Onyx Budapest is a Michelin restaurant in the heart of Budapest, opened in 2007. We visited Onyx in December 2017 when the restaurant had only one Michelin star and visited again in December 2018 when Onyx became the first restaurant in Hungary to receive a second Michelin star.
Onyx Budapest is not like any other Michelin restaurant we dined in before (or after). Although Onyx provides a luxury dining experience, it is not pointlessly pretentious. The staff members are very approachable, attentive, and well-trained. So how is it like to enjoy dinner in Onyx Budapest?
2022 Update: Unfortunately, Onyx has now lost all its Michelin Stars. The restaurant has undergone extensive renovation and staff changes. Onyx continues to serve exquisite food and wonderful menus. Since we’ve last visited, the restaurant now offers conceptual menus. The prices continue to be very reasonable, and we have no doubt the restaurant will get its stars back in no time.
The reservation process at Onyx
Both times we made a reservation at the Onyx, it was to celebrate my birthday. Since we wanted a quiet table, my husband always asked for one in advance, during the reservation process. He also mentioned the scope of our visit: my birthday. Both times, we received very professional emails from the staff members. The usual thanks for choosing Onyx to celebrate such a special moment, and that everyone is more than happy to accommodate our request. Reservations can be done online and over the phone. All staff members speak perfect English and the phone is answered in English, to begin with.
The welcome at Onyx
As with any respectable Michelin restaurant, the staff is very welcoming from the moment we enter the restaurant. Both times, someone took our coats and showed us the way to the table. Two members of staff helped us get seated and immediately asked us if we wish to start with a sparkling apéritif and the type of bottled water we desire.
On the table, there was a luxury envelope addressed to me, which contained a happy birthday card with a handwritten signature on it. A very nice touch which indicated that everyone was already prepared for our visit.
After a couple of moments, our of the staff members brought the wine and food menus. Since we didn’t wish to pair our meals with wine, we decided to order a bottle of wine. For a tailored experienced, the sommelier came to our table to guide us through the process and ensure we pick something according to our taste. This wasn’t a pretentious exercise, by contrast, the sommelier listened to us and recommended the right product. He was very friendly and approachable but incredibly professional at all times.
The menus at Onyx
On our first visit, Onyx had four options on the menu: “Within our Borders” either 6 or 8 courses and “Beyond our Borders” either 6 or 8 courses. We went for “Within our Borders” 6 courses at the time. We didn’t go for wine pairing either but ordered a specific Hungarian red which we very much love (yet we can’t find anywhere any more) called Posta Wine.
During our second visit, since Onyx gained 2 Michelin stars, the menu offered only three options: 6 courses “Within our Borders”, 6 courses “Beyond our Borders” and a 6-course Vegetarian. We decided to go for “Within our Borders” yet again, since the items on the menu were different from the previous year. As mentioned, we didn’t go for wine pairing but ordered two bottles of red throughout the evening, similar in taste and texture to Posta wine.
As I’m writing this, the 6 courses menu costs 33900 HUF per person + 19900 HUF for the beverage pairing. A discretionary 15% service charge per person will be applied to the final bill.
The food at Onyx
We started the dinner with a complimentary appetiser, which contained 3 small bites. Although I can’t remember all items, I know that one item was a bite-size Hungarian langos which, I thought, was adorable and delicious. The second complimentary appetiser was a large plate filled with various bread: black bread, pogacsa, rolls, scones, cheese infused bread and more.
All of them were baked to perfection and tasted fantastic. Unlike other restaurants, the staff told us they will leave this complimentary appetiser on the table throughout the evening so we can sample the items as we go along. The third and final complimentary appetiser was a small amuse bouche with beetroot, fruit, and beet foam.
Our 6 courses menu started with water buffalo tartare, shallot, and mushroom. Needless to say, the presentation was stunning. It was the first time I tried popped quinoa, which gave the dish an excellent crunchy consistency. Each ingredient on the plate beautifully complemented one another.
The second course was a goose liver, coffee and almond. For coffee lovers, no doubt this is a wonderful dish. However, both my husband and I found it a little too bitter. We loved the consistency: very creamy with the right crunch. Although the liver and almond worked together like magic, the bitterness of the coffee lingered for a bit, for us. But then again, we don’t eat coffee chocolate or chocolate flavoured desserts, so no surprise the coffee was a little too overpowering for us.
The third course was the Sturgeon “fish soup”. If you are Hungarian, you are going to love this. My husband tells me this was the real deal. Apparently, this soup tasted like the proper traditional Hungarian fish soup. I sampled fish soup before, but never liked it. At Onyx, this was no exception. It was very good to try, but the overall taste was not to my liking. This, again, is a very subjective dish. My husband loved it very much, he couldn’t stop raving about, whereas I was indifferent to it. I guess I’m really not a fish soup lover.
The fourth dish was a Rooster consommé. Last year, Onyx served ox consommé, which we didn’t particularly love, so we were very excited to try the rooster this year. Wow, the rooster was an immense success. We absolutely loved it and would order it again and again. A very good dish, richly flavoured yet still very light.
The fifth dish was our main, the Venison “montage”, duck ravioli, celeriac and chervil. The dish looked like a real puzzle, very beautifully presented. It tasted perfect, no faults there. As we don’t eat meat at home, it was very strange to taste game. If you eat meat regularly, this dish makes a fantastic main for the evening.
Finally, it was dessert time. We started our transition to the sweets with a pre-dessert made with ruby chocolate. Ruby chocolate is made from the ruby cocoa bean, which is a botanical bean variety. The production methods are kept a trade secret and some speculate that unfermented cocoa beans are used with having a natural pink colour. Either way, we can tell you right now that it tasted incredible.
Our main dessert was a „Flodni”, poppy seed, apple, and walnut. Flodni is a traditional Hungarian Jewish cake. It has several layers, including nuts, poppy, apple, and jam. Onyx’s version of the flodni was served with jam on the side and a poppy ice cream with an editable gold flake on top.
Finally, we ended the menu with a post-dessert treat: 8 bite-size desserts presented on a beautiful cone-shaped decorative holder surrounded by dry ice. At the end of the evening, we ordered two cups of tea to go with these treats. However, just as we thought the dinner was over, the staff presented me with a wonderful slice of chocolate cake for my birthday. This sure was the perfect end to our evening.
After paying the bill, we received a small box of chocolates each, as a farewell gift.
The staff at Onyx
We decided to return to Onyx in 2018, because of the quality of service we experienced on my birthday in 2017. We loved how attentive the staff members were. For example, we never ran out of water or wine in our glasses. I would receive a new linen napkin every time I’d go to the bathroom, and the staff would anticipate the moment I’d try to stand up or sit down. Unlike other Michelin restaurants, the staff wore white gloves when touching our plates. We honestly thought this would be standard practice, but this wasn’t the case in Shiki in Austria, for example. Onyx was outstanding all around. Not just at anticipating our needs, but making our evening a perfect experience.
Onyx Opening Times
Onyx is open twice a day, once for lunch and once for dinner.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 6.45pm – 10.00pm |
| Thursday | 6.45pm – 10.00pm |
| Friday | 5.45pm – 11pm |
| Saturday | 5.45pm – 11pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Onyx Budapest Address
Onyx is in the city centre of Budapest, in District V, close to the Chain Bridge.
Onyx Restaurant
1051 Budapest
Vörösmarty tér 7-8.
(Vorosmarty square 7-8. Entrance from Harmincad street)
Click here to open the Map in Google Maps
Phone: +36 30 508-0622
Make a Reservation at Onyx
You can make a reservation online following the link below.
Reservations are taken 90 days before the calendar date.
Please note, you will need a credit card to complete the reservation.
Click here to make a reservation online
Accommodation Near Onyx
Offering a fitness centre and a spa and wellness area, The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest offers hotel in the heart of the city centre, just a few minutes walking distance from St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Danube. Guests can enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant or a drink at the bar.
The InterContinental Budapest enjoys an excellent location on the banks of the Danube next to the Chain Bridge. All important sights are within easy walking distance.The elegantly furnished suites and rooms at the InterContinental feature sleek interior design. Some offer stunning views of the river and the castle.
Situated 750 yards from the Chain Bridge and Saint Stephen’s Basilica, Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest offers several restaurants, luxurious air-conditioned rooms, and an indoor pool. Its architecture is a symbol of modern Budapest.Altogether the hotel features 316 rooms and 35 suites. The hotel finished the renovation of rooms and suites on three guest floors to reflect a unique contemporary style, and to provide all the must-have features and conveniences of travel today.
Click here for prices and book Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest
Conclusion
In 2017, we gave Onyx Budapest a 5/5. We loved the experience so much, we couldn’t stop talking about it. In 2018, Onyx Budapest was even better. We’d give it a 10/5 if we could. After more than 50 countries together and countless fine dining experiences, Onyx remains our favourite restaurant in the world, closely followed by Pierre’s Bistro & Bar in Dubai (to be reviewed soon!).
Practicalities: This review was not in any way sponsored by Onyx Budapest. We paid for our dinner, beverages and staff gratuities.
Onyx doesn’t have a specific dress code. According to their website, they want their guests to dress according to the weather conditions, however, they politely ask everyone to refrain from wearing sports clothing or beachwear, including sleeveless t-shirts & flip-flops. My husband wore chinos and a nice shirt and I wore a black flocked velvet body with a black skirt and velvet heels. For the full experience, we do recommend dressing up for the occasion. We also recommend staying in one of the luxury hotels in Budapest, located in the vicinity. For more details, you can check where to stay in Budapest.
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