Poste Kitchen + Bar (Mega Kuningan)

Poste Kitchen + Bar is a trendy fusion restaurant in Kuningan. The general idea there is to feel both homey and (retro) chic. They managed to do it quite well, even though the concept is starting to be a little worn out (think Potato Head, Social House, Apartment, Bibliotheque, etc.). I don't feel like we should pay a huge premium for these places anymore since they are so numerous in Jakarta.

The clients are mostly Indonesian young executives from upper-class, with some expats. The location in Mega Kuningan is indeed interesting if your office is nearby.

The menu has been renewed at the beginning of 2011 with the concept of mixing Asian and Western favourites: Fish and Chip, Steak-Frites, Yaki Beef Burger, Mac & Cheese, Fried Rice, etc... I haven't tried the new dishes but hopefully I will soon. A meal with one main dish + one drink + one extra should cost you at least Rp 200,000. For this price you should expect the food to taste great at the least.

Occasionally, Poste organizes some parties and music events that are interesting. In particular, the live acoustic band every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Opening Hours: From 10am to 11pm on weekdays, from 10am to 2am on weekends.

Poste Kitchen + Bar
The East Building Ground Floor,
Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan E.3.2 No.1
Jakarta 12950

Phone number: +62-21 2554 2707
Email: poste@littlekitcheninc.com

Photos taken on Poste facebook group here. Good for checking party events.
Twitter: @PosteKitchenBar

Amigos Restaurant (Tex-Mex)

Established in Indonesia since 1979, Amigos is a popular family restaurant, the first with Mexican food in Jakarta (now there is also Hacienda). It has two main targets, American expats who miss their tacos, and Indonesian middle class families eager to discover another continent's cuisine. Actually, we are seeing a lot more of these lately as expats are being spoiled with much better places to eat...

The food is junk food, but the atmosphere is friendly. If you want to eat quietly, don't go in the evening because they have live music which can be quite loud. Happy hour from 4pm to 7pm (50% off soft drinks, juices and beer).

 There are two branches:

Amigos Kemang (It is the one with the best reputation)
Jl. Kemang Selatan I
Tel: +62-21 719 2584
Open from 10am to 11.30pm (00.30am on Friday, 1am on Saturday, 11pm on Sunday)

Amigos Bellagio
Kawasan Mega Kuningan Ground Floor
Tel: +62-21 300 66 558
Open everyday from 10am to 12pm
Live music every Friday night.

Amigos Corporate Address
Pd. Pinang Center Blok C46-48
Jalan Ciputat Raya
Tel: +62-21 7591 5030
merry@amigos-resto.com
Ricky@amigos-resto.com
amkcv@amigos-resto.com

Website: Amigos Restaurant and Bar
Facebook fanpage (from which were taken the photos): Click here

Apollo Bar and Lounge (Bellagio Boutique Mall, UG Floor)

The new gay bar in Jakarta. They have live male dancers, sometimes foreign models. People from both sex are welcome.

They have salsa nights on wednesday, with the possibility to take lessons just before.
They also seem to have introduced an occasional lesbian day on friday called "Lips & Lace", but it isn't very clear of when it actually happens..

Entrance fee on most busy days + special events cost something around 80,000 rupiah with a drink included.

You will find more information on their website here: Apollo Jakarta

Update November 2010: Apollo has been closed during Ramadhan and relaunched in September 2010. Currently the most happening gay spot in Jakarta, with a lot of special themed nights. They have a facebook fanpage: Gay Jakarta Fanclub.

Contact details
Apollo Bar Jakarta
The Bellagio Boutique Mall,
UG level, Mega Kuningan,
Phone number Apollo : (62-21) 9130-8423
info@apollo-jakarta.com

Open: Wednesday till Saturday until 4:00AM and on Sunday from 3:00PM to 11:00PM.

Blu Martini (JW Marriott)

Blu Martini is the stylish bar of the 5-star Marriott. It is non-happening, and most customers are guests from the hotel. Not a ton of hookers like in BATS or CJ's, but still a few, plus some older women who might be looking for gigolos. Live jazzy music playing from Monday to Saturday.

Overall: I've been to Blu Martini once only, on a Thursday for Ladies Night. It was so quiet that we didn't stay more than 10 minutes. Not worth it if you don't stay in Marriott. Rather expensive, but as long as you're there, you should try one of their 88 kinds of martinis.

Opening hours:
From 7am to 1am everyday.

Blu Martini bar & lounge
In the lobby level of JW Marriott Hotel
Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan Kav. E1.2 No. 1 & 2
South Jakarta 12950, Indonesia Kuningan

Phone number: +62-21 57988888

More information on the JW Marriott website: Blu Martini Jakarta

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/

Chianti Classico Bistro Restaurant

Same owner than Gallo Nero (now Closed) and FJ bistro and established in Jakarta in 1999, Chianti Classico bistro is an upmarket restaurant serving mainly Italian food. Nicely set, with glass to ceiling windows and a cozy atmosphere. Quite expensive, you'll end up paying European prices for a 3-course meal. Compared to other Italian restaurants in Jakarta, I think the food here is average. Visit it only if you live very nearby in mega Kuningan.

Practical Information:
Open from Monday to Saturday for lunch (12am to 2pm) and dinner (7pm to 10pm)

Chianti Classico Bistro
Menara Rajawali G-F
Mega Kuningan
Jakarta Selatan
DKI Jakarta - Indonesia
Phone 1: +62-21 576 5877
Phone 2: +62-21 576 1601

Loewy Bar and Restaurant (Jakarta, Kuningan: Oakwood Premier Cozmo, Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan)

Everybody was telling me about a place called "Louis" in Mega Kunigan, but I couldn't find where it was or what it was. It took me two months to realize that people were actually talking about Loewy, that you should prononce like Loui (english speakers) or Louis (French speakers).

It is retro-chic, with a cosmopolitan vibe: Half the customers are foreigners, and the other half Indonesians, usually between 30 and 45 years-old. Most of them upper-class. It is owned by some of the folks behind Potato Head, from which they took the idea to partially open the restaurant to the air. This is quite bold for Jakarta, and you may feel hot inside when it is packed.

Since it opened in 2008, Loewy has always been a happening venue, anytime of the day. People go there for lunch, for brunches, for an after-work drink, and finally to party. They have decent European food, quite pricey, and a long selection of drinks, wine and cocktails. Starting at around 10pm, the music gets louder, and the bar will start being very lively, with a lot of flirting and teasing around among the clients. If you are single, this is a spot to try, especially on Wednesdays.

Overall: Loewy has a lot of charm, and it is crowded most of the time. The restaurant, in my opinion, is worth a try, but the most interesting is the bar, which can be a great venue for a pre-clubbing drink. If you hate posh, expensive places, with a corporate vibe, avoid it though.

One more thing: Make a reservation for eating.

Opening Hours:
Everyday from 11am to 2am


Loewy
Oakwood Premier Cozmo
Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan E4.2 No. 1
Kuningan, Jakarta

Phone: +62-21 2554 2378
Email: info@loewyjakarta.com

Website (with menu and events): http://www.loewyjakarta.com/
Facebook (from which I took the picture): Loewy Jakarta

Mambo Caribbean Bistro (Bellagio)

Mambo Caribbean Bistro needs to be mentioned in this blog because it is the only place in Jakarta, to my knowledge, with a Caribbean nightlife theme. Especially, they have zouk and calypso, which are both very popular in France and should make at least one of my friends reconsider moving or not to Jakarta :-)
Some more popular music styles are played there too like salsa and merengue, according to Mambo's weekly schedule:
Ladies' night is on Monday with free drinks, snacks and salsa classes for girls.
Salsa is played and danced on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
Wednesday has Tango classes for free.
On weekends, they have more upbeat Latin tunes and no cover charge so it's good to include it in a pub crawl.

The restaurant has specialties from various islands of the Caribbean. Plus a lot of snacks. Not great dining but friendly and not too expensive. The logo for Mambo makes the place look family oriented but it is not, it is a real bar.

Mambo Caribbean Bistro
Bellagio Boutique Mall Lantai UG
Kawasan Mega Kuningan

Tel: +62-21-300 66179
Email: mambobistro@yahoo.com
Website: Mambo Caribbean Bistro Jakarta (from which I took the pictures)

Magnum Wine Bar and Cigar Smoking Lounge (Jakarta's Mall Bellagio, Mega Kuningan)

Magnum is a very relaxing and upmarket wine bar ownd by a young wine enthousiast. It has a very extensive selection of wine and also cigars. You should go there for having a nice evening starter as its well located and the music is not so loud. It's small though so be sure to be there early to have a place to sit. Open everyday from 12am to 12pm. Wine tasting classes are available.

Magnum Jakarta
In Bellagio Boutique Mall (1st and 2nd floor)
Mega Kuningan (Near Mistere in Ritz Carlton or Blu Martini Bar in JW Marriott)

Phone number:+ 62 21 300 66 597
Fax number:+62 21 300 66 598
E-mail : magnum@magnum-jakarta.com

Website (with the wine list): http://www.magnum-jakarta.com/

Similar places: Vin+, Cork & Screw.

Mistere - Salsa Club and Bar - Live Music - Karaoke (Hotel Ritz Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan)

The Live Music room in Mistere

Mistere is the bar of the Ritz-Carlton Mega Kuningan. It features two different areas: One is similar to a nightclub with a scene for live bands and one less dark with Latin nights on Thursdays (Salsa) and Saturdays (Tango).

The crowd is what you would except from Ritz-Carlton, high-class with many expatriates and businessmen. You also have many ladies above 30 years-old (and some much older) that come for the latin nights and also, I suspect, to look for gigolos. I always see some odd couples in Mistere of old girls/young studs and it doesn't seem like big love to me. There are also some escorts, mainly in the live bar. It is very subtle but I observed one guy is always there with a few girls and he seems to be the pimp. He chats with customers and introduce them to one of the ladies, some of them are quite beautiful I must admit.

In the salsa room of Mistere

Mistere is one of my favourite venues in Jakarta, even though I don't dance salsa. I think the bands playing live are always quite entertaining and the sound system is great. The entrance fee is Rp100,000 and you will pay about the same price for any drink. That is not so much more expensive that other bars and clubs in Jakarta with similar standards.

It has a very expensive karaoke also (package start at Rp3.5 million) with great equipment and excellent service.

Following bombings in July 2009 of the Ritz Carlton and Marriott Hotel, the places have been closed for an short period of time.

Update March 2011: Salsa night do not happen on Tuesday anymore, only on Thursday. You also have a tango night on Saturday.

The room in Mistere for salsa and tango is now known as the Champagne Lounge to differentiate it from the live music room, the Live Bar.

Opening hours:
From 6pm to 2am (later on weekends). Closes on Sunday and Monday)

Contact details:
Mistere
Ritz-Carlton Jakarta
JL. Lingkar Mega Kuningan
Kav. E.1.1 NO.1, Mega Kuningan
Phone Number Ritz Carlton Jakarta: (62-21) 2551 8888

Be careful, there are TWO Ritz-Carlton in Jakarta, on in Mega Kuningan, and the other one in One Pacific Place. Mistere Club is in Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=345223995795
Website: Mistere Jakarta Ritz-Carlton (with the drink list and the prices)

Negev Restaurant Jakarta

Opened in September 2011, Negev is a restaurant/bar located on Jalan Gatot Subroto, near Blowfish. I won't be in Jakarta until next week and I didn't have time to visit it yet, but since the team behind it is already experienced, in particular in 5-star hotels around the world, I bet it will become a trendy spot. I thought it could be useful to write about it first for those of you who long for new exciting venues in Jakarta.

Hopefully I'll go there in the coming week and post a review, don't hesitate to comment until then.

Opening Hours:

Everyday, from 11am to 1am (closes at 3am on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night)

Negev Bar and Restaurant Jakarta

French, Italian, Spanish and Asian Cuisine

City Plaza Building - Ground Floor.
Jl. Gatot Subroto No. 42
Phone number: +62-21 52971333
Fax: +62-21 52971274

More information about the menu and events:

Website: http://www.negevresto.com

Twitter: twitter.com/negevresto

Facebook: Negev Resto Jakarta

Photo Credit: Photos taken on the facebook page of Negev.

Piccolo Bistro +Bar (Bellagio Mansion)

 

Piccolo is a bistro in Bellagio Mansion, Mega Kuningan, serving a mix of Western and Asian food. It is very tiny, with a small dining area inside and a few tables on the outside. I was not impressed with the design: It is modern and intimate, with a high ceiling, but apart from its size, nothing can really distinguish it from its competitors.

It was a Saturday night when we visited, and all the clients were expatriates, probably living in Mega Kuningan. It seemed to me it was a meeting point for some of them, who would grab a beer before going somewhere else. We tried the Pollo alla Dijon (Chicken with Dijon mustard, Rp70,000++) and the Sop Buntut (Oxtail soup, Rp80,000++). These were among the least expensive main dishes: If you order a steak, you will pay over Rp200,000 including tax, which I find way too pricey.

Pollo alla Dijon (Rp70,000)

Sop Buntut (Rp80,000++)

Overall: The meal was decent, but not exceptional. Considering that neither the setting nor the food is special, I recommend Piccolo only if you live nearby and if you don't mind paying a bit more than you should.

When I visited it, I didn't have my usual camera so the pics are not good quality. The first two pics comes from Piccolo's facebook page and were not taken by me.

Opening hours:
Everyday, from 11am to midnight

Piccolo Bistro + Bar
Bellagio Mansion Apartment GF,
Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan (in front of Ritz-Carlton)
Phone number: +62-21 522 2058
Email: contact@piccolo-bistro.com

Facebook: Piccolo Bar + Resto 

Twitter: @PiccoloBistro

Website: Piccolo Jakarta

Sports Café Mega Kuningan

Sports Café is a sports bar and an expat bar in downtown Jakarta. It is not as famous and popular as nearby Cazbar, but you have friendly staff and many regulars, among which many Indonesians. Since most clients are American, British and Austalian, the sports you are most likely to watch are English Premier League, NFL, Rugby, AFL, etc... The TVs are not so big (50"), except during special events when they put a wide screen and a projector.

I tried a cheeseburger (Rp60k) there once and it didn't taste very good so you can avoid the food and stick to the sport and beer. If you don't want to take advice from this blog for food, you should know that the waiter told me they serve the "best nachos in Jakarta".

Overall, it is a decent bar, less crowded than other venues like above-mentioned Cazbar or Aphrodite, but certainly more laid-back.

The best days to visit Sports Café are Thursdays for its Ladies' night and Saturdays for live music. They have a pool table free of charge for clients too + Wi-fi. On the photos I took, the bar seems quite empty because it was 3 in the afternoon during the week.

Opening Hours:
From 10am to 1am everyday.

Contact details:
Sports Café Jakarta
Bellagio Boutique Mall
Kawasan Mega Kuningan Barat
Kav. E4.3, unit 06 08-09
Jakarta Selatan 12950

Website: http://www.sportscafejakarta.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sportscafejkt
Facebook: Sports Café Bar Jakarta

Email 1: sportscafe@sportscafejakarta.com
Email 2: marketing@sportscafejakarta.com
Phone number: +62-21 3006 6771