What Szimpla Kert does

Szimpla Kert operates a single physical ruin bar and cultural venue in Budapest, Hungary, founded in 2002 and employing 27 people. The venue combines on-premise food and beverage service with a programmed calendar of concerts, DJ sets, and cultural events, supported by a resident artist roster of roughly 17 named musicians and DJs who perform regularly and amplify promotion through their own social channels. Marketing is concentrated on Facebook (event listings), Instagram (artist content), and YouTube (performance videos), with the company website (szimpla.hu) serving as the central information hub.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: on-site food and beverage sales, event-related patron traffic, and merchandise sold through the Szimpla Design Shop (szimpladesign.com). A fourth, smaller stream is the Széphalom-branded dry-hopped lager produced in partnership with Rekettye Craft Brewery, which cross-subsidizes the Széphalom Literary Garden — an audio anthology of contemporary Hungarian literature available on the venue's website. The business is privately held with no disclosed ownership, funding, or financial details, and operates exclusively from one Budapest location with no disclosed plans for geographic expansion. The underlying operating model is a destination hospitality business dependent on tourism, nightlife demand, and recurring cultural programming rather than on proprietary technology or platform economics.

Name

Szimpla Kert

Website

https://szimpla.hu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Szimpla Kert is a privately held Budapest ruin bar and cultural venue, founded in 2002, operating a single location with 27 employees. It serves nightlife and cultural tourists through on-site food and beverage sales, live concerts, a resident artist program, branded merchandise, and a literary anthology project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nightlife & Cultural Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Bars & Venues (CRANACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Ruin bar venue
• Live music venue
• Bar and restaurant
• Cultural entertainment venue
• Craft beer sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Budapest

HQ country

Hungary

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: On-site sales of drinks and food at the physical ruin bar location. Primary revenue driver for the venue.
2. Event Revenue: Concert and event programming attracts customers. Revenue generated through door charges or increased patronage during events.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online design shop (szimpladesign.com) selling Szimpla-branded merchandise and design products.
4. Literary Products: Sales of Széphalom beer (craft lager from Rekettye brewery) and potentially audio anthology content. Beer supports the audio anthology of contemporary Hungarian literature.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Szimpla Kert operates a physical ruin bar venue in Budapest, Hungary, providing on-site food and beverage service, live concerts, and a resident artist program featuring local musicians and DJs. The venue is complemented by an online design merchandise shop (Szimpla Design) and a cultural literary initiative (Széphalom) that bundles an audio anthology of contemporary Hungarian literature with a branded craft beer (Széphalom dry-hopped lager) produced in partnership with Rekettye craft brewery.

Product overview

Szimpla is a Budapest-based cultural venue and bar operating as a single unified venue offering food and drinks service, live concerts, and a resident artist program. The venue is complemented by two distinct offerings: the Széphalom Literary Garden, which features an audio anthology of contemporary Hungarian literature with associated craft beer merchandise, and the Szimpla Design Shop for branded merchandise. The core offering is the physical venue experience, while the literary garden and design shop extend the brand into retail and cultural education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Szimpla Venue (Ruin Bar)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Rekettye Craft BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRekettye craft brewery produces the Széphalom beer (dry hopped lager), a branded product that supports the Széphalom audio anthology of contemporary Hungarian literature. The partnership creates a unique tie between the bar's literary initiative and a craft beverage product.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Akvárium Klub: Budapest live music and event venue with bar service, hosting concerts and cultural events in a central location, directly comparable to Szimpla's bar-plus-live-music positioning.
• Kőleves Kert: Budapest ruin bar offering food, drinks, and live music in a courtyard setting, targeting the same demographic and competing for similar tourist and local nightlife traffic.
• Mika Tivadar Mulató: Budapest cultural venue and entertainment venue combining bar service with live music and theatrical events, comparable to Szimpla's blend of cultural programming and nightlife.
• Dürer Kert: Budapest cultural venue and event space combining concerts, bar service, and community programming, similar to Szimpla's mix of nightlife and cultural activity.
• Fogas Ház: Multi-room ruin bar and cultural venue within Budapest's nightlife district, offering bar service, live music, and events in a comparable restored industrial setting.
• A38 Hajó (A38 Ship): Iconic Budapest live music venue and cultural center repurposed from a cargo ship, comparable to Szimpla in its emphasis on concerts, cultural programming, and bar service in a unique physical setting.
• Budapest Park: Large outdoor multi-purpose venue in Budapest hosting concerts and events with bar service, comparable in concert programming but operating at significantly larger scale than Szimpla.
• Ellátó Kert: Budapest ruin bar in the 7th district offering food, drinks, and live music in a courtyard space, competing directly with Szimpla for the same tourist and local nightlifers.
• Instant (Instant-Fogas complex): Budapest ruin bar complex that is the most direct competitor to Szimpla Kert, operating multiple interconnected bars and event spaces in the 7th district with a similar focus on eclectic decor, live music, and nightlife tourism.
• Mazel Tov: Budapest ruin bar in the Jewish Quarter with a similar industrial aesthetic, food and drink offerings, and cultural programming targeting both locals and tourists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@szimplakert/playlists
• Facebookfacebook.com/events
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/szimpla-kert

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Szimpla Kert