Stumbled in here by accident. We ended up ordering the feast, since it had pretty much everything we wanted. The fried fish is definitely the best. Crispy outside, flaky inside... and covered in sauce. It's really good. read more

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Came here tonight for my birthday dinner. My daughter and I got the rjistafel, aka 12 course tasting menu, 2 for $65. My partner got an order of Nasi Goreng with tofu and 2 of us each got the delicious virgin cocktail: Jakarta Green Light, which is pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut creme and pandan syrup. In total, the bill was $100. They charge a 4% fee if you use a credit card to pay so I'd suggest bringing cash to avoid the extra charge. The nasi goreng was really good and so were the drinks. We started off our rjistafel with a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup, which my daughter and I both loved. Then, the waitress brought out the pickled vegetables, a salad with a peanut dressing and the bakwan, aka corn fritters. The corn fritters were a perfect pair with the pickled vegetables. A nice balance of salty, savory, acidity and sweet. I loved the shrimp dish, fish dish and the stewed vegetables that were part of the main course tasting. My daughter liked the chicken satay and the chicken curry the best. Dessert was a coconut pandan pudding, which I gobbled up. You also get a hot cup of tea to finish off your meal. All in all, a great dining experience. We got there at 545pm and didn't finish until 730pm. By that time, the place was packed. The whole place is literally run only by the owner and her daughter. They do everything so please be patient, especially during peak dining hours. I highly recommend this place and I'm looking forward to going back for another fantastic meal. read more

Java Indonesian Restaurant - The entree portion of the Rjistafel - Indonesian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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When I came here I ordered the 17 dish course for 2 people, which was more than enough for me and my friend. This was great if you wanted to try a bit of everything. There's fish, shrimp, chicken, beef and vegetables all in the mix. You get some spicy, some sweet, some savory any of these dishes served with rice was great. It feels like such a homey place I didn't expect to find this gem in the middle of park slope. If you want to try Indonesian food and you're in Brooklyn I would definitely recommend this place. read more

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Don't let the small and unassuming interior sway you. The food is unbelievably delicious. Having never tried Indonesian food, my partner and I partook in the Rijsttafel feast. The starter soup was okay but I'm glad I didn't fill up on it. I didn't care for the coconut pudding dessert, but I was so full it didn't matter. The appetizers and main dishes were so full of flavor. I enjoy spice but am often hesitant to order something labeled as "spicy" on a menu. All 4 of the "spicy" dishes presented were a medium spice level for me and I loved that the spice didn't overpower the flavor. I felt the $35/person cost was very fair given the amount of food and work put into serving 15 different dishes to a single table. If ever in the neighborhood again, we would absolutely choose the Rijsttafel experience again. read more

There's nothing fancy about this place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food is simple and the decor is homey.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]You definitely feel like you are visiting an Indonesian grandma's home.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Food was mediocre, service was slow, restaurant was poorly insulated on a 20F weather. I guess I had high expectation for this restaurant after bookmarking it for two years. I came here on a weekday winter night only to find 3 small tables that was closely arranged together. The restaurant was very small to begin with, maybe 200 SF but the way the tables were organized, made it difficult to walk to the bathroom. My friend and I wanted to try the 15 course tapa but we weren't too hungry but the table next to us had ordered it. The food came out super slow, took nearly an hour to prepare the small dishes even though there were only two tables of customers. There was one server and one cook for the establishment. The restaurant used one portable heater to insulate the entire restaurant. I'm just disappointed and not sure if I want to return to this place again. I ordered Mie Bakso, which was basically a small bowl of noodle soup with 5-6 small beef balls. There were no extra garnish or vegetables as advertised in their QR menu. read more

Cute little authentic Indonesian place. Food is pretty good, it taste very home made. Not overly seasoned. We had the 17 dishes course for 2 but it was enough for us 4. It's tapas style, small tasting dishes. Good if it's your first time trying Indonesian food or if you're like me that can't decide and want to try everything. The 17 dishes are soup, 3 appetizers, 10 entrees (shrimp, curry, lamb, chicken, veggies), one dessert and a tea. The soup is light and flavorful. The lemongrass give it a nice touch. The coffee is really really good. Strong but not overly sweet. It was perfect. The Garuda drink is nice too. The food does take a while to come out so don't come too hungry. Service is good. read more

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Good place for my first Indonesian cuisine experience. Our group of four came on a Friday night around 6:30 PM and we were the only party there. Most of the yelp reviews for Java was for their 15 course meal but we opted for a la carte instead because the portions were too small. Kare Ayam - curry chicken with potatoes in hot spices simmered in coconut milk and came with a side of rice. When it arrived, the first thing we noticed was the delicious coconut aroma. It was a curry coconut broth was filled with pieces of chicken and potatoes. We thought the potatoes were pineapples because of the color and the size. The dish was very flavorful and I even used the leftover broth to pour over the rice to finish. Ayam Belado - chicken with fried tofu, red pepper, and tomatoes in hot spicy pepper sauce. I personally can't handle too much spice so I only tried a sample of the broth for this dish. It wasn't as spicy as I expected and had a sweet lingering taste. Mie Goreng - Indonesian stir fried egg noodles mixed with eggs and your choice of protein. Good portion noodles. The flavors came together so well. Our total came out to $53 (not including tip/tax), fair price for the portions we received. When we went yesterday, it was cash only because their machine was broken. Not sure when that will be fixed so if you decide to come, bring cash just in case! read more

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Enjoyed the rijsttafel (15 dishes tapas style). Everything was so flavorful! The women working there (maybe the owners?) were very friendly. At the moment this is my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood, I will definitely be back and be bringing family! read more

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Can't believe I found an Indonesia restaurant which is extremely authentic in NY. As I always mention in other reviews. It's so difficult to find the right south East Asian restaurant in NY, because they need to use a lot of different ingredients to cook. Also, food shouldn't be expensive so not many restaurant owner would do it authentic way. We ordered 17 dishes menu for two. Yes 17 dishes which is only 49 dollars. Portions are small but I think it's perfect size. Every dishes taste completely different. Different doesn't mean they just look different, every dishes are cooking with the different base ingredients so you can tell they cook every dishes in the original way. Restaurant is also family welcome. For this food and this prices, I gave 5 stars read more

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We brought the in laws here while they were visiting and this place is AMAZING!! Authentic and delicious Indonesian food. Nasi Goreng = oh my god so good. Opar with tofu was my absolute favorite. Thank you for a memorable visit! read more

If you get a chance order the Rijsttafel for two. It is a tapas heaven. You get to try so many different Indonesian dishes. There really wasn't a bad one in the bunch but my favorite was the crispy fish (Ikan Bumbu Bali). I have actually ordered it by itself on during a separate visit. I love the fish batter and the sauce that is served on top. During another visit I decided to order the Ketoprak salad (don't let the keto fool you, this is all carbs). The salad is large enough to be a meal of its own and contains tasty rice noodles, bean sprouts, tasty tofu and peanut dressing. This dish sounds like it isn't exciting but it was really good. I actually craved it days later. To top it off the service is fantastic. Very friendly and helpful. I am really sorry I am leaving the neighborhood and will miss out on this hidden gem. read more

Java Indonesian Restaurant - Indonesian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

THIS PLACE WAS TO DIE FOR! I've never had Indonesian food before in my life, but my boyfriend (who is Indo) brought me here bc he wanted me to experience many different types of dishes all at once instead of a big entree. Everything was cooked to perfection and even my bf approved of everything. He said it met his expectations and was reminded of his mom's home cooking. Definitely recommend the 15 tapas bc it was totally worth every penny. The service was great and the owner is such a cute woman. I am 100% coming back for more! read more

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This place is awesome! The rijsttafel was authentic, yummy and worth it. Totally recommended to all read more

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Great food! We really enjoyed trying new things. Portion size was very generous. Definitely preferred eating in rather than ordering out.

I had an OK experience here. Food was a mixed bag for me. I had the 15 course prefixed tapas meal with my fiance. There wasn't anything I especially loved. Came with my fiance on a Saturday night 7pm. Place was crowded. Waited less than 10 minutes for a table to finish. Place is definitely understaffed as I only saw 1 waiter working his ass off tending all the tables. Some time later the (probably boss) lady came to help him out a bit. While I was sitting, I did notice a guy come in to pick up his takeout order, but apparently they forgot to cook it.. So he had to wait for them to cook it... Poor guy he waited a long time. Anyway, on to my meal. First, we were served the soup. It was OK. Salty. Then we were given the rice and the hot entrees/tapas. They took out a hot metal rack/stand with a candle under it to keep the rack warm. And they put the tapas on top of it. That was a good idea. However, the beef satay and the chicken satay were served lukewarm. They tasted OK, but it would've been better if they were actually served hot and fresh. Rest of the cooked food was decent tasting. The curry, the beef rendang. Taste was decent. I didn't fall in love with it, but it was decent. Again, the food would've tasted better if it was actually hot. Anyway, after we finished the hot food, Then they served us the appetizers....i guess they were so busy they couldn't prepare the appetizers on time, and served us the got food first. I actually liked the appetizers more than the entrees. The cold cucumber dish was flavorful and slightly sour, so it was refreshing. There was also some kind of fried round things, that was pretty good as well. After we finished that, they gave us Jasmine tea and the coconut flan-ish type dessert. It was pretty tasty. It wasn't overly sweet which was nice. Overall, food wasn't bad. The waiter and boss seemed like really nice people. It was a nice experience to be able to try all these different flavors. But I think they need more help in terms of manpower. It would've been nice if the waiter had time to tell us exactly what dishes were what. I didn't feel comfortable asking him since he seemed really busy. Also, instead of putting out all the entree dishes all at once, maybe serving them a couple at a time would've been a better experience so that my taste buds weren't overwhelmed. Maybe that's why I couldn't really pick out a favorite, or have anything stick out as really good, cuz everything was just in front of me and I didn't really take my time to taste everything by itself. My thought was just like "let me eat everything before it gets cold". Cuz the first thing I tried was the beef satay and it was just lukewarm like it had been sitting there, just waiting. I also felt pretty bad for the guy who had to wait so long to pick up his order read more

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Had a dinner date here and it was okay. The place, not the date. The date was very nice, thanks for asking. Anyway, here's what we ate: Appetizer: Pastel- Indonesian patties with thin rice noodles and mixed vegetables. Pretty good, a little greasy. Hot sauce was very spicy! Entrees: Him: Sayur Santen- broccoli and cauliflower fried in a batter served with bean curd and seasoned with indonesian herbs, lemon grass, bay leaves, nutmeg and cooked in coconut milk. I liked this a lot. Me: Sate Bali- charcoal broiled pieces of beef on bamboo skewers marinated with tamarind juice, turmeric and topped with peanut sauce. It was just okay. Meat was fairly tender, peanut sauce was a little sweet and over the top. Service was friendly but leisurely. They kept my water glass full, though! They have a grade pending from the DOH, so I hope that gets rectified soon. If it hadn't been a date I probably wouldn't have eaten here. Probably good for takeout or delivery. The restaurant has a heavy incense smell to it and that gives me a headache so I'd likely not eat in again. read more

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Dining at Java Indonesian Rijsttafel is like having dinner at your Indonesian aunt's home - if you had an Indonesian aunt that is, which I don't. But I'm sure said dinner would comprise of satisfying food brought to your table with much love. I really like rijsttafels because it's a wonderful sampling of dishes and the rijsttafel here is great value to boot - $38 for 2 and you will leave very full. While the dishes weren't the best Indonesian that I've had, it was still a very satisfying meal nonetheless. The rijsttafel startes off with the soto ayam (chicken soup) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cgiwHTmlUD-2em2MCvmzeA?select=biju5NlTOxT_WLfMeX4buw which I thought needed more flavor so I dumped 2 spoonfuls of chili paste in it. Next we got the salads http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cgiwHTmlUD-2em2MCvmzeA?select=izAg8mFSl5xoXrJyhzn8tw which were the achar (pickled veggies) and the gado gado (veggies in a peanut sauce). They were both delicious and a nice prelude to the star of the evening - our table warmer of deliciousness. On said table warmer, you get beef and chicken satay, chicken curry, beef rendang, vegetable curry, fish in a coconut-base sauce, spicy prawns, and what I presume to be lamb that's been stewed in a herbal broth. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cgiwHTmlUD-2em2MCvmzeA?select=WQQePUCRwH6D3J8Jjlq81A While everything was delcious, several dishes stood out. Both satays were delicious and had a generous serving of peanut sauce. The beef rendang and the *lamb had great flavor and spice. I really liked the fish too. It was fresh and the sauce was delicous. Just when you think you're done, you realize you have dessert and coffee/tea. We had a choice between corn pudding, coconut pudding or fried banana. We picked the last 2. The coconut pudding looked scary considering it was neon green but it was actually very tasty. I really like the fried banana too. All in all, the food hit its spot but while I've had better Indonesian food in the city, Java Indonesian Rijsttafel gets extra props for the wonderful folks who work here and create a very warm and homely dining experience. They really want you to have a good time in their restaurant which we certainly did, and for that, I thank them for a wonderful dinner. read more

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First time having Indonesian food. The food itself was delicious. The Jakarta delight drink was amazing, def a must order. The restaurant is a little small and we had a group of 4 bigger guys, we did feel a little tight sitting down by the door. When another group left we moved to a more spacious table so all good there. The waitress was very friendly but communicating with her did feel a bit difficult at times. After ordering our food we did not feel confident that we would actually get the items we ordered as we weren't sure what the waitress was saying half the time. To our surprise, we received all our food and drinks and they were correct. If this is your first time with Indonesian food than I'd definitely say give this place a shot. Oh by the way, the restaurant was really hot inside but I honestly didn't mind as the decor and heat allowed me to pretend like I was in Indonesia! read more

I've been dying to come here ever since I moved to the area 4 years ago but refused to come if I wasn't going to be ordering the 17 course meal. Finally, I convinced my fiancé to come with me. It's $59 for two people and everything I imagined it to be. Each dish was so flavorful with the right amount of spice. We got a taste of everything - soup, salad, kebabs, shrimp, fish, chicken, beef, goat, fried dishes, curry dishes, and a dessert served with tea. During the portion of the meal when most of the dishes were out, the plates were kept on some sort of fire warmer to keep the food heated. My one complaint is that the beef was a bit tough. The service is excellent and the owner is super friendly. She made sure to greet all the tables in the house. We were stuffed to the brim and even had to take some of the food home. Please excuse the poor lighting and the obnoxious Snapchat filters in my photos read more

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Blurred line between a 2.5-3. Food takes way too long to come out. Our entree came out first and the appetizer later. We ordered the beef rendang - it was dry, flavorless, and the dish was barely warm. Not worth $16 IMO. For an Indonesian restaurant, we expected more flavor, but was disappointed to see that the sauces were just saltless gravy. Not sure how the noodle taste like since it's been an hour and we're still sitting in the restaurant waiting for it, might just take it to go at this point. Hats off to the one waiter in this entire place trying his best to do everything in god speed though. read more

So satisfied with this place. There aren't a lot of Indonesian places and I'm glad this one is around. Got the 15 dish Rijsttafel and was so worth it being able to try so many plates. Everything was unique in flavor and tasted so good. Would give this 5/5. Also had a chicken skewer and curry cod fish. Both were really delicious. None of the sauces were too heavy or salty and there was a variety of them with all different flavors- curry, peanut, tangy, rich, spicy. It's a very small restaurant. I happened to come on a less crowded night so I'm not familiar with wait times. But besides that, I think it's a nice, small and intimate space for great food and to bring company. read more

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Amazing food! A very cute and cozy date spot especially for the fall and winter months. The staff were also super nice!

We are familiar with Indonesian food and this has to be the best Indonesian food we've had outside of Indonesia! We had the rijstaafel, which was amazing -- each tasty little dish better than the one before it! We left very full and very happy and the service was warm and friendly. I highly recommend this restaurant! We traveled from Long Island to eat here, and it was so worth the trip! read more

Java is the most authentic Indonesian restaurant I've been to in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The chef is an older Indonesian woman who is super nice and the meal taste very home cooked. We got the 17 course Rijsttafel (rice table) for two (60$) and it was so much food, we couldn't finish all of it! The dishes were amazing from mie bakso (a meatball chicken soup) to chicken and beef satays to a assortment of fish, shrimp, chicken and beef curries to a pandan custard, there was a good portion of everything. The only downside is that it was a long wait for the good to come out but there's only one person cooking and it's 17 dishes so that's to be expected. I highly recommend and can't wait to go back! read more

Java Indonesian Restaurant - Rijsttafel - Indonesian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Perhaps it was an off night, but I ordered take out and was shocked with how much the plate I ordered cost (apx 19$) and how little food was actually in the container when I got home. It looked like half the amount I thought I would be getting for the price. The lamb was also super tough and bland. This would have kind of been fine if the food was cheaper, but I felt like I was paying for a higher quality food experience than I got. Pretty disappointed. read more

Their Sambal sauce is everything and anything you could hope for. This little hole in the wall is a real gem. It's too bad their hours are strange and they're only open after 4. Not all of their dishes are good but all of their salads are amazing although not too crazy about the Gado gado. Too sweet and very thick on the peanut. read more

Firstly, Yelp lies, they do allow sit-down dining, with pleasant options both indoors and outdoors. Secondly, WOW! What an amazing restaurant. The five stars is for two things: the food and the service. The food was incredible, so flavorful and well executed. I can't say much more to really capture the full experience, you just need to try it for yourself. They have an entirely vegetarian section of the menu, which I was impressed by for Indonesian food. Very vegetarian friendly! As for the service, our experience was really special. The proprietor also gave us several suggestions of what she likes best after we asked, which I appreciated a lot. She really treated us more like family than customers, abiding by our oddly specific requests without question, and continuing to assure us that it was okay to "take our time" while eating. When it was obvious that we had ordered way too much food and drink for our small party, she seemed very disappointed and maybe even offended that we did not finish our food, but we assured her we would never waste anything so delicious, and took it to-go. At least while we were there they had a lot of customers and were getting very good business, so I hope more people can go to continue to support this little treasure of a restaurant! read more

amazing. mouth still watering from nasi and gado gado authetic indonesian flavor and if you havent tried this type of fried rice, you should! humble interior but food shines read more

Java Indonesian Restaurant - nasi (rice) goreng (fried) ayam (chicken) 12/10 - Indonesian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Omfg. This place is legit. The nasi goreng is out of this world, takes me back to my Indonesian friends in London cooking for me. You absolutely must try this place, you won't regret it. read more

I tried the rijsaffel (Indonesian tapas) here many years ago. Very authentic and delicious. Highly recommended for anyone in Brooklyn looking for the closest Indonesian food... read more

After traveling for a year and half through SouthEast Asia and spending 3 of those months in Indonesia, (working our way through the different places with our stomachs leading the way) I must say that I have a new favorite restaurant. This is an intimate review of our meal at Java from start to finish. Please read what you can ;) Eating at Java last night brought us right back to our favorite country. A place where the food is fresh and full of flavor and the people are abundant in smiles and kindness. It took every bit of my Western sense for me to not eat with my hands (at least most of it!). I enjoyed my meal with my husband and two amazing friends. Every dish we had was delicious and spiced to perfection. If there is one thing you are sure to get with Indonesian food it's fresh ground spices. Keep in mind this food is very authentic and is one of the few places I have been where it is not changed drastically to suit a western palette. (I have yet to eat at a Thai restaurant that actually compares to the food in Thailand. But I digress) We started with the lumpia and the corn fritters. Both were crispy on the outside with a warm and juicy center served with peanut sauce and a chili sauce on the side for dipping (which we of course asked for extra of and were promptly given). In between our apps and entrees we talked with the waiter for quite a bit. We told him about our travels in Asia and specifically in Indonesia, even remembering a bit of the language (Bahasa Indonesia). We could tell by the large grin on his face that he was thrilled to hear that we had been to his country. I had mentioned to him that I was surprised that there was not any Fried Chicken on the menu, since that was one of the main things we saw at every single night food market in SouthEast Asia. (They certainly give the South a run for their money!) He smiled and laughed and said that he liked fried chicken very much. OK! Just then the chef comes out with a sushi roll and brings it to our table! We are impressed by the presentation of the roll on the plate, as well as the kind gesture. We start talking to him and apparently this is something he is thinking of adding to the menu. Indonesian with some Japanese on the side! The chef told us that he has made sushi for 12 years at restaurants all over the New York area. He wants us to try it and let him know what we think. Everyone at our table dives right in of course and munches away on the large but delicately flavored soft shell crab roll. Honestly, it was decedent. Whew! Then the mains came out: Gulai Kambing ("Curry Lamb")- Tender pieces of lamb cooked with lemongrass served with a dark gravy Rendang- Slow cooked beef in a creamy chili sauce (Spicy, yum!) Ikan Kuning- ("Fish Yellow")- Flakey and moist cod fish served in a yellow (lemongrass) sauce with bell peppers. To absorb all of these wonderful sauces we were served a big bowl of Coconut rice (rice made with coconut milk) and a big bowl of brown rice (not as moist as when it's cooked with coconut milk but probably a bit healthier ;) Our waiter returns to ask how everything is. Of course we all have our mouths stuffed and are smiling and mmm-hmming. He then sets down a plate with 4 pieces of fried chicken! (These guys must have a sense now of how much we like to eat at this point) Now.... the batter this chicken was fried in...i couldn't tell you. But, it was so moist and juicy on the inside and seriously crunchy on the outside. Awesome. Try to special request it if you can! We ate everything in sight and washed it all down with some mild hot sake (there's the japanese again!) All in all, the meal was perfect from start to finish. The guys that work there are the friendliest and I hope that their restaurant is a success. I am happy to see the grade pending sign in the window because it shows they are straightening things up a bit. I peeked my head in the kitchen to say thank you and goodbye to the chef and was impressed with the cleanliness that I saw. Thank you Java and thanks for reading my review :) read more

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I really really wanted to love this place but unfortunately have to give it a 3 star after my 2 visits there. First visit: Tried the 12/15 fish sampler (forget the actual name) but it's the choice where you get several dishes to try. What's good: the dishes sampled were 90% Indonesian authentic and delicious. What's bad: the serving time was more than 1.5 hours. The waiter seemed disorganized and frazzled and admired that our dishes had been ready and sitting out there for awhile. Second visit: Tried the mee goreng and shrimp curry dish What's good: service is faster this time. What's bad: the food tasted completely different from the last visit. My guess is the chef must have taken the day off as the dishes did not taste great, especially the shrimp dish. My conclusion: it's too stressful to go to a restaurant on a Friday evening after a week of work not knowing what to expect : ie very slow service and good food or very prompt service and bad food. I won't be going back for a while. read more

We were looking for a house advertised as a go to place to see Christmas lights in the neighborhood. When we got there the house outside was dark no lights and only a screen that read show every 20 minutes so we left. Maybe if someone helped them pay the electric bill the display would stay on. Don't bother! I digress. So we were in the neighborhood for the fugazzi Christmas lights. The restaurant was empty. Yes the owner is nice. Our cameras flash is broken so please excuse the bad pictures. We had Mie Goreng Sayur which has a nice little kick to it and Sayur Sentun which is basically Indonseian tempura. The pictures make it look nasty but it was pretty good. And yes you feel like you are in their home it is very cozy and service is warm and friendly, If in the neighborhood again we will go back. read more

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By far the most authentic Indonesian food experience in NYC. Highly recommend it to anyone new to Indonesian food or just checking it out. The atmosphere is so cozy (with candle-lit tables and all), and it has so much Indonesian feels. We came here on a Saturday evening and it was quiet and not that busy. The server, who was also the host and cashier, took our order of gulai kambing (lamb curry), ayam balado (chicken in spicy red sauce), and Singha beer (pretty popular beer in Southeast Asia). The food was so on point and tasted as if it came out straight from my mom's kitchen. Even my non-Indonesian bf could testify that this was legit home-style, comfort food. I just wished we were hungrier when we came here because we would've ordered "rijsttafel style" ("Rice Table" in Dutch - they would bring out literally 15 types of small plate dishes with rice). Compared to ordering 2 entrees, the rijstaffel for 2 is just a few bucks more so it's definitely worth it! I definitely need to come back for rijsttafel!! read more

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Been coming here since the place opened and I was like four or something. A true mom & pop restaurant, they've always been ridiculously sweet and accommodating- I was a super picky eater as a kid and refused to eat anything with flavor... to the detriment of my growing body's nutritional needs I'd come here, order a bowl of plain rice noodles, put salt on them and eat them. Always very sweet, Java never charged me for my obvious issues. Now that I am older and wiser- and developed an insatiable appetite for spicy food- I can appreciate what Java has to offer other than plain noodles. Kare ayam, daging balado, nasi goreng, anything with peanut sauce... the food here is always amazing, spicy and flavorful. Their jasmine tea makes me weep and the coconut pudding is the best. I've never had a bad dish here, in all my 20-something years as a patron. Don't let the current letter grade fool you (which from what I hear was a lot of BS anyhow. They'll be back to A once the health department gets off their asses) - this place is fantastic and has been around as long as it has for a reason. read more

I'm always looking for something different, so I was intrigued when I came across Java Rijsttafel as a "Restaurant of the Day" on Brownstoner. Having never eaten Indonesian cuisine before, I figured it would be worth a shot, and the "rijsttafel" concept was pretty intriguing to start. Rijsttafel is basically a small buffet of food which allows you to sample a variety of Indonesian soup, salads and entrees, and it's exceptionally well-priced here for around $20 per person. We were served a delicious soup to start which had fried tofu and vegetables in it among other things. Next came a couple of salads (vegetables in peanut sauce and a pickled vegetable assortment). After that, we were served the main courses which included a variety of satays, vegetables and seafood in some interesting sauces (very heavy on peanuts). The main courses are served on a raised steel tray with candles underneath to keep the food hot. We were also served a couple of small desserts including an interesting neon green "coconut pudding." The restaurant itself is small, but charming with an attentive and friendly staff. For the price, this is an excellent way to try a few different things. The portions are generous (especially considering how many dishes you get) and the whole experience is fun. Definitely worth trying if you're in the area and looking for something different. read more

Java Indonesian Restaurant - Rijsttafel: Interesting assortment of Indonesian dishes. - Indonesian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Stopped by here on a Thursday evening around 8 pm. The restaurant was pretty empty besides one other table. Service was really good! We asked for recommendations since we had never really had Indonesian food before and were only sharing 2 dishes among the 3 of us. We got the mie goreng and the daging belado. The mie goreng was really good - there's slices of fried garlic and onion which add so much flavor to the dish. The daging belado flavorwise was great, however the beef chunks were so hard to chew. I literally chewed a piece of beef 50 times and it still wasn't broken down completely. Super sad because the flavor of the sauce itself was so flavorful. Definitely want to come back and try their tasting menu though! read more

Java Indonesian Restaurant - daging belado - Indonesian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Being Indonesian, I am well aware of the deliciousness that is Indonesian food. That being said, I am a little biased. However, I know many non-Indonesians who will agree that Indonesian food is mind-blowing. I was struck by how few Indo restaurants there are in NYC, and after my favorite one closed down, we decided to come here. We came in at about 9pm on a Saturday night, and we were the only ones in the place. I knew it was the real deal when I saw traditional Indonesian art on the walls, along with traditional music playing in the background. Even the seating is in an almost communal style, with individual seat cushions that give the place a very cozy, home-like feeling. We were promptly greeted by our waiter. For a beverage, we ordered the Garuda, which was incredibly fresh, fruity, and delicious. I could be mistaken, but I do not believe I saw any alcohol on the menu--this is very typical of many Indonesian restaurants, as majority of the population is Muslim and alcohol is forbidden. Regardless, the meal was still an incredible experience. Of course we had to get the $50 Rijstaffel, which comes with 15 different small dishes. I wanted my boyfriend to be able to try a variety of different foods, so this was a good choice. It started light, with Soto Ayam, which is a flavorful soup filled with chicken (ayam), scallions, and more. After this came the corn fritters, veggies in a tangy, vinegar-y sauce, satay, and fried veggies in peanut sauce. Then came the large platter which contained the rest of the meat dishes. What is great about Indonesian food is how they combine a variety of sweet, island, coconut flavors with savory and salty flavors such as peanut sauce. Then some dishes are more tangy. Your palate will always be guessing, and it will always be satisfied. My favorite dish was the Kari Ayam (chicken curry), which was thick, rich, and had a plentiful amount of potatoes. I'm getting hungry right now just thinking about it. The one thing I would change is the rendang--traditionally, it is supposed to be slow cooked for hours to the point where it is very tender and almost falls apart--this rendang was a bit too chewy. Other than this, every thing was perfect. The dessert is fantastic as well. The food was well worth $50, and I would definitely come back! read more

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I like this place! I usually order the bakwan (corn fritters) and nasi goreng. It's so good every time