Chicken chilli à la carte at Namaste, an Indian restaurant in Dongmyo

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

Namaste Dongmyo Branch is an Indian curry restaurant on the 2nd floor of 18 Jibong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Dongmyo Station Exit 5. It's open 11:00–22:00, with last order at 21:00.

It's located right by Changsin-dong Stationery & Toy Market, famous for the Dongmyo malangi (squishy toy) scene. Dongmyo has really become the hot spot for malangi shopping these days — this restaurant is right in the middle of the Dongmyo toy alley. Plus it's a Blue Ribbon restaurant, so I went in trusting it fully.

It's on the 2nd floor. Known as a Blue Ribbon spot in Dongmyo, this is an Indian food, curry restaurant 👍

What the dining room at Namaste Dongmyo Branch looks like

From the entrance of Namaste Dongmyo Branch, exotic Indian touches caught my eye right away. The lighting was soft too, matching the interior nicely.

Menu and what we ordered à la carte

Here's what I ordered at Namaste Dongmyo Branch that day.

• Chicken butter curry ₩13,500
• Palak paneer ₩13,500
• Butter naan ₩3,000
• Basmati rice ₩4,000
• Chicken chilli ₩12,000
• Sweet lassi ₩3,500

Namaste Dongmyo Branch review: how the food tasted

✔️A combo even first-timers with Indian food would enjoy. To cut to the chase, everything I ordered was delicious. Blue Ribbon restaurants really are trustworthy 🤗

Chicken butter curry, 13,500 won

A curry loaded with butter and cream. Tear off some naan and dip it deep into the curry sauce. It's got a creamy buttery aroma with a slight tang and a nutty finish — a really layered flavor.

Palak paneer, 13,500 won

A curry with spinach and cottage cheese paneer. It's got a puree-like texture, and the nuttiness of the butter and cream keeps you reaching for more. The chewy texture of the cheese is nice too. It's definitely not greasy or heavy — it's the kind of flavor that keeps pulling you back in.

You'd think Indian food would have a strong aroma, but the first thought after tasting it is 'oh, this is good.' It's addictive, so next time I'd order the chicken butter curry and palak paneer again.

Butter naan, 3,000 won

Warm naan fresh out of the tandoor oven. Crispy on the edges and outside, chewy inside. The moment it was served and I tore it by hand, a strong butter aroma hit me. Honestly, it felt like it'd be delicious even on its own. But dipped in curry? Obviously an even better combo! I was too busy dipping it in curry to really try it plain. Next time I'll get the garlic naan!

Both curries have different charms, so definitely try them. Delicious dipped in naan, delicious mixed into rice too. Both butter naan and garlic naan are popular. If you're not ordering rice, getting one of each naan seems like a good idea.

Chicken chilli, 12,000 won

Of the dishes we ordered, this was the spiciest. But it's not an overwhelming, harsh spice — it's a pleasant kind of heat. Not just plain spicy! Even people with low spice tolerance could handle it comfortably — the spiciness reminded me of Korean-style spicy fried chicken sauce. Naturally, it couldn't not be delicious.

Around the middle of the meal, a feeling hit me. The feeling of 'this is a great restaurant'... no, a certainty! Why does Indian food suit me so well?! I think even first-timers with Indian food would find whatever they order here to their taste. The spices are alive but it's still very compatible with Korean palates!

Basmati rice 4,000 won and sweet lassi 3,500 won

Less sticky than Korean rice, with a light, fluffy texture. Mixed with the curry sauce, the grains stayed separate without clumping and soaked up the sauce evenly for a distinct taste. This fluffy-textured rice really does suit Indian curry better than Korean rice.

In between bites, I cleansed my palate with sweet lassi, an Indian-style yogurt drink. The yogurt's tanginess and sweetness blended well, giving a refreshing lift and a sense of resetting your mouth. It's also great to drink like a dessert after the meal.

So many Blue Ribbon stickers, as expected 🔥 Everything I ordered that day was delicious and satisfying.

Add a walk down Dongmyo malangi (squishy toy) street

If you're heading to Dongmyo, you've got to do the malangi tour too! Nearly every shop in the Dongmyo Toy Alley sells malangi. The variety of malangi and squishy balls is really wide, so touring shop after shop, time flies before you know it. That's exactly when you need to eat something solid. Truly recommend the Blue Ribbon Dongmyo restaurant Namaste Dongmyo Branch!