Even President Jokowi visited this Indonesian place, and it's THIS affordable?
qponx
2026-03-04
Discover an incredibly popular Indonesian restaurant in Depok, so famous even President Jokowi has visited. Escape the city and relax in a Sundanese village setting, with private bamboo huts built over a fish pond. This spot lives up to its "king-like taste, commoner's price" slogan, offering authentic, value-for-money dishes. It's the perfect place for a memorable family gathering where the unique, chill atmosphere is the main star, but be prepared for a quirky ordering system.
Anjay! Lately, my friends have been raving about this Indonesian restaurant in Depok, down south. They said it has over 10,000 reviews on Google with an incredible 4.9-star rating. I was thinking, what kind of amazing place is this to be so popular, and then I looked it up—wow, even President Jokowi has eaten here[1]! I just had to go check it out!
A "Little Village" with Immaculate Vibes
To be honest, it's not in downtown Jakarta, so it takes a while to drive there. But the moment you step inside, you feel like you've been instantly transported to a Sundanese village! 🌴 The ambiance is its biggest draw. Individual small bamboo huts (Saung) are built over a fish pond, and you can choose the "Lesehan" seating where you sit cross-legged on the floor. Enjoying the breeze, listening to traditional Indonesian music, and watching the fish swim around in the pond—the feel is just so Chill! It's especially perfect for bringing the whole family to Nongkrong[2].
A few of us ordered a whole table of food, and overall, it felt like great value for money. Their slogan is "King-like taste, commoner's price," and that's no exaggeration. As for the dishes, here are a few I recommend:
- Sate Ayam (Chicken Satay)[3]: The meat chunks are huge and grilled to be super juicy, not the dry kind. Mantap!
- Gurame Goreng (Fried Gourami)[4]: Fried until the outside is crispy while the fish inside is still tender. It was the first dish to be cleared from our table.
- Cumi Telur Asin (Salted Egg Yolk Squid)[5]: This one is amazing with rice! The salted egg yolk evenly coats the springy squid, so delicious you can't stop eating.
- The Nasi Liwet set for four is very generous in portion size, totally worth the price[6].
However, I have to be honest about the downsides…
Although I had a good experience this time, I need to be objective. The taste seems to be quite polarizing. I saw some people online saying the food was mediocre and nothing special[7]. Maybe I just got lucky?
The biggest flaw is the ordering process! You have to first queue up at the cashier to order and pay before you can go back to your seat and wait. If you want to add a dish halfway through your meal, sorry, you have to queue up all over again... For a lazy person like me, it's pure torture[8]. And when it's crowded on weekends, the serving speed is really nothing to write home about.
Also, because it's a semi-open space, you can't avoid people smoking at nearby tables[9], so families with young children might want to consider this.
Honest tips, you're welcome!
Finally, for those of you planning to go, here are the key points:
📍 Kampung Kecil Cinere
Jl. Telaga Warna, RT.07/RW.05, Pangkalan Jati, Kec. Cinere, Kota Depok
- 1. Definitely avoid weekends! The experience is much better on weekdays. They don't take reservations, so queuing during peak hours is the norm.
- 2. Order everything at once! Try to order everything you want to eat to avoid the pain of queuing a second time.
- 3. Best for: Family gatherings, get-togethers with friends, and company team-building. It's great when you have a big group to order a table full of food; the atmosphere is awesome.
- 4. Manage your expectations: Think of it as a place to experience the Indonesian countryside vibe, rather than a restaurant for gourmet food and top-notch service, and you'll have a much better time!
- Jokowi-approved! With 10,000+ Google reviews & a 4.9 rating [1], you know it's legit.
- Instant Sundanese village vibes! Sit cross-legged in a bamboo hut by a fish pond, with a cool breeze & traditional music.
- A king's feast, a commoner's price! Dig into huge chicken satay, crispy gourami, & salted egg squid. Eat till you drop for cheap [2][3][4].
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