As all backpacker districts, Jalan Jaksa is home to many bars and cafes where travellers can let their uncombed hair down. There are about 5 places that serve as restaurants during daytime and turn into cafes at night. Jalan Jaksa on a Saturday night attracts a lively crowd of backpackers, locals and expats, intermingling in every possible way. Locals mostly see Jalan Jaksa as their way out of the somewhat restricted environment of Indonesian society and as a perfect place to spot foreign girls. Expats seem to have the same agenda, but their target being Indonesian girls.

On the south side we have the Romance café, a dark tinted small place where indeed romance is the last thing one would expect to happen. Ya Udah, the popular bistro is a quieter place for a beer, opened til 02.00 on weekends and charging 16.000 for a large Bintang.

Further down the road on the right side a dodgy dark place that goes by the name of Ali's bar is mostly frequented by Africans in town for ‘business'. Next to that the Memories cafĂ© is a boisterous two storey bar with life music and a crowd to match. There's a lot of dancing and screaming going on til late so people seem to enjoy themselves here.

On the opposite of the street BFC café and bar is one of the best options, spurring an outside terrace with nice lighting. Beers are around 15.000 Rp. And simple meals are served all night long. Inside there's a pool table and some less cozy seating arrangements.

At the end of Jalan Jaksa there's a popular café called Absolut Bar, with a more neutral atmosphere, a mixed crowd and a large collection of booze behind the bar. It actually consists of two small storeys, and on the top floor they squeezed a pool table in, so the place fills up fast, and the temperature increases with every visitor.

Jalan Jaksa's nightlife is neither classy nor very special. By day it already has a slightly seedy atmosphere and by night, this only seems to get worse. It is however the perfect opportunity to meet up with other travelers and locals so put on your dancing shoes and trot off to one of the fine establishments this area has to offer.