6 Best Speakeasy Bars and Lounges in Jakarta
By
Tibs
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Several speakeasy bars and lounges have opened recently in Jakarta, following an American trend that started around 2008, In case you are not familiar with the term, here are a few ways to recognize a speakeasy : - The theme of the bar is the 1920s, particularly anything reminding of the prohibition era (Gatsby, the Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties, etc...) - They serve classic cocktails, fine spirits and put a lot of emphasis on the skills of their bartenders/mixologists. - They are hidden, promoted through word of mouth within a specific community, or accessible for members only. - A retro or hipster dress code is encouraged, in particular beards, suspenders, berets, fedoras, forearm tattoos, hats, etc. - They have live jazz, soul, oldies or any kind of laid-back retro music.
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
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.
Prohibition is a restaurant, bar and speakeasy lounge located in Senayan Arcadia, just next to Plaza Senayan. It was opened by some of of the people behind Black Cat , Hacienda, Red Square and Boutique KTV. As the name suggests, the whole venue has a 1920s' prohibition theme from the interior design to the staff uniforms and the menu. The Restaurant: Chicago-Style Chop House Prohibition specializes in broiled meats, a cooking method similar to grilling. These include chicken, salmon, pork, mamb, and imported US beef. The prices range from just over Rp100,000 to Rp400,000 for the 200-g prime rib-eye steak. If you come with a small group, it's a good idea to share their 600-g "gangster" meat platter for just over Rp1M. Gangster Meat Platter If you are on a budget, they also serve a variety of pasta dishes for less than Rp100,000. You can see the full menu here: Menu Prohibition Jakarta . The Bar and the Secret Speakeasy Lounge I visited P
Monty's is one of the hippest and most exclusive venues in Jakarta at the moment. The day I visited, you had 1 Ferrari, 1 Lamborghini, 2 Porsches, 2 Jaguars and several nice sports cars parked just in front. That should give you an idea of the crowd. It was opened by Klabo , the same group behind Nip & Dram and Ivy Kitchen. From what I've heard, the owner of Blue Bird Taxis is one of the shareholders. The Restaurant On the first two floors is a restaurant serving classic European food. They have all the priciest ingredients that you can possibly import in Indonesia such as caviar, lobster, truffle, charcuterie, cheese or wagyu beef. There also serve several organic and healthy dishes. The kitchen is headed by a Norwegian expat who previously worked in Grand Hyatt as an executive sous-chef. The price is rather expensive: On average for a 2-course meal you'll spend at least Rp500,000 (without alcohol). You can try it for lunch as they have a
Update 2021 : Proof is currently closed due to COVID-19. You may want to check their Instagram page below for any updates about their reopening date. Proof is a high-end lounge located in the main building of the Senayan Golf Club (the Maj), about 200m after Senayan City and on the opposite side of Plaza Senayan. I visited on a Friday night and it was busy with a wealthy crowd. I recognized several socialites and at least one heir from one of Indonesia's richest families. There was also a Rolls Royce and a Lamborghini parked outside if you need a better idea of who goes there. People were almost all between 30-50 except for a few very hot-looking girls in their early 20s.
Lola is a new bar and lounge that just opened in December 2015 near Senopati, on Jalan Gunawarman. It is a bit hidden, below their sister Japanese restaurant FŪJIN. It is owned by the Biko Group which is also behind Beer Garden . They are following the worldwide trend for speakeasy bars, started in Jakarta by venues like Prohibition, Artoz , Bauhaus and Nip & Dram . Since last year, you also have Hemingway and Proof.