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Java Village
Categories: Restaurants Indonesian Restaurants Chinese Indonesian, Chinese [Edit]
86-10 Justice AveElmhurst, NY 11373
Neighborhood: Elmhurst
(718) 205-2166
- Nearest Transit:
-
Grand Av - Newtown (E, M, R)
Elmhurst Av (E, M, R)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for Java Village
Review Highlights
"...spicy ginger beef, chicken in coconut milk and fried shrimp."
(in 2 reviews)
"I would go just for the kale alone."
(in 5 reviews)
"...both are fritters things), tahu/tempeh buncis, ikan asin..."
(in 3 reviews)
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Eric Y.
Westbury, NY
1/30/2012 2 photos
AUTHENTIC!!! I had the Soto Betawi (Beef Soup with Coconut Milk and a whole buncha-other-spices? Haha..) and let me tell you even in Indonesia, people have problems serving a good bowl of Soto, Java Village did it REALLY well! YUM!
If only they have better parking system but oh well I was still happy anyways. Hummed myself home with a plastic bag of Bubur Sumsum dessert (Indonesian Rice Pudding)
Thumbs up!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! :) -
Review from Corinna W.
New York, NY
10/26/2011
I've never had Indonesian food (not that I know of anyway) and saw that Java Village had some good reviews from Yelp. The combo meals are a good deal considering they pile everything on and the price is cheap for what you're getting, which is delicious filling food. I had rice with 2 meats and veggies for $8 (curry chicken, curry beef, and kale). The curry was really good - one tasted better than the other but I don't remember which one, and the kale was amazing! I would go just for the kale alone.
They have a rotating buffet that you can choose from, so the food mentioned on the menu provided isn't always there. Nevertheless, Java Village is a great place to stop by for solid, cheap eats. -
Review from Julia B.
This place serves fantastic Indonesian food! You come in, go to the other end to look at the food behind the glass and choose what you want. The combos depend on the amount of meat and veggies you choose.
I went for the 3rd combo: rice + 2 meats + veggie for $8. I went with the red fish curry, chicken curry and the curried kale (singkong). The woman heaps it on! We also asked her to put sambal on the side and damn, it's tasty and spicy. Just that with rice was awesome.
We also got gado-gado on the side. Big portion! I expected it to be sized as an appetizer but nope, came on a big plate.
For snacks, I got lemper (sticky coconut rice with a chicken filling) for $2. It was seriously tasty and very authentic! I also bought to take home a small container of Kering Teri Kacang (small dried anchovies with peanuts fried in chili). Delicious! Just the way I remember having them in Indonesia.
All in all, great cheap Indonesian food! -
Review from Ghostfish Z.
New York, NY
5/31/2011
The spot aint pretty, the place is small, and the food isnt much to look at.
BUT we're not reviewing artwork, right? The food is GREAT! Lets be real, does food need to look like a cherry blossom or butterfly (i.e. French) Hell! people eat sushi..and its RAW fish and COLD RICE! (lotta work there huh) Dudes, this food is super complex to make and has multiple flavor levels with seasonings unique to Indonesia! All of it is so good...and cheap. -
Review from Alaine H.
New York, NY
1/30/2011
We just got back and our tummies are stuffed from eating all the goodies from this place. We ordered 2 rice combo dishes with perkedel, bakwan goreng (both are fritters things), tahu/tempeh buncis, ikan asin, empal, and curried kale. We also got a side order of the fried potato chips with peanuts to put on top of our rice. WOW. It tastes just like the food growing up in Jakarta! For dessert we got the es teler - so refreshing but the ice was difficult to break in it.
This eatery is like warung/canteen you would find at corporate lunch places in Jakarta. Don't go expecting a full sit-down restaurant... think: Curry Express on 29th street BUT not quite as hole-in-the-wall like Prosperity Dumpling on Eldridge street -
Review from Tyler L.
3/15/2011 1 photo
An excellent Indonesian cafe. I came here for lunch because this was the only Indonesian place in the area I had not been to. This is right next to the Chinese bakery on Justice Avenue. I believe this used to be a Chinese takeout before.
Most of the food available is visible - it's right in front of you on the steam table at the counter. They have combo plates. With a plate of rice, you have options : choose 2 veggies, 2 meats, 1 meat and 1 veggie, or more. The prices vary accordingly. You can get a meal here for only $6 or $7. I highly, highly recommend the beef rendang here! It is so soft and juicy - it was the best thing I tasted here. The chicken curry is also excellent!
The staff there were very friendly and were quick to give us suggestions on what they recommended. -
Review from Mr F G and Ms M S.
Flushing, NY
1/7/2011 3 photos
should be 3.5 stars
Food was tasty, and delicious. The guy that serving us was friendly.
One suggestion though, when buying take out, don't eat the food inside your closed room, cos the smell afterwards could linger for some time! -
Review from Ravi J.
9/11/2010
Cheap, no frills cafe serving up a limited array of Indonesian dishes.
I paid $7 for a combo of white rice plus 1 vegetable and 1 meat and a drink on the side. Can't beat the price.
Much of the food is on display in steam plates, so you can have your pick. Special dishes like chicken soup, gado gado and some of the fried items have to be specially ordered.
I stuck with the steam table, and ordered a curried chicken stew with a side of curried bitter greens. What a fantastic combo. The chicken stew was slow cooked white meat, shredded and infused with a sweet coconut broth, chili, and a fragrant spice mix of what tasted like bay leaves and maybe nutmeg (?). I don't know; but what I do know is that my mouth was happy.
The bitter greens were the real reason that I came back to Java Village, having tried them for the first time at the first annual Asian Feastival in Flushing. They were just as good as the Feastival -- a nice delicate mix of greens and tumeric-stained curry sauce.
Java Village sure doesn't look promising from the outside, but don't judge a book by its cover. The kitchen can dish up some great combos. I've only scratched the surface. -
Review from Food F.
New York, NY
11/10/2011
Food is good, Owner is highly unbearable. Not returning.
Passed by this small restaurant after crossing the Boulevard of Death. Naturally, a nice meal would be appropriate after emerging unscathed. There was only one other person in there at the time. She had ordered a lunch special and mentioned it was a favorite, but the clock was already 7 minutes past the daily deadline. She paid for her food, told me to enjoy, and departed. That left only the half Indonesian/half Taiwanese owner up front and a lady cook in the kitchen.
The menu and the steam table had many choices. Owner asked for a decision. More time was needed. He offered to make recommendations. He grabbed a plate, put a scoop of rice on it and started scooping up beef, chicken, fish and kale. Stop! Although the food is not expensive, it seemed he was trying to run up the bill. Many reviewers also said they are generous with portions from the steam table, however, that was not the case today. Owner must have thought he was serving Ally McBeal with the miniscule portions he handed out. The plate had the scoop of rice, two smallish chunks of curried chicken breast, and a small scoop of beef. He was nice enough to add some sambal on top of the rice though. Worst looking plate I have ever seen, only because the plate was a third empty. Shamefully small portions indeed. To compensate for the small portion, spicy noodle soup had to be ordered. Owner insisted the chicken noodle soup was better, or was it only because it cost a dollar more than the spicy noodle soup? Seemed like he was running up the bill again.
Despite the small portions on the combo plate, the taste of the food was still enjoyable. Chicken was dry, but the beef and rice were good. The sambal was also very delicious. The spicy noodle soup came out. Asked him for more sambal for the noodle soup. He went to the kitchen and got a ramekin of pureed raw chile peppers and said, "It is very hot." That is not sambal. Maybe he misunderstood. Explained to him that it was the red hot sauce he put on the rice earlier. He just shook his head. The sambal was contained in a clear jar right next to the rice cooker. Gave him a look of disbelief, sat down and continued eating the noodle soup.
Another patron came in and ordered a combo plate. He asked her if she wanted hot sauce, and she said yes. That was the moment to finally get some more sambal with the noodle soup. Approached him again and asked for more sambal, the same sambal that was just offered to the lady. He stated that it was coconut. Coconut?! Then he said it was a curry, not sambal. Owner likes to act dumb apparently or he is just very stingy with hot sauce. Completely in disbelief, finished up my soup, he came by and placed a check down. This is where it gets strange.
This place does not have waiters, and ordering and getting the food had to be done by the patrons at the front counter. There is no tea or water offered. All the patrons in there at the time had paid for the food up front when it was ordered and left no tip on their table when they were done. Basically there is no waiter service whatsoever. That is why it was unusual for him to place a check down on the table in one of those leather booklets. Paid with credit card, he asked for a cash tip to be placed in the booklet for him. Pointed out that tips can be added on the credit card as well. He processed the payment, and demanded a tip be written in for him before handing over the customer receipt and credit card. That is very audacious for someone who would ignore a patron's multiple pleas for extra sambal. A tip was written for him; he returned the hostage credit card and customer receipt. Very uncomfortable and annoying experience with this POS owner. Will not return. Very bad experience.
If you go - get takeout and be certain you have sufficient cash. -
Review from Phil M.
1/8/2011 7 photos
I never had Indonesian food before. I think I tried everything from goat soup, fried fish, curry flavored tofu with a brown hard boiled egg, jasmine iced-tea in a box, spicy fried chicken with tempeh and crumbs of breading of some sort? I have no clue but all I know is everything we tried was awesome. The owner was nice enough to let me try a few things and recommended dishes for us which made things a little easier to order. Everything they served was very authentic Indonesian fare. I've never seen or had anything like this before. I will be back soon.
ps - they also have great lunch specials that range from around $5! This place is a must try. -
Review from Lameya S.
Elmhurst, NY
8/20/2011
I ordered the chicken broccoli and I felt it was lacking flavor and taste, I did not enjoy my meal at all. The mango drink (which they make in front of you), tasted pretty decent although it didn't taste too different from mango juice.. meaning it wasn't anything very special. It also doesn't look very attractive inside.
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Review from Olivia M.
Elmhurst, NY
7/4/2009
After a very long walk in the city Friday....30 blocks.."my solely for me day" and losing track of time just enjoying the numerous cultural activities going on at George Washington Park.......I realized I was starving....really starving....hadn't had anything except blueberries and bananas for breakfast..;...and its already 9:00 pm... and I have my own set of rules..
.DEFINITELY NO SOLID FOODS AFTER 7:00PM.....
What do I do now!!!
I guess I have to bend my own rules a little bit.
once in awhile....it wouldn't hurt...
so as soon as I got off the subway I immediately walked to Java Village...a family-owned Indonesian eatery hoping to get just a "Green Tea Smoothie w/ grass jelly" to go or so I though....well after having a glimpse of all the delicious food I changed my mind...
I ordered the special rice combination .Nasi Jawa./...oseng buncis, bali daging,,opor ayam, udang goreng) also known as Sauteed green beans, spicy ginger beef, chicken in coconut milk and fried shrimp...all for $7:00...very tasty and delicious...YUMMY..YUMMY......for beverage I had the Soursop for $2.50....no regrets...or guilty feelings.....I think I am entitled to some kind of food indulgence once in a while.........don't you?. -
Review from Heru M.
Elmhurst, NY
10/20/2009
This Indonesian outlet on Justice avenue fills the void of cheap eats left by Kam Lun nearby, now called Golden Sparkling Market. They're aim is to price items ranging from one dollar all the way to your hearts desire.
My soto betawi was served by Ibu Linda who recommended the dish after I asked if she offered lontong or keputat (cooked rice packed firmly either in banana leaves.)
The beef broth blended with coconut milk, tripe, tender sirloin, shallots, emping (rice crackers) and bean sprouts. Very flavorful and seasoned without being too salty, the dish is filling. It even came with a side of lime wedge, extra greens and sambal. The meal ended with a can of soda totaling about 5 dollars.
Tables lined one side of the eatery and the opposite wall had a bubble tea stand, artwork and decorative panels. Another nice point is that it's open until 1am. A great alternative to diner food.
Just steps away from the Grand Ave station and Q53/58/59/60 bus stop.Listed in: Culinary epicenter is…
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Review from Mohammad R.
New York, NY
Flavorful, I might even say authentic.
First visit there we ordered Soto Ayam, Bakso and Gado Gado, they were delicious and I have to say that I might have enjoyed them more have they not being served on styrofoam plates and bowl.
We restrained to order other than those, since the food in the buffet selection appeared to have been sitting there a while. Given some Indonesian meals were prepared to last a few days. Still, they don't look appetizing to me. -
Review from Florence Y.
Brooklyn, NY
3/17/2009
So I am visiting my sister in NY..from hot hot Miami...so I treated myself to real authentic good Asian food. Got in in the morning so we headed to Java Village for breakfast. Apparently they have breakfast specials...from 9-11am. I saw lunch specials/combo posted on the door walking in.
Chicken porridge- $2.50 for a large and $1.50 for a small
We got that and an order of chicken wings. 4 pieces. Looked better than it tasted. Yummy desserts in the freezer...that I had to be say No to!
Simple decor...small mom and pop kinda place. Wide selections of cooked food and tonnes of Indonesian dishes!! Will definitely come back for the other stuff!! :)
Tip-bits:
Check out the place!! -
Review from Jared C.
6/9/2009
It is so close to the exit that you almost leave the subway directly into Java Village, a tiny family-owned Indonesian cafe in Elmhurst. The pickings can seem sparce in the freezer, refrigerator, and on the steam table, but the best thing to do is order something that will be prepared fresh from the back.
I did not catch the exact price, but I believe that a choice of three of the steam table items is $7. Our plate had bakwan (fried corn cakes), cap cay (translating exactly to 10 vegetables), and a mixture of kasava and papaya leaf. The dish has a spoon of sambal, a chili paste sauce that is the most important part of any plate.
The meal was accompanied by tempeh, a soybean cake rich in nutritional value and dubbed the "Javanese meat." I found it lacking much flavor but was assured by my Indonesian friend that they are much better when found by vendors in the street.
By far the most adventurous dish of the meal was the tahu tek tek ($6), a mix of sprouts, scrambled (and then fried) eggs, tofu and vegetables. It is all topped with a subdued but delicious peanut-based sauce that is similar to what you might find on gadu gadu. The Indonesian version of peanut sauce is not sweet at all, but contains caramelized fermented shrimp paste, chili, and garlic. It is typical of East Javanese cuisine.
While you are in the neighborhood, be sure to check out the small Indonesian grocery store around the corner at 85-12 Queens Boulevard. It is called Indo Java, and has a fun variety of dried and packaged products, as well as some freshly made baked and refrigerated goods. -
Review from H. W.
Brooklyn, NY
2/16/2011
Staff are really friendly and will patiently explain everything if you can't decide what to have. There is always an assortment of dishes in steam plates at the counter. Most people get a combo of meat and veg with rice. There are appetizers, sides and desserts that can be added on. It's simple and quick and if you don't know what you want, just have what looks good. They're open till 11pm most days for those who eat late.
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Review from Tom T.
Ridgewood, NY
1/13/2011
A great little place for lunch if you're in the area, Java Village has some tasty food. Make sure you have a lot of napkins handy if you get the bbq chicken, because it's messy and tasty. I love this place!
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Review from Jimmy w.
6/20/2010
I went to visit the dentist and found this restaurant along the way. I ordered fish, beef tendon w/ tofu, and rice. It came out to be $6.50 but the authentic taste of Indonesian cuisine was there. The beef tendon was smooth and soft to eat. It was also on the spicy side. The fish was good but not as good as the beef tendons. I would like to come back here and try it again.
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Review from Lin Y.
FOREST HILLS, NY
5/28/2011 7 photos
I used to pass by this place to go to Fay Da bakery which is close by one or two stores away. You might not even think twice about stopping off at Java Village, because from the outside you can't tell what goodness awaits you. One day instead of getting Andy's(which is across the street) 3 items and rice deal, I decided to go Indonesian. Since that fateful day, I have been to Java Village four times and many more to come. Three times take out and once I sat down to have a meal. Do not go to Java Village for ambience or decor. Do go to Java Village for the great taste of Indonesian food. On my first visit, there was this lady behind the counter stirring the food from the steam table. I looked and looked some more before I asked her what the mysterious looking food was. I have to say the food tastes much better than it looks. If you were to see the food, you might just run the other way, but give it a try. It's actually very, very good. I had white rice with the spicy chicken in coconut milk (ayam bumbu rujak) with sauteed string beans with tofu and tempeh. The chicken looks like a heaping mess, but once in the mouth, it has a complexity to it with layers of spices and flavors. Just absolutely delicious. It has a curry taste to it probably from the various blend of spices use to create this masterpiece. The string beans were chewy and had good flavor. They also have very tasty chicken wings. Their menu boasts 13 flavors, I only had it in it's original form without flavoring and it was quite good. I also had the spicy beef (daging bali). It was good too, but not as complex or good as the spicy chicken. I also tried the Giant Meat Balls soup. It definitely lived up to its name. The meat balls are huge and a quails egg sits in the middle of the meatball. You get 2 of those with a wonton, tofu and rice noodles and a clear broth. The counter top is also filled with many Indonesian snacks. They let me take as many photos as I wanted and didn't even seem to mind when I took the individual snack packages and place them on the counter to photograph. The ladies are also very friendly and helpful. They will tell you what the items are if you ask.
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Review from Clara A.
New York, NY
6/13/2010
Cheap bubble tea and good grub. Its the perfect hole-in-the-wall addition the Elmhurst's ethnic restaurant options.
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Review from Silvio L.
Rego Park, NY
2/5/2009
This place is really great! They have a small sit in area, and I noticed a lot of their dishes do not hold back on using authentic spices. I highly-highly recommend people trying the Beef Rendang!!!
They do catering as well so if you have friends that like spicey foods I would check them out. I asked about some of their dishes and they are pretty competitive on the price. Oh, I've tried one of their vegeterian dishes and I liked it too, but I'm not becoming a vegetarian anytime soon. :) -
Review from George K.
Valley Stream, NY
3/29/2009
I went there 3 times, the food was excellent. This is East Java/Surabaya style of Indonesian. Please try the Kale, Bakso Tenis (jumbo beef ball), Oseng-oseng tahu tempe, Siomay Bandung, ayam penyet and gulai kambing. (Pempek is average)
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Review from Neo G.
Queens, NY
11/27/2009
I always go for their breakfast menu which is really good and economical. Large portion fried rice @ $2.50 and other side dishes. They open early and close late. A la carte dishes are more expensive but portions are bigger too. Overall a good place to get good, cheap Indonesian meals.
