Budapest is full of surprises. Forget what you hear about Hungarians and their mood. There is so much going on in Budapest that you will love it. Nightlife is so colorful that there is something for everyone.
There are so many bistros, like Castro’s or Most, for example, where you can get some food, real food and good food or just a beer. The atmosphere is artsy and there are as many Hungarians as foreigners hanging out in these places. People speak enough English if you want to mingle, especially in these places.
Then you could go to one of the centers where drinking is mixed with performances. Underground music bands both local and international perform in places like Gödör, which is right outside Deak ter, the central metro station, or Jelen, which is right behind the corner at the Blaha Lujza Ter. In these places you will find music players, singers and sometimes dance performances, especially at Gödör. In late spring or summer, there are many street concerts which you can simply join without paying any tickets. You just have to buy your own drinks and join the crowd. The interesting thing about Budapest is that in summer, young people like to buy a drink at a liquor store and simply sit in the park and enjoy themselves. At the park around Gödör, you will see a lot of your people play music and chill.
Then, there are places like Szimpla, a totally different place from what you are used to. An old house full of rooms turned into a club. DJs playing music, you can choose where you want to sit, the arrangement in every room is different, and there are stools in the garden. But it is more like a space improvised rather than a fancy bar, which makes it so comfortable and trendy that you will like it immediately.