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.
De Leila is an Arabic nightclub located on the 8th floor of FX Sudirman. It is a popular party spot for tourists from the Middle East and particularly Saudis, Qatari and Emiratis. You have a few other nationalities such as Egyptians, Iranians, Turkish and Omanis. Even though most customers are Muslims, alcohol is served. The new De Leila was opened in 2015 (the previous one was on Jalan Gatot Subroto). It is still partly owned by the Ahmad Fahmy family (also behind Tanamur ). It is now more modern and spacious, with an upmarket feel. I have to warn you though that is a place of prostitution, with at least 50 freelance working girls from Indonesia, China, and Morocco. The music in De Leila is Arabic, either from their live band or from the DJ. It is best to book a sofa so you can enjoy the show with the best possible view. You can order shisha as well. There is also a mezzanine with pool tables and a smaller bar area. The entrance fee is Rp150,000 and it incl
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
McGettigan's is a brand-new Irish pub and sports bar that had its grand opening on May 16th, 2017. Located in Mega Kuningan, in the basement of Menara BTPN, it is part of a larger group with 17 locations around the world (including Dubai , Singapore, New York, and of course Ireland - see more here: McGettigan's ). I had a chance to visit it a few weeks before their official opening on a Saturday night and what I saw looked promising. McGettigan's is easy to find, just across the road from the Ritz-Carlton, and walking distance from famous bars like Loewy or Basque. It is in a business district so it gets particularly busy for lunch and after office hours. It is built on one spacious floor, with several distinct spaces for customers to sit down: On the left corner, a quiet dining area with private booths and tables. In the back, a long and elegant bar that serves 9 kinds of draught beer. In the center, several high tables and chairs for more casual m
Masters Sports Bar and Restaurant is located on the ground floor of Bellagio Mall in Mega Kuningan. The place looks unassuming from the outside and you may have already walked past without noticing it. Should you decide to step inside, you'll be surprised to find a spacious 350m2 area with a long wooden bar, a 50-seat dining area, 2 professional electronic dart boards and 5 full-size tournament pool tables. Unlike the trendy venues nearby like Loewy or Basque, Masters has a much more laid-back atmosphere, perfect if you are looking for a quiet place to chill after work. Later in the evening, it gets a bit more loud and busy, especially on Friday and Saturday as they have a live band. It is one of the few dedicated sports bars in Jakarta and it features at least 8 different TVs, including two massive HD projector screens near the entrance. It must be among the largest ones I've seen anywhere in Asia. If there is any live sports event in the world, you are prett
The Pallas is a new restaurant, lounge and event space that opened in Fairground in SCBD. It is owned by the All In Group which is also behind Fable (in the same building), Odysseia and Mirror Nightclub in Bali.
¿Por Que No? was opened in 2015 as a Spanish tapas bar and restaurant in the neighborhood of Menteng, at the northern end of Jalan Rasuna Said. While the food is decent but definitely not haute cuisine, it is an interesting venue to hangout and drink before party. Cocktails are just above Rp100,000 net and Bintang at Rp50,000 net, which is not that bad considering the central location. The food is more expensive and the portions small (obviously, small like tapas). There are 2 different areas, indoor and outdoor. Outdoor is a small rooftop where regular events are organized. In particular, they have some techno nights that attract a young and fun crowd. You also have jazz nights, open mic nights, etc. Check their Facebook page or Instagram below to get their latest schedule.
Ya Udah Bistro and Die Stube have a new competitor. Paulaner Brauhaus is the most upmarket German restaurant and Brasserie in Jakarta and it is part of the luxury Kempinski hotel. It is in a central location within the Grand Indonesia mall, just next to Social House. It is almost always busy, any day for both lunch and dinner. The crowd is a mix of expats, business travelers and Indo-Chinese customers who seem to enjoy the non-halal pork specialties. They serve a complete menu that includes any kind of sausages you can think of. One of their most popular dishes is actually a huge sausage platter that costs Rp140,000.
Hause is a small bar and restaurant located on the rooftop of MD Place in Setiabudi. You have a long selection of cocktails, Western and Indonesian food, live music on selected nights, and a hipster vibe. 90% of the crowd is made of twenty-something Indonesians, among which a lot of pretty girls. The building is only 6 floors high so you don't expect a fantastic view. There are plants and flowers everywhere and it's what I liked the most about Hause. It truly feels like an oasis in the city (especially in that area of Jakarta where you don't have any green spaces). A similar venue is Lucy in the Skye in SCBD.
Artoz is a whisky bar/lounge located in the Energy Building in SCBD. It replaced Marley's Bar which closed down a while ago. It claims to be the largest collection of Whisky and Cognac in Jakarta, but I am not sure it is true as I believe there is quite an extensive spirit menu in Nip & Dram as well. I visited Artoz during Ramadan, probably not the best time to do so and unsurprisingly it was empty. Artoz is similar with Nip and Dram actually, both in terms of concept, size and setting: You have comfortable leather sofas and chairs spread across a windowless room, with a bar on on side and a live music stage on the other one. The main difference I saw is that Artoz is not as dark and it seems they don't have those crazy minimum spend amounts. The prices are pretty steep still, about USD15 for a standard cocktail. You are also given the menu of the French Restaurant Amuz , which belong to the same person (Chef Gilles Marx, also behind Auroz).