Near the corner of Nagymező and Ó utca there is a little poke of a place, Saloon Pub, by name. It’s lit up well and as the name suggests it’s done in the Cowboy/Wild West style. The painted wood finish, in plaster, allows for the idea tha someone made use of their artistic skills while at the same time remaining shrewd concerning real wood furnishings. With seats enough for twenty and still floor space left over between door and bar and toilet, it certainly is a good use of space. The T.V. stuck up on high to the right as you enter through the almost non-door, is a prerequisite in bars of its kind. A step above the typical cellar kocsma, it perhaps is merely a ground version with pretentions. The drinks on offer are basic, the selection of wine being ‘kimért’, while the beers include among them nothing Hungarian. A shame by any standard, it perhaps is indicative of the Hungarian mentality of selling themsleves short, seeing everything foreign, at least in the beer sense, as better. Pitching oneself against the Czechs and Belgians, one would favour the foreigners but with the Danish and the Dutch, especially popular, brands there’s hope on the homefront. Ah, but try telling that to the nouveau-riche, aka új gazdag!!!
While cider may warrant a mention it’s merely to suggest that, in a town that has, until a few years ago no idea what the apple brew was, it is available!
Pálinka has a seperate section on the price list and well may it while other Hungaricums, including Unicum and Vilmos, also make an appearance. With wines and spirits Hungarian pride is much more prominent to the point of arrogant. That’s another story!
The parketta floor completes the wood feel and overall it’s a place to visit for a quiet one mid afternoon or for a few with the lads before moving on. Again be warned. I’ve found this place near tea-time on Thursday and it’s quite probable that later on it takes on the life of a bar so centrally located should, so it is wise to arrive on time for a seat cos sensibly in most places, Hungarians prefer to sit and chat rather than stand and be jostled. That is until club time, then all decorum is lost. Enjoy.
http://kocsma.blog.hu/2011/03/19/saloon_pub
for other views