As all backpacker districts, Jalan Jaksa is home to many bars and cafes where travellers can let their uncombed hair down. There are about 5 places that serve as restaurants during daytime and turn into cafes at night.
Jalan Jaksa on a Saturday night attracts a lively crowd of backpackers, locals and expats, intermingling in every possible way. Locals mostly see Jalan Jaksa as their way out of the somewhat restricted environment of Indonesian society and as a perfect place to spot foreign girls. Expats seem to have the same agenda, but their target being Indonesian girls.
On the south side we have the Romance café, a dark tinted small place where indeed romance is the last thing one would expect to happen. Ya Udah, the popular bistro is a quieter place for a beer, opened til 02.00 on weekends and charging 16.000 for a large Bintang Further down the road on the right side a dodgy dark place that goes by the name of Ali's bar is mostly frequented by Africans in town for 'business'.
Next to that the Memories café is a boisterous two storey bar with life music and a crowd to match. There's a lot of dancing and screaming going on til late so people seem to enjoy hemselves here.
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On the opposite of the street BFC café and bar is one of the best options, spurring an outside terrace with nice lighting. Beers are around 15.000 Rp. And simple meals are served all night long. Inside there's a pool table and some less cozy seating arrangements.
On the opposite of the street BFC café and bar is one of the best options, spurring an outside terrace with nice lighting. Beers are around 15.000 Rp. And simple meals are served all night long. Inside there's a pool table and some less cozy seating arrangements.
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At the end of Jalan Jaksa there's a popular café called Absolut Bar, with a more neutral atmosphere, a mixed crowd and a large collection of booze behind the bar. It actually consists of two small storeys, and on the top floor they squeezed a pool table in, so the place fills up fast, and the temperature increases with every visitor.
Jalan Jaksa's nightlife is neither classy nor very special. By day it already has a slightly seedy atmosphere and by night, this only seems to get worse. It is however the perfect opportunity to meet up with other travelers and locals so put on your dancing shoes and trot off to one of the fine establishments this area has to offer.
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Apart from hotels Jalan Jaksa has several places to get some decent grub for small cash. Although most places serve standard backpackers fare and Europeanized Indonesian food, portions are big and have more comfortable sitting arrangements than the street side warungs.
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Ya Udah on Jalan Jaksa No. 49 is a Swiss run bistro with an interesting menu offering both Indonesian dishes as Swiss rosti and a section called 'sausage eldorado' with a list of, you guessed it, sausages ranging from French merguez to German frankfurters . It also has a small bakery near the entrance with homemade pies and whole wheat bread. A light and airy place with friendly service and moderate prices.(breakfasts at Rp. 20.000-30.000 and mains at Rp. 30.000-40.000)
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Pappa's on Jalan Jaksa No. 41a is a dark and scruffy establishment that features loud music, uninterested staff and watery curries. The atmosphere is further enlightened by the loitering Indonesian girls and their middle-aged foreign 'friends'. (curries from Rp. 16.000-25.000)
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Memories on No. 17a has a similar menu, but has a slightly better décor. It has two floors and at night transforms into a popular café, with a rough raunchy ambiance. Expect the same clientele as Pappa's, prices are slightly higher.
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Next door's Margot Café is part of the hotel of the same name. It is one of the most popular digs in the neighbourhood and is good enough for simple breakfasts and snacks. This place as well serves as a crowded bar at night.
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Jasa Bundo is a padang restaurant with the typical décor of plates displayed in the front window and white tiles with simple tables and chairs. The food however is excellent, especially the spicy shrimps and terong (aubergine). Too bad prices are steep, even for padang food standards, which usually is more expensive than regular Indonesian food.
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If you want the real thing and think your stomach can handle it, there's an excellent warung called Miraos at Jalan HA Salim, parallel to Jalan Jaksa on the way to Sarinah mall. It is packed during lunchtime with office workers lining up for a quick bite before returning to work. You choose the dishes by pointing them out and have to remember what you got on your plate because payment is afterwards and they rely on your memory to create the bill. Prices are cheap; expect to have a full plate for around Rp. 10.000
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Finally, for those who are tired of the Jalan Jaksa ambiance (how could you ever?) there's a recently opened restaurant on Jalan KH Wahid Hasyim No. 87 with a gado gado to die for. It is called Gado Gado Boplo and both the smart interior as the food is excellent.
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Prices are comparable or even cheaper to those in Jalan Jaksa, but the food is way better and the change of environment is refreshing to say the least. (mains Rp. 11.000-20.000)
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Enjoy Jalan Jaksa!
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