Le Petit Beefbar Budapest — Restaurant in Budapest

Well, I really struggled to decide on the right rating. We visited the restaurant for a special occasion – my girlfriend’s 35th birthday. When making the reservation, I selected “Birthday” and even added a note to highlight the occasion.

Upon arrival, I spoke to the hostess, who checked our reservation and showed us to our table. I was a bit unsure whether it was the right spot since I had expected at least a little decoration for the birthday. However, the table was in the first row on the terrace with a perfect view of the Opera, so we decided to stay.

The service at the beginning was quick and friendly, though I felt we were mostly recommended the most expensive dishes. When I ordered the Striploin beef marinated in tamarind, sake & ginger with classic mash, I was told by the waiter that he wouldn’t recommend it because it would be “very dry.” In a restaurant specializing in beef, no steak should be dry. I ordered it anyway, medium-rare.

The steak arrived cooked medium, not medium-rare as I had asked, and we also received more side dishes than we had ordered – and had to pay for them. We had ordered truffle fries instead of mash twice; one order was correct, but the other came with both mash and fries.

The food itself was excellent. The steak, despite being medium rather than medium-rare, was not dry at all. I don’t know why the waiter insisted otherwise; he kept trying to push the ribeye, which was almost twice the price – but I don’t like the fatty marbling in ribeye.

It’s a shame when a waiter tries to override the customer’s choice. Besides the steak and the truffle fries, we also had the truffle cordon bleu and the layered potatoes as starters. Every dish was truly outstanding.

We had planned to order dessert, but the service slowed down drastically. We waited about 20 minutes before asking for a dessert menu, and only then did the waiter say he would bring one. Another 20 minutes passed, and still nothing arrived. We eventually asked another staff member for the bill and left – without dessert and without any birthday gesture, even though we had seen such touches in many of the restaurant’s photos and reviews.

The service started off well but then fell apart: slow, unresponsive, overly pushy, and unmindful of the birthday occasion.

To make matters worse, the next day we received an email stating that we had not shown up for our reservation – which was frankly outrageous given that we had been there and even paid the bill. As I replied on the email, no sorry or something else.

All in all, I’m not sure if I would return. The food was superb, but everything else – the service, the atmosphere for a special occasion – sadly fell short. A shame, as it was meant to be a memorable birthday dinner. I can recommend it for good food, but not if you want to visit for a...

Our New Year’s dinner at Nightingale by Beefbar was an absolute disaster, and I feel compelled to share our deeply disappointing experience. Having visited several Beefbars worldwide and always leaving impressed, I am shocked by the appalling service we encountered at Beefbar Budapest.

We waited an astonishing 1 hour and 15 minutes, yet our starters never arrived. For two people, we had ordered only two starters and two mains—hardly a complicated order. Despite this, not a single dish was served. To make matters worse, no bread or alternatives were offered while we waited, and the only explanation we received was that “the kitchen was busy.” This excuse felt unacceptable, especially as the restaurant was far from full capacity.

The lack of professionalism from the staff was astounding. Our waiter appeared utterly inexperienced and clueless about basic hospitality, which set the tone for the evening. Unfortunately, when we requested to speak to the manager, the experience deteriorated even further. After a long wait, the manager finally approached us but offered neither an apology nor an explanation. His dismissive attitude and unwillingness to address the situation were beyond disappointing.

This experience was not only frustrating but deeply upsetting, particularly from a restaurant that carries the prestigious Beefbar name and operates within such a renowned hotel. What we encountered was a complete failure of both service and management, leaving us feeling disrespected and unwelcome.

I sincerely hope this review draws the attention of those responsible, as the level of service we endured is unacceptable by any standard—let alone for an establishment of this reputation. This evening has left a sour memory of what should have been a special New...

5 stars are simply not enough to describe our experience. We consider ourselves to be very lucky to have discovered this restaurant by change. Located in one of the most beautiful old buildings so typical for Budapest, opposite the Opera. Completely renovated inside and adapted to the style and taste of a well-heeled crowd.

The menu is a exquisite combination of Asian and classic French cuisines. Our dishes were well prepared and beautifully served. Style & content are the keywords here. And the food is particularly delicious. We found the Hungarian wines, especially the Tokaj - Furmint, a true discovery.

The professional welcome and service are exceptional and exemplary. What a relief to experience such well-trained staff in Budapest who also speak good English. Friendly, attentive and above all very hospitable. We noticed the clothing of the female staff, beautifully tailored and very stylishly fitting within the concept of a luxury hotel. But it was especially the service and aperitives on the spacious terrace on a warm summer evening that we liked. Unfortunately the terrace became too noisy to eat outside.

We love South African house music, but the volume at which this sounded was really too loud. Fortunately, we were able to eat inside and our request to turn down the volume inside the restaurant to a more comfortable level, was immediately granted by our waiter. Professional and without discussion.

We experienced the W hotel and the Nightingale restaurant as a breath of fresh air in Budapest. We will definitely come back next time, not only for the restaurant but also hopefully as guests in this beautiful...