Cirkusz Café — Restaurant in Budapest

Went in Summer 2023 and had the Recovery breakfast and it was pricey but amazing. Went back with my family in 2024 October and ordered the same but this time the quality was not the best, dry eggs and bacon for example. Anyway it was okay.

The terrible part was the service that day. They served me a cappuccino that had a taste like the milk was expired. I immediately went and reported politely this to the Hungarian waiter in charge (apparently the manager). The first thing he told me was that I was wrong and he didn’t believe me, instead of trying to help. He said that the coffee was from the best quality and that I didn’t know about coffee beans (I don’t need any experience about coffee to identify something is expired). Then, he proceeded to change the coffee for me but very angrily. When I was brought the second cappuccino, the taste was no different! (I suspect he gave me the same expired coffee just to test if I was messing around, but of course I cannot confirm this). I reported it again and here is when he went crazy, he acted in a passive aggressive way saying it’s impossible the coffee is bad and that I’m totally wrong…

After this reaction I just told him to take his “quality” coffee away and just bring me a tea. He went away with the coffee and started chitchatting with his colleagues about the situation, which was clearly visible from my table.

I tried The coffees from my family and those had no problem, just mine. Also their food was good (Benedict’s eggs and Avocado toasts)

The whole situation just caused a bad mood around and it’s super disappointing something like this happening in such a cool place. This guy really should learn about customer care and behave properly with clients leaving emotions aside. Thanks for the...

Definitely the BEST BRUNCH place Budapest so far. As you approach the place, most likely a long line of people will be waiting outside- don’t worry, they are really good about accommodating people and not letting them wait too long. Their customer service starts there: while you wait, a menu is given to you so you start getting ready for what’s to come.

You enter the establishment and it is decorated with lively colors, mirrors, etc., which add to the warmth of the atmosphere.

The staff - Everyone that works there has a smile on their face and they treat the customers with such delight. You MUST read the booklet on each table to see the history of the place and realize who is serving or greeting you.

The food - excellent - not a bad thing in the menu. As I looked around, everyone looked so happy when they got their food and as they finished it. We got the huevos rancheros, waffles with berries, and the recovery breakfast - all super delicious to the last bite. My cappuccino was one of the best I’ve had so far, and let’s not forget about the art - the barista won a competition in 2014 and took the bronze !!! (I read this in the booklet)

I must say - the food takes only a bit to come out, but the chef individually makes each dish and decorates it in front of the people (well, behind a glass but we can see him ). I don’t even know how he serves so many people, with such delicate details in each plate, in such a short period of time. I must say, he is the king of poached eggs-

We briefly spoke with Tibor Tamasi - the founder - our waiter! How great of him to be serving his customer’s - he said this is the way to be sure you are running a good place - and I agree !

Overall - I would definitely come back - and encourage...

Cirkusz Café is one of Budapest’s more popular brunch spots, often recommended in travel guides and social media posts, and you can definitely see why. The interior has a stylish, somewhat upscale vibe, with a modern-industrial look and a lively atmosphere. It feels like the kind of place that wants to impress, and in many ways, it does. The presentation of the food is beautiful, and the service is friendly and professional. However, once you get past the first impression, the experience doesn’t quite live up to the hype. The menu is creative and well-curated, with plenty of brunch classics, but the portions are noticeably small for the price. It’s definitely on the expensive side, especially compared to other great cafés in Budapest that offer similar or even better quality at a lower cost. You might find yourself leaving still a bit hungry, not exactly ideal for a hearty morning meal. That said, the food itself is good. The eggs are cooked perfectly, the coffee is strong and well-made, and everything looks like it came straight from a food magazine. Still, the high prices and limited portions make it hard to justify as a regular spot, unless you’re specifically after the experience rather than the meal. In short, Cirkusz Café is a nice place to visit once, especially if you want a stylish brunch setting and don’t mind paying extra for presentation and ambiance. But if you’re after good value, generous servings, and a more relaxed feel, there are plenty of better options around the city. It’s lovely, just not quite worth the hype or...