D'Marco Café (Martabak)

D'Marco Café is located on Jalan Sabang, 5 minutes walking from the backpacker street Jalan Jaksa. It is a simple place to hangout, with minimalist design and cheap prices. Opened on May 2012, it is becoming a popular hangout spot as the three owners are quite active to promote their restaurant and to organize events. The concept of specializing in Martabak, the Indonesian streetfood favourite (a sort of thick pancake) is also helping. It's a little more expensive than eating it in the street, but still very reasonable as the prices range from Rp10,000 to Rp26,000.

Overall: Recommended for backpackers or tourists staying near Jalan Jaksa and to office workers looking for an after-work hang-out place. They have also hosted a few CouchSurfing events.

Opening Hours:
Daily from 7am to 11pm

D'Marco Café
Jalan Sabang No 43A (Next to Hoka Hoka Bento)
Phone number: +62-21 3190 9015
Facebook: D'Marco Café

Ali Baba Steak & Iga Bakar

Self-proclaimed "the best value steak in Jakarta", Ali Baba is indeed a cheap, but clean restaurant. At the time of my visit, the prices were Rp38,000 for a New-Zealand tenderloin, and Rp75,000 for Australian tenderloin. It should be noted that the NZ steak tasted pretty much the same as a local one. If you want to eat something decent for western standards, you have to choose the Australian beef.

Ali Baba is all new, with some vintage decoration. It doesn't look high class, but it is far better than competitor Abuba Steak in terms of design. Regarding taste, if you choose the imported meat, I think it also tastes similar. But for those who know it, I would rate Suis Butcher in Bandung a bit higher.

Overall: Recommended for lunch or any informal meal, especially if you live/work near Sarinah Mall.

Opening Hours: Every day from 10am to midnight.

Contact details:

Ali Baba Steak & Iga Bakar (Kelapa Gading)

La Piazza, Blok B, Jl. Raya Boulevard Kelapa Gading, Jakarta
Phone number: +62-21 45864950

Ali Baba Steak & Iga Bakar (Menteng)
Jl. KH. Wahid Hasyim No. 112, Jakarta
Phone number: +62-21 3143501/3143469

Note: I tried the one in Menteng

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..

Ali’s Bar (Jalan Jaksa)

Bar of the african community, especially Nigerians, in Jakarta but some bule go there also. It is quite cheap, like most places in Jalan Jaksa.

Address:
Ali's Bar
Jl. Jaksa No. 25

Ampera (Sundanese restaurants)

Ampera is the largest chain of Sundanese food restaurants in Indonesia, with so many branches that it would be hard to list them all. I tried the one in Jalan Agus Salim (Sabang), near Sarinah.

As with most traditional Sundanese restaurants, all the food is presented to you upon entering, and after that, you choose the items you want to eat. While you wait, you can take some vegetables, and most importantly, the sambal (spicy sauce). In terms of taste, don't expect something amazing: At best, it will similar to what you could have in any good warungs. 

The only reason to prefer Ampera is that generally speaking, their standards are more consistent. They also have A/C, and the one in Sabang is conveniently opened 24h on weekends. The management of the franchise network is loose though, and I would not say it is impossible that some Ampera restaurants taste more average. If you go to Bandung, the original one on Jalan Soekarno-Hatta is supposed to be the best.

Overall: For Indonesian-food lovers, Ampera should already be among your favourites. For the others, I recommend you to try it at least once. At Rp40,000 a meal, you won't take much risks anyway...

Warung Nasi Ampera
Jl. KH.Agus Salim No.32A
Phone number:  +62 21 31930875
Jakarta

For more locations and to see the detailed menu, check their website: http://www.ampera.co.id/

Bakudapa Cafe & Resto (Paula), Near Jalan Jaksa

Bakudapa Café & Resto is a live music spot featuring local artists playing old Indonesian favourites.. After you enter the door, the mamasan (indonesian pimp) will sit you with one of the girl hostesses, to whom you are invited to pay a drink and do some chit-chat. Very empty, and very sad music so it makes the whole experience very depressing... The only patrons are indonesian men in their forties... Worth to grab a beer if you don't know this kind of place. It is very close from the backpacker street Jalan Jaksa, less than 5 minutes by foot.

It is in the same building where once stood the Nusabunga Café, the lowest form of entertainment that existed in Jakarta back then.

Bakudapa (Paula) Café, Resto & Live Music
Jalan KH. Wahid Hasyim 116, Jakarta
Phone number: +62-21 3905987/92927449

Baku Dapa Live Music (Reader's Post)

Last Saturday, despite it being Hallowe'en, Jaksa mid-evening was quieter than usual, so we repaired round the corner, to a place called Baku Dapa, which means ‘handshake’ in the Manado language. Manado is up on Sulawesi island, and I’ve not been there, but the bar was fine, excellent live music, old songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s, both local and Western, and beer at Rp.36.00 a bottle.

It runs till 3am, and when we moved on at 1 o'clock, people were still arriving, mostly respectable Indonesians, but a few Arabs, though I was the only Western patron.

It didn't seem to be a pick-up bar, though waitresses/hostesses will happily sit and dance with customers - once you've got to know them, it is no doubt up to you and your hostess if the friendship deepens!

The only black mark I can give it is their choice of music when the singers take their break, that hideous monkey-music played, I believe, at the Stadium, a Jakarta disco where frying one’s brains is almost compulsory. I mean that electronic ear-bashing garbage, metallic and mindless, that leaves you deafened. But Ms.Novi and the other live singers were all in good voice, so I guess we can forgive the cacaphonous interlude.

It's pretty dark -one of the Arabs at the adjacent table inadvertently joined ours, before realising he'd misplaced his pals!

Bakudapa (Paula) Café, Resto & Live Music
Jalan KH. Wahid Hasyim 116, Jakarta
Telepon 3905987, 92927449

Review by Ross McKay, author of ‘White Trash’ and "Jakarta Suckers", both books avalaible from morfinybooks@yahoo.ca. You can also check his blog: rossrightangle.info

Betawi Café and Restaurant (Jalan Jaksa street)

Cafe popular with both expats and Indonesians. On Saturday nights, good live band, rock or reggae. It was used as a setting during the shooting of the sinetron Jalan Jaksa. It's quite cheap and basic, and you can eat something there too.

Contact details:
Betawi Café
Jalan Jaksa No. 18a
Open until 2am approximately.

Cocktail & Friends (Jalan Jaksa)

Cocktail and Friends is a popular place on Jalan Jaksa for the student crowd mostly, with always some expats/backpackers. Not bad and probably the best and cheapest venue to drink spirits in that street..

Quiz nights on sundays (at least the sunday I was there!).. For those familiar with Jalan Jaksa, Cocktail and Friends replaces BFC.

Operating hours: Everyday from 3pm to 4am.

Cocktail and Friends
Jalan Jaksa no 10, Kebon Sirih
Jakarta, Indonesia

Phone number: +62-21 3193 06 05
Email:jessicahartanto@yahoo.com
Facebook: Cocktail and Friends Jaksa

Domares Pub & Live Music + Dancers (Jalan Wahid Hasyim)

It's not very good... same as Sing Sing So... Thanks to one of our most precious team member, we have a hilarious video of the girls there wearing boyscout uniforms and dancing sexy dangdut! Click here to watch!

Dyna Pub (Near Ibis Tamarin, Jalan Wahid Hasiym)

A must-try!! The nightlife in Jakarta is not only about glamour places or girlie bars. Dyna's Pub is a very, very kitschy but so authentic, near Jalan Jaksa. The deco is made of postcards from old Batavia, posters of naked women, wayang puppets, plastic flowers... The owner (which we're still trying to decide whether she's a girl or boy) will welcome you will a big smile and popcorns. It's a strange but great addition to Jakarta's nightlife. For music: Ask whatever you like.

Dyna Pub Jakarta

Jl. Wahid Hasyim no 116

We made a post about it on our french blog (click here) about our favourite night spots for party in Jakarta.

Embassy 21st (Jalan Wahid Asyim)

Very popular with Indonesians in their 40s, they have live music (old indonesian favourites and dangdut).

Equal Park (Jalan Jaksa)

Small café in Jalan Jaksa with good live music, usually rock, indie or reggae.
They have little information about events on their facebook fanpage: Equal Park Jaksa.

Equal Park Bar
Istana Ratu Hotel
Jalan Jaksa No7a
Kebon Sirih, Jakarta

Phone: +62-21 391 8547

Open everyday from 6pm to around 3pm (later on weekends)

Memories Cafe (Jalan Jaksa)

The most popular bar in Jalan Jaksa. It has a live music band almost every night, playing a mix of favorite indonesian pop song and classic Top 40. The drinks, especially beer is really cheap, around Rp. 18,000/bottle, so you will meet many backpackers, english teachers and mid-class indonesians. Lots of gays and “professional girlfriends”, hoping to meet a boyfriend among the travellers.

Memories Cafe Jakarta
Jalan Jaksa
Phone: 021-3162548
Open from early morning until 2/3 am

Melly's Garden (IBEC Building, Jalan Wahid Hasym, near Jalan Jaksa)

Melly's Garden is a very popular hangout spot near Jalan Jaksa. If you are a tourist staying in the area, it is a much better choice than most of the bars located in the famous backpacker street. It is quite crowded on most nights, and the waiters may not visit your table before a moment so be patient...

They have all kind of cheap snacks and food. You should stick to the local dishes, they taste much better than any of the western ones. There are some foreigners, but the majority of the patrons are young Indonesians.

Overall: Recommended for the atmosphere, the open-air and the prices. Better for drinking than for eating.

Opening Hours: From 11am till drop, everyday

Address:
Melly's Garden
Ibec Building (in front of Ibis Tamarin Hotel)
Jalan KH Wahid Hasyim No84-88
Central Jakarta, Indonesia

For information about the menu and their special events:
Phone number: +62-21 9127 5753 or +62-8131 604 4666
Website: http://www.mellysgarden.com/
Facebook: Melly's Garden Jakarta
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MellysGarden

Free wifi/accept all major credit cards

Ocha & Bella (Menteng)

Ocha & Bella is a restaurant in Morrissey Hotel (ex-Citadines) which opened in March 2011. I didn't try the food there yet, only the cocktails, so I will keep this blog review short.

For me, Ocha & Bella is one of the most charming modern-design restaurant in Jakarta. Its designer, Willis Kusuma, is also behind Social House and Pesto, but it reminds me even more of Maja House in Bandung. Ocha & Bella has a different vibe whether you sit near the bar, in the open-air garden, or in the main dining room. For this reason, I think it is suitable for any occasions: Dates, late drinks with colleagues, hang-out, or even solo.

The menu focuses on Italian and Japanese food, with prices that are quite high (for instance around Rp100k for a pizza with tax). Again, I didn't try so I won't comment. At the time of writing (June 11), the Chef is Italian so there are reasons to believe the food should be fine. The only thing I had was a Mai Tai cocktail (Rp90k++) and it was perfect, both for the taste and the presentation.

Overall: Very recommended, at least for having a drink. I read on other blogs a few complaints about the service and I would partially agree with it. I felt Ocha & Bella was a little snob and not welcoming upon entering. As I talked to the waiters and bartenders later on, this bad impression left, and I had the usual smiles from everybody when I left.

Opening hours:

Everyday, from 11am to 11pm (midnight on weekends)
Live music on Sunday afternoon from 12pm to 3pm

Ocha & Bella

In Morrissey Hotel (previously Citadines)
Jl. KH Wahid Hasyim No. 70 (that's at the end of Jalan Jaksa)
Menteng, Central Jakarta

Phone number: +62- 21 310 5777

Fax : +62-21 3156 777

Email: whatsup@ochaandbella.com

Facebook: Ocha & Bella Jakarta
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ocha_and_bella
Website: http://www.ochaandbella.com/

Pappa Cafe Jalan Jaksa

I don't know why I forgot to review Pappa Café, because even though it's far from being the best bar in town, i think it is a memorable bar in Jakarta. It competes with Memories Café as one of the most famous bars in Jalan Jaksa, and Im sure 95% of backpackers in Jakarta already ate or enjoyed their first Bintang there.

Pappa Cafe is probably almost alway open, and almost always a little empty. It depends. Usually, it is better to go there very late, at 3am or around, because you encounter weird specimen. Drunks backpackers flirting with ladyboys, a Papu trying to sell you shabu-shabu, a preman (mafia-like street owner) coming to shake your hand and proposing you to sleep with his cousin girl, etc... Many great crazy nights there for me!

Concerning the place in itself, it is dirty and cheap, and the food is not very good (and especially the indonesian one).

There is a good website for info about jalan jaksa, it's Jakchat, on which you can ask one of the long term expats very active on jaksa some info about everything related to Indonesia. They will answer quite fast.

Pappa Cafe Jakarta
41, Jalan Jaksa
Phone number: +6221 - 3192 3452