openness, HMTR does not observe holidays, but also explicitly tries to become an island of tranquillity in a hidden cellar beneath the Halloween-focused capital.