Warung Pondok Madu — Restaurant in Bali

Tempered reviews are hard to get. The majority of reviews lack experience, or consideration of expectation - let alone a clear reference point - and as such only convey extremes.. My reviews are honest and measured, not every place is a 5 (otherwise there is no "average"). I will be adding context to this review; I am from the southeastern United States where barbecue is a way of life for some people. I grew up on the crossroads between mustard and tomato based barbecues. The people in the mountains where I'm from take barbecue very seriously. Forgive me if I seen overly hypercritical in this review.

This review is for the pork ribs, fried mushrooms, and spring rolls. Our drinks were the iced purple tea and mango 🥭 mint tea. No matter where we go in Indonesia the pork ribs have always been "skinny". Occasionally to the point that I often wonder if I'm eating pork. This is not the case here. While the bone itself was skinny there were succulent portions of meat available. Someone had commented that there was insufficient barbecue sauce, this is not the case. The person is obviously not familiar with barbecued ribs, and probably ate them with a fork instead of with their fingers. I thought they had an adequate amount of sauce, and if anything from where I'm from there would have been extra sauce on the table, that is the only thing lacking from what I am used to. I found the Balinese ribs here very delicious and very fairly priced. The fried mushrooms appeared to have been dipped in a tempura batter, and were moist and yummy. Both the mushrooms and spring rolls came with a sweet and sour Indonesian sauce. All in all the meal was very good and definitely above average.

The drinks were both very good. Of special mention was the mango mint tea. Both came with a simple syrup for sweetening on the side. The mint tea was very rich and mint flavor. Highly recommended.

The meal was prepared quickly, and the staff fast and friendly. We had a pesky fly, and the waitress was fast to deliver a candle to our table. The waitress is not only courteous, but she also helped with our family photo. High mentions for our waitress, she went above and beyond, exceeding expectations. The restaurant was very clean and the staff was was punctual in clearing and cleaning the table.

I am very reserved in giving five star ratings; relative to other barbecue places, including Australia, Indonesia and the United States, this place is well worth your time to visit and has well earned this rating. We look forward to visiting again. If you are reading this review you won't be disappointed.

Unlike the other reviewer, more sauce...

I visited Warung Pondok Madu to try their famous ribs and ordered the plain BBQ ribs with three sauces: Original, Sambal Matah, and Balinese Coconut Sauce. They also brought house hot sauce and sweet soy sauce on the side, along with complimentary crackers. To drink, I tried the homemade herbal tea called Cening Jegeg (pandan leaf, lime, turmeric, and palm sugar), which they say is for skin beauty. Even though I asked for it less sweet, it still came pretty sweet—next time I’ll just order it without sugar and add my own.

At first there was a small hiccup: one rib came out with no meat on it, which I noticed right away since I have experience cooking ribs myself. It looked like the meat had been cut off rather than shrunk during cooking. I mentioned it a couple of times, and the staff were very understanding—they asked what I’d like done and quickly replaced it. Within five minutes I had the proper portion and everything was fine from there.

The sauces made the meal really stand out. The Original had a smoky, tomato-forward taste with pepper and onion notes—classic BBQ comfort. The Sambal Matah was bright, floral, and fiery with plenty of shallots. The Balinese Coconut Sauce looked like a curry, starting mild and then opening into a rich blend of spices, coconut cream, sweetness, and savory balance. This one was my favorite. The hot sauce was also unique—spicy but with extra herbal notes I couldn’t quite identify, which gave it real depth.

Overall, despite the initial hiccup, I was impressed. The ribs were tender, the sauces let me mix and match flavors, and the service was responsive. It was a fun, flavorful experience and I’d definitely...

Absolutely the worst burger I’ve ever had — in any country. The meat was gelatinous and nearly impossible to eat. Since when does a burger contain elements you literally can’t chew through? The bun was cold, the sauce was bland, and nothing about this meal brought any joy — and that’s the entire point of eating a burger.

The manager offered me a 10% discount, which frankly felt like a joke. I paid full price for something that should never have been served in the first place. I haven’t tried the other dishes here, but after this experience, I won’t be coming back.

To the chef: if you’ve run out of proper meat, don’t try to fake it. Just be honest — tell the customer that the kitchen is out. That would be more respectful than serving something like this.

And just to offer constructive feedback — not to lecture, but because this was truly disappointing — here’s a quick reminder of what makes a great burger: The meat – It’s the heart of it all. Use good quality beef, season simply with salt and pepper, and cook it properly. Never grill it cold straight from the fridge — let it rest to room temperature first. The bun – Always toast it. It adds texture, flavor, and warmth. The sauce – There are tons of great recipes out there. Personally, I love a classic with pickled cucumbers, some brine, finely chopped (not thick slices), and definitely not anything “locally pickled” unless it’s actually done right.

Take this experience as a lesson. To future customers: don’t order the burgers here. They clearly don’t know what...