KOLLÁZS - Brasserie & Bar — Restaurant in Budapest

The ambiance and style of the restaurant are superb, and absolutely excellent. The service was fantastic, and the sommelier was outstanding and very well-versed in all of the choices on the wine list. I was very impressed with how well put together the restaurant is and how elegant but at the same time, laid back the enviornment was.

The food however was a huge, massieve disappointment, and I'll be honest - for the prices they charge at the Four Seasons, I'd like to think they would have better quality and a better selection of food on their menu.

One thing that sort of irritated me, was that given this is a hotel, and since the majority of people who are going to be dining here will be out-of-towners, it seemed very strange to me that they did not have any traditional Hungarian food on their dinner menu. When I asked about "paprikas csirke" the waiter informed me that they had a "version" of it, but that it was not traditional. No, i was not. My dining companion for the evening had never been to Hungary and wanted to try some traditional Hungarian food but there was none to choose from. I took the liberty of ordering the "paprikas csirke" for my acquaintance, and when it arrived it wasn't at all paprikas csirke.

The rib eye steak that I ordered was small and very mediocre. I genuinely didn't even really want to finish it because it was dry (even though it was prepared medium well). And the mashed potatoes I ordered on the side? Well, let's just say I could make them a whole lot better, and my portions wouldn't be as scant.

The dessert however was the worst part. We both ordered the French toast which came with strawberries and terragon. Who in the hell decided that the terragon was a good idea? It was horrible. I literally left the majority of my food on the plate because it was so inedible. The strawberries were completely ruined and bittered by the spice. The French toast? No, that was a stick of butter masquerading as French toast. I mean, butter is delicious in desserts - we all know this. But when you can actually taste the butter very distinctly, then you know there is a problem.

I'm sorry, but for a meal that cost a whopping 55,000 forint and you barely eat anything and aren't satisfied with the quality, I think that's disgraceful.

The service, I repeat, was excellent, and I loved the ambiance of the restaurant itself. It was very relaxing, very chic and very well put together. The only other complaint I have is that we waited forever to be served each time we would order something: the wine, the appetizers, the meal and eventually the bill.

I don't know that I would recommend coming...

A Four Seasons' restaurant is not normally the kind of place I'd go for dinner. As a tight Scotsman even the thought of paying UK / USA Four Seasons' prices for food makes me come out in uncontrollable shakes, but in Budapest everything is that little bit cheaper - and it was our 10th anniversary - so national stereotypes be damned, I was going.

First of all the setting. This building is absolutely stunning. Rightly named a "Palace". Beautiful masonry and mosaics welcome you as you walk in to the hotel. The restaurant itself follows that high standard and everything about it screams "class", the staff being the very epitome of professionalism. Polite, attentive, smart - everything this restaurant does adds to the the experience.

Starter was burrata and tuna carpaccio. If it takes your fancy there is also fois gras, caviar and oysters, but that's not really my thing and our starters were beautiful, the burrata being insanely creamy as you'd expect and the avocado going superbly with the tuna.

For mains we had the Scottish salmon (I know, I know, a Scotsman going to Budapest and ordering Scottish salmon but we have an industry to support that is on its knees after Brexit) and the Sea Bass. Both fried to perfection with crunchy skins and they fell part in the mouth.

Desert was their signature french toast which had me slightly depressed that I can't get my French toast to be anything like this, and the rum cake. And as en example of how amazing the staff were, my dish was accompanied by with a very touching message (See photo)

3 courses for 2 people with wine was £120 so very expensive by Budapest standards but - as with the luxurious cake shops - something to do in Budapest if you get a chance.

Thank you to everyone at the restaurant for making the meal so special...

KOLLÁZS Brasserie & Bar is a beautifully designed restaurant in the heart of Budapest, located in the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel. The setting is elegant and modern, with a clean and stylish atmosphere that makes it a very pleasant place to dine. The food is excellent – tasty, well-prepared, and of high quality. It’s clear that the kitchen pays attention to both flavor and presentation.

Unfortunately, the service during our visit did not match the high standard of the food or the ambiance. We were warmly welcomed at the entrance by a very kind and open hostess, which created high expectations for the rest of the experience. However, once seated, the service became disappointing. The waiting time was long, and the staff, particularly the waiter who brought our order, came across as uninterested and even somewhat arrogant.

It felt like we were being treated with less care – was it because of my foreign background? I cannot say for sure. But as a tourist, I expect a basic level of mutual respect. A simple “please” or “thank you, sir” goes a long way – just as I address others with politeness and a smile, regardless of who they are. Respect should be a standard in hospitality, not an option.

Whether the behavior was due to a bad day or a personal bias, it left an unfortunate impression. Smiles are free, and a warm attitude costs nothing but adds so much to the guest experience.

All in all, I would recommend KOLLÁZS for the food and setting – but I sincerely hope the service improves to match the rest of...