The Forge Bali — Restaurant in Bali

⚠️ Very bad experience at The Forge, Seminyak ⚠️

My wife and I are regular customers of this bar (we order food almost daily and visit at least once a week). But on the night of August 26–27, 2025, a shocking incident occurred that cannot be ignored.

After dinner (wagyu steak and cocktails), we tried to pay the bill: • We usually pay via transfer to BCA (Millie Utama Sakti PT). • This time, OCBC Bank had a system failure: the transfer didn’t go through, and QRIS got stuck with the status Transaction in Progress. The money was in the account, the transaction was recorded, but the payment was not confirmed. I was sent with a security guard to withdraw cash from an ATM, while my wife was held in the bar. Three different ATMs were out of service, proving there was indeed a failure in the Indonesian bank OCBC.

We offered different solutions, showed our KITAS and BPJS, and proved that we are not “fraudulent tourists.” But the manager Subi (wearing glasses) behaved extremely rudely and unprofessionally: • demanded that we leave a mobile phone or original passport (!) as collateral — which is against the law (a passport cannot legally be handed to third parties, and a phone or Apple Watch worth 12 million IDR is not an appropriate “collateral”), • refused to call the police, even though I asked for it, • effectively detained us in the bar with security for almost 3 hours, not allowing us to leave and even forbidding us from ordering drinks, • eventually threw a rude remark at us, saying we would be “sleeping in the bar.”

The situation was only resolved thanks to the cash my wife managed to bring from home.

❗ This behavior amounts to unlawful detainment of a customer and a serious violation of consumer rights.

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Food quality and service

We had long noticed inconsistency in the kitchen: • steaks of the same dish vary in quality, • once a pizza was served reheated and replaced only after a complaint, • the taste depends heavily on the chef’s mood.

For a venue with such a markup (20% on top: 11% tax + 9% service charge), this is absolutely unacceptable.

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Service charge (biaya layanan)

Regarding the 9% service charge: • Even for takeaway orders, the bill still includes this fee, although there is no table service at all. • According to Peraturan Menteri Ketenagakerjaan No. 7 Tahun 2016, a service charge is only mandatory for hotels and restaurants inside hotels. For regular restaurants and takeaway, it is not required. • If the bar wants to charge for packaging, it should be clearly called a packaging fee, not “service.”

I explicitly wrote:

Saya melihat ada biaya layanan (service charge) di dalam tagihan. Karena saya pesan untuk dibawa pulang (takeaway) dan tidak ada layanan meja, saya mohon biaya layanan dihapus dari tagihan. Setahu saya, berdasarkan Peraturan Menteri Ketenagakerjaan No. 7 Tahun 2016, service charge hanya berlaku untuk hotel dan restoran di dalam hotel. Untuk restoran biasa atau pesanan takeaway, tidak wajib dikenakan.

The bar’s response was evasive: “we prepare the food, that is the service.” This is manipulation, not a fair explanation.

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Conclusion • Manager Subi engaged in rude, humiliating, and unlawful behavior. • The 9% service charge is an abuse and a violation of transparency. • The kitchen quality is inconsistent and does not match the price level.

My wife and I intend to file complaints with consumer protection bodies and government institutions through LAPOR!, as well as other relevant authorities.

The Forge risks losing loyal guests and its reputation due to such treatment of...

I went to the forge last night was a bit bad experience than before i have come there a few times with my friends is was good place and good atmosphere..I was expecting to come there have late dinner and drink cocktails and enjoying the night but unfortunately staff there especially girls not really served me I come there on my own dating myself was ask for sitting in the small couch she just answer ya can while look unsure of me not really friendly and help me and I sitting there look the menu i know was a bit busy but they have huge waitress around and have standing in the section, when I sitting there and have some waitres behind me even she look like not care or say something Than some man a bit older notice i was sitting there and look menu after a few minutes he come to me to make sure and ask what i wanna order I ordered 2 plates of meal and 2 cocktails Some waiters stand on section and walking around front of me coz have guests come front my tables she just take menu from my table even not say any word or excuse to me just take she also was wanna take something in the table but not saying anything so rude and weird. some food runner served my food was nice to me and I ask some fork coz the waitress not really check on the table i don't mind all people deserve i have spent money there don't be racism and judge coz im local but I'm not from bali So was bad experience at the night make me not feel good not enjoying. There have two of foreign staff he was smiling after bring guest and other man staff foreign was noticed me coz my food he was ask come to me to check is everything ok and i said ya all good he was offered me may i wanna take away that food so i said ya why not just one plate take away and I talking a bit with him what i have feel. I appreciate it what he do to me still have some who notice me.in F&B not only just put the food and drink SOP is number one for make the business going well.so I have guess better with a foreign man to come there they will really serve good that my experience i have come before with my...

Ladies and Gentlemen, when you wake up and think where could I get a breakfast so good that you will be photographing it like a super model, you must go directly to the The Forge and order the full breakfast Skillet. I have been back twice this visit. Keep up the hard work, excellent food, great service.

(This review has been updated 3 times) I increased the stars to 5 because it is worth it.

First Two experiences

Take away breakfast skillet is seriously outstanding. Well packaged, it holds the heat too. Couldn't fault it, sausage was really good. Delightful hash brown, beans, egg, bacon, mushroom and toasted bread. Portion size, spot on. 5 stars

The second experience not so good. Good sports pub and food was OK. Could be excellent but that lazy mentality is creeping in.

For example....I would like that drink please, NO KOSON, no problem I will have that one, NO KOSON. I really hate that. Just print a list of what you have.

We had been told, go here for a great roast dinner. All 4 guests had roast beef, because they didn't have anything elseb fortunately we all like roast beef.

When the food arrived one plate had a tiny gravy boat/individual gravy boat when we asked for ours they said that will be extra. Like ordering a sandwich and getting two slices of bread and charged extra for filling.

Beef was excellent, Cauliflower cheese was good but when they bought one more tiny gravy boat to share between the three of us it was watery gravy. It didn't improve the meal.

Sweet course, disappointing, carrot cake was OK if you where hungry but not good enough as a sweet. The cheesecake look amazing, but after I tried it was also at best OK.The fruit topping disgustingly sweet, more like a jam than fruit.

I liked the overall design of the pub, toilets good, service good. Missing items from drinks menu and a lost love for food in a sports bar come gastro pub.

3 stars is as good as it gets.

So quality varies,...