Chicken makhani and coriander sauce at Mandala, a Hapjeong Indian spot
In short
Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant on the third floor of a building five minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. Tandoori chicken was sold out, so chicken tikka at 16,000 won went on the table instead, with chicken makhani at 13,000 won and plain naan at 4,000 won, and the coriander sauce served alongside was easy to eat even for someone who avoids coriander. The spicing at Mandala Indian Lounge stays mild enough for Korean palates, making it a dependable curry pick near Hapjeong.
Good to know
- Location
- 3rd floor, 26 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (268m from Hapjeong Station Exit 3, under a 5-minute walk)
- Parking
- No on-site parking; public parking lot recommended
- Hours
- Weekdays 12:00–23:00 (last order 22:30) / Weekends 12:00–23:30 (last order 23:00)
- Reservations
- Available through Naver
- Chicken makhani
- 13,000 won
- Chicken tikka
- 16,000 won
- Plain naan
- 4,000 won
- Review event
- Write a Naver receipt review and get one free naan: plain, butter or garlic
- Seating
- Tables for 2, 3 and 4 / bar table / waiting seats
as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026
I had plans to meet a friend in Hapjeong, so I strongly recommended my all-time favorite food, Indian curry, and we headed to Mandala Indian Lounge, an Indian restaurant near Hapjeong/Hongdae. Let's get into today's honest food review!
Where is Mandala Indian Lounge and what are its hours?
Mandala Indian Lounge is on the 3rd floor of 26 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It's 268m from Hapjeong Station Exit 3, under 5 minutes on foot. *No parking available, a public parking lot is recommended.
There's a staircase on the left side of the building — just head up to the 3rd floor. (Follow the upbeat Indian-ish music and you'll find it, haha.)
- Weekdays 12:00–23:00 (last order 22:30)
- Weekends 12:00–23:30 (last order 23:00)
- Reservations available via Naver
Inside Mandala Indian Lounge: atmosphere and seating
I figured an Indian curry place would look, well, Indian-styled inside, so I was surprised to find a clean white-and-beige interior. Seating is split into tables for 2, 3, and 4, with wide gaps between tables that made conversation easy. It seemed like a great spot for a small gathering, a blind date, or a regular date.
The shisha lounge after 9pm
A bar table stocked with cocktails, wine, and various shisha caught my eye too. Turns out Mandala Indian Lounge completely shifts the vibe after 9pm, when you can party with international friends and have a hip night out. It's not just a Hapjeong restaurant or a Hongdae-area Indian spot — it's a community space where you can connect with people from abroad. When I visited it was already evening, and there were noticeably a lot of foreign guests. I think everyone was waiting for the after-9pm hours to kick in. (This old soul chose an early exit home...)
We picked the window seat! And a camel-shaped tissue holder?! So cute...ㅠㅜ
There's also a Naver receipt review event. Leave a review and you get a free plain naan, butter naan, or garlic naan! If you visit, you have to take part, right?
The restroom is right next to the entrance. It's shared, but well maintained. There are also waiting seats set up.
Mandala Indian Lounge menu and prices
There are set menus scaled to group size, plus a wide range of à la carte options — tandoor dishes, appetizers, salads, curries, fried rice, naan and rice.
- Chicken Makhani ₩13,000
- Chicken Tikka ₩16,000
- Plain Naan ₩4,000
Chicken tikka, 16,000 won: the swap after tandoori chicken sold out
I wanted to order tandoori chicken, but they were out when I visited, so I switched to chicken tikka.
It was only meant as a substitute for tandoori chicken, but I was completely satisfied. It was boneless too, which was nice since I didn't have to pick around bones. Chicken tikka is Indian-style chicken marinated in spices and grilled. Crispy outside, juicy inside — I'd say it's not far off from Korean fried chicken in feel. The spices weren't overpowering, so it passes the Korean-palate test..!!
The coriander sauce that worked even for a coriander avoider
It comes with both a hot sauce and a coriander sauce, and even though I can't eat coriander at all, I dipped it in without realizing what it was. I had no real aversion to it.
Chicken makhani 13,000 won and plain naan 4,000 won
Whenever I eat Indian curry, I always order chicken makhani. Since it's butter-based, I've seen it called 'butter chicken' at other places.
To really enjoy Indian curry the right way, I tore off pieces of naan by hand and scooped up the chicken makhani. With the savory warmth of freshly baked naan and the smooth sweetness of the makhani packed into one bite, I was genuinely happy. There was more chicken in it than I expected too, so I was completely full by the end.
Is Mandala Indian Lounge worth recommending for curry in Hapjeong?
There's Japanese curry, Thai curry, and curries from all sorts of countries, but Indian curry is always the first thing that comes to mind for me. I especially love the way the distinct spice aroma and the smooth, rich sauce of Indian curry come together with naan. With a great location near Hapjeong Station and friendly service that makes you feel relaxed, and above all, both the chicken tikka and chicken makhani being genuinely delicious, this is a place I'd want to come back to whenever I'm craving Indian food. If you're looking for a Hapjeong restaurant, Hongdae-area Indian food, or a curry spot near Hapjeong, I recommend Mandala Indian Lounge.
Where it is
26 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, 3rd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 마포구 독막로3길 26 3층
