Dongmyo Indian restaurant 50,000 won set with a first-grader: Namaste

I went looking for a Blue Ribbon-rated restaurant in Dongmyo and found Namaste, an Indian curry spot right in front of Dongmyo Station.

I was heading to Dongmyo with my first-grade daughter to buy mallangi (squishy toys) and was searching for somewhere kid-friendly to eat. Turns out there aren't that many good restaurants in Dongmyo..!? So while looking around, I found this place with a ton of Blue Ribbon awards and figured it had to be good!?

It's held a Blue Ribbon steadily from 2021 all the way to 2026..! I looked up reviews too and the praise for the food was amazing. Some reviews said it was even better than what they ate in India, and there were a lot of comments about the naan and lassi being great too, not just the curries — so I was like, ah, this is the place..! haha

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

• Namaste Dongmyo (18 Jibong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 2nd floor)
• Open daily 11:00–22:00
• Last order at 21:00

Outside Dongmyo Station Exit 5: an old building with a surprising interior

Namaste Dongmyo Branch is right in front of Dongmyo Station Exit 5, so it was really easy to find. But honestly, when I first saw the exterior of the building, it looked a bit old, and I hesitated a little before going in…!

There were people smoking nearby and the building didn't have that clean, trendy restaurant vibe, so I wondered if it'd really be okay to bring my kid here ㅠㅠ But the moment I opened the door, total plot twist..!

Unlike the outside, the interior was seriously clean and pleasant, with exotic decor and ornaments all around, very fitting for an Indian restaurant — the atmosphere was great ㅠㅠ

It was a little surreal that a space like this existed inside such an old building! The restaurant was also bigger than I expected, and the tables weren't cramped, so it was comfortable to eat here with a kid too. The window-side spot was totally my taste..! Aren't those arched windows just gorgeous..?

It must be famous as a Dongmyo restaurant because even though we went well past lunchtime, there were still a lot of customers!!

What comes in the 50,000 won couple set at Namaste Dongmyo Branch

Looking at the menu, there was everything from Indian curries to naan, tandoori dishes, and samosas — way more variety than I expected. It seemed like it'd be hard to decide what to order on a first visit, so since we wanted to try a little bit of everything, we ordered the couple menu.

• Samosa
• Chicken tikka
• Shrimp chili
• Chicken makhani
• Vegetable curry
• Plain rice
• Garlic naan

That's what came with it..! Plus you could also choose between lassi or yogurt!!

It's not just two kinds of curry — you also get samosa, chicken tikka, and shrimp chili together, so you can taste a lot of different things at once..!? All that for ₩50,000..! Seriously a steal..! Incredible value.

As the dishes started coming out one by one, the table filled up fast — such a generous spread..!

Wow, in this economy, all this for ₩50,000? haha If two people want to try a bit of everything, the couple menu is such a great order!!

How the samosa and shrimp chili tasted

First, the samosa was fried nice and crispy, easy to eat lightly.

And I really enjoyed the shrimp chili too. It's really spicy, but the plump, bouncy shrimp were so good ㅠㅠ

If you just keep eating curry and naan, it can get a little repetitive, but having the spicy shrimp chili to break things up every so often was really nice!

Eating with a child? Set aside the mild chicken makhani

The only mild, non-spicy option in the Namaste couple menu was the chicken makhani, aka butter curry. And it was also the most familiar and easiest to eat, since it's creamy and smooth — so good with naan..🥹🥹

Since we went with our kid, this was the only mild!? option, so we set it aside just for her. My daughter isn't great with spicy food, and the other dishes in the couple menu could be a bit spicy for a child. So if you're coming with a kid like we did and ordering the couple menu, I'd recommend setting aside enough of this butter curry for them, or just ordering a separate mild curry as an à la carte item for the kid. haha

Garlic naan and lassi at Namaste Dongmyo Branch

But the thing I ended up enjoying more than I expected was the garlic naan! The naan was warm and chewy, so good even torn off and eaten plain. I usually prefer naan over rice when eating curry, and Namaste's naan was genuinely amazing. It was also great to tear off a piece of garlic naan and dip it straight into the chicken makhani,

and it was also good topped with the vegetable curry.. basically good dipped in anything..!

The couple menu let you choose a drink, and I went with the plain lassi. Sweet and refreshing, so good! I'm curious about the recipe..🥹

Were the spices too strong for a first-grader?

Ah, and for those worried about the spices typical of Indian food, Namaste didn't feel that intense at all!! Especially eating the milder curries like chicken makhani together with naan and rice, the spices felt less overpowering and more like an overall comfortable flavor, if that makes sense..?

Looking at the menu, there were so many kinds of curry that next time I want to skip the couple menu and try à la carte curries one by one out of curiosity. I wanted to try the spinach curry too but was way too full ㅠㅠㅠ People also talk a lot about how good the cheese naan is, so I'm definitely trying that next time.

Why Namaste Dongmyo Branch works as a stop on a Dongmyo day out

There's actually a lot to do around Dongmyo with a kid — browsing the market, checking out mallangi and other toys..? Namaste being right in front of the station made it super easy to head off to the next spot too..!

If you're looking for a slightly different lunch with your kid in Dongmyo, or searching for a good Indian curry restaurant near Dongmyo Station, definitely give Namaste a try! Next time I'm back in Dongmyo, I want to try the cheese naan and some other curries. haha