Jakarta Nightlife

BART has proven to be tops in Jakarta, thanks to its trendy profile as much as the beautiful nightscape it offers. Located on the seventh floor of Artotel Hotel, this chic watering hole is a whirlwind of fun at weekends, when the city’s artists and designers come out to play, but prepare your eyes for its zebra-themed interior. Unlike many venues, BART is spacious and not claustrophobia-inducing. The food is prepared in the hotel’s kitchen on the first floor and consists of a mix of Asian and Western dishes.

The so-called 'Winston Churchill' bar is popular with expats and locals looking to escape the sounds and smog of North Jakarta. Sitting on the north-western corner of Fatahillah Square, this popular café-cum-restaurant is definitely worth a stop, especially after a whole day of sightseeing in Kota, Jakarta's old town. Its colonial interior is quite atmospheric though its rather large menu can be a bit pricey. Live music is played during the week as well as weekends.

Drawing in a most salubrious, dance-loving, hipster crowd is Junkyard Bar, a perfect hangout for those seeking something other than the high heels, glamour and artifice of other establishments. Here, the music is bumping (which makes up for its less sophisticated interior), and its crowd is mostly locals who work in the creative sector.

Dragonfly is the place to be seen amongst socialites, models and young CEOs. The clientele is classy, so no ripped jeans here, and if you’re looking to impress, best bring tonnes of cash to woo the subject of your fantasy.

Located in Jakarta's business district, Empirica is a rectangular and factory-sized event space boasting a killer sound system for weekend moving and shaking. Playing house and techno to a middle to upper-middle class clientele, its special shindigs are the most popular such as white parties and French burlesque shows. The 3D projection mapping on its walls can be quite nauseating or mildly spellbinding, depending on how many rum and cokes you've had.

A behemoth of a night club that's always filled to capacity, X2 is one of Jakarta's hottest dance venues blasting house and progressive on the ones and twos. Despite its high entrance fee and lack of elbow room, it's still the place to see what nocturnal Jakarta is all about. Go-go dancers feature as regularly as the international DJs who perform every fortnight. A high number of expats, with an even higher number of Jakartans looking to meet foreigners, make the crowd a little selfie-indulgent.

Double Doors in West Jakarta has gained a reputation for its live music sets and convivial atmosphere. The manager is a musician himself, so he regularly gets on the piano. The food menu serves a mix of Western, Dutch and Indonesian pub grub, just a notch higher in quality. Its upper floor also has a sports room.

In the style of an Italian trattoria transplanted to Jakarta, Kafe Pisa is the place for lovers of Mediterranean cuisine as much as live music. A different band plays each night, either inside or in the open air garden. For a more intimate setting, there's a veranda outside of the music's reach, but food can be a bit pricey.

Popular with ex-pats, Molly's has all you'd expect from an Irish bar - pub favourites like fish and chips, Irish stew and apple crumble on the menu, and Guinness on tap. On weekends, a live music band plays 90s favourites to a down-to-earth crowd.