Hapjeong Indian lunch of butter chicken and chickpea masala: Mandala

A weekday after Chuseok: craving Indian curry in Hapjeong

Mandala Indian Lounge is a traditional Indian restaurant we stumbled on while trying to figure out lunch during a quiet weekday outing to Hongdae, right after the Chuseok holiday wrapped up. It had been a while since we'd been out in Hongdae, and suddenly I was craving Indian curry, hard.

My wife and I agreed instantly — traditional Indian curry, for the first time in ages. We quickly searched Mandala Indian Lounge, which was right in front of us, and the reviews looked great, so we walked straight in.

How much is the weekday lunch set at Mandala Indian Lounge?

The weekday lunch set at Mandala Indian Lounge is ₩12,000, and choosing one of butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, or chickpea masala comes with plain naan and rice. It's only available on weekdays, and the value felt really good.

Beyond the lunch set, there are set menus for two to four people, appetizers, side dishes, and tandoori chicken, and vegan options are marked separately. My wife and I each ordered a lunch set — one butter chicken, one chickpea masala (both with plain naan) — plus one plain lassi and one mango lassi.

Mandala Indian Lounge location, hours and atmosphere

Mandala Indian Lounge is 268m from Exit 3 of Hapjeong Station, open 12:00 – 23:00. While most Indian restaurants tend to be a bit dim, this place has floor-to-ceiling windows that make it bright and clean.

Fitting Hongdae's character, apparently a lot of foreigners come by at night, and parties happen to match the vibe. Looking around, the table layout seemed spacious enough to dance in too.

Mandala Indian Lounge menu and prices

Set menus

• Couple set ₩41,000: tandoori chicken (half) + samosa (2 pieces) + 1 curry + plain naan + rice + 2 lassi
• Set for three ₩62,000: tandoori chicken (half), green vegetable salad, 2 curries, plain naan, rice, 3 lassi/drinks
• Family set for four ₩89,000: tandoori chicken (half), samosa (2 pieces), 1 salad, 2 curries, choice of 4 naans from the full menu, choice of 4 lassi/drinks from the full menu

Main curries

• Chicken curries (makhani, tikka masala, chicken spinach, karahi) ₩13,000–14,000
• Lamb curries (masala, spinach, karahi) ₩15,000–16,000
• Shrimp curries (makhani, masala, spinach, karahi) ₩15,000–16,000
• Paneer curries (housemade cheese, vegetarian) ₩14,000–15,000
• Vegetable curries (mixed vegetable, potato cauliflower, mushroom masala) ₩12,000–13,000
• Lentil/bean curries (chickpea masala, fried lentil, dal makhani) ₩12,000–13,000

Tandoori chicken, appetizers and salads

• Tandoori chicken half ₩12,000 / whole ₩22,000
• Chicken tikka/garlic tikka (skewers) ₩16,000
• Samosa (2 pieces) ₩6,000
• Fried onions ₩10,000
• Indian fried snacks ₩14,000
• Chicken drumsticks ₩12,000
• Cauliflower wings ₩12,000
• Chicken tikka salad ₩12,000
• Shrimp salad ₩14,000
• Cheese nachos ₩10,000

Clay-oven naan and rice

• Plain naan ₩3,000
• Butter/garlic/honey naan ₩3,500
• Butter garlic naan ₩4,000
• Cheese naan ₩6,000
• Turmeric rice ₩3,000
• Plain rice ₩2,000
• Authentic Indian fried rice (biryani) ₩16,000

Lassi, beer and other drinks

• Plain lassi ₩4,000
• Mango/strawberry/blueberry lassi ₩5,000
• Chai tea (Indian masala chai) ₩4,000
• Soft drinks ₩3,000
• Kingfisher (Indian beer) ₩8,000

I was surprised at how long the alcohol list was — cocktails, whiskey, wine and more — apparently a lot of foreigners come by at night more than you'd expect.

How did the butter chicken and chickpea masala lunch set taste?

For the weekday lunch set at Mandala Indian Lounge, my wife ordered butter chicken and I got the chickpea curry, and it was nice getting to enjoy authentic Indian curry unhurriedly on a weekday afternoon. Choosing one of the three curries gets you plain naan and rice for ₩12,000.

There's something special about eating Indian curry after a long time away from it. Unlike Japanese- or Korean-style curry, the distinctive spices soaked into the curry really pair well with naan baked in a clay oven.

The lunch set also comes with rice, so we got to alternate between naan and rice, which was great. I could hear what sounded like Hindi from the kitchen — it seemed like someone actually from India was cooking and baking the naan themselves.

The pickled onions and pickles that came as side dishes were tangier and tastier than expected, and went really well with the meal. I wondered if they were housemade.

The plain and mango lassi we had alongside were also refreshing and smooth, and they matched the curry perfectly.

A light Indian lunch now, a bigger dinner next time

Curry, naan, and lassi in their most basic form at Mandala Indian Lounge just put us in a good mood. Since it was a light lunch after the holidays, I'm thinking next time we should come back for a heartier dinner.

Mandala Indian Lounge turns out to be famous not just as a curry spot in Hapjeong-dong but also as a hot spot in the neighborhood. Beyond the curries and biryani made from authentic Indian recipes with fresh ingredients and spices, and the great-value set menus, the vibe apparently transforms completely in the evening and at night into a stylish, hip space where parties happen.

If you're looking for good Indian curry near Hongdae, especially around Hapjeong Station, I'd recommend Mandala Indian Lounge. I went for lunch, but it's apparently well known at night too for its hip, exotic Hongdae atmosphere. A solid pick for both a Hapjeong curry spot and a hip Hongdae date course.