I gave them a second chance and, oh boy. The good: The food was great. The bad: food was not ready for pickup. The ugly: the food took 1hr and 45 minutes. I called in a take out order at 5pm when they opened. I was looking at the menu online. The man on the phone told me "we don't don't do vindaloo anymore" and then read me off a newer version of the menu. I asked where I could look at a newer version of the menu, he told me instagram and...that was the same menu. Eventually I found a different version of the menu on Facebook Folks, update your menu on your website! I was told the food would be ready at 6pm. I got there at 6 and waited another 40+ minutes. I was told my food was "next" and "coming out soon" but I just continued to awkwardly stand there and wait. I get that things can take a while, but I think it'd be helpful to at least offer a seat or a drink if it's going be an additional 40 minutes for take out. read more

Easily one of the worst dining experiences I've had. There were only two groups in the restaurant, yet it still took 90 minutes for our food to arrive. While we waited, the owner's father--who is Nepali--kept making unprofessional comments about a neighboring Indian restaurant, criticizing their food and service. It was uncomfortable and unnecessary. When the food finally came, it was terrible. Bland, poorly made, and absolutely not worth the wait. To make it worse, Yelp shows this place at 4.6 stars, which is completely misleading based on our experience. If this is the level of service and food quality when the restaurant is nearly empty, I can't imagine what it's like on a busy night. Definitely not somewhere I'd ever go back to or recommend. read more

Mandala Restaurant Anchorage - Butter Chicken - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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I recently tried Mandala Restaurant for Indian cuisine and ordered the chicken tikka masala and goat korma. Going in, I had pretty high expectations because of the many positive reviews. That's honestly why I was a bit surprised by my experience. Overall, the food was good but not great. The chicken tikka masala had a nice creamy texture and decent flavor, but it lacked the bold, rich spice depth that really makes the dish stand out. It was enjoyable, just not particularly memorable. The goat korma was similar. The sauce was smooth and mildly spiced, and the goat was cooked well, but it didn't have that slow-simmered richness or layered flavor that makes you want to keep going back for more. It felt a little safe rather than exciting. Nothing was bad by any means it was a solid meal but it just didn't leave a strong impression. With so many flavorful Indian dishes out there, I'm not sure this would be the place I'd rush back to. If you're nearby and craving Indian food, it may satisfy the craving. But for me, it wasn't memorable enough to say I'd definitely return. read more

I really was excited to eat here. It took over 40 minutes to get my food. Then an employee walked in the back door and walked into the kitchen. 20 mins in he's engaged in a verbal altercation with two guests. The guests don't leave because they love the owners but the employee keeps egging them on. No one says anything to the employee. The owners are going around to tables apologizing while the employee is going on with his bullshit. I finally got up to pay my check as it took forever for them to bring it. What a bust, guys. What a mess and unpleasant experience. Never again. Overall over 90 mins for one person to dine. read more

Amazing Indian restaurant in Anchorage. The space is small with only 5-6 tables but it is worth the wait. The place is family owned and run with only 2-3 people so the order takes time but the food is delicious. We ordered the malai kofta, dal makhani, thakali chicken and papadi chaat for the table. I absolutely devoured the malai kofta - the gravy was super tasty and tasted even better with home-style roti. The papadi chaat was also yummy and tangy, how it's supposed to - right proportion of spices and curd. My friends enjoyed the thakali chicken curry and said it was definitely a reason to come back to this restaurant. The server was super friendly and homely - we loved the dining experience. read more

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From the service to the food itself, Sanjay made sure we were well served. I highly recommend trying the chicken momos, samosa and Malai kofta with garlic naaan. If I am visiting Anchorage again, I am coming to dine in again. read more

If I could legally add the word MAGIC in front of Mandala Restaurant I would do so in a heartbeat. Beyond blown away from the flavours and the curation of art and experience in this restaurant. My bestie and I originally met in India and tasting this food immediately transported us into another hemisphere across the world just by our tastebuds. Never will I forget the entertainment found with the mushroom lamps and the cozy atmosphere from the warm curry in my belly. This place is top tier! As a visitor from Honolulu visiting in the middle of winter -20°F this place warmed up my entire mind body and spirit. Cannot wait to tell my friends and family to come back again :) read more

Mandala Restaurant Anchorage - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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Worth the wait? Depends on how hungry you are. I waited 45 minutes for my entrée--even though I was only the second person in the entire restaurant. My starter came out after 15 minutes, then I sat for another half hour before receiving a disappointingly small portion. While the food was tasty, by that point, it didn't matter--I was furious. When I raised the issue, the owner explained it away by saying he had a lot of takeout orders. I've never experienced such a long wait with so few people dining in. I appreciate slow food, but this was excessive and poorly handled. Expensive and slow! read more

Mandala Restaurant Anchorage - Is this worth 38$? - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Amazing food, atmosphere, and staff! Don't forget to order the garlic naan bread it was absolutely outstanding! The service was wonderful. We showed up before they were closing and they kept it open for us. read more

This place is an absolute GEM!! Every time we have come in, the staff (all family run) is attentive and warm, the resturaunt is calm and quiet, but the FOOD... unbelievable. Home-cooked food, it is cozy, delicious, and you can tell it's all cooked with love and care. I almost hate for more people to find this place, but if you want a quiet, perfect dinner, I would make a stop. read more

The food is simply amazing...one of the best Indian I've had! The service is slow as it's a one-man-show taking the order, cooking & billing. read more

I'm giving it five stars because this is my favorite food in town, BUT you will be waiting. I wish so badly they could get some more help and figure out a flow better. It's family owned and they are so kind every time we go in. I will keep going as long as the doors are open, however, It needs to be a night where I have time to chill for at least two hours;) read more

The food is so flavorful. Everything came out quickly and fresh! The spice levels were just as we requested and the food was delicious. Definitely the best Indian restaurant in Anchorage. Thank you! read more

Delicious food, good service, Friendly and helpful staff. Small restaurant but welcoming.

Amazing food. I'm Indian and very picky about where I eat Indian food, the staff, service and food was incredible! I'd highly recommend chicken biryani and also chicken jalfreezi. The naan was soft and fresh! Highly recommend this place! read more

Wonderful dining experience with GREAT food! Have eaten here many times and will be back. Definitely worth trying. read more

A quaint little restaurant tucked away in Anchorage that we stumbled upon is sure a delight for your taste buds. Run by Father-Son duo who have carved a menu providing flavors of Nepal and Northern India is surely going to pull your heartstrings with every bite you indulge in. Sanjay and his father prepare each item based on the order and none of the items are pre-made giving authenticity to the food and pay keen attention to their customers and their needs. We were so pleased and full after we were done with our food that too after a day long glacier hike. Various vegetarian and meat options for all the food lovers out there. Recommend trying this place out a 100% if you are in Anchorage. We tried there Achari Paneer, Tadka Dal and some Garlic Naan which was so delicious and worth the wait. Do ask for their special Chutney, if you like something with a spicy kick along with your food. read more

It was the last day of school, so we needed to visit one more restaurant that we wouldn't take our kids to. I'm so glad we chose Mandala! Modern, clean, peaceful space. Crisp white table cloths, warm lighting, and calming water fountains. Employees were welcoming, helpful and super hardworking. We got the garlic naan, cheese naan, butter chicken, and the chicken achari - both with medium heat. Rice was complimentary. Wow, wow, wow. The creamy curry with butter chicken reminded us of tomato basil soup but with more flavor. The chicken achari was amazing. The spices melded perfectly and my spouse was barely sharing (rolls eyes). We loved everything. The icing on the cake? This was the cheapest lunch we've had in a while. We can't wait to return to try more menu items. Highly recommend checking out Mandala! read more

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The right atmosphere, the right service, the right menu, the right authenticity, the right location, the right taste, the right portions & the right value. Grateful to have visited this location. read more

My husband and I ate here the other day. The atmosphere was laid-back and inviting. Your father and son dual really made you feel at home. The food was delicious and made two perfection. The taste was like I had jumped on a plane to the other side of the world. This is not a fast place stop in for lunch as the chef does create everything from scratch. As we waited, we shared in two of the greatest chai teas I have tasted. What a true hidden gem. I must try if you have not. read more

Tasty Indian food with some Nepalese dishes, with plenty of clearly-labeled vegetarian and vegan options. We were hitting some breweries nearby and were in search of a vegan-friendly restaurant, so we decided to try this place out. We ordered: -Alu gobi tarkari ($17) -Bhindi masala ($18) -Baigan bharta ($17) We asked for every dish to be hot (max spiciness), but they were only mild. Each dish was quite tasty, with the bhindi perhaps being the standout. Portions were on the small side, so the two of us easily finished all three dishes. Each dish comes with rice, which is nice. Friendly service and a pleasant upscale-feel to the place. Far from the best Indian food, but for vegan-friendly Indian food in Anchorage, we were happy enough. Recommended. read more

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This was a great spot to discover. The food was delicious and very tasty and the atmosphere was nice and cozy. Service was just a little slow but not horrible. The server was very nice but needs to try more foods there to better describe spices and flavor better. They just seemed like they hadn't tried a lot of foods there when we asked for an idea of flavor profile. Other than that, it was a great spot to eat at! Would recommend. read more

Good was very tasty. Vegan and omnivore options were quite delicious. Super friendly staff. Will return for sure!

The restaurant has soft, warm lighting, it's quiet and intimate and on the nice and casual side. Service is friendly and neat. We had one server running the restaurant and he did a great job. The food is flavorful and perfectly done. My husband is not a lamb fan but he did enjoy the lamb tikka masala. It's a pleasant lamb taste, extremely soft and delicate meat texture. Food portions are fairly sized. I think one meal could have easily fed two. This is my second time eating from here and my first dining in. I will definitely be back. read more

Mandala Restaurant Anchorage - 2 Piece Vegetable Somasas - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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Food, truly a fabulous experience! we couldn't get enough of this authentic Indian & Napalse cuisine. everything made fresh by Sanjay (Owner) and his father. Service, Sanjay greeted us with a warm smile and made us feel very welcomed. His attention to our needs was very welcomed. Ambiance. The restaurant was very clean and all the tables were draped with white table cloths. Very clean and tidy restaurant. We had a fantastic experience at Mandala restaurant and will be eating there when we return to Anchorage. read more

Ambience- cute. Love their mushroom lamps with multiple light settings. Service- bit slow but good. Liked how server was checking in with us and helped with options on menu. Food- we ordered chai, chicken momo, masala papad, garlic naan and achari paneer. Chai was good, momos tasted yummy, masala papad we ordered solely based on reviews, it was light and chatapata (IYKYK ;). Garlic naan was also crisp and flavourful unlike those thick chewy naans. overall it tasted pretty good except that achari paneer was tooo oily and didn't justify the price at all. We ordered it like a custom curry - Achari gravy $8 and Paneer $13. Curry came with about 7 small paneer cubes. Don't mean to complain but i hoped it was goood. On the whole, I'd recommend this restaurant for desi travellers to get decent meal after eating days of pizza in Alaska! read more

Mandala Restaurant Anchorage - Achari paneer - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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We have eaten multiple times at Mandala and the cuisine is outstanding as is the service-- each dish is carefully prepared and side dishes of rice and naan are each served appropriately making the dining experience thoughtful and the mango lassi is off the charts --we have travelled extensively in India and Mandalas chicken tikka Marsala is heavenly read more

Best Indian food I have had in a long time! The owners (father and son duo) and one of their staff (who seemed more like family to the owner) were so friendly! The owners are from Kathmandu and the father - who is around 87 - came up to ours and other tables several times to get feedback on the food and share his life experiences. The woman who works with them - originally from Nagpur and a chef by profession - shared some of her struggles in US and how she had to close her own restaurant during the pandemic with a smile on her face. I hope she soon gets to open her own restaurant again. Her dynamic with the owner's father was fun to watch because of their witty exchanges. The day we went for lunch, three of their chefs were out because of some family emergency so instead of closing the restaurant for the day, the owner decided to cook the food - and it was mind blowing. They were also very honest about the time it would take for each dish to be prepared. I was actually reassured that it was taking them longer to prepare our order as it meant they were making it fresh instead of reheating pre-made or frozen food. We ordered the dal tadka, garlic naan, and two curries. The naan was thin and perfectly made - little crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside. The dal tadka was THE best I have had in the US. Both the dal and naan were unanimously our table's favorite! If you are in Anchorage and craving for Himalayan/Indian food, this should be number 1 on your list. read more

Hidden gem! We discovered this place only this year and have become regulars. We love the peaceful ambience, attentive service, and authentic flavors. The sweet family staff is very welcoming and friendly making you feel as if you are in their Nepalese home. Our favorite variety is the Chana masala, lamb jalfrezi, and the tandoori shrimp. Highly recommended! read more

Mandala is a lovely restaurant with friendly and welcoming staff. The interior is cozy and intimate with soft lighting and water fountains near the entrance which makes it a nice place for a dinner date. The menu is somewhat limited compared to other Indian and Nepalese restaurants in town, but it has all the popular items such as chicken tikka masala and naan. My boyfriend and I shared vegetables samosas and garlic naan, which were both tasty. I think there may have been a minor mix-up in the kitchen because my boyfriend ordered mild keema curry and I ordered medium spicy butter chicken. His food had some spice whereas mine had none at all. Still, the flavor of both dishes was great. The curries were creamy and rich in flavor. I ordered a kheer to go for dessert which was good and came in a larger cup than I expected. The wait for our food was pretty long, but they were busy with both dine-in and takeout customers during dinner so it's understandable. This place is best enjoyed when you have time to spare to relax and enjoy your meal. Overall pleased with my experience here and I would come back! read more

Came in for a late night dinner before closing. Was greeted by a friendly elderly gentleman and seated. A different server came by shortly after to provide the drink and dinner menu, 1 page each. When entering your nose is hit with fragrant spices.. yum! It's a dimly lit restaurant with white covered tables, a small candle and table lamp ~7 tables. Very nice if you'd like to just quietly enjoy your food and relax with wine. Probably not the best place for a huge group but more for a couples or 2-4 friends lunch/dinner. Ordered a wine, starter app, soup, and an entree. One dish at a time was presented. The entree took the longest arriving on a sizzling platter. Starter app Bombay Aloo was flavorful and the textures were pleasing to the palate. Soup was the popular nepali lentil? Something I wasn't too familiar with.. it was light and once again flavorful with a dash of extra pepper and lemon to add a bit more unami. Entree was the Chicken Tikka.. i loved all the spices/herbs and the tender chicken.. however wasn't too fond of the burnt chicken sides and onions as it was overwhelming. If you like your entrees with rice.. make sure to add it! It's an additional cost. I didn't ask if there was dessert.. I was stuffed!! Cheers to the owner and chef for greeting me :) read more

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Expect to wait a while for food. If you cannot wait then you probably should go else where. Super nice people and yummy food. May not be the fastest service but I feel it's hard to find decent Nepali food in town. read more

Mandala Restaurant Anchorage - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Best Indian/Nepali food in Anchorage. Sanjay is so dedicated to his restaurant and the quality of the food he serves. We love the jaffna and the achari curries and the biryani. Expect to wait a while for your food because Sanjay is doing nearly all of it himself, but it is worth it if you are patient! It cracks me up that Sanjay made this balloon animal for our daughter. He really is so busy in his kitchen, and so it doesn't make sense that he would do this, but he really loves his customers and we love when he comes out from the kitchen and talks with us. read more

Mandala Restaurant Anchorage - Sanjay not only cooks amazing Nepali food, but he also provides entertainment for the kids. - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

This chef is really special. Everything is cooked to order and he puts a lot of heart into his food. There are not a lot of places like this in Anchorage! read more

Food was delicious. The traditional Nepalese food was the perfect blend of spices, sauce, and protein that enriches the senses. The owner and chef (which is the owners 90 year old father) came and spoke to our table personally. The pride they take in their creations and restaurant is palpable which ultimately transcends to the dishes. The best Nepalese/ Indian food in Anchorage. read more

The Thakali curry I had was really good, and the owner was very nice. good ambience in there as well!

This is 1 of 4 Indian/Himalayan/Nepalese spots in town to consider. My Ranks: 1. Everest - New in Anchorage and the tastiest flavors available; this spot just took the crown! Try their veggie samosas. 2. Manadala - Consistency over time and great flavors had this spot atop the charts for a couple years. Folks like the ambiance but it's a little tight in there for me. This is where I've eaten the most by far. 3. Namaste Shangri-La - Prices are the most reasonable and it's good food! I've never been impressed by the lamb, but if your looking for the standards on the cheap, this is the one. 4. Yak and Yeti - Still shedding a tear for their Spenard Location which would reside atop this list if still in business, now there's just the cafe, which is fine, cheap, and quick for in and out sustenance. read more

This is our favorite spot in Anchorage, a bit of a hole in the wall and the food, service, and ambiance are all high quality and intimate. All the food is made to order and authentic. The owner, Sanjay, is personable and takes pride in his food. Highly highly recommend! read more

Food was average. Service was beyond super slow. Waited over an hour for our meal. The chef spent most of his time talking with another table. The owner's father came over for a chat to boast about his family and to insult me for no reason. read more

The buttered chicken and tika masala is the perfect mixture of creamy, flavorful spices. You can order it with rice or naan but I could drink cupfuls of that stuff. The service was so friendly. We ordered take out and it came at the exact time we ordered for. read more