Entertainment in Java
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Mungil Steak House
This log cabin bills itself as a ‘steak house’ for some bizarre reason, but it works much better as a bar (the food here – mains are 12,000Rp to 50,000Rp – is greasy and takes hours to arrive). As well as beer it sell jugs of arak, and the sea views are top-drawer.
reviewed
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Eastern Promise
A classic British-style pub in the heart of Kemang, with a pool table, a welcoming atmosphere and filling Western and Indian grub. Service is prompt and friendly, the beer’s cold and there’s live music on weekends. It’s a key expat hang-out.
reviewed
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De Coffee House
Smart new cafe with stylish decor and a long long list of coffees (including Irish, hazelnut-flavoured and cappuccino), though most of the prices are absurd. Food including omelettes are also available.
reviewed
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Face Bar
Part of the Lan Na Thai, Hazara and El Wajh venue, this hip lounge bar has plenty of subdued reds and dark woods.
reviewed
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Café Batavia
The place for a cocktail or just a cool Bintang in north Jakarta.
reviewed
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Stadium
The big daddy of Jakarta’s scene, this club has the heritage (established in 1997), the reputation (DJs including Sasha and Dave Seaman have spun here), the capacity (around 4000), the sound system and the crowd. There are four levels, but the main room is where the prime dance-floor action is – a dark, cavernous space of pounding beats full of clubbers in sunglasses. This ain’t no disco – alcohol is not the drug of choice, and Stadium has a distinctly underground vibe. Its weekend session is totally hardcore – beginning on Thursday evening and running until Monday morning.
reviewed
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Colors
Colors is a small venue that's big on live music. The bartenders and some locals will treat you like a long-lost cousin, and if you turn up early enough, you may get the chance to perform some karaoke with live backing. Bands play nightly until 02:00. If you're looking for cheap drinks, a chat with Surabayans and some quality live music, don't pass this place up.
reviewed
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Tabac
Perhaps Jakarta’s most unusual bar; the lobby to this place is actually a cigar store, and the bar is located behind a secret entrance (hint: push the door of the telephone kiosk). Inside it’s like a private club, all wood panelling and comfortable seating. Pricey (a small Bintang is 40,000Rp) and draws a good mix of locals and expats.
reviewed
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Melly’s
The best bet in the Jaksa area for a couple of drinks, this quirky little place attracts a good mix of locals and Westerners, has cheap snacks and beer (a large Bintang is 22,000Rp), and plenty of loungy sitting areas. It’s open-sided (so it doesn’t get too smoky) and there’s a popular quiz here every Wednesday.
reviewed
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Bakoel Koffie
Occupying a fine old Dutch building, this is a really relaxed and atmospheric cafe, with vintage furniture, art on the walls and lots of little corners with Jakartan professionals tapping away on their laptops. Only the finest beans from Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra are used, and snacks and cakes are served.
reviewed
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Bugils
Bugils (an abbreviation of Bule Gila - crazy Westerner) in Taman Ria Senayan is packed with expats. There are tables outside and a pub atmosphere inside. Dutch beer comes as standard and the pommes frites are served in little plastic containers with mayonnaise, Amsterdam-style.
reviewed
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Rumentang Siang
Bandung’s premier performing arts centre, where wayang golek, Jaipongan (West Javanese dance), pencak silat (the art of self-defence), Sandiwara (traditional Javanese theatre) and ketoprak (popular Javanese folk theatre) performances are held.
reviewed
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Saung Angklung
Saung Angklung Angklung (bamboo musical instrument) performances take place at Pak Ujo's Saung Angklung, east of the city on the way to the Cicaheum bus terminal. You can also see the instruments being made here. Performances are held most afternoons at 15:30.
reviewed
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Red Square
A hip, lively and fashionable vodka bar, Red Square has floor-to-ceiling stocks of Russia’s favourite tipple. It even has a walk-in freezer for knocking back slammers. There’s hip electronic music in the early evening and harder progressive house later on.
reviewed
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Taman Ismail Marzuki
TIM is Jakarta’s principal cultural centre, with a cinema, theatres (performances include Javanese dance, plays and gamelan concerts), two art galleries and several restaurants in the complex. The tourist office and listings magazines have program details.
reviewed
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BB’s
Really popular with students, this scruffy multi-storeyed bar showcases emerging acoustic, blues and reggae bands. Drinks are quite reasonable, especially if you order beer by the pitcher. Friday night is the big night here; entrance is 30,000Rp.
reviewed
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Classic Rock Café
For those about to rock – don your denim ’n’ leather and head here. The whole place reeks of 1970s nostalgia, but try telling the regulars that the world has moved on. There’s a live rock band nightly at 10pm and a modest (or no) entrance fee.
reviewed
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Boshe
A new club and the hottest in town, with a large central dance floor, a pumping sound system and karaoke rooms on lower floors. Draws a young, up-for-it crowd with trance and tribal DJs, plus less impressive boy bands and dance troupes.
reviewed
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Sasono Hinggil Wayang Kulit Performance
Most of the centres offer shortened versions for tourists, but here in the alun-alun selatan of the kraton, marathon all-night performances are held every second Saturday from 21:00 to 05:00. Bring a pillow.
reviewed
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Cork & Screw
Seriously swanky bar-cum-restaurant with the city’s best selection of wine – just choose your vintage from the hundreds of bottles on display. As wine is very heavily taxed in Indonesia, make sure your wallet is suitably stuffed.
reviewed
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Sriwedari Theatre
At the back of Sriwedari Amusement Park, Sriwedari Theatre has a long-running wayang orang troupe – it’s well worth dropping by to experience this masked dance-drama; you can come and go as you please.
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Hanoman's Forest Restaurant Wayang Performance
Hanoman's has been hosting various wayang performances for years, but at the time of research it had closed its doors due to a lack of interest. This may change if tourist numbers pick up again.
reviewed
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Sono-Budoyo Museum Wayang Kulit Performance
This museum also holds popular two-hour performances nightly from 20:00 to 22:00. The first half-hour involves the reading of the story in Javanese, so most travellers skip this and arrive later.
reviewed
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X2
Huge upmarket club with futuristic lighting, three dance zones (house and R&B/hip hop and trance/progressive sounds) plus a cocktail lounge. Entrance is a hefty 100,000Rp on weekend nights.
reviewed
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Braga Disco
Like anywhere in the world, Bandung's youth love to get out on the dance floor and shake it up. Just off Jl Braga, Braga Disco is a safe bet for loud music, dark corners and people-watching.
reviewed
