Absolute Café and Pool Bar (Jalan Jaksa)

Absolute is one of the only bar in Jaksa with air-con. Lots of English teachers and journalists, and also some girls from Jaksa. Free pool table, darts, cheap beer, Premier League Soccer games on screen and always quite crowded by the same group of people. Nice.

For French speakers: More about Jalan Jaksa and the nightlife in Jakarta on our french blog: jakartateam.blogspot.com

Contact details:
Absolute Café
Jalan Jaksa No. 5
Telephone: 021-31909847
Open until 3am, sometimes after..

Aphrodite (Club Rasuna, near Pasar Festival, Jl Rasuna Said)

Aphrodite is a bar and restaurant located not very far from the Taman Rasuna tower. As such, it is a meeting point for many of the expats living in the area, and you'll almost always find it crowded.

The menu is quite long, with mainly pub food. It is pretty decent and though more expensive than average, good value.

Many customers come to Aphrodite to watch sports: English Premier League, F1, Cricket, etc.. You can check the schedule here: Sports Schedule Bar Aphrodite. Personally, since I'm not a fan of anything, all these plasma screens tend to bother me. And it's even worse when no sport is on because they will put Fashion TV, making it very difficult to stay focus talking to your average-looking friends.

The best point about Aphrodite is that it is a popular hangout for some Indonesian girls as well, the kind you could meet in Red Square (looking for a foreigner, but not a pro). Thursday and Saturday is ladies' night, and the best night to visit if you are looking to party. Girls get free drinks from 8PM to 1AM. On most nights, you have a live band playing pop and rock songs.

You can check their website here: Aphrodite Jakarta and also their facebook: Aphrodite Group and Aphrodite Bar and Restaurant.

Opening Hours:

From Monday to Thursday: 6:00 am - 2:00 am
From Friday to Saturday: 6:00 am to 3:00 am
Sunday: 6:00 am to 12:30 am

Contact details:

Aphrodite Restaurant and Bar Jakarta

Club Rasuna - Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav 22 Jakarta 12920

Phone: +62 21 527 3307

Fax: +62 21 526 3265 

E-mail: contact@aphroditebar.com

BATS (Hotel Shangri-La)

An all-time favourite of Jakarta's nightlife. Very, very popular bar among expatriates, especially those who are already married. Easy to know why, considering the number of pretty, sexy girls. But the place isn't just about finding a partner. You can have a lot of fun partying there, because you will easily meet people in a relaxed atmostsphere.

BATS has a live band, imported from Quebec the more often and playing Top 40 songs. A bit annoying because it's hard to talk and hard to find a place to seat though, but at least you will be pushed in the crowd and on the dancefloor. The entrance fee is quite expensive, around Rp. 100,000, but they will serve you a very large beer. Good to go on Sunday or Monday because it is one of the few places still crowded. Very tasty steaks at the restaurant.

I shot a video of the live band:

Opening hours:

5pm - 2am (Sunday - Thursday)

5pm - 3am (Friday and Saturday)

Dinner: 7pm - 10pm

Happy hour from 5pm - 7pm 

BATS Jakarta

Shangri-La Hotel (Level 1)
Kota BNI
JL. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 1

Phone: +62-21 570 7440 ext. 6401
Official website here: BATS Jakarta

More photos taken in BATS (sent by reader):

BFC Café and outdoor restaurant - pool bar - (Jalan Jaksa street backpacker Jakarta)

Outdoor cafe/bar in Jalan Jaksa, the street where you can find cheap hotels in Jakarta, with live music sometimes. Prices are very reasonable and there is a happy mix of foreigners and indonesians. Nice to drink a beer and talk to backpackers.

Contact details:
BFC Jaksa
Jalan Jaksa No. 10
Phone: (62-21) 31930605
Opened until 2AM

Burgundy Bar & Lounge & Live Jazz Music (Hyatt Hotel Jakarta)

Expensive drinks (Beer = Rp 60k), but classy bar with live music everyday (including Jazz) and businessmen talking. Not a hotspot of Jakarta nightlife and rather quiet, it attracts the capital's most upmarket crowd. Definitely not a girls' bar comparing with BATS in Shangri La hotel or CJs bar in Hotel Mulia, but unexpected meetings are not impossible since some rich, older indonesian women come here. There are a few working girls as well that always hang out in Burgundy and I suppose they are up for grab.


Awesome view on Plaza Indonesia, making the experience quite enjoyable.

Starting on March 5th, 2010, the Las Vegas style show "Mister Moonlight" will be in Burgundy at 21h30. You can read more about it in this article of Jakarta Globe: Mister Moonlight. The same show used to be in Gaudi.

Contact details:
Burgundy Jakarta
Grand Hyatt 4th Floor
Jl. M.H. Thamrin
Kav. 28-30
Jakarta 10230

Opening hours: From Sunday to Thursday - 4:30 pm to 1:00 am
From Friday to Saturday - 4:30 pm to 2:00 am

Tel:+62213901234

Check their (small) webpage here to see the live music schedule: Burgundy Bar Hyatt Hotel Jakarta

Café De Burse (Jakarta)

Café De Burse is the latest bar opened by Bartele, probably Jakarta's most famous expatriate. He is also the owner of Eastern Promise, De Hooi, Cazbar, and One Tree.

De Burse is different from his other venues, though the concept remains similar: It is a restaurant and bar with an international menu, friendly and cute waitresses, and a regular schedule of events and promos. So far, it is still quiet, probably because the location is only busy during working hours.

I had a caipirinha (Rp68k) and I was disappointed as they used ice cubes instead of crushed ice. But it is common in Indonesia so it wasn't a big deal. I didn't order any food, but considering what I had in his other venues, you can expect good-value for money, even with western dishes. An average meal will cost you less than Rp80k, and a pint of Bintang Rp53k, including taxes.

Overall: Recommended venue, but not too happening so far. It is perfect for an after work drink if you work close from the Jakarta stock exchange. My favorite part was the interior design, very neat. It is a copy of a Dutch bistro, with some interesting Indonesian antiques.

Practical details:

Wide screen TV, Free Wifi, International newspaper, daily promotions on drinks
Ladies' night is every night with 50% off on all drinks (excluding wine).

Opening Hours:
Every day from 7am to midnight

De Burse Café
Equity Tower, LG Unit E, SCBD lot 9,
Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav 52 - 53

Phone number: +62-21 290 35451
Email: info@deburse.com

Website: http://www.deburse.com/
Facebook: De Burse Jakarta
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeBurse

Cazbar (Mega Kuningan)

Cazbar is one of Jakarta's most popular expat hangout (you can also check Aphrodite and Eastern Promise). If you are a newcomer in the city, above your thirties, you may want to try going there to meet other people. There are also quite many indonesians, among which some ladies probably interested in a long-term relationship (no prostitutes). The food is not healthy but it tastes OK and served generously.

Upstairs of Cazbar, there is a area dedicated to sports watching, with mainly (each time I go there), English Premier League + Rugby. The bar also have free wifi and some imported newspaper titles among the most famous.

Live band on Friday (Blues) and Saturday (Acoustic). Ladies night, as of October 2011, is on Thursday, with free flow Lychee martini for ladies from 8pm to 11pm.

For more information about events in Cazbar, you can check its facebook page here or here, from which I took the photo.

Cazbar Jakarta
Mega Kuningan St. Lot 8-9 No. A9
Kuningan Timur Village, Setiabudi

Phone number: +62-21 576 4582
Email: leanne.cazbar@gmail.com
Website: http://www.thecazbar.com/

Cheers Sportsbar Karawaci & Cikarang

Cheers Restaurants & Bars are two expat hangouts with a focus on value for money and friendliness. They are not on the map of the usual party-goer because of their locations, but if you happen to be an expat living in those areas, you should drop by to enjoy decent food, fun atmosphere and live music on week-ends.

Facilities include free pool table and big screen TV with mostly sport on it. Quite many girls there too..

Cheers Café Cikarang
Lippo Cikarang
Jalan Galeria Singaraja B / 1
Bekasi 17550
Phone: +62-21 89908383

Cheers Karawaci
Jl. Boulevard Palem Raya
Taman Sari – Lippo Karawaci
Tangerang 15811
Phone: +62-21 5469169

Photos taken on Cheers Indonesia website.

Café Batavia (Taman Fatahillah, Kota)

Cafe Batavia is a classy, distinguished bar, in one of the most beautiful colonial buildings of Jakarta. A must-do for any tourists or newly arrived expats, it should also provide you with a good opportunity to visit Kota Tua, the historical center of Jakarta.

Nearby buildings include Old Batavia's Townhall and the VOC Governor office which can all be reached by foot. The area is currently being renovated as the government has finally come to realize its cultural importance and, though not much has been done yet, a stroll around the (polluted) canal back to the Stasiun Kota is something I really enjoy.

For those who are bold enough, I advise you to make a stop in Stadium on the way back, as a way to enjoy another monument of Jakarta!

Interesting fact: Churchill was ranked amond the World's best bars in 1996 by Newsweek.

Cafe Batavia
Taman Fatahillah, Kota
Tel.: (62)(21) 691 5531

If you fancy this bar, you might also like Bistro Boulevard (ex-Buddha Bar) (also in an historical building, but more hip and modern) or Lara Djonggrang.

CJ's Bar and Club (Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jalan Asia-Afrika)

Hotel bar, with mostly expats, prostitutes and business travelers. No entrance fee but you have to buy a first drink, more than Rp100,000 usually (large beer is Rp130,000). The bar underwent renovation, and became a bit more classy than it used too. Kind of Red Square-esque, but "normal girls" don't really go there as they do in Red Square. There is always a good band playing top 40 songs, with a DJs taking its turn during the breaks. I like to go there regardless of the bar girls scene because there's always quite a crowd and it's very lively, even during the week.

You can check its facebook fan page here for events: CJ's Jakarta

Update March 2011: I've been there twice this week and it was packed both times, with expats from all over the world (mainly Asian). There are lots of girls in CJs, but only a few are really pretty. The band was very fun, making the night very entertaining. The only problem would be the cost of the hangover since most drinks will cost you way over $15. As I said in my first review, I recommend you to try it on week nights, when all the other bars are quiet (Check also BATS).

I have a video of CJs live music act + some pictures from those 2 nights out:

Contact and details of CJ's:

Hotel Mulia Senayan
Jalan Asia Afrika

Phone number: +62 21 574 7777

Opening hours:
Mon - Thurs:
5:00 pm - 2:00 am
Fri - Sat:
5:00 pm - 3:00 am
Sun:
5:00 pm - 2:00 am

Dallas Roadhouse Bar & Grill

Dallas Roadhouse is a mall-type restaurant serving grilled beef and other types of American food.. Good reputation but how hard is it to grill a steak?

Not really a bar also though it serves alcohol.. It is expensive, as any restaurants in Jakarta serving imported beef, but you have a 3-course dinner set for Rp. 140,000.

Opening Hours:
Weekdays = ( 11.30 - 24.00 )
Weekend = ( 11.30 - 01.00 )
All Day Long Happy Hour


Dallas Roadhouse Bar & Grill
Plaza Arcadia Senayan
Level 1 Unit no X-111& X-112, Jl New Delhi No 9.
Central Jakarta
Phone: +62-21 5790-1433
Fax: +62-21 5790-1441
Email: senayan@dallasroadhouse.com

Website: Grill Restaurant Jakarta (down at the time of writing)
More photos on facebook: American Food in Jakarta

De Hooi Cafe (Pondok Indah Plaza)

An excellent bar, De Hooi was not in our listing until now only because it is located a bit far from the center, in Pondok Indah, where we seldom venture. In this part of town however, it is easily the most popular and the most happening bar, attracting a good mix of both expats and locals, in an easy going and welcoming atmosphere.

Many regular customer crowd the bar and it seems like most patrons know each other already.. Live music, free-wifi, and a good menu featuring American, Indian, Dutch, Indonesian food (you can take a look at it here: De Hooi menu part 1, part 2, part 3, they do delivery). If you live in Pondok Indah, this is the place where you want to go to have fun.

Its regular events include:
Every sunday from 7am to 3pm, Bloody mary bar = for every breakfast purchase, you get free flow bloody mary.
Every Sunday from 8pm to 9pm, open mic = a free beer for anyone who plays or sings a song.
Monday all day: Happy hour on draft beer.
Tuesday from 7pm to 9pm: Free flow wine.
Wednesday starting 7pm: Quizz Night.
Wednesday from 6pm to 12pm: Chicken wings night (1000rp/piece).
Thursday, from 5pm to the end: Ladies nights (50% off for ladies).
Saturday, all day: Sports day (On screen of course...).

Contact details: 
De HOOI Jakarta

Jl. Metro Duta Raya Blok B4 No.31.
Plaza II Pondok Indah Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia


Phone number: 021 750 0742
Fax: 021 759 16 167

Info about events: Check its facebook group here: De Hooi Bar Facebook fan page
Or check its newsletter here: De Hooi Cafe Pondok Indah Newletter

Ds Bar - Gogo dancers & Striptease - (Blok M)

Inside DS's secret room

Bar with a secret room where girls do strip-tease for 100,000rp. They have wet shirt competition and the patrons can play with water gun. Maybe the most trashy place in the Blok.

Update June 2009: Apparently there is no more secret room! However, Europeans, especially French people, will be happy to learn that there is a guy selling good shawarmas just outside Ds... To my knowledge, it's the only turkish kebab in Jakarta.. at least one that looks like those we have in France.

It has a website with info on how to get to blok m and more: http://dsplace.jakartablokm.com. You can also visit the bar's facebook fan pages here and here.

Contact details

D's Place pub and restaurant
Jl. Pelatehan 1, No 1C
Blok M, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan

Telepon: +62-21 722 0753

Mail: dsplacebar@gmail.com

More photos from D's VIP room:

They put a lot of pictures on their facebook of the bargirls/gogo dancers/hostesses/hookers that make the strange crowd of D's bar. Here are a few of them if you are too lazy to visit it: