Pest Centre, V, Deák Ferenc tér (M1,2,3), 3 min
Rating: 7.3/10
BB9? SLR? SClub7? - it took me at least four tries to get the name right, or at least reasonably close. Evocative of anything from thumping rave club to beeping Star Wars companion, RS9's portentous moniker is, if not entirely forgettable, perhaps appropriately ambiguous.
RS9 is both kávézó, occasional concert hall, and fringe theater, boasting an impressive resumé of Hungarian language productions that includes everything from Shakespeare to Beckett. It's also probably the only place in town where you'll be shamelessly shushed when a play is going on behind the big red curtain in the other room. But for the less theatrically minded, or at least linguistically limited, RS9 at times feels more jack of all trades and master of none.
From sleepy Rumbach Sebestyén u., the entrance is unassuming to say the least. A newspaper plastered staircase leads down to the cellar kávézó where, unless you're rolling thick cigarettes and donning your best tweed blazer, you can expect some furtive glances from the regulars: a mix of theater-goers and off-duty thespians. The bar staff, however, are more than friendly, and it's hard to be dissuaded all that much when two korsó of Soproni go for 500 forint (between 16:00 and 21:00.)RS9 is both kávézó, occasional concert hall, and fringe theater, boasting an impressive resumé of Hungarian language productions that includes everything from Shakespeare to Beckett. It's also probably the only place in town where you'll be shamelessly shushed when a play is going on behind the big red curtain in the other room. But for the less theatrically minded, or at least linguistically limited, RS9 at times feels more jack of all trades and master of none.
Apart from a handful of red velvet theater chairs squeezed around a small table, RS9's ambiance is limited to the sum of its patrons. It's easier to find seats in the back room(s) where, between a cold, sparsely decorated brick interior, there are a few tables, often empty.But lacking the usual pomp that adorns Budapest's more popular hangouts is not necessarily a bad thing. For starters, you'll be hard pressed to hear a lick of English, and for an early evening stop, the humble vibe is far more comforting than the superficially hip. RS9 feels like a söröző with erudite charm or a tiny, unpainted Pótkulcs without the cult status.
Not to be overlooked if you're looking for casual and cheap, RS9 is more than worth your while on a slow weekend evening. Who knows, it may even awaken latent theatrical tendencies...
- Spring has come, with all its gentle showers. Methinks RS9 is but an abbreviation of the street and number, wherein it lies.
- You're so right, love. 'Tis I who overlook'd what lay naked in mine eyes.
Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 5/10
Value for money: 9/10
What people we know think: 7/10
From Deák, walk through Madách tér and follow Rumbach toward Dob until you see a small stairway leading down to a basement. Don't expect cell service inside.
AZL
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