Speed Dating in Budapest

Have you ever wanted to give speed dating a try?

Being on the other side of my first and only long-term relationship, I’m discovering the differences between dating in your early 20s vs your late 20s. Main differences so far? More confidence, less tolerance for foolishness. Better boundaries, worse hangovers.

And yet, hope springs eternal. After some great dates, a few bad dates, and more than a few disappointments, I’d decided to delete my dating apps for January, 2023. If I was going to make a connection, it would have to be in real life. But…how do people meet in real life these days?

Enter…Ruin Brew Craft Beer Bar’s Speed Dating!

Ruin Brew already has a special place in my heart, okay? Their weekend Diner series has the most authentic American breakfast in all of Budapest. Any place that makes a breakfast biscuit that good will have my benefit of the doubt.

In any case, their beer is good and they have delicious tacos, so although I wasn’t expecting to find love, I figured I had nothing to lose, and I might have some make some good connections along the way.

How Does Speed Dating Work?

For some reason I thought speed dating was extinct. Like, in my mind it was a plot device from late ’90s rom coms set in NYC. But Ruin Brew’s goes like this:

You preregister with your name, age, other basic info. Once at the bar, you grab a beer and have 5 minute conversations as you cycle through partners. Everyone notes down who they’re interested in, and afterwards Ruin Brew notifies you if you and a partner showed mutual interest.

Something I really appreciated about the event was that the owners made it a really comfortable environment. This live-action Tinder type setting is already vulnerable enough, but with a (delicious) craft beer on hand and a clear process laid out before us, that took some of the edge off. The complimentary jello shots were also a nice way to break the ice ; )

This specific event was for straight men and women, but Ruin Brew also hosts gay speed dating, speed dating over 40, and friend speed dating (or, speed friending? Is that a thing? Now it is!)

Did You Find Love, Denae?

Actually…

Just kidding, haha. No. But I did have a nice night getting to chat to guys I wouldn’t have met otherwise, and we were all spared the indignity of dating apps for an evening. Afterwards a lot of us went downstairs and got drinks to consider chatting. The next time there’s a chance to try speed dating in Budapest, give it it a try! Take a friend, go in with an open mind, and you never know what (or who) you might find.