Indian restaurant near Dongmyo Toy Alley for blueberry lassi: Namaste

Dongmyo Toy Alley is super hot right now thanks to malangi and wakppu (squishy toy figures)!! I fell for the charm of these toys a little late myself, and while I was near the toy alley by Dongmyo Station I ended up tasting some proper authentic Indian curry 🩷 Turns out there's a place there that's made the Blue Ribbon Survey for nine years straight!!! I was so pleasantly surprised — let me tell you about Namaste Dongmyo Branch.

Where is Namaste Dongmyo Branch, and what are its hours?

Namaste Dongmyo Branch is on the 2nd floor of 18 Jibong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, just 29m from Exit 5 of Dongmyo Station (Line 6). It's open every day from 11:00 to 22:00, with last order at 21:00.

• Location: 2nd floor, 18 Jibong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (right outside Dongmyo Station Exit 5)
• Store features: Blue Ribbon / Red Ribbon listed restaurant, corkage free, clean and ethnic interior
• Hours: 11:00–22:00 daily (last order 21:00)
• Free parking, takeout, Wi-Fi, easy payment, reservations available

Being right outside the station made it super easy to find. The entrance already had that authentic local vibe while still being kept neat and tidy — perfectly fine for a date with my boyfriend! The inside felt like something out of Arabian Nights haha.

What's on the menu at Namaste Dongmyo Branch?

Namaste Dongmyo Branch has a wide range of curry dishes — tandoori chicken, samosa, lassi, momo (dumplings), and even milk tea, so many options!!

I love palak paneer (spinach curry with cheese) so next time I'm going back to try more curry varieties :)

And for drinks, besides soju and beer they had Johnnie Walker and even Jack Daniel's Blue Label haha. Got a feeling the owner might be quite the drinker 😆

What comes in the 50,000 won couple set?

The Namaste Dongmyo Branch couple set is ₩50,000, and it's a solid way to taste a variety of Indian and Nepalese dishes in one sitting! The owner brought out food that filled the whole table — the portions were massive 👍

• Includes: samosa (2pcs), chicken tikka (4pcs), shrimp chili, chicken makhani, vegetable curry (Mix Veg), plain rice, garlic naan, drink (choice of lassi/tea/yogurt)

Samosa, chicken tikka and shrimp chili

We started the meal with samosa — crispy outside, hearty filling inside! The smoky chicken tikka paired with the sweet-and-spicy shrimp chili really brought out the textures.

Chicken makhani and vegetable curry

The soft, nutty buttery chicken makhani curry paired wonderfully with the light, clean vegetable curry. My boyfriend said it was the best Indian curry restaurant he's ever tried haha. The vegetable curry felt a bit adapted to Korean tastes, and the chicken makhani was nutty, sweet, and smooth — top notch :) The chicken chunks in it were tender and delicious too.

Garlic naan, plain rice and blueberry lassi

The nutty flavor of the garlic naan, baked fresh in the tandoor oven, paired perfectly with the curry. It was thin, crispy, yet soft — I loved the texture :) The blueberry lassi I chose as my drink was sweet and refreshing, the perfect way to finish the meal cleanly.

Is Namaste Dongmyo worth it for a toy alley date?

After visiting Namaste Dongmyo Branch, I understood exactly why it's made the Blue Ribbon list for nine years running — the taste and service both proved it! And with such generous portions, I thought I was going to burst 😆 The spices aren't too overpowering, so even people new to Indian food can enjoy it without worry. Strongly recommend it if you're looking for a date spot at Dongmyo Toy Alley or a hearty couple meal 🩷