4.8 stars on Google, but I ate with flies? This Batam restaurant is seriously Anjay
qponx
2026-03-05
Think a 4.8-star Google rating guarantees a great meal? Think again. This review of Renuin Restaurant in Batam exposes the shocking reality behind the high score. Despite a promising online reputation, the actual experience was a disaster featuring incredibly long waits, unhygienic conditions with flies for company, and disappointing food. This article serves as a cautionary tale for travelers, detailing why this popular spot is one you should probably skip on your trip to Batam.
Before coming to Batam Island, I did some research and came across this Renuin Restaurant in Nagoya Hill Mall. It had 1000+ reviews on Google with a high score of 4.8, and the photos looked spacious and modern. I thought this was a safe bet, a definite hidden gem of an Indonesian seafood restaurant!
Turns out... Anjay! This might be the biggest disaster I've encountered this year. 🤦♀️
The Dream vs. Reality, a Pretty Big Gap
When I first walked in, the ambiance did look decent—it was spacious, the tables were well-spaced, and it had a bit of style. They even officially promote themselves as making "warm dishes that remind you of home"[1], so I was quite looking forward to it. But after we sat down, the nightmare began.
First, ordering. The waiter had a confused look on their face and was unclear about everything we asked. Then came the long wait. Seriously, my friend and I waited so long we started questioning our life choices. It took almost an hour for our food to start trickling in[2]. We rushed them several times, but we were either ignored or told "coming soon, coming soon," and the result... well, you know how it goes.
What was even more frustrating were the flies! Buzzing around you and even trying to Nongkrong on the edge of your plate with you. The dining experience instantly dropped to rock bottom[3].
The Food, a "Mystery Box" That's Hard to Describe
By the time the food arrived, I was starving, but the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
The few dishes we ordered were either cold or tasted weird. The quail eggs were served cold, and one of the shrimp dishes smelled off[4]. My friend's Ayam Bakar[5] (grilled chicken) was also overly sweet, not at all the smoky, fragrant flavor we were expecting. I even heard someone ordered crab and found it was still raw inside when they cut it open[6]—so scary!
The tableware was another story. The plates we got were chipped on the edges and looked old, and the hygiene situation was really worrying[7]. The only thing that was somewhat decent was probably the Ikan Bakar (grilled fish)[8]. The flavor was okay, but it was nowhere near enough to save this terrible experience.
This whole meal cost us several hundred thousand Indonesian Rupiah, and this is what we got? Value for money? Non-existent.
A Guide to Avoiding This Disaster, Take Notes Everyone!
Alright, rant over. Here are some solid tips for my friends planning a trip to Batam:
In short, Batam has so much good food, there's really no need to waste your precious travel time and stomach space here. I've taken one for the team on this one
- 1. Don't trust the ratings! There's a huge gap between this restaurant's online ratings and the actual experience. There have been a lot of negative reviews recently, so don't be fooled by the high score.
- 2. Only for the incredibly patient. If you absolutely must go, make sure you have at least 1-1.5 hours of free time just for waiting for your food[9].
- 3. "Interrogate" before you order. You must grab a waiter and confirm if the dishes you want are actually available today. Otherwise, you might be told "sold out" half an hour after placing your order[10].
- 4. If you're sensitive about hygiene, run! If you have standards for cleanliness regarding flies and tableware, just turn around and leave. Don't put yourself through the frustration.
- 4.8 stars from 1000+ reviews for this hidden gem Indonesian seafood restaurant. Is it legit or a tourist trap? [1]
- They promise "warm, homey dishes"[2], but after an hour's wait, we got ice-cold 'surprise blind boxes'. So much for the warmth. [3]
- Heard someone's crab arrived still raw inside when cut open[4]! Talk about an unwanted "seafood sashimi" experience.
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