I had been to Camden bar in Bandung, but never to their two branches in Jakarta. I corrected this mistake last weekend by visiting both Camden Gandaria and Camden Cikini in one evening.
Both bars are very popular, almost any day of the week with a clientele of Indonesians in their early 20s. Cikini's crowd is more upper-class (including a few foreigners - backpackers and interns) while in Gandaria you have mostly young students. Typically, they will buy a beer tower (IDR250,000) and share it at a table with some snacks.
Both also have a similar setup and design (though Camden Cikini is bigger): Located within a house, they feature an inside area with air con and an outdoor beer garden. There isn't much decoration apart from alcohol merchandising. The atmosphere is quite dark and it is so packed you can normally meet people easily.
The music is Top 40 from the past 10 years. They have a live music schedule as well that you can check on their Instagram page.
Prices in Camden are cheap, that's actually the main reason it is so crowded. A draught beer costs around IDR40,000, a cocktail IDR80,000, a shot IDR30,000 and a spirit bottle IDR800,000. You can get additional discounts and promos on weekdays in case that's still too expensive.
Overall: Camden bars are among the most happening in Jakarta. I recommend them as a cheaper alternative to Beer Garden's properties if you need a simple place to hang out and drink beer.
Important: You need to present an ID to get in Camden Cikini.
Opening Hours:
Every day until 3 AM or 4 AM.
Address:
Camden Gandaria, Jalan Gandaria 1 No 336
Phone number: +62 (0) 21 7229737
Camden Cikini, Jalan Cikini 2 No 1
Phone number: +62 (0) 21 3101283
Instagram: @camdenjkt
Facebook: Camden