Jawa Restaurant - Traditional Indonesian Food in Hamburg

As an Indonesian, this was my first time eating at this restaurant two days ago with my partner. We ordered Iga Bakar, Bebek Crispy, and Sate Ayam—all were superb! The sambals were rich, spicy, and authentically matched my Indonesian palate. We also tried Batagor, which I was excited about since it’s a delicacy from my hometown. Unfortunately, it was quite disappointing. The fried fish dumplings and tofu weren't crispy, and the peanut sauce was too thick and heavy, lacking that fresh, zesty kick—especially the lime hint—that usually elevates the dish. For dessert, we had Cendol. It wasn’t very fresh—possibly because we came during dinner time, but the coconut milk had clumped and didn’t taste fresh at all. Also, the drink options were quite limited. What saved the experience were the Iga Bakar and Bebek Crispy. However, I must express my disappointment regarding the service. We were left standing at the entrance without being greeted or seated, so we had to find our own table. We felt rushed when ordering, and it was difficult to get the staff’s attention when we wanted to order more. As an Indonesian, I was hoping for the warm, friendly, and homey service we’re known for—but sadly, it wasn’t there. I’ve read other reviews pointing out similar service issues. As a fellow saudara setanah air, I offer this feedback sincerely: please work on improving the hospitality aspect to truly reflect the Indonesian dining experience.

An Indonesian Customer Review: (I will list what I have tasted and if I remember, I will add more and edit.) 1. Ayam Kremes 9.8/10. The sambal sauce is delicious, authentic. The chicken is rlly good on the outside and okay inside. 2. a.) Sate/Satay (Goat) with peanut sauce is great 9.1/10. 2. b.) Satay Goat with soy sauce is not good nor authentic 3/10.

The best Indonesian food in Hamburg!

The food was terrific, the taste and quantity were really great. Gladly again at any time

Incredibly tasty ….. the duck at lunch, however, was uncreative and boring

I picked up my food to go and the ordering process over the phone was super convenient. Everything was ready on time. It tasted really great and didn't suffer at all until it arrived at my house. Overall, I was absolutely thrilled and would recommend Jawa to anyone. Thank you so much, it was a fantastic experience!

We like to eat at Jawa during our lunch break; the portions are huge and the food is delicious. You have to allow some time, especially if you go during lunchtime. And you need cash because you still can't pay by card.

The food was good but there's a minus point in term of the service. That evening when we were there,unfortunately one waitress was so unfriendly to us. Showing no professionality and not so welcoming.

Mostly authentic Indonesian food. But they don’t take cards, only cash.

Good lunch option, but expect to wait

Waited 2 hours for food ya sippi

Subject: Feedback on my last visit Dear [restaurant name] team, I would like to give you feedback on my last visit to your restaurant on 02/11/25. Unfortunately, I discovered that the service that day did not meet the high standards one would expect from a restaurant. The service staff was unfriendly and seemed annoyed which led to an unpleasant atmosphere. Guests are treated with respect!! Jawanese are known for their friendliness, it would be good if their service staff was trained as “sopan-santun”. Best regards

Very authentic and delicious. And still very tasty here.

The restaurant is decorated in authentic Indonesian style. Unfortunately there is no gamelan music played, but ok - of course it works without it. The portions are large and basically worth the slightly higher price. In terms of taste, the food is also close to the dishes in Indonesia. Our Indonesian companions also confirmed this. The toilets are a little further back in the building and are fine. Except for one waitress, the employees were nice. The food was delivered warm for 4 people at the same time. You should know that you can apparently only pay with cash. Packaging for take away costs €0.50/piece.

If you're a fan of Asian cuisine, you'll get your money's worth here!

Great Indonesian food. The prices are definitely right. The portions are rather large. I had lots of pieces of beef and lots of crab. The staff is very friendly. It would just have been nice to have been a little warmer in the restaurant.

Entered the restaurant today at 5:37 p.m. Waited 5 minutes in the entrance area because we were assigned a table. The waitresses didn't pay any attention to me. When I asked that I would like to eat something, I was assigned a table and given a card. The restaurant was at most a third full. 15 minutes later without paying any attention or taking an order, the waitress came to me and said the kitchen was now closed. They could have told me that straight away if the restaurant was open until 7 p.m.! I've never experienced anything like this...

Saturday night was full but I still managed to get a seat. Food was great, everything I ordered were really tasty, generous portion for the price, service also friendly.

Delicious identical local dishes. Huge portions. Ambiance was a bit sparsely furnished. But I came to eat. I can recommend.

Indonesian taste indeed.. thanks for fullfilling my longing to indonesian food..

What a great restaurant. Top quality food, nice staff and excellent prices for the large portions

Very authentic food with generous portions - ideal if you want to fill yourself up or for sharing.

Masha Allah, it feels really good.. Thank God it was delicious, I didn't regret going from Rostock to Java 😇🥰 The meatballs and chicken vegetables are delicious and the spices are really delicious.

Gado-gado was nice but I think it lacked proteins like tofu and tempe. I only found some small pieces of them.

Friendly service and a family atmosphere - the No. 1 when it comes to Indonesian cuisine in Hamburg

The food here is amazing and I can’t wait to find back.

Delicious lunch, fair value for money, friendly and fast service. We were satisfied. Important information: No card payment

Very loud. Food only tastes like ready-made sauce. Chicken without taste.

Visitamos a la hora del almuerzo, y aunque inicialmente me decepcionó que el menú completo no estaba en oferta, estaba muy contento con mi comida. Los servidores eran amables (dispuestos a hablar inglés y alemán) y las porciones eran generosas. Gran relación calidad-precio y bastante sabroso

The food was absolutely delicious and a lot of it for the money - they were kind enough to give me a doggy bag. The interior has a very nice design - careful to details. The restaurant seams like a family restaurant.

The food was, as always, very tasty. However, we had to wait over three quarters of an hour for our takeaway food. And that even though half of the tables were empty.

I loved the authentic atmosphere and taste of the dishes in this restaurant. The dishes, especially rendang and batagor, were superbly seasoned and cooked to perfection. The service was attentive and friendly, which rounded off the experience. If you love Indonesian cuisine, this is definitely a place you should try! If I ever visit Hamburg, I will definitely visit this great restaurant again!

Rather a weak Indonesian restaurant. I've been to many, here in Germany, in Europe, but also in Indonesia. It's rather cool inside, I can still live with that. Otherwise, to put it bluntly, it looks functional. Still fits. The fact that the baby chair is completely dirty and still sticks from top to bottom even after you ask to clean it is starting to get annoying. The worst: Some of the food is good (Bakso), but most of it is from the "sad food" category: Ikan bakar (fried fish) was really really wrong. Not seasoned or marinated and the sambal was also boring. The sate ayam (chicken skewers) were ok, but nothing more.

We went there for lunch last week and really enjoyed it. We ordered Bakso with extra rice and had Siomay as a starter. Sambal terasi was included for free 👌 So the Bakso Bowl for €17.50 seems expensive at first, until you realize how big the portion is. Definitely enough for two people. The waitress from Ghana was very friendly and attentive. We'll be back soon. Terima kasih 🫶

Good choice for having Indonesian food in Hamburg. The atmosphere is reminiscent of authentic Indonesia. Accessible from S-bahn and would love if the payment can be made by card. Cendol is the best thing I’m always craving for. Also, ayam kremes, nasi goreng (fried rice) and kwetiaw goreng (fried thick rice noodle) are sooo delicious Apart from their tasty food, most of the time, staffs are unfriendly. When I asked something in Bahasa Indonesia, I was expecting to get response with the same language as they are Indonesians. Nevertheless, they replied with Deutsch. For some reason, we came here to feel at home. Wish to be better in many ways in the future.

Rich portions and very tasty, I haven't eaten this well in a long time

Visited the Jawa Restaurant today and had lunch. Had a want tan soup in advance, very tasty in a very tasty broth, with pak choi and spring onions and 6 wontons, very tasty 😋 For the main course I had the beef 🐄 with eggplant🍆 on a hot sizzling plate (iron plate) with various vegetables. Absolutely delicious and next time I will probably work my way through this menu, the dishes are so delicious. The daily special of Indonesian cabbage rolls also sounded very tempting. The service is A1, very friendly hosts, and the restaurant is nicely decorated, price-performance ratio ok. The restaurant was packed with Indonesians, which is a good sign. A clear recommendation if you like good food, this is the right place!

Very authentic Indonesian food! Very inconspicuous from the outside and easy to miss, but nice and, above all, delicious inside. Just be careful with the spiciness levels...the three chillies are really serious

So tasty and big portion…!! I love it

Very tasty food, you're on holiday when it comes to taste. Service is attentive and very friendly. Unfortunately it is very loud when the restaurant is full.

I admit that the food is really delicious, unfortunately the waitresses are not all friendly. Some of the juteks should smile a little to show that Indonesian culture is known for being friendly and likes to smile.

the food was fantastic, but the owner was so rude.

Iga Bakar was the best. Goreng rice weren't so good.

The food was fantastic... We ordered 6 different dishes .each of them was very tasty... I never bean in Indonesia, but i can imagine that it tastes like here .. The Service was very friendly.. I'm definitely coming back. VERY IMPORTANT..NO CARDS....ONLY CASH

Food was okay, the portion is big and definitely more on the expensive side if you eat alone. However, I was not happy with the service. The lady who took order was friendly but the cashier did not even look at me.

Good food, unfriendly service. I’m not going back. Rude people don’t deserve my hard earned money. I hope they’ll improve their service.

The best Indonesian food in Germany, you can find it here!!! Mana Cici is very friendly, wants to chat with those of us who are eating, even asked for the recipe, we told everything!! The best!!! Good luck, Cici & Koko for creating this magical restaurant that makes me, who hasn't been home to Indonesia for a long time, feel like I'm sitting in a restaurant in Jakarta. Luph ❤️

It was incredibly good! Price-performance is great. Any time again 👌🏼

Unfortunately I had bad service today, I am very disappointed because the cook and waitress were so unfriendly. I don't think I want to go there anymore.

Totally silly, pay up to four euros extra for really hot!...do you get a whole chili bush for that??!!

We thought it was excellent. The restaurant is nicely decorated, but has a bit of a canteen feel. The service was very nice and the food was great. For me the best Rendang outside of Indonesia so far. Price/performance is also absolutely fair. If we came from Hamburg, we would like to come back.

I ordered Rendang and Bebek rica-rica. Both are delicious but the rendang is typically Javanese rendang not minang, but it is worth a try.

Very tasty, authentic food. Good service. The location and view aren't that great but it's about the food. As a precaution, you should make a reservation!

very authentic and super tasty!! Jawa has a lot of choices of Indonesian food. The portion is large. It really tastes like back home. We would love to come back...

The food was really good, but there wasn't enough choice at lunch. This time the waitress is friendly and nice.

Almost every dish we tried is delicious. Even the tea is spectacular. We had - crispy duck 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 - batagor with peanut sauce - fried noodle

Java Restaurant is an absolute must for Indonesian cuisine lovers! The dishes are authentic and incredibly delicious - you won't find anything like it anywhere else. The central location in Hamburg also makes it very easy to reach. Definitely worth a visit!

just b food garbage service never mind

Authentic cuisine, friendly staff, moderate prices, definitely recommended

I've read some of the one star reviews and they all contradict the facts because I've been through the same thing. Today I was there at 5:05 p.m. (closing time in Google 7:00 p.m.). You already said the restaurant is closed. Of course we were dissatisfied and left the restaurant, stood at the front and searched for another restaurant in Google. Then we saw a couple go in and they actually sat down there. It's really disappointing because this problem is still the same for two years and I hope the boss and manager think about it, find another employee and change the closing time in Google to act more professionally

Arrived at 17:55 and although people were inside eating. They said they were closed.

Good food, easy to find parking spot. Reachable by S-Bahn (city train)

Unusually delicious and good quality food! Service extremely friendly, courteous and personable. It was really really really good! Highly recommended!

This is the best restaurant with delicious food! The quality is top notch. Very friendly staff. Cozy and calm atmosphere. All dishes were very tasty and fresh. I recommend!

Completely renovated. Rich and delicious. It is not without reason that it is very popular with local Indos from all over Germany.

For the first time I ate delicious Indonesian food in Hamburg and it tasted very good. top quality

Freundliche Grüße und lecker essen. Genug Auswahl auch für Vegetarier. Ambiente super. Empfehlen für andere Leute die gerne Jawa Gerichten essen.

The food came very quickly and was very tasty and plentiful. The service was attentive. It is hardly important that a meal was initially forgotten. It was delivered quickly. All in all highly recommended!

They are very large portions. But everything was super tasty

The food is quite okay. You can't say anything bad.

Absolute recommendation! Rarely have we eaten such delicious Indonesian food. Price-performance absolutely okay. Gladly again! :)

The rendang is really delicious!

Love the interiors and the atmosphere. The food is decent enough, mostly offers Chinese-Indonesian cuisine

the woman was very unfriendly, the big woman

The best place to try Indonesian food in Hamburg has to be Jawa. :) We ordered M10 & M12 from the Lunch menu and it was one of the best choice we made coz the food was extremely delicious as well as the side sauce ( red garlic Chutney) makes it even more tasty :) Highly recommended to try this as well as the ambience is pretty good very calm and quiet which makes having lunch here more pleasant and ofcourse the staff is very helpful as they converse in both German and English which is a plus point :) Please do visit here :)

I was there with my little son and it was a really relaxed visit thanks to the great service. Our food was seasoned extra mildly so that my child could eat it without any problems. The portion was too big for me alone, since my child ate 1/3 with pleasure, there was nothing left. All the employees and the owner were very nice and attentive. We really enjoyed the food and felt very comfortable. If we go to Hamburg again, we will definitely eat at Jawa again.

The food was super tasty and a lot. We were more than full. The service was very friendly and accommodating. We would eat here again at any time when we are in Hamburg. Thank you.

Its opening hours just not practical

Das Java ist ein recht authentisches indonesisches Restaurant in Hamburg dessen gut gekürzten Speisen den Liebhabern asiatischer Küche gefallenen wird. Die Portionen sind aber so gross, dass kein normaler Mensch sie schaffen kann.

This is a genuine Indonesian restaurant, one of very few in Hamburg, located a bit off the beaten path. It’s more or less a family restaurant. The interior is nice and spacious. The food is good, and quality is consistent. The staff is professional, but not exceedingly friendly and rather a bit cold. The restaurant only accepts cash. We have been here many times and enjoy a genuine Indonesian dish, in spite of the service. The menu is very extensive. The opening hours are odd - the restaurant is only open for lunch.

Super tasty and extremely authentic. Highly recommended, even if a bit remote. Unfortunately, you rarely get that even authentically spicy. No, the food was spicy and very tasty. Thanks

Hello you always have good food at Jawa Restaurant...

Food was excellent. Better than any Indonesian place I’ve been in Europe so far. Service was actually good, though I didn’t have to deal with more senior staff. Highly recommended!

Very tasty and authentic Indonesian cuisine restaurant! We tried their legendary Rendang dish 😍 (stewed beef in coconut sauce 🍲🥥). It is a rich meat-based dish that is slow-cooked and braised in coconut milk, can’t recommend it enough!! Also, we took fried chicken breast with peanut sauce (Ayam goreng tepung saos Kacang), it was delicious too! Recommend!! 👌🏼

Very friendly and nice staff, prices are also good, large portions and delicious food Gladly again

Big portions and overall delicious taste!! The place is quite spacious and the atmosphere is very comfortable. Anyway, my favorite Balinese Spiced Grilled Chicken 🫶🏼🫶🏼

Extremely delicious & authentic food - it tastes like back home! We have already tried a few dishes and everything was really delicious! I particularly recommend Wantan Goreng, Mie Sup Wantan with Bakso, Ayam Kremes, Nasi Goreng and Sate Ayam. The service is always very friendly and attentive. I can also recommend the weekend specials, which are always different! (e.g. Nasi Campur, Soto Ayam, Bubur Ayam etc.)

Rather inconspicuous from the outside, very comfortably furnished inside. The food tastes outstanding. Despite the many guests, the staff is consistently friendly, courteous and attentive. The hoisin sauce is to die for!

Even though we were there before 6 p.m. our order was not accepted, they said the boss had already closed the kitchen. It's a shame if you don't even stick to the times given. Even though we were there on time and had announced it by phone, we asked for it again on site but it was not accepted. Because of this incompetence of goodwill NOT recommended!!! If access is only until 5:30 p.m., then you should check this on your website. We didn't need the card because we already knew what we wanted to eat and tried to accommodate them to save time. Didn't know that it was part of their restaurant rules to have to look at the menu. In addition, we weren't told on the phone that access was only until 5:30 p.m., we were told if we got there before 6 p.m. we could then order. That was also the main reason why we were deeply disappointed. But thanks anyway for the tip to take a closer look.

Nice food, if only they open for dinner on weekdays!

The dishes are extremely authentic and tasty. The Rendang in particular is a dream. The service is equally warm. The location could be nicer. Nevertheless, I always like to come back

Was there for lunch last Thursday. Food was very tasty. Service was relatively quick, although I was told it would probably take about 30 minutes to prepare the food. You can only pay in cash there.

Cute restaurant. You'd walk right past it if you didn't know it's there. Friendly staff. Good price. There's multiple vegan options.

A real insider tip! This family business impresses with authentic and delicious cuisine. The prices are fair and the employees (daughters) always give friendly and helpful recommendations. My favorite dish is definitely the rendang. Highly Recommended!

The food was super good and the portions are huge! The service is nice and funny. I like to come here more often :)

Unfortunately we didn't like it. The sauces were very bland, one was much too sweet and the other only tasted like sweet soy sauce. The mango was not fresh and the duck was inedible due to the sauce. We know Indonesian cuisine well, but unfortunately the dishes we ordered were a disappointment. The restaurant was very busy and the waitresses were not attentive. We waited over 30 minutes when we wanted to pay. We were ignored, as was the food that was almost untouched. We ended up having to pay at the bar, where the staff was also unfriendly. The toilets urgently need renovation! Attention: Only cash payment possible

Very good food and first class service. Highly Recommended. We will come back in any case!

The first time I set foot in Germany, I immediately browsed Indonesian cuisine and came across this restaurant, Indonesian cuisine, especially Javanese cuisine, it tastes delicious, the portions are large, 1 portion of fried rice can serve 2 people

As always, very tasty. Very large portions

Super tasty, large portion and very friendly service. Just keep in mind the opening times, you have to hurry for dinner after work. You will then be rewarded for it. 👍