1.4 Million Per Person for 17 Courses... I'm Telling You, Don't Go to This Jakarta Restaurant
qponx
2026-01-24
Thinking about trying Jakarta's molecular gastronomy at Namaaz Dining? This scathing review warns diners to reconsider. For a hefty price, the 17-course 'fun dining' experience is criticized for its gimmicky, bland food and chaotic, rushed atmosphere. The article highlights shocking hygiene issues, including a live cockroach in a dessert, arguing that the restaurant prioritizes performance over flavor. It’s a strong caution to save your money and avoid this disappointing, overpriced meal.
Girls, today I'm here to warn you all about a huge disaster I experienced. 💣
This place in Jakarta, Namaaz Dining, which claims to be the"pioneer of Indonesian molecular gastronomy," has a set menu that costs nearly 1.4 million Indonesian Rupiah[1] per person. After my experience... I just want to say one thing: Anjay! Such a waste of money!
Are We Eating or Attending Military Training?
Before I went, I thought"Fun Dining" would be a relaxed and interesting sensory feast, but reality slapped me in the face. 🙄
First off, the ambiance is hard to describe. The space is super cramped, tables are packed together, and it's as noisy as a food stall, completely lacking the chill vibe a fine dining restaurant should have[2].
Then there's the so-called"dramatic experience"—halfway through the meal, the staff rushes you to move to several different rooms to continue eating. Come on, I just want to Nongkrong and have a nice meal, not participate in an escape room, okay? This constant hassle of moving up and down stairs made the experience extremely poor[3].
Now let's talk about the food. 17 courses sounds pretty Mantap, right? But aside from the soup, almost everything else was cold[4]. The presentation was quite gimmicky, with all sorts of deconstructed Indonesian dishes, but the taste... was either too salty or bland. It felt like the chef completely stopped caring about the flavor of the food, and everything was just for show[5].
Then came the climax. Just when I thought this grand performance art piece was about to end, an uninvited guest appeared in my dessert... a live, scurrying cockroach![6] At first, I naively thought it was a special chocolate insect effect made by the restaurant, but then it moved on its own! I'm speechless, really. This is one"surprise" I definitely didn't want.
Some Honest Thoughts
Honestly, the core problem with this restaurant is that it has completely lost its way. It's so focused on gimmicks[7] that it has forgotten the essence of a restaurant: to serve delicious food. Even many returning customers who have been there before say that compared to a few years ago, the current Namaaz has gone downhill drastically and isn't worth visiting again[8].
For the same amount of money, you could get a king-like experience at any other proper fine dining restaurant in Jakarta, instead of paying to suffer here.
A Heartfelt Guide to Avoiding This Disaster
If you still have too much money to burn and are dead set on this novelty-seeking adventure, please accept this survival guide:
In one sentence: Absolutely blacklisted, will never visit again.
- Keep a stable mindset: Remember, you're there to experience a grand performance art piece, not to eat. Absolutely do not have any expectations for the taste[9].
- Stomach warning: I'm not the only one online complaining about the hygiene. Many people got an upset stomach or even food poisoning after eating there[10]. Consider the strength of your stomach before you go.
- Booking rules: You need to book in advance and pay in full. No refunds or changes. Also, the restaurant only serves water. Want to drink alcohol? No way, and you can't bring your own either[11].
- Note for vegetarians: Their vegetarian set menu uses plant-based meat. If you don't like the texture and taste of mock meat, just pass on it[12].
- Dessert delivered a live, running cockroach! What a "surprise"! 😱[1]
- Jakarta's "molecular gastronomy pioneer" forces room changes mid-meal! More "escape room" than dinner! [2]
- Indonesia's "molecular gastronomy pioneer": 1.4M IDR/person for 17 dishes, all cold but soup. Worth it? [3][4]
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