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Jakpost nightlife: Rooftop Bars
Jakarta has rooftop bars for those who wish to see breathtaking view of the city from up above at night.
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Skye Jakarta as seen from the sky. (Skye/File)
H
ate it or love it, the view of Jakarta's skyscrapers has its own beauty, especially when the sun sets. These are the places to stop by if you want to see a different side of the city that never sleeps:
First established in 2012, Skye is one of the oldest rooftop bars in Jakarta. It is divided into two areas; an outdoor lounge for chilling out and an indoor restaurant for dinner. The restaurant itself is divided into two areas; Moon (smoking) and Sun (non-smoking). Both the lounge and restaurant are open at 4 p.m. with different closing times. The lounge is open until 1 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is available until 11 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
It is highly recommended to make a reservation beforehand, especially if you plan to hang out in the lounge’s sofa area. Walk-in guests are still welcome, but on a first come first served basis. Moreover, they usually apply a cover charge of Rp 200,000 (US$13.97) per person on Sunday as well as public holidays and Rp 250,000 per person on Friday, Saturday and the day before a public holiday. The cover charge can be redeemed for drinks and snacks in the lounge.
Where: Visitors should take the elevator to the 56th floor either from the BCA Tower building or shopping center Grand Indonesia’s east mall. Both are on Jl. MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta.
Crowd: Businesspeople. The lounge is restricted to people aged 19 years old and above, therefore the crowd usually consists of customers aged 25 to 50. Meanwhile, the restaurant is usually used for romantic dinners and other celebratory events as there is no age restriction.
Wear: Skye was once known for its strict dress code, but it has loosened up in the last two years. It is fine to don your shorts, jeans and T-shirts, but it is still prohibited to wear tank-tops (for males) and flip-flops.
Music: Live music is performed in the lounge. They have a live DJ every Friday and Saturday playing RnB and house music respectively. Starting from July, they plan to add live bands on Wednesdays. Also, they occasionally hold Moon Dance events where they invite international DJs to play, among them Croatia Squad and Holy Ghost!.
Taste: Both the lounge and restaurant offer the same menu, but main courses, such as the steak, can only be enjoyed in the restaurant. For snacks, they have chicken wings, which are seasoned with Sriracha and their special sauce, and tuna feuilette, finely sliced tuna on a crispy tortilla and seasoned with herbs.
For drinks, they offer the sweet and sour Skye Sour, the fresh and powerful Dragon Fruit Margarita, Tropical Mojito and Ginger Mojito.
Quirks: “We still have the best view,” said Kevin Ryan, the assistant brand manager of Skye. “We can see the roads of Kuningan and Sudirman from a good distance with a nice, wide angle.”
Moreover, Skye can also be the place for other celebrations such as birthdays, launching parties and weddings.
Spend: Rp 350,000 – Rp 500,000 on average for the restaurant and Rp 300,000 – Rp 400,000 on average for the lounge.
All hustle and bustle of the city seems to disappear when you climb up to Awan Lounge in Central Jakarta. Visitors can take the elevator to the eighth floor and go up the stairs to find a hidden lush garden. Surrounded by plants that are well taken care of, there is a corner with a sofa that overlooks the sunset and other seating areas that fit about 100 guests. Smoking is permitted there.
Reservation two to three days in advance is suggested for the weekends as the lounge can be crowded. Minimum spend is Rp 250,000 ($17) per person, while weekdays are more flexible but it is recommended to call first to check if there is a private event being held there.
Where: Kosenda Hotel, Jl. K.H. Wahid Hasyim No. 127, Tanah Abang, Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta.
Crowd: Youth on the weekend and office workers on weekdays.
Wear: Casual attire but no sandals, no shorts and no tank-tops for males and no sandals for females.
Music: DJ performance every Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. onward bringing songs from various genres depending on the crowd that night, from RnB, pop, alternative to electronic.
Taste: It has signature cocktails; Jakarta Street, Surabaya Sling and City Jungle. When it comes to food, you should try the customers’ favorite waffle fried chicken and hamburger.
Quirks: Anwar, the assistant of food and beverage, said customers are free to order anything outside the menu, including in their kitchen and bar. “As long as we have the ingredients, we will make it,” he said to The Post.
Spend: Rp 200,000 – Rp 250,000 on average per person for food and drink.
Read also: Jakpost nightlife: Karaoke lounges
Since its renovation for the Asian Games in August, Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) has been transformed into a glowing stadium at night. Those who want to marvel at its aerial view while chilling out with friends or beloved ones can go to the 22nd floor of the Fairmont Jakarta to visit its K22 Bar.
Open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily, the bar has a sofa area, roundtables and a stand-by LED-lit bar island. Located next to the hotel’s VIEW restaurant, it fits 134 seated guests or 400 people for standing occasions. Making an advance reservation is a must – not only to check whether the bar is fully booked or closed to the public, but also for the staff to know your seating preference and food restrictions. Minimum spend only applies during special events.
Where: 22nd floor of Fairmont Jakarta, Jl. Asia Afrika No. 8, Gelora Bung Karno, in South Jakarta.
Crowd: Locals and expats who travel for business or leisure.
Wear: Smart casual.
Music: live music and performances are held during special events.
Taste: Inspired by a garden theme and local flavors, one of them is gin infused with different flavors. They also have beer (http://www.fairmont.com/jakarta/pdf/jak-k22-menu-apr-2018/), tequila and other types of alcoholic beverages.
Among snacks that can be enjoyed here are fried Brussels sprouts, Nashville fried chicken, K22 burger and salmon ceviche.
Quirks: The bar gives a 360-degree view of Jakarta's skyline, including the GBK area and Senayan Golf Course.
Spend: Rp 100,000 – Rp 180,000++ on average for drinks.
First launched in July 2017, Henshin houses the latest rooftop bar in Jakarta with a total capacity of 76 seats, where 34 seats are indoor and the rest are outdoor. Open for dinner, there is no need to make a reservation if you want to visit the highest bar in the city, but it is still recommended to ensure that you will get your table.
Where: 67th – 69th floors of The Westin Jakarta, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said kav. C- 22 A, South Jakarta.
Crowd: Young adults, socialites, businessmen and foodies within the age range of 22 to 45 years old. Keep in mind that the bar and lounge area are limited to people aged 21 years old and above.
Wear: Smart casual, including dress. No shorts and flip-flops.
Music: Henshin has its own resident DJs and they perform every night starting from 7 p.m. onwards. Different music genres and themes apply depending on the days; Wednesdays and Fridays are for RnB to Top 40, while Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are for soulful, deep house and tech house.
Taste: Their signature cocktails; Sakura Maru and Issei. Sakura Maru is named after the ship that brought Japanese people to Peru, while Issei is based on one of the samurai’s moral ethic codes.
Quirks: Situated on the top three levels of The Westin Jakarta, Henshin is still the highest bar in the capital with a 360-degree view of Jakarta's skyscrapers. It also serves Nikkei (Peruvian-Japanese) cuisine, a type of cuisine rarely found in Jakarta, created by Chef Hajime Kasuga and his team.
Spend: Rp 2,000,000++ for two persons on average.
(mut)
