Camden Bar (Cikini and Gandaria)
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Jakarta100bars
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I had been to Camden bar in Bandung , but never to their two branches in Jakarta. I corrected this mistake last weekend by visiting both Camden Gandaria and Camden Cikini in one evening. Both bars are very popular, almost any day of the week with a clientele of Indonesians in their early 20s. Cikini's crowd is more upper-class (including a few foreigners - backpackers and interns) while in Gandaria you have mostly young students. Typically, they will buy a beer tower (IDR250,000) and share it at a table with some snacks.
Starting 2015, you are normally not allowed to buy any alcohol, including beer, from minimarts all over Indonesia. It should take a few months before someone smart finds a way to bypass the law so until then, you'll need to find a friendly and cheap bar to grab a beer when needed. Beer bars are not difficult to find in Jakarta so to avoid listing 100 venues, I made a choice with the following considerations in mind: Is the place crowded? Does it have a large choice of imported beers? Is it friendly? Does it have regular events? Is it popular with expats? Is it affordable? Does it have good food? Is the atmosphere appealing?
Beer Brother Bar + Kitchen is located in Taman Kemang, a residential area of Kemang which has seen a recent surge in bars and restaurants. This new nightlife area comprises Umbra, Cowboy Bar, Parc 19, and the Colony Building. Beer Brother opened about a year ago and it has managed to become successful rapidly. It is quite similar with other joints such as Bremer or Beer Garden , but there are a few notable differences: The design and marketing of the bar is more sophisticated and original, the music louder, and the choice of food and drinks really extensive (the menu must have 25 pages). The prices are not that cheap though except for basic beer. I was there just before a Champion's League quarterfinal, on a Tuesday, and it was full with a crowd ranging from young expats to hip Indonesians and high school kids. Most people come with a big group.
Concepts working well in Jakarta at the moment: 1) Feel-like-home lounges and restaurant with acoustic guitar 3 times a week, and 2) Beer Houses serving flavoured drinks from various countries. Brewhouse bar & restaurant is in between the two concepts. First, it is a simple restaurant with OK taste, mainly some commonly popular dishes from all over the world. So far, not incredible. The best part of the BrewHouse is actually the beer house: The bar area is a little tiny but it has an intimate feel. The owners wants you to get wild here if I believe that the stairs leading up to the central elevated table are an encouragement for people to dance on them. Music is Top 40, with acoustic live music from Wednesday to Saturday. It's not so original but it works well..
Bloeming could be a nice bar if it was located in Scotland, or at least in Blok M or Jaksa. But to have it here in a mall makes me feel this is just another marketing concept. The design is original though, it looks like the interior of a pirate ship, with some beautiful wooden tables and furniture. The main reason to go to Bloeming is for drinking beer. They have 32 kinds of beer from all over the world, many that you cannot find elsewhere in Jakarta. They also have flavoured beers, which are usually a way to have girls coming too. For around Rp.200,000, you have an all you can drink promo lasting three hours.
The Barrels is one of the few decent beer-drinking joints you will find in Serpong/Tangerang. It is inside Summarecon Mal, on the downtown walk, and it basic but lively. You have a big poster of a cave with barrels on the walls, some high tables and chairs in lign, 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 - House of Bintang Summarecon Mall Serpong (Downtown Walk #DGF-3), Tangerang Phone: +62-21 4586 4959
Beer Garden is currently one of the busiest bars in Kemang. Even on a Sunday night you should find it full. Nothing too fancy inside but it looks clean and cozy. Recommended for the easy-going atmosphere though it can get hot sometimes. If you go clubbing right after spending an evening in Beer Garden, chances are you will be all sweaty. It is not the cheapest place in Kemang, but the prices are very affordable. You can also try the nearby Bremer bar if you are into beer gardens.
Birdie, a "beer warung" is a small café, partly in the open-air, serving cheap beer and food. If i was younger this is the kind of bar I would like, with a friendly, laid-back atmosphere and low prices. The food is not excellent, but for a snack it is ok. Opening hours: Everyday from noon to midnight. Happy hours from Monday to Thurday (4pm-6pm): Beer starts at Rp10,000 a bottle.