Baxter Smith (Senopati)
By
Tibs
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Update 2021 : Baxter Smith is currently closed due to COVID-19. You may want to check their Instagram page below for any updates about their reopening date. Baxter Smith is a bar and restaurant that opened in Senopati mid-2016. I only went there once for a special event on a Friday night, so I'll keep my review short until I can try again. The bar is on the 3rd floor and it was quite busy, with an all-Indonesian crowd. It seemed people where visiting for the first time, out of curiosity. The DJ was playing good, non-commercial tunes between progressive and tech-house. The bartenders were fast and the drinks cheaper than the average for Senopati.
Boca Rica is an upper-class restaurant/bar/club located on the ground floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel , which is inside Mangkuluhur City. The latter is a high-end mixed-use complex belonging to Tommy Soeharto and named after his son, Darma Mangkuluhur Hutomo (who happens to be the owner of Boca Rica). Since its opening at the end of 2018, it has become one of the hotspots of Jakarta nightlife. Its crowd is a mix between that of Léon (high-class, socialites, celebrities) and that of Basque (expats, travelers, businessmen). Because the entrance is free on most nights, it has also attracted a younger crowd who can't afford more established clubs like Dragonfly or Blowfish. I haven't tried the restaurant, so I won't comment on that. I just know that it serves a Spanish-inspired menu with around 20 types of Tapas (costing between IDR 75,000 and IDR 250,000 each). They also have the usual burgers, grilled chicken, steaks and fish. Drinks are pricey, like everyw
Robot & Co is a new bar/restaurant replacing the famous Potato Head Café . It is located on the ground floor of the luxury mall Pacific Place, in a corner that has become one of the hotspots of SCBD nightlife . Indeed, just next to Robot & Co, you will find more popular bars like Cork & Screw, Chambers, Odysseia, Hard Rock Café, and Osteria Gia. Robot & Co has kept some similarities with Potato Head. It still has the long, central bar, and the mezzanine above it. However, the iconic vintage windows have been replaced by neat bamboo walls, giving the space a more modern vibe. Another important change is that the outdoor area has been closed with glass panels. It is still a relaxing spot to hang out, surrounded by leafy plants, but at least you won't suffer from the heat anymore. They've also added some comfortable sofas in the back and in the mezzanine, perfect for starting a night out with a small group of friends (minimum spending of
Located in Menara Rajawali (opposite Loewy), Arrack and Spice is one of the newest openings in Mega Kuningan. It is owned by the people behind the successful Hause, a trendy rooftop bar and restaurant set amid a cute garden in MD Plaza Tower (Kuningan). Arrack and Spice is a more formal venue, but it shares some similarities with Hause: Experimental food and drinks, tasteful design, regular events, and an overall willingness to appeal to millennials (for instance by offering healthy and vegetarian dishes). It is split in three different areas:
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
Duck Down Bar is the latest opening from the Biko Group, one of the most successful nightlife brands in Jakarta. Most of their venues, such as Beer Garden, Beer Hall or Lola target young and hip Indonesians from the mid-to-upper class, and Duck Down Bar is no exception to that. I visited on a Friday night (9/11/2018), following a friend's recommendation. The bar is located in the basement of the Soho building on Jalan Gunawarman. You need to go down a flight of stairs, and then you arrive in a medium-sized L-shaped room. There are no windows and no natural light, but the ceiling is high enough to prevent you from feeling too claustrophobic. Everyone is smoking inside so it can get a little suffocating. The design is pretty cool, they tried to recreate what could be a student bar in Europe in the 1990s, the sort of cheap but cozy place that would play bands like Nirvana, the Pixies, etc. One major difference here is that you are in the most expensive neighborhood
Hotel Monopoli is an upcoming project by Syah Establishments, the group behind famous venues like Lucy in the Sky , Sofia at the Gunawarman and Bauhaus . Located in Jalan Taman Kemang, maybe the hottest area in Kemang for nightlife at the moment, it will feature a boutique hotel, a restaurant on the ground floor, a club in its basement ( The Room ) and a rooftop bar ( The Moon ). I only saw it during a private party so I'm not sure how it will look like after the grand opening, but you can expect a trendy, yet fun vibe. Considering the Syah group's past successes, I'm certain that it will become a hit at least during the first few months after opening. I will update this page with more information and pictures once I get them. Do not hesitate to comment if you have been there. Hotel Monopoli - Moon Rooftop Bar - Room Club and Bar Jalan Taman Kemang No12, Kemang, South Jakarta 12730 Phone number: +62 22 71 51 01 Email: Info@monopolijakarta.com
If you've been to Grand Indonesia recently, you may have noticed a new café/restaurant/bar on the ground floor of the West Mall. Replacing Mad For Garlic, Greyhound is the latest venue of the Arena group , also behind several famous restaurants like Penang Bistro or Seribu Rasa. The name Greyhound will probably sound familiar to those who know Thailand well. This is where the brand first started, in Bangkok more specifically, in 1997. The owners came from the fashion industry and their idea was to create a venue that would unify their love for design and their love for food. Their first opening met with immediate success and, since then, they managed to open 30 more outlets in 6 countries, including in Hong Kong and Singapore. The one in Grand Indonesia is their latest franchise, and it comes with a twist. Unlike the other branches, it also has a lounge concept with a beautiful bar, a long list of cocktails and spirits, and DJ events on Saturd
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
Léon Restaurant and its speakeasy bar Goldstein are both located in the same building on Jalan Wijaya in South Jakarta (previously occupied by Nine Muses). As of 2017, they are among the trendiest nightlife venues in the capital, attracting the local elite, celebrities, models, etc. One advice if you go: Dress well and be prepared to be surrounded by hoards of beautiful people. One reason it is so popular is because this is where the Anies-Sandiaga team celebrated their victory over Ahok-Djarot in the 2017 Gubernatorial Election. They threw a free-flow alcohol party that was mocked on social media, considering Anies had won the race by playing the devout Muslim card.