The expat/foreign population in Jakarta is smaller than that of other Asian capitals, both because of government regulations making it harder to hire low-skilled foreigners, and because of the lack of attractiveness of the city. Tourists rarely visit Jakarta, and if they do, they usually only spend a few days here.
The upside of this situation is that the expat community is compact, rather homogeneous, and friendly. Most of the foreigners in Jakarta come from a few industries or jobs such as IT, oil & gas, banking, NGOs, multinational companies, teaching, etc. Newcomers are generally welcome and they can quickly integrate to expat circles.
Note: If you are single, you can also read Best dating sites in Indonesia.
Best expat bars in Jakarta
Below is a list of the best venues to socialize with expats or foreigners in Jakarta:
Eastern Promise (Kemang)
Also called EP, Eastern Promise is certainly the most famous expat bar in Jakarta. It has 4 distinct rooms: A small bar, a restaurant (serving Indian and British dishes), a sports café and a beer garden with live music. Weekends are packed with expats of any age, gender and nationality. It is also popular with Indonesians, men and women, who want to meet foreigners.
Eastern Promise is part of the Bugil's group that owns several other expat bars: De Burse (SCBD), Cazbar (Mega Kuningan), Double Doors (Puri Indah) and De Hooi (Pondok Indah). Each of these bars has a similar "Irish/British pub" concept and I would recommend trying the nearest one from your home.
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| Double Doors |
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| De Hooi |
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| De Burse |
Caspar (Sudirman)
The Spanish restaurant Caspar is one of the favorite party spots of foreigners living in Jakarta. It gets really busy only on weekends as its main room turns into a dance floor. DJs usually play techno but they can also have live bands.
It has a whisky and cigar bar in its mezzanine, as well as an outdoor terrace.
Basque is not the most impressive or the most beautiful bar in Jakarta, but it is one of the most happening at the moment.
This is especially true on Friday and Saturday when the dance floor gets so packed you can barely move a finger. On those days, there is a first-drink-charge of about IDR 200,000 if you come after midnight.
Many customers are foreigners, either expats or tourists, and there are also a fair amount of Indonesian girls. Many are just office girls who want to have fun, but there are some "professional girlfriends" as well (the kind you would meet on the dating site Seeking.com).
The music is usually a mix of famous pop, rock and hip-hop songs.
On weekdays, from Sunday to Thursday, it is much quieter. Then, the focus is on the restaurant, which serves Spanish food from the Basque region, and Tapas. It's still fine for a drink, but don't expect a party vibe.
This is especially true on Friday and Saturday when the dance floor gets so packed you can barely move a finger. On those days, there is a first-drink-charge of about IDR 200,000 if you come after midnight.
Many customers are foreigners, either expats or tourists, and there are also a fair amount of Indonesian girls. Many are just office girls who want to have fun, but there are some "professional girlfriends" as well (the kind you would meet on the dating site Seeking.com).
The music is usually a mix of famous pop, rock and hip-hop songs.
On weekdays, from Sunday to Thursday, it is much quieter. Then, the focus is on the restaurant, which serves Spanish food from the Basque region, and Tapas. It's still fine for a drink, but don't expect a party vibe.
BATS (Sudirman - Hotel Shangri-La)
Before 10pm, BATS is a great American restaurant with some of the best steaks you can eat in Jakarta. After that, a live band (imported) starts playing Top 40 songs to an enthusiastic crowd of expats, businessmen and Indonesian girls (many of whom may be interested in the size of your wallet).
If you like BATS, you can also check CJ's in Mulia Hotel whose concept is similar. The crowd there is more Asian while the foreigners in BATS are predominantly westerners.
Loewy (Mega Kuningan)
Walking distance from Basque, Loewy is not new but it is still happening. It is a great place to eat casual French food and to hang out any day of the week. If you are alone in Jakarta, the bar area is an easy place to socialize, especially with foreigners living in Mega Kuningan.
With its perfect location in Grand Indonesia, Paulaner Brauhaus attracts a mix of expats, travelers and many Indonesian Chinese as well (they are drawn by the non-halal pork menu). As it is part of the 5-star Kempinski Hotel, you can expect high standards for both the food and the service (but also rather expensive prices). Live music every night.
Melly's Garden (Central Jakarta)
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This giant beer garden in Menteng (walking distance from Jalan Jaksa) is an all-time favorite of middle-class Indonesians, young or not, who enjoy the daily live music and the cheap prices. Number one bar for backpackers in Jakarta.
