The Island Grill & Lounge — Restaurant in Kuta

On the last day of our trip, we stumbled upon The Island Grill & Lounge, and what a fortunate find it was! Coincidentally, they were celebrating their 2nd anniversary, which added an extra layer of excitement to our visit. The staff were incredibly friendly, treating each other like family, and they extended that warmth to us as well.

The evening was made even more special when the staff invited their boss to give a short speech. Though unprepared, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude for everyone’s support and was thankful to have reopened after the COVID lockdown. It was touching to see him personally checking on each table to ensure everyone was enjoying their meals. It truly felt like a family gathering rather than just a restaurant visit.

Adding to the atmosphere was a live performance by a talented singer and guitarist. We ordered a couple of songs, and they delivered them beautifully. To our surprise, they invited us on stage to join in the singing, and we celebrated with the staff, extending our congratulations for their anniversary. We arrived near closing time, but the staff were in high spirits, having a celebration party towards the end of work, which we were delighted to be a part of . It was an amazing experience that we won't soon forget.

As for the food, it was absolutely top-notch. Everything we ordered was delicious, and my wife particularly loved the beef rendang, which happened to be the boss's favourite dish too. The tiramisu was creamy and delightful, and the lychee iced tea, complete with real lychee, was a refreshing treat. We appreciated that they offered the syrup separately for those with dietary requirements, a thoughtful touch. The overall cost came to around 410k for two non-alcoholic drinks each, two mains with sides, vegetables, sauces, and a single dessert—very reasonable for the quality and experience.

If we ever return to Bali, there's no doubt we'll visit The Island Grill & Lounge again. A solid...

So, picture this: you’ve just hiked up what feels like Mount Everest’s tropical cousin to get that perfect Nusa Penida Instagram shot. You’re sweaty, sunburned, and your legs are questioning your life choices. Enter Urban Cafe—an oasis in the middle of “how did I get here” island.

First off, the coffee. I swear, one sip and I felt like I could climb another hill (but, let’s be real, I just sat there for an hour admiring the menu). Smooth, rich, and strong enough to revive your soul after a day of touristy over-exertion. The smoothies? Let’s just say they’re so refreshing you’ll briefly consider moving to Nusa Penida just for them. I had the “Island Dream,” and honestly, it tasted like sunshine in a glass. I almost forgave the stairs. Almost.

Now, the food—delicious, but also dangerous. Why dangerous? Because one bite into their burger and you’ll think, “Why am I not eating this every day?” (which might lead you to book an extended stay on the island). The nasi goreng was so good it had me contemplating sending a love letter to the chef.

The staff? Super friendly. They’re basically like your island tour guides, but for food—very knowledgeable, and they’ll even laugh at your “I’m lost in Nusa Penida” jokes. I think they might just be the nicest people on Earth (or maybe I was delirious from too much sun).

The best part? The atmosphere. The laid-back island vibe paired with trendy cafe decor makes it the perfect place to either chill for hours or recover from the 800 stairs you climbed to see that Insta-famous cliff. Pro tip: plan your next adventure from their comfy chairs, because you’ll need a good strategy after the food coma sets in.

So if you’re in Nusa Penida and you’re human (or even mildly resemble one), make Urban Cafe your go-to. It’s the kind of place that turns your “why did I do this?” moments into “I need to do...

I wanted to try this recently opened Balkan Grill, as I have great memories of Balkan food when living in Germany. Ordering a glass of wine was not possible, don’t serve wine by glass. Wanted a Hatten, locally produced wine by bottle, sorry no wine, asked for what cocktail drink can I get, sorry no cocktails, just beers. Larger selection of alcoholic beverages would be great.

On owner’s suggestion we ordered mixed starter, the wrap was great, rest of the appetizers on piece of bread didn’t have enough topping, so much bread was left behind with some untouched appetizers. More topping would be advisable, otherwise it is just too much bread. The cook should be more generous with toppings.

Meat ball soup didn’t have much taste, was just ok and the highly receomeded cevebcci was disappointing. My friend had just one piece, left four on the plate, so we took the rest home, but the staff / girl, didn’t give us any condiments to go with the meat, which one must have. Not sure if she understands the meals they serve, or she forgot. I had the cevebcci for dinner last night, not tasty, found some stringy meat inside, that could not be eaten, one can buy cevebcci at Pepito in Tuban and it is good. Quality of cevebcci could be much better and taste as well.

As it is a Grill place, at one point, there was a lot of smoke from the grill located not so coviniently next to tables, so one will breath the unhealthy toxin air. Problem for me with my lungs issue, maybe not for others.

The owner is a very sociable fellow, pleasant and staff were also very nice, so we lelt a generous tip for all. I trust this will be received as a feed back for improvements, by no mean should this be read...