1,860 reviews
#98 of 3,830 Restaurants in Budapest$$ - $$$, European, Eastern European, Central European+36 1 201 9992+ Add websiteImprove this listing
Hours
Sun
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Mon
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Tue
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Wed
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Thu
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Fri
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Sat
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
Travelers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, European, Eastern European, Central European, Hungarian, Vegetarian friendly
Details
About
The 'Kacsa' (Duck) Restaurant is situated in Buda in the heart of Vizivaros spreading at the feet of Castle Hill on the corner of Fo and Kacsa streets. Vizivaros (Watertown) ows its name to being part of the strategic waterways in the Roman times with its vivid harbour and bustling commerce.It still preserves the atmosphere of the old times with narrow alleyways in many places. The restaurant having been in operation for more than fifty years is established in one of these tarnished buildings. In 1987 it was the first restaurant in private ownership in Budapest. We offer typical Hungarian dishes beside the main specialities of the restaurant,the famous duck meals,which are served with an excellent selection of wine exclusively originating from Hungarian wine-cellars. 70 Different courses can be found on the menu from cold starters to desserts,among which 9 are duck specialities. Live gipsy music provides a memorable experience every night together with the intimacy of the dinner. The kind and friendly staff, the beautiful cover,live music and the elegant setting create a splendid atmosphere for consuming a family, a romantic or a business dinner as well as a meal with your friends. Visit our restaurant and make sure in person that it is not by chance that this restaurant is listed to be as one of the best of Fine Dining Restaurants.
PRICE RANGE
$10.00 – $28.00
CUISINES
European, Eastern European, Central European, Hungarian
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music
Contribute
4.5
1,860 reviews
Excellent
1,350
Very good
341
Average
98
Poor
38
Terrible
33
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loftylad
42 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
This restaurant is well worth the visit, it’s so good we went twice in 3 days! Although the virus had impacted on the amount of people eating here the food quality and service remained at an excellent standard. The restaurant is decorated in a very quirky fashion, and the gypsy themed music only adds to the atmosphere. Try the Hungarian themed set menu, it’s very good. Hopefully this restaurant will reopen after the current health situation, it’s so good to have a traditional Hungarian restaurant to visit, rather than the usual tourist type.
Written March 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thesiamdea
Texas2 contributions
Nov 2020 • couples
I am so glad that Kàcsa has maintained its timeless, romantic, old-world atmosphere and food and also kept up with the quality of fresh and local ingredients that contemporary diners expect. My first visit was a on date in 1995, when I lived in Budapest, and we had such a wonderful experience, from the caviar cart laden with an assortment of trimmings and chilled vodka choices, to the house specialty (“kàcsa” means duck”), to dessert—and a stroll along the banks of Danube afterwards; the restaurant is very close to the river, which makes a perfect ending for a meal. The wine list was excellent then, heavy on aged Burgundy at ridiculously low prices (no point in carrying on about the outrageous value that was Budapest in the mid to early 90s—it is still relatively affordable compared with much of Central Europe). The restaurant had a small string quartet that was atmospheric but not obtrusive.
This is not a place for Instagrammable novelty plates—it is just excellent, fresh food, beautifully prepared and presented in an intimate atmosphere of white tablecloths and gentile but not overly formal dining. I was so impressed with my first visit to Kàcsa that I sent my parents there when they came to visit; it was their first trip to Europe, and their anniversary fell during the week they were in Budapest. I called ahead, explained to the staff that my parents were tourists there coming for an anniversary dinner, and they had a delightful time. Their only complaint the next day was that my mother might have enjoyed more icy vodka with her caviar than was wise, so early in the meal.
This is the kind of restaurant I worry about losing as times and tastes change; even in the 90s, it appealed to a crowd that was older and a bit more well-heeled than my long haired English boyfriend and me, but they treated us young bohemians with the same politeness and lack of snobbery as they did the mix of locals and international businesspeople. Perhaps that, along with the excellent food, is the secret of Kàcsa’s longevity.
There are many places in the city that offer traditional food and great atmosphere, but this place is special. I would normally rate it four stars because it isn’t cutting edge Haute Cuisine with an an equally innovative wine list to die for, but sometimes all the details add up to a dining experience that stays with you for as long, or even longer, than Grand Temples and Hip Novelties do. I couldn’t tell you much of what I remember from my experiences with Keller’s, Bocuse’s, or many of my other culinary heroes, but Kàcsa has stayed with me for over 25 years, and I never miss a chance to visit it when i’m In one of my favorite places in the world. Five stars for all the little things—much better for romantic evenings or very intimate groups than large parties, in my experience.
Written October 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amanda VC
17 contributions
Aug 2022 • family
This is a true hungarian traditional place with live music playing and very good service. If you are on a gluten free diet it even has all menu items marked on a separate sheet for ease of choice. The have a set menu prices at around 25eur with 3 courses that are quite largish portions. I would not go again on the only fact that it has very traditional disjes that are quite rich and fatty. But overall good experience!
Written September 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kalkan2
Shipston-on-Stour10 contributions
Jun 2022 • none
We had read so many amazing reviews of Kacsa on this site that we booked a taxi from our hotel in Pest. On arrival there were only 3 other diners and the pianist and violinist were playing Roll out the Barrel and various other British music. We were given the menu and the wine list. My husband asked for a certain red wine to be told that all the red wine which covered two pages were not available and the list was being changed tomorrow. Three very expensive bottles of red wine were then brought to the table and we were told that was all they had. We did not want to pay those prices and I suggested that we might leave. Then a last bottle of red wine from the list was suddenly found and decanted into a carafe. We decided what we would eat but were persuaded to try two duck dishes as these were truly Hungarian. I cannot say that either was enjoyable although we did eat the meal. Meanwhile more diners arrived and we asked for some Hungarian music to be played. We refused coffee and dessert and asked for a taxi to take us back. The violinist asked if we wanted to purchase a CD of the music which we declined and left as soon as the taxi arrived. It was not an enjoyable experience.
We spent 4 days in Budapest and apart from this one experience at Kacsa had wonderful food with wine at every meal. Nowhere else had a problem with either the red or the white wine.
We are not quite sure what happened here but we cannot recommend this restaurant.
Written June 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Veni H
Jakarta85 contributions
Feb 2020 • family
My recommendation if u want to try this restaurant come on lunch time, it will be cheaper with the same food as dinner..
The starter food is good, but so so for main course.. dessert also good
Moderate for service
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AlexPOxford_UK
Oxford139 contributions
Oct 2023 • couples
I found this restaurant accidentally walking from my nearby hotel towards Bem Jozsef Ter. The decor brings you back in time and the ambience is amazing. The menu is quite rich but if you are a tourist like us, I would recommend the set menu which currently goes at 6500HUF per person (about 15 GBP). We started with gulash soup / gulyásleves (what else?) which was impeccable and lightly spiced with paprika. It is served with a small side of chilli peppers. be careful as these are really hot a small teaspoon should be enough for those who would like to venture on the hot side. The meat in the soup was well cooked and complemented with carrots and diced potatoes. It was not served with csipetke, the small fingernail-sized egg noodles that you may find in other gulash versions but this did not take anything away from the taste. For mains we had Hungarian stuffed peppers (töltöttpaprika) and, of course, crispy roasted duck which were both excellent. The restaurant bears the name Kacsa with pride, and quite rightly so, as this was the best roasted duck I ever tasted. I wonder why Budapest Duck is not as famous as its Beijing counterpart? The desserts were OK considering the amazing two courses we already have had. We were offered two small glasses of Tokaj as after dinner drinks at a bit less than 3000HUF per glass which may sound to some as expensive but it was money well spent The sweetness of this wine complemented an excellent lunch most appropriately.
The service by Tibor was impeccable, the kind of service that is not found any more even in luxury restaurants.
If you are in Budapest, this is one restaurant worth visiting!
Written October 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Étterem Kacsa
Dear AlexPOxford_UK, Thank you very much for the excellent review and for recommending us to others. We have been visited for decades for our duck food indeed and we probably have the best duck food in Budapest. I don't know what Beijing duck is really like, unfortunately I haven't had the chance to try it yet, but we are trying very hard to make Budapest duck even more famous one day! Best regards, Tibor Antal
Written November 19, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alexei P
Tel Aviv26 contributions
Sep 2021 • none
A fantastic place with magic atmosphere of the 30s! Old furniture, ticking clocks and all that. The food was finger-licking-delicious and the live music (a piano and a violin) topped the cake. Too bad I didn't have time to go there one more time
Written September 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
johanna152014
Baden346 contributions
Dec 2023 • couples
There are so many great reviews and so we made a reservation. Already at 6pm, which was good, because later it gets full quickly. The restaurant is not very big and very popular with tourists. There were no locals there (it must really be too expensive for them - which Hungarian can afford that?). The service was very attentive, and the live music was also pleasant. The selection of food is very large, especially the duck dishes. Unfortunately my main course was only lukewarm, a duck platter, including a freshly grilled duck, which was thankfully warm, crispy, juicy and really delicious. The food in Hungary is usually rather fatty and if it is only served lukewarm, it affects the quality. There is a 15% service charge everywhere, which is actually quite a lot. So our meal came to 120 euros, which was actually too expensive. Afterwards we needed a schnapps - my husband a unique one, I a pear schnapps - the two together cost an extra 14 euros!!! (It would have been fine if the restaurant had offered a schnapps of its own accord at these prices) It was really too expensive. Regardless - we enjoyed the evening. We really liked the old-fashioned ambience, the live music, etc.
Written January 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Étterem Kacsa
Zunächst einmal vielen Dank, dass Sie über uns geschrieben haben, aber ich habe zu einigen Dingen eine andere Meinung. Meiner Meinung nach ist es nicht das Hervorragende, das teuer ist, sondern das Schlechte, für das wir sinnlos bezahlen. Sie haben mit uns an Heiligabend zu Abend gegessen, als die Einheimischen offensichtlich zu Hause bei ihren Familien waren. Bitte machen Sie sich keine Sorgen um die Restaurantmöglichkeiten für Ungarn, die füllen die österreichischen Lokale in vielen Skigebieten. Ich kenne die österreichischen Restaurantpreise gut, ich fahre oft nach Wien, ich weiß, dass wir billiger sind. Die Servicegebühr beträgt nicht 15 %, sondern 12 %. Aber ich freue mich, dass Sie eine gute Zeit hatten, die Atmosphäre des Restaurants war gut, der Service war ausgezeichnet, ebenso wie die Live-Musik. Mit freundlichen Grüßen: Tibor Antal
Written January 3, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Teri
Prague5 contributions
Aug 2021 • family
Excellent food, typically Hungarian - many duck variation foods, staff was extremely friendly (we felt sad having to leave our waiter!). Interior is vintage and very cozy. When we visited the restaurant was almost empty, so we got to enjoy the beautiful design properly. 100% a mist-visit restaurant when in Budapest!
Written August 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reni v
10 contributions
Aug 2020 • couples
This restaurant has it all. The food is delicious. We enjoyed a menu of three courses and they were all very good. Especially the main dish, duck, was very good. My partner picked the escargots aside of the menu as a starter and they tasted very good as well. The dessert was also perfect. Besides the food their service is amazing. The staff takes the time for you and they make sure you have a wonderful evening. When visiting Budapest I would definitely advise you to treat yourself to an evening at Kasca!
Written August 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marco T
Velletri71 contributions
May 2024 • couples
After reading about this typical Hungarian restaurant on various social media, I trusted it and it can be easily reached by going down from the Fishermen's Bastion.
They offer à la carte menus but also typical menus priced at 6500 ft (approximately 17 Eur).
We were welcomed kindly, chose two typical menus and varied the two menus to be able to taste the various dishes, the menu includes a dish that acts as a starter, a second course and a dessert, drinks excluded as well as the tip which must be calculated +15% on the total.
Tried the goulash and the duck leg, very good as well as the other two courses which were always very good.
Having taken a bottle of water and a single coffee, the bill was 17,300 ft (46.00 Eur).
The restaurant is very well looked after and truly typical.
It's not your classic tourist catcher.
Advised.
Written June 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Étterem Kacsa
Caro Marco,
Grazie mille per aver trovato il tempo di condividere la tua esperienza positiva con noi! Siamo assolutamente entusiasti di sapere che la sua visita è stata complessivamente soddisfacente. Offrire un'esperienza memorabile e piacevole ai nostri ospiti è il fulcro del nostro lavoro ed è incredibilmente gratificante sapere che abbiamo raggiunto questo obiettivo per voi. Le sue gentili parole motivano e ispirano il nostro team a continuare a offrire un servizio eccezionale, cibo delizioso e un ambiente accogliente.
Cordiali saluti, Tibor Antal
Written July 11, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jack G
London6 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
Recommended to us by a friend who used to live in Budapest - 'an old establishment, possibly the first privately owned restaurant in the city, slightly unusual decor, decent food and good old gypsy musicians'.
The food was acceptable, the service was very courteous and professional and the musicians were pleasant.
We bought them each a drink. The bill came and it was all in Hungarian, and the items on the bill were all muddled up, certainly not in the order that we had ordered/consumed them. There was no sign of a 'service charge', and so we rounded the bill up by 10% in view of the good service and pleasant evening.
Later, we discovered that 12.5% had already been added, but had not been written down in numbers - only in Hungarian words - so that we did not pick this up.
All in all, we felt greatly deceived.
Consequently, we recommend that people stay away from here.
Written September 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Étterem Kacsa
Fortunately, we have very little petty feedback like yours. If I were you, I would thank my friend for the recommendation, because he sent you to the best, traditional place. Am I right in understanding that everything was very good and professional so you gave a one star review because of service charge? So the facts for everyone:
1.. The invoice must be in local language and local currency in all countries. I don't think you guys in London give bill in Chinese, Romanian or even in Hungarian.
2. The service charge is listed as the last item in letters and obviously in numbers, otherwise how would you know what percentage.
You also calculated this wrong because it is 12%.
3. All the staff speak good English, you should have just asked.
So your big pain and why you gave the worst review is that although you were satisfied and had a good time you gave the staff an extra 10% tip, because not realising that service fee were already included in the bill.
Please let know by email what the amount was and I will send it back in an envelope. Anyway next time please don't be petty-minded and hurt a good place without a name. I ask everyone who has read this and thinks we did not deserve such a review to come and enjoy our family restaurant which has been open since 1987.
Best regards, Tibor Antal
Written September 11, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DCCKid
Winchester207 contributions
May 2022 • none
We were situated close to the river (Buda side), with views of the parliament building and spoilt with eating choices nearby (French, Belgian etc). However we wanted to sample traditional Hungarian food and my wife had seen good reviews for this one. It was about 15/20 minutes from Monastery Hotel. Glad we made the walk - it was easy to find. The walk back along the river was rewarding too, as the parliament building lights were switched on, while we watched.
The staff were very friendly and informative, and we were well looked after. There was a pianist and roving violin player on the evening we were there. Splendid evening all round. The food was gorgeous.
Written May 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julie L
5 contributions
May 2022 • none
My partner and I visited this restaurant on a short trip to Budapest. We stopped by for a late lunch after seeing some sights on the Buda side of town, and were surprised by how much we loved it. Old school furnishings with antique clocks and paintings, tablecloths, and plants. Garish in the best way and also clean and welcoming. The service was amazing, both friendly and professional, attentive but never a rush. Great wine recommendations and super tasty, homey food. The 3-course lunch menu is extremely affordable and the portions are generous. We both left with a smile! Perfect place for a date or meal with a friend, we'd go back if we could.
Written May 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Seaside65158501889
3 contributions
May 2023 • couples
Traditional goulash was delicious. Service was terrible. Server never returned to check on us once meal was delivered, never asked if we wanted another round of drinks. We waited over 30 minutes for our check after requesting it. Then in our haste to leave, didn’t realize until we got back to our hotel that we were charged a 4.5% “markup” on your credit card transaction.
Written May 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Étterem Kacsa
Never exaggerate please!
1. No one has to wait 30 minutes for a bill.
2. You can order a second drink of course.
3. The markup is not ours, a little help for you:
Credit card mark-up fees for foreign currency transactions are typically charged at between 2% - 5% of the value of the transaction. These foreign currency exchange fees are usually levied on each transaction by credit card providers.
The mark-up fee for foreign currency transactions is usually split into multiple parts: a certain portion goes to the processor (i.e. Mastercard or Visa), and another portion goes to the issuing bank.
Best regards, Tibor Antal
Written May 7, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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