Overall, I thought this place was pretty good. It's hard to find indonesian food in the bay area now that the main ones have shuttered their doors (borobodur, jayakarta, etc). I ordered the nasi kuning, satay ayam, ayam goreng kuning, tahu isi, martabak telor and lemper. Picked up krupuk udang, melinjo chips and roasted peanuts as well. Everything tasted fairly authentic and delicious! The tahu isi had great crisp to it, however my complaint would be that the filling felt closer to risoles filling (minced/chopped veggies), and not so much the street version I used to get on the streets of bandung (goodness with beansprouts and veggies). A difference in preference I guess, as I have never had their type before. Another disappointment would be that while eating my lemper this morning, there was a long hair embedded in it . Normally I would deduct all stars for this and never come back. But given that the food was fairly authentic, and the only other Indo establishments left in the bay area are in southbay, I will only deduct 2 stars... I likely won't come back though. Hygeine, proper food handling, safety and storage are critical in this industry... especially now with Covid. I'm sad I couldn't write a raving review here or on my instagram as I had intended. I'm still mentally recovering from the lemper incident while trying to be reasonable with this review.
Jeremy L.
Cruising around Old Sac and saw this in their little food area. Having been to Bali and loving their cuisine, just had to check it out. The verdict, cheap paper plates and styrofoam bowls aside, the food is legit! Great flavor, piping hot, and friendly people. What more could you want? Laksa (5): This was one of my favorite dishes in Bali. They captured the creaminess and spice pretty well. The chicken they used could have been a little more tender, but overall, a solid attempt that I don't think you'll find anywhere else locally. Nasi Goreng (5): Another fantastic dish straight from the motherland. I seriously ate this like everyday in Bali and this was pretty decent as well. Great flavor and the egg was just the icing on the cake. Lumpia (5): Can't go wrong with these. Not sure how 'balinese' these are, but they were tasty. Crispy, not soggy. Good size. Honestly I wasn't expecting much when I received the food, but I was pleasantly surprised. Bali had some of my favorite food and this place captured it nicely. Have I had better? Sure, but I doubt you'll find better balinese in the area. Good stuff!
Lisa C.
eggrolls were a bit greasy but crunchy and crispy. also ordered thai tea and the thai tea tasted sweet! fast service on a busy night!
Liberty G.
I love the appetizers and the Nasi Rames. Cap Cay has a wonderful sauce. Tahu Isi appetizer is good but too salty. The Laksa chicken soup is one of the best soups I've ever eaten...the subtle flavors and spice is just perfect. This restaurant is a solid pick if you're looking to try a different world cuisine. I've never had Indonesian food before, so I can't comment on authenticity. However my tastebuds enjoy their offerings very much.
James W.
I stopped into Bali Kitchen today in Old Town Sacramento. I was in the mood for noodles or rice, and the menu is a good fit. I noticed the menu stated "Food is cooked to order with natural ingredients and fresh vegetables." I ordered the Cap Cay with chicken, beef, shrimp, vegetables, and rice in a creamy garlic sauce. It was just what I was looking for. Most plates are $11-$12 and include noodle soup, Thai curry, and teriyaki chicken, among others. Based on this visit, I know I will revisit this little gem soon.
Alex P.
Came for the first time 12/30/20 and got the goreng with beef and the fried chicken. Both were great but the fried chicken is really special. Don't think kfc but turmeric and coconut flavored super tender chicken. The house made hot sauce is amazing. They should sell just that. Will be back soon
Jamie V.
We ordered pickup through caviar. Our family of 3 adults shared the 3 dishes family style. Amazingly delicious! We had eaten Indonesian food in Amsterdam and this was the real deal! We ordered the bumbu Bali, curry fried rice with beef and sate a yam chicken satay. It was a delicious, fresh, flavorful dinner that was well packed for to-go. The portions were good, but we weren't overstuffed. I'd be tempted to add an appetizer or a 4th item next time. Indonesian food is hard to find and this place is amazing. We will be returning soon to support such an amazing and unique small business!
Patrice B.
My expectations were low for Indonesian food in old town Sacramento. I've had great indonesian food in San Francisco and Palo Alto. This place is amazing it's a hole in the wall but the seasoning is authentic and the food was amazing!! Gado gado, satay, coconut rice and lumper were all amazing and what is especially hard to find is chendol and this place made it perfect! Fabulous place!!
Alex T.
After coffee around the corner in old sac called blue print coffee, brunch was next. . I love supporting small businesses so this was the spot I remember and chose to eat at again and again. . So it was a chilly morning during Saturday, what better way to get some laksa which is an Indonesian curry coconut soup base with vermicelli noodles and generous amount of chicken and veggies. Yes a boiled egg was in it too. . So the soup was such a good portion and comforting. It was hot and was so good I had no complaints. I wanted something different and of course Indonesia is what they are known for so you know thats a must order too . My friend ordered the chicken. Fried rice with a fried egg in top. The fried rice was savory and had a good flavor. Yes I would order again when I'm craving fried rice. . We sat outside where there plenty of tables. The tables are wooden and not sure if they are cleaned after we leave. But just keep in mind don't touch it too much ;) . Its right next to the other restaurants next door such as Rio city Cafe and the fish and chip place. . I had a great time and it was a great low cost comforting brunch in a while. Low key and still in the prime area ;). Thanks for reading and have a yelptastic day!
Summer S.
We ordered the fried rice with beef, chicken chow main equivalent and chicken spring rolls. Food was delicious, well seasoned and made us even more hungry as we can smell it on the drive home. Indonesian food is really delicious and has a mixture of ethnic flavors. I was really glad to know it exists in Sacramento. We will order again!
They have a selection of Indonesian and Chinese/Indonesian food. They are pretty authentic. My favorite is the Indonesian fried chicken (ayam goreng kuning) and their ketoprak (rice noodle with fried tofu, covered in peanut sauce) is also delicious! The peanut sauce is a little different than how it is in Indonesia, but this is also pretty great! Overall, everything I've tried from them has been delicious!
Shirley M. J.
7/30/2020: Okay, okay~Insistent Tiana wanted taking photos of Sacramento's Chinatown which in fact, is literally NOT A TYPICAL CHINATOWN and a waste of my time discovering Chinatown's ONLY restaurant was closed due to COVID19! Welp~Tiana wanted to eat so, I drove to Old Town Sacramento just a stone's throw away from Sacramento's Chinatown District.I drove by several restaurants via the river front which were surprisingly open seating customers inside and outside dining permitted! Whoa~REALLY???? Okay~So-do you want to eat there or there or there, Tiana? Tiana explores the restaurants and decides she wants to eat at Bali's Kitchen.Okay-Fine~Let's eat here. I informed Tiana the owner is originally from Bali which Tiana immediately scoffed stating that Bali's Kitchen was just a gimmicky name. REALLY? As IF you know EVERYTHING, Tiana!We order our meals from a beautifully gracious, warm, friendly female: The female informed Tiana our meals will take about twenty to thirty minutes because she is cooking our meals from scratch and everything was freshly caught. Tiana questioned the female where she learned how to cook-the female replied, "I was born in Bali and I'm THE OWNER OF BALI's KITCHEN!" WELP~I guess that undoubtably shut Tiana about the gimmicky restaurant name: Typical BH personality! I just began glaring at Tiana while Tiana began ignoring me and refrained looking at me directly. So lovely . . . LOL! BTW: The owner's Bali Cuisine is off da hook and absolutely delicious, Bay-Bee! I'll be returning eating at Bali's Kitchen soon!
Sami S.
How this place got all these stars!! Food from hell! Not even authentic Indonesian everything is boiled with sauces on the side. satay too !! Boiled chicken cut into pieces is their satay with tons of peanut sauce on top !! What a disappointment! .
tyler ross
The service was very welcoming and observant. The bill was appropriate. Menu is like a cafe in Indianapolis I liked.
Kendra J.
We ordered the Cap Cay (beef, chicken, and shrimp with Chef's special ginger sauce and fresh veggies served with a side of rice to soak up the yummy sauce) and the lumpia's (3 in an order). The Cap Cay was filling for both of us and we found the veggies to be extremely fresh and properly cooked. The sauce has a good pepper flavor to it and is light. The lumpia's - we both agreed - were the best lumpia's we've ever had. They were wider and had more to them than the skinny lumpia's we've had at other places. Dined on covered picnic tables on the restaurant's side patio. Accepting cash only right now. We are definitely coming back!
Overall, I thought this place was pretty good. It's hard to find indonesian food in the bay area now that the main ones have shuttered their doors (borobodur, jayakarta, etc). I ordered the nasi kuning, satay ayam, ayam goreng kuning, tahu isi, martabak telor and lemper. Picked up krupuk udang, melinjo chips and roasted peanuts as well. Everything tasted fairly authentic and delicious! The tahu isi had great crisp to it, however my complaint would be that the filling felt closer to risoles filling (minced/chopped veggies), and not so much the street version I used to get on the streets of bandung (goodness with beansprouts and veggies). A difference in preference I guess, as I have never had their type before. Another disappointment would be that while eating my lemper this morning, there was a long hair embedded in it . Normally I would deduct all stars for this and never come back. But given that the food was fairly authentic, and the only other Indo establishments left in the bay area are in southbay, I will only deduct 2 stars... I likely won't come back though. Hygeine, proper food handling, safety and storage are critical in this industry... especially now with Covid. I'm sad I couldn't write a raving review here or on my instagram as I had intended. I'm still mentally recovering from the lemper incident while trying to be reasonable with this review.
Cruising around Old Sac and saw this in their little food area. Having been to Bali and loving their cuisine, just had to check it out. The verdict, cheap paper plates and styrofoam bowls aside, the food is legit! Great flavor, piping hot, and friendly people. What more could you want? Laksa (5): This was one of my favorite dishes in Bali. They captured the creaminess and spice pretty well. The chicken they used could have been a little more tender, but overall, a solid attempt that I don't think you'll find anywhere else locally. Nasi Goreng (5): Another fantastic dish straight from the motherland. I seriously ate this like everyday in Bali and this was pretty decent as well. Great flavor and the egg was just the icing on the cake. Lumpia (5): Can't go wrong with these. Not sure how 'balinese' these are, but they were tasty. Crispy, not soggy. Good size. Honestly I wasn't expecting much when I received the food, but I was pleasantly surprised. Bali had some of my favorite food and this place captured it nicely. Have I had better? Sure, but I doubt you'll find better balinese in the area. Good stuff!
eggrolls were a bit greasy but crunchy and crispy. also ordered thai tea and the thai tea tasted sweet! fast service on a busy night!
I love the appetizers and the Nasi Rames. Cap Cay has a wonderful sauce. Tahu Isi appetizer is good but too salty. The Laksa chicken soup is one of the best soups I've ever eaten...the subtle flavors and spice is just perfect. This restaurant is a solid pick if you're looking to try a different world cuisine. I've never had Indonesian food before, so I can't comment on authenticity. However my tastebuds enjoy their offerings very much.
I stopped into Bali Kitchen today in Old Town Sacramento. I was in the mood for noodles or rice, and the menu is a good fit. I noticed the menu stated "Food is cooked to order with natural ingredients and fresh vegetables." I ordered the Cap Cay with chicken, beef, shrimp, vegetables, and rice in a creamy garlic sauce. It was just what I was looking for. Most plates are $11-$12 and include noodle soup, Thai curry, and teriyaki chicken, among others. Based on this visit, I know I will revisit this little gem soon.
Came for the first time 12/30/20 and got the goreng with beef and the fried chicken. Both were great but the fried chicken is really special. Don't think kfc but turmeric and coconut flavored super tender chicken. The house made hot sauce is amazing. They should sell just that. Will be back soon
We ordered pickup through caviar. Our family of 3 adults shared the 3 dishes family style. Amazingly delicious! We had eaten Indonesian food in Amsterdam and this was the real deal! We ordered the bumbu Bali, curry fried rice with beef and sate a yam chicken satay. It was a delicious, fresh, flavorful dinner that was well packed for to-go. The portions were good, but we weren't overstuffed. I'd be tempted to add an appetizer or a 4th item next time. Indonesian food is hard to find and this place is amazing. We will be returning soon to support such an amazing and unique small business!
My expectations were low for Indonesian food in old town Sacramento. I've had great indonesian food in San Francisco and Palo Alto. This place is amazing it's a hole in the wall but the seasoning is authentic and the food was amazing!! Gado gado, satay, coconut rice and lumper were all amazing and what is especially hard to find is chendol and this place made it perfect! Fabulous place!!
After coffee around the corner in old sac called blue print coffee, brunch was next. . I love supporting small businesses so this was the spot I remember and chose to eat at again and again. . So it was a chilly morning during Saturday, what better way to get some laksa which is an Indonesian curry coconut soup base with vermicelli noodles and generous amount of chicken and veggies. Yes a boiled egg was in it too. . So the soup was such a good portion and comforting. It was hot and was so good I had no complaints. I wanted something different and of course Indonesia is what they are known for so you know thats a must order too . My friend ordered the chicken. Fried rice with a fried egg in top. The fried rice was savory and had a good flavor. Yes I would order again when I'm craving fried rice. . We sat outside where there plenty of tables. The tables are wooden and not sure if they are cleaned after we leave. But just keep in mind don't touch it too much ;) . Its right next to the other restaurants next door such as Rio city Cafe and the fish and chip place. . I had a great time and it was a great low cost comforting brunch in a while. Low key and still in the prime area ;). Thanks for reading and have a yelptastic day!
We ordered the fried rice with beef, chicken chow main equivalent and chicken spring rolls. Food was delicious, well seasoned and made us even more hungry as we can smell it on the drive home. Indonesian food is really delicious and has a mixture of ethnic flavors. I was really glad to know it exists in Sacramento. We will order again!
Restaurantji Recommends
They have a selection of Indonesian and Chinese/Indonesian food. They are pretty authentic. My favorite is the Indonesian fried chicken (ayam goreng kuning) and their ketoprak (rice noodle with fried tofu, covered in peanut sauce) is also delicious! The peanut sauce is a little different than how it is in Indonesia, but this is also pretty great! Overall, everything I've tried from them has been delicious!
7/30/2020: Okay, okay~Insistent Tiana wanted taking photos of Sacramento's Chinatown which in fact, is literally NOT A TYPICAL CHINATOWN and a waste of my time discovering Chinatown's ONLY restaurant was closed due to COVID19! Welp~Tiana wanted to eat so, I drove to Old Town Sacramento just a stone's throw away from Sacramento's Chinatown District.I drove by several restaurants via the river front which were surprisingly open seating customers inside and outside dining permitted! Whoa~REALLY???? Okay~So-do you want to eat there or there or there, Tiana? Tiana explores the restaurants and decides she wants to eat at Bali's Kitchen.Okay-Fine~Let's eat here. I informed Tiana the owner is originally from Bali which Tiana immediately scoffed stating that Bali's Kitchen was just a gimmicky name. REALLY? As IF you know EVERYTHING, Tiana!We order our meals from a beautifully gracious, warm, friendly female: The female informed Tiana our meals will take about twenty to thirty minutes because she is cooking our meals from scratch and everything was freshly caught. Tiana questioned the female where she learned how to cook-the female replied, "I was born in Bali and I'm THE OWNER OF BALI's KITCHEN!" WELP~I guess that undoubtably shut Tiana about the gimmicky restaurant name: Typical BH personality! I just began glaring at Tiana while Tiana began ignoring me and refrained looking at me directly. So lovely . . . LOL! BTW: The owner's Bali Cuisine is off da hook and absolutely delicious, Bay-Bee! I'll be returning eating at Bali's Kitchen soon!
How this place got all these stars!! Food from hell! Not even authentic Indonesian everything is boiled with sauces on the side. satay too !! Boiled chicken cut into pieces is their satay with tons of peanut sauce on top !! What a disappointment! .
The service was very welcoming and observant. The bill was appropriate. Menu is like a cafe in Indianapolis I liked.
We ordered the Cap Cay (beef, chicken, and shrimp with Chef's special ginger sauce and fresh veggies served with a side of rice to soak up the yummy sauce) and the lumpia's (3 in an order). The Cap Cay was filling for both of us and we found the veggies to be extremely fresh and properly cooked. The sauce has a good pepper flavor to it and is light. The lumpia's - we both agreed - were the best lumpia's we've ever had. They were wider and had more to them than the skinny lumpia's we've had at other places. Dined on covered picnic tables on the restaurant's side patio. Accepting cash only right now. We are definitely coming back!