Cazbar (Mega Kuningan)
By
The Jakarta Team
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Cazbar is a long-standing expat hangout in Mega Kuningan. If you are a newcomer in the city, above your thirties, you may want to try going there to meet other people. It isn't as busy as it used to be, but there are many regulars who come for the laidback atmosphere, the friendly waitresses, and the decent pub food. Also quite many Indonesians among the customers. Upstairs of Cazbar, there is a area dedicated to watching sports, with mainly (each time I go there), English Premier League + Rugby. The bar also have free wifi and some imported newspaper titles.
Le Bridge could have been a great place for having a romantic dinner or for hanging out with friends, but the food there is so bad that I will never go back there again. Also, but this is not the fault of the restaurant, the sea in this area is quite polluted and smelly, so it isn't always pleasant, especially during the day. At night, it is better though since we cannot see the litter floating on the water. From the outside, Le Bridge looks like an upmarket café, located on a bridge right in front of the beach of Ancol. It is a nice sight since it seems to be on its own island, away from the shore.
Brownbag is a small restaurant serving sandwiches (all the classics), some popular main courses and drinks (mostly coffee). They also serve Macarons and Poffertjes. The place is comfortable, with soft lounge music, the wifi is fast, and the waiters are professional. My sandwich was a bit expensive and small (74,000rp including tax for the Roast Beef) but it was fresh and good. Overall : I recommend Brownbag for any quick meal at any time of the day if you are staying near Menteng. Update: After a second visit to Brownbag, I realized they only have one CD for the music. Brownbag Jakarta Menteng Central Jl. H.O.S. Cokroaminoto No. 78 - 80
Probably one of the most authentic Arabic restaurants in Jakarta, Hadramout specializes in Yemeni cuisine, particularly Mandi/Madhbi (basmati rice, meat, spices). By coincidence, it is exactly what I ate the day before in Al-Jazeerah in Cikini so I was able to make a useful comparison. I preferred the atmosphere in Hadramout: They give you the possibility to eat directly on the carpet, in small private areas, which is quite unique in Jakarta. I advise you to choose the areas closest to the kitchen, more intimate. On the walls, you'll also find some traditional instruments and artifacts from Yemen. As in Al-Jazeerah, all the waitresses wear the headscarf and the television channels are in Arabic. Of course, no alcohol is served. Concerning the food (Lamb Madhbi for 2, Rp121k++)), Al-Jazeerah was the best. The rice had the same taste, but the lamb in Hadramout was too salty and fatty .
The Grill is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Midplaza, probably one of the best of its kind in Jakarta. It is similar with Gahyo which I tried on the same day (by coincidence). I preferred The Grill, because there is more choice on the menu and the dishes are more affordable. It also looks more stylish and contemporary. We had two dishes: Ishiyaki Tofu Chige (Rp50++) and the recommended Bibimpap (Rp45++). Ishiyaki Tofu Chige (Rp50++)
Kahyangan has to be one of the most expensive Asian restaurants in Jakarta. It is part of Pullman Hotel, near the Hotel Indonesia roundabout. I read a few reviews on internet about this place, but I imagine the journalists didn't actually pay for their meals. If you eat there for free, it is a great place indeed. You have an incredible view over Jakarta, attentive staff (though they can be pushy to make you order more) and stylish design. Bring a date here and she should be really impressed.
Liyen is an authentic Chinese restaurant located in Kota. It is not very far from the Bank Mandiri Museum, maybe 3 minutes by foot. They specialize in Hakka cuisine (from Southeast China), with some recommended dishes like the Salted Chicked, the Grilled Duck, or the Fried Prawn with Salted Egg.
Note: I wrote this review 10 years ago but it is still up-to-date! Everybody was telling me about a place called "Louis" in Mega Kuningan, but I couldn't find where it was or what it was. It took me two months to realize that people were actually talking about Loewy, that you should pronounce like Loui (English speakers) or Louis (French speakers). Loewy is a retro-chic French bistro, with a cosmopolitan vibe: Half the customers are foreigners, and the other half Indonesians, usually between 30 and 45 years-old. Most of them are from the upper-class. It is owned by some of the folks behind Potato Head , from which they took the idea to partially open the restaurant to the air. This is quite bold for Jakarta, and you may feel hot inside when it is packed. Since it opened in 2008, Loewy has always been a happening venue, anytime of the day. People go there for lunch, for brunches, for an after-work drink, and finally to party. They have decent European food (i
A relatively new-comer in the Jakarta nightlife scene, MO Bar is an elegant yet rarely busy 5-star hotel bar. It looks quite similar to the bar in the Hyatt, Burgundy , with its cozy and dim-lighted atmosphere. But I still prefer Burgundy because from there you have an incredible view over the Hotel Indonesia roundabout.
MusRo is one of the oldest nightclubs in Jakarta, since 1983. It closed after the 1998 financial crisis, then it reopened again in December 2007, with an ambition to attract "models and actresses" but unfortunately for them, it is not as popular as it used to be. There are still some loyal customers though, in particular clubbers from the gay and lesbian community, and since the music is quite good, I think it is worth checking at least once. It is usually empty during the week, but on weekends and for special events it is better. To make sure it is happening, you may check their Instagram page for special events: MusRo Borobudur . If you come early, they have live music, followed by a DJ around midnight. Opening hours: Closed on Monday
To my knowledge, Turkuaz is only the second Turkish restaurant to open in Jakarta. Sesai Zorlu, its owner and chef, worked in the first one, Anatolia, for 10 years. From what I've heard, since he left, the quality of the food in the latter has been deteriorating and it is no longer the great restaurant it used to be. If anyone can confirm it would be appreciated... Turkuaz is quite small, with only about 30 seats available. There are plans to expand by the end of the year, with two private rooms and a lounge upstairs to smoke shisha. When we visited, on a Saturday night, it was full and we had to wait for 10 minutes to get a table.
The Venue is a popular lounge in Kemang, especially with young students and teenagers from the international schools in the South of Jakarta. The reason they are popular is that they don't ask for IDs so it's pretty easy to get in even if you are underage. Drinks are cheap, but I'm not 100% sure the alcohol is genuine. Small swimming pool in the back where you can throw yourself to. Starting at 10pm on weekend, DJs spin progressive and house music. For info about events, check their Instagram: The Venue Kemang Venue Kemang Bar & Lounge Jl. Kemang Selatan No.2 Telephone no: +62-21 780 5610 Mobile/HP: 08388242242
H&S Swillhouse is a hip-hop and R&B club that replaces Hide and Seek , in Fairgrounds SCBD. In the same complex, you also have popular venues such as Fable , Lucy in The Sky and The Pallas . I visited on a Friday night around 1AM. I was warned at the entrance that all the tables were occupied and that I could only stand at the bar. I was fine with it so I went inside, free of charge. The design is as minimalist as it can be. It is basically just a mid-size rectangular room with concrete walls and floors, neon lighting and sofas on the side. Positioned at the entrance, the bar is quite large and it wasn't too crowded. On the contrary, the narrow dance floor was packed all the way from the bar area up to the DJ booth. It was almost impossible to move, let alone dance. Something particularly annoying was that there is only one toilet at the back which is quite difficult to reach. While the music in Hide and Seek was often electronic/techno, the Swillhouse is f
Update July 2018 : Illigals just changed its name to 108 The New Atmosphere . I haven't visited yet as I'm not in Indonesia at the moment. I will write about it around August/September. From what I've heard, it's pretty much the same as before. I think the change is only a way for Illigals to keep a lower profile. Contact details: Illigals Hotel & Club Jl.Hayam Wuruk no.108 Jakarta Barat, 111620
Abunawas is a middle-eastern restaurant, similar to nearby Hadramout , with mostly specialties from the Arabian Peninsula. I was quite disappointed with my experience there. The first time I came, it was 9.15pm and they were closing at 10pm so I was told to come back another day. I did come back, 2 days later, at 8.15pm, and already, the dining rooms upstairs, the nicest ones with a floor-seating area were not available (too late). We sat downstairs, while the staff was busy cleaning up the place, which gave us the feeling we were intruders. The waitress told us then there was no grilled meat available nor almost everything listed on the menu. I didn't keep the bill so I only remember the name of one dish (Mandi Laham). Here are the pictures (total bill was Rp120,000 with drinks):
Al-Jazeerah is among the best and most famous Arabic restaurants in Jakarta. They have several branches now but the one I tried is the original restaurant, which is located on Jalan Raden Saleh. The restaurant doesn't look fancy but it is comfortable and clean. It consists of a large function room, to be avoided if you are a small group, and a smaller one in the back which is much more intimate. They also have a giant screen with Arabic channels. The night I visited, there was about 10 other customers, and all of them looked foreign, most likely Arab. The air-con was very strong and blowing everywhere in the room unfortunately, and it made me leave as soon as I was done eating.
Al-Tahrir is a Middle-Eastern/Egyptian restaurant located in Pasar Festival, on Jalan Rasuna Said. Intended as a meeting point for the Egyptian community in Jakarta, it is named after Tahrir square in Cairo. The most interesting is that it is supposed to stay open 24-hour (see 24-hour restaurants in Jakarta ), one of the only venues to do so in the area. Concerning the food, it is rather cheap. What I sampled tasted average, though. The Shawarma (Rp30,000) was made in the Egyptian way, with only tomatoes, peppers, and chicken. I usually prefer when there are more ingredients (onions, white sauce, garlic, herbs, etc...), hence my disappointment. I also tried the Mixed Grilled Meat (Rp110,000), which is quite big for one person. The cooking was fine, particularly the sauce and the spices, but the ingredients used were probably not the best quality. There are no miracles, you get what you pay for.
Al Nafoura is the Lebanese restaurant of the Hotel Le Meridien. It is a great place to eat, especially for dinner, when the dim lighting creates an intimate atmosphere, perfect for a romantic date.
The Barrels is one of the few decent beer-drinking joints you will find in Serpong/Tangerang. It is inside Summarecon Mall, on the downtown walk, and it is basic but lively. You have a big poster of a cave with barrels on the walls, some high tables and chairs in line, and the barrels... For a little above Rp250k, you can order a small barrel of Bintang to share with your friends. They also have local live music bands on weekends. Opening Hours: 10am to 1pm The Barrels Summarecon Mall Serpong (Downtown Walk #DGF-3), Tangerang Phone: +62-21 4586 4959 Instagram: The Barrels 1767 & The Wine Place
Beirut Lebanon (also called Ali K. Baba) had been advertised to me as the best value Lebanese restaurant in Jakarta. The place doesn't look very good from the outside, and certainly not like a place you would want to eat in. The interior is better, very authentic, and simple. It is not pretty but you feel that it isn't fake, and that probably if you ever go to Beirut, you will find some similar eateries. I ordered the hummus (Rp 20,000++) because I wanted to compare it with the one I had in more expensive restaurants... No doubt about it, Beirut Lebanon's was way better. I followed that with a Shawarma (Rp 50,000++) and it was fine also, especially the white sauce to put on it. Though the value for money was excellent, there were no customers that day in Lebanon Beirut.