Lava Gastrobar & Grill — Restaurant in Denpasar Selatan

Being in the business I would appreciate an honest review myself. So this is just that.

This place is really a fish restaurant but we went for their breakfast offer. The restaurant is quite big with mostly covered open air spaces and it has a nice ambience. They have a great playroom for kids and show movies at night. I reckon a heaven and haven for families with kids. We found the staff very attentive and polite too.

To the food then. We started out ordering the big breakfast and the shakshuka. The menu doesn't disclose what a big breakfast includes, so we had to ask about that. They serve a complementary cafe Americano or orange juice and we went with the juice. We also ordered a flat white and a hot mint tea. The drinks came quite fast and the orange juice was freshly squeezed and lovely. I would have wanted it with ice, but we weren't asked. The flat white was really smooth and rounded, but it was unfortunately a bit too cold. The mint tea was made fresh, which is appreciated. However, the amount of mint leaves wasn't enough to complement the rest of the drink. But a nice effort indeed. On a side note it came with a plastic straw, which is not entirely appropriate for a hot drink. Then the food arrived. The shakshuka was nice and reminded me of the best tomato sauces I have had in Italy, in fact it would be a killer in a pasta dish. The thing is, shakshuka needs to have a punch of heat and this one did not. Maybe they forgot the chili? The big breakfast was ordered with sunny side runny eggs, but came in very hard. It came with chopped tomatoes and slices of cucumber as well as a small salad. We would have liked the tomatoes an the cucumbers to have joined the salad with a nice dressing as they looked very lonely on the plate. The bacon was fine and the chicken sausage was average, although we would have preferred a pork or beef based one.

We wanted to try some more and also ordered the homemade cottage cheese pancakes with farm sour cream as well as the crepes with baked milk (we believe it was crepes made with milk). The cottage cheese pancakes arrived and they looked more like muffins than pancakes. They were slighty burned and quite frankly the cheese made them very dry inside. The sour cream looked was really cottage cheese and also to the dry side. The milk crepes were a bit too thick to call crepes, I would just call them regular pancakes and they were ok, but not spectacular. Both dishes came with a nice tasting strawberry marmelade though. Upon mentioning the cottage cheese situation the staff took it off the bill and served us a piece if carrot cake. Very good service.

The bathrooms are clean and you reach them in the back by going through what looks like a former concert hall designed to resemble the arrival hall of an airport.

The place has a lot of potential and it's apparent they have just started, but we believe they will get it...

Had such a memorable night at Lava! The atmosphere was intimate and inviting, with really cozy lighting that made the wooden interiors feel warm. There was even a life-size tree set amongst the outdoor tables, an impressive centerpiece for an already well-designed space. We were welcomed with a round of refreshing Whiskey Naked Colas, topped with grated Tonka beans and a cola gummy garnish—so charming! The bar had so many mouth-watering signature cocktails, and we were far from disappointed by the Dreamer, a gin-based tropical cocktail that went down incredibly fresh and smooth. ✨✨

Our multi-course meal started with what turned out to be a favorite of the night, the beef tartare paired with crispy buckwheat, so light and full of flavor. Our other appetizer, chicken liver pâté, came with perfectly buttered bread that was exquisitely soft. The ribeye steak’s black pepper sauce had such a kick that it cut through the succulent meat without having to overload each bite, and the assorted fermented vegetables paired just as perfectly. The tenderloin, a rich, thick cut that gained a lot of flavor from the light char on the outside, highlighted what was so special about this restaurant’s fire-grilled cuisine prepared on volcanic stones.

Dessert was just as satisfying, the LaVa Choux unexpectedly light and the Dark Ganache incredibly smoky—an acquired taste but a unique end to our meal. The service was top-notch, our server thoughtful and attentive throughout the night; it truly elevated the experience.

An excellent date night spot, classy and intimate, with a menu full of...

We had an unforgettable dining experience at Lava Gastrobar & Grill, the perfect way to end our trip to Bali with close friends we had reunited with after living in different cities.

From the moment we stepped in, we knew this wasn’t just any restaurant. Here, food is prepared not only with salt and pepper, but with a touch of peace & love, and you can feel it in every bite.

We tried a wide variety from the menu, and what truly stood out was how the ingredients came together in unexpected yet harmonious ways. The Beef Carpaccio with yuzu dressing, kemangi oil, and chili jam was a delicate mix of citrusy freshness, herbal depth, and a subtle kick. The Salmon Steak with orange-cardamom sauce brought sweet and aromatic notes that elevated the dish beyond the usual. The Mushroom Risotto, enriched with miso-cream, truffle oil, and stracciatella, was both earthy and umami-packed with a surprising creaminess that lingered beautifully.

Even the Chicken Skewers with pineapple and capsicum played with sweet and smoky tones that made them incredibly satisfying.

To close the evening, we couldn’t resist ordering every dessert, and each was a standout. The LaVa Choux balanced rich custard with tart raspberry gel and the brightness of kaffir lime. The Dark Ganache combined buckwheat, prunes, olive oil, and salt into a bold, elegant finish that was far from predictable.

Lava isn’t just a place to eat, it’s a celebration of flavours, creativity, and connection. If you’re in Bali and want a culinary experience that surprises and delights, this...