When it launched in 2014, JENJA Restaurant, Bar and Club made quite the grand entrance, as a much needed, upscale addition to Bali’s relatively underdeveloped nightclub scene.
Since then, this Jakarta-style nightclub has firmly established itself as one of the island’s hippest and most sophisticated nightspots: a unique one-stop dining, bar and club destination appreciated and frequented by the more cosmopolitan music lover, die-hard partygoer or clubber—or those that simply want to experience a new exciting kind of nightlife experience in Bali.
Discreetly housed at the corner of Jakarta-owned TS Suites hotel and entertainment complex, on the southern fringes of the party epicentre, Seminyak, entered via its own street entrance on Jalan Nakula, JENJA sets the scene immediately, welcoming patrons with an ultra-sleek and contemporary split-level venue.
JENJA’s upper-level reveals a stunning design of a low-ceilinged space overhung with 12,000 interlinked and subtly-lit teak battens—which have been assembled on-site—and a multi-coloured signature wall inspired by sea snakes, hand-crafted from thousands of glass tiles originating from recycled bottles.
For those already familiar with JENJA, this chic restaurant-bar area, complete with an open kitchen-bar running the length of the interior wall and expansive dining floor, has now been revamped into a lounge zone and JENJA Foyer. Open from 8pm, with a resident DJ starting to spin lounge sounds around an hour later, covering chill, indie dance and soul, this is the perfect spot to start your night and get in the mood for clubbing downstairs later. A good time and place as any to try JENJA’s signature, freshly concocted cocktails, courtesy of mixologist DeeCee—AKA Doctor Cocktail—and cuisine here, meant for sharing with friends, with a menu selection of Tapas dishes and a delicious variety of Asian and Western bites. There is also an adjoining outdoor terrace, which provides an extra dining area and smoking zone.
JENJA’s atrium-style club zone, accessed by a spiral staircase from JENJA Foyer, opens from 11PM and is again low-ceilinged and features impressive wall décor consisting of a mosaic of dragon scale motifs made from hexagonal cut stones. Dimly-lit and surprisingly intimate, the nightspot with funktion-one sound system actually accommodates up to 350 partygoers, the club dominated by a large dance floor, edged by 12 tables in the club area and 6 seats upstairs with 1 Vip table; ideal for groups of friends, these exclusive tables offer a personal bottle service only (an Asian nightclub signature), while the centre-stage, square bar is the preferred place for singletons to sit-up at the bar and mingle.
Open Wednesday through Saturday, JENJA has increasingly grown as a popular night haunt for the island’s cool club crowd, an eclectic cross-section of expatriates, tourists and local Indonesians—note there is an eighteen-plus entrance policy at JENJA. The nightspot wins over patrons for a number of reasons, not least the relatively late closing hours (4AM to 5AM) especially compared to the island’s other venues, its casual chic ambiance with a general lack of pretentiousness and state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems equipped throughout, including Spanish DAS speakers. There is even hassle free-parking in the TS Suites underground parking area.
JENJA’s biggest pull factor however is arguably its highly regarded dedicated music nights with both resident and guest international DJs holding court in the DJ booth.
First off in the week, Wednesday’s “Urbanized” hip-hop night brings on what is reliably acknowledged as the best hip-hop sounds on the island, with a special guest DJ plus the talents of DJ Yoga Yin, as well as a 50 percent discount off all JENJA cocktails all night, for ladies only.
On Thursday nights, JENJA helps you warm-up for the weekend, which is tantalizingly nearly in sight, with “Umalagon” and the finest Nu Disco and House, from resident DJs Heidy and Wisdy; while for the nightspot’s busier Friday and Saturday nights, “Weekenders” and Techno and Deep house from DJs Heidy, Wisdy and Mamsa, is the ultimate way to celebrate the onset of the weekend—all these nights usually feature a guest DJ. For JENJA’s regular hosted nights and forthcoming events with guest international DJs, be sure to keep fully up to date on their Facebook page, jenjabali.
(www.jenjabali.com)
