Common Grounds Ground Zero — Restaurant in Jakarta

Terrible Experience – Won’t Be Coming Back! I visited this café with my husband this morning (Thursday, Sept 25 around 9 AM). As soon as we arrived, the staff told us that food orders would take about 40 minutes because they were preparing for a group of 60 people. The café itself was nearly empty at the time, but I tried to be understanding and decided to order just pastries and coffee since those were said to be available immediately. When my drink came, it was completely wrong. I ordered a hot cappuccino but was served an iced latte instead. When I pointed this out, the waitress casually said that here “latte and cappuccino are the same” – which is simply not true. I literally showed her the menu that listed both drinks as separate items. Not only that, I asked for hot, not iced. She eventually replaced it, but the whole response was careless and unprofessional. Things got even worse with the pastries. After waiting more than half an hour (for something that was supposed to be “immediate”), nothing had arrived. When I asked, the waiter checked and said my order was only entered 6 minutes ago! No apology, nothing – as if the mistake was mine. I was furious and even asked them to check their CCTV if they didn’t believe me. Even after my complaint, none of the staff sincerely apologized. Instead, their attitude was dismissive and their facial expressions downright rude and challenging. When I asked for the manager, I was told the manager doesn’t work on Thursdays. They gave me a phone number, but I doubt it was even correct because I couldn’t reach anyone. Yes, in the end they didn’t charge us for the coffee, but that’s not the point. This isn’t about money – it’s about service and attitude. In the hospitality business, mistakes can happen, but at the very least, a genuine apology and respectful attitude are the basics. This place failed on both. Absolutely...

We visited Astha8 and decided to have late breakfast at this fancy cafe. We ordered their new special drink i.e. the Dirty Pistachio Matcha and a slice of Ube Basque Cheesecake. Both the drink and cake are super nice, and we love them. It is really quality you expect from international quality cafe and premium location like Ashta8.

The menu is extensive and shows many favorite international cafe-style dishes. Prices on the menu are premium, but expected to the premium location, ingredients and quality of dishes / drinks. The cafe's ambience is nice since it shows new, modern decoration. However, the place is always jam-packed with customers (even at 11am before busy lunch time) so it is not ideal if you need place for quiet and peaceful chat. The staff customer services are top-notch but it is expected from the premium prices charged. All in all, this place is a rival to the Union Bistro / Cafe as top notch cafe in premium mall locations across Jakarta. You can pay with credit / debit cards...

As a tourist wrapping up my trip in Jakarta, I chose Common Ground, located conveniently under my hotel, for my final breakfast this morning (July 27, 2025). We ordered two dishes and two drinks, expecting a pleasant end to our stay. However, after waiting 45 minutes, we received only our drinks and one dish. When I asked the staff about the missing dish, they casually informed me that only one dish was placed in the order, despite us clearly ordering two. This was incredibly frustrating and unacceptable. Waiting 44 minutes for a single dish was already ridiculous for a tourist on a tight schedule, and the mix-up forced me to go buy bread elsewhere to fill the gap. As a visitor hoping to enjoy my last meal in Jakarta, this experience was a huge disappointment. Common Ground’s lack of attention to detail and slow service left a sour note on my trip. I expected much better from such a well-located spot.

And the food not worn that...