# Tikka masala and cauliflower curry at Mandala, a Hapjeong Indian spot - By Taeyang Moon (https://superchart.com/en/@seongbuk-quiet-tray-2/) - Written Sep 16, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This story was written as part of a paid store visit sponsorship. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seongbuk-quiet-tray-2/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seongbuk-quiet-tray-2/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/index.md) ## In short Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant on the third floor of a building near Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. Chicken tikka masala costs 13,000 won and potato cauliflower curry 12,000 won, and both came with turmeric rice (3,000 won) and garlic naan (3,500 won) — thinner and milder than the thick Korean-style curry most people here know, which felt unfamiliar but fun. If you like heavy, creamy curry it may not click, but Mandala Indian Lounge is a solid pick for curry closer to the real thing. ## Good to know - **Address**: 26 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, 3rd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul - **Hours**: Daily 12:00–23:00, break time from 15:00 - **Closed**: Tuesdays - **Chicken tikka masala**: 13,000 won - **Potato cauliflower curry**: 12,000 won - **Turmeric rice**: 3,000 won - **Garlic naan**: 3,500 won - **Corkage**: Allowed (fee applies) - **Parking**: Not available - **Review event**: Free naan for a review *as written by the visitor on Sep 16, 2026* ## What kind of place is Mandala Indian Lounge? Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant on the 3rd floor at 26 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, near Hapjeong Station. It's open daily 12:00–23:00 with a break time from 15:00, and closed every Tuesday. Corkage is available for a fee, but there's no parking. ![Exterior and entrance of Mandala Indian Lounge in Hapjeong](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-01-17xva-900.webp) ![Sign directing to the 3rd floor of Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-02-xsomc-900.webp) Mandala Indian Lounge sits near Hapjeong Station, and I've always liked Indian curry, so I went looking for something a bit special in the area. Mandala is an Indian food specialist that cooks curries and tandoori dishes to order, based on authentic Indian recipes. ![Bright dining hall interior at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-03-1eael-900.webp) ![Table seating at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-04-q3a3w-900.webp) ![Clean interior design at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-05-t5mps-900.webp) ![Overall view of the interior at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-06-yak3s-900.webp) ### What does the interior feel like? The interior is bright and clean overall. When I first walked in, I honestly didn't think it looked like an Indian restaurant at all, haha! ![Menu board at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-07-1co13-900.webp) ![Curry menu page at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-08-1b2sw-900.webp) ![Tandoori and side dish menu at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-09-1xgx0-900.webp) ![Naan and rice menu board at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-10-1f3ww-900.webp) ![Drinks menu at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-11-o11vu-900.webp) ## Menu, break time and what to check before you go Mandala Indian Lounge sells not just curry but also tandoori chicken, fried rice, and salads. When I checked, some prices shown on Naver Map didn't match the actual menu board — I guess it just hasn't been updated yet! Also, definitely check the break time before you go! Naver didn't show any break-time info, but when I visited, there was a break time starting at 3pm. If you're planning to visit after lunch hours, it's worth calling ahead so you don't make a wasted trip. ![Full curry spread on the table at Mandala Indian Lounge](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-12-1nbt4-1200.webp) ![Ordered curries and sides on the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-13-r3lv5-900.webp) ## How do the chicken tikka masala and potato cauliflower curry taste? I picked two dishes at Mandala Indian Lounge: chicken tikka masala and potato cauliflower curry. This place felt a bit different from a typical Korean-style Indian restaurant. What stood out most was that an Indian chef cooks the food himself! Maybe that's why the food tasted a little different from the Indian curry I was used to eating in Korea. - Chicken Tikka Masala - Potato Cauliflower Curry ![A bowl of chicken tikka masala](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-14-ns1ck-900.webp) ### Chicken tikka masala, 13,000 won A soft, definitely spice-forward chicken tikka masala. The Indian curry commonly found in Korea tends to have a thicker, richer sauce, but Mandala's curry was relatively thin and smooth in texture, which felt a bit unfamiliar at first. But as I kept eating, this actually started to feel like the restaurant's own character. ![A bowl of potato cauliflower curry](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-15-1t3fp-900.webp) ### Potato cauliflower curry, 12,000 won With potato and cauliflower, this dish was light with a subtle rise of spice. Personally, I felt the vegetable flavors came through more clearly than in the chicken tikka masala, and the seasoning was milder too! That said, both dishes tasted and felt different in thickness from the Indian curry commonly eaten in Korea, so if you're used to thick, rich Korean-style curry, it might feel unfamiliar at first. But flip that around, and it could be a fun choice for anyone who wants to try Indian food closer to the real thing, haha. ![Fluffy turmeric rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-16-yn1sh-900.webp) ## Turmeric rice or garlic naan: which side to order ### Turmeric rice, 3,000 won Turmeric rice that pairs well with curry. Made with the fluffy, separate-grain rice typical of the Middle East. ![Garlic naan with a subtle garlic aroma](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-17-vqikr-900.webp) ### Garlic naan, 3,500 won Naan with a subtle garlic aroma. It's chewy and pairs really well with curry. It cools down fast, so I'd recommend eating it right away while it's warm! ![Naan received through the review event](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-18-btb2n-900.webp) You can get a free naan through a review event. Definitely do it, haha! ![Finishing the meal with curry and naan](https://img.superchart.com/images/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry-19-11n05-900.webp) ## Who will enjoy Mandala Indian Lounge? Mandala Indian Lounge suits anyone who wants to try Indian food that's closer to local style than the Indian curry Koreans are typically used to. Having an Indian chef cook in person set it apart from other Indian restaurants, and I liked getting to try a curry that tasted different from what I was used to. If you're tired of the usual pasta or brunch spots around Hapjeong and want a different kind of date restaurant, something exotic, or an Indian curry place that feels close to the real thing, give it a try! ## Where it is - Mandala Indian Lounge (만다라 인도 라운지) - 26 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, 3rd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 마포구 독막로3길 26 3층 - 37.549399, 126.9171861 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%A7%8C%EB%8B%A4%EB%9D%BC%20%EC%9D%B8%EB%8F%84%20%EB%9D%BC%EC%9A%B4%EC%A7%80/@37.549399,126.9171861,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seongbuk-quiet-tray-2/mandara-indian-lounge-hapjeong-authentic-curry/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt