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    Mandala Restaurant

    4.4 (265 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Mandala Restaurant Photos

    MANDALA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Mandala Restaurant

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    Samosa, Chowmein and Egg Fried Rice
    Divya J.

    Really liked the food here! Got their- Vegetarian Momos with a side of chilli garlic chutney: 4/5 Fried rice with egg: 3/5 (it had a strange after-taste) Vegetable Chowmein: 4/5 Samosa (served with a mango-chilli chutney): the samosa was really good but the chutney did not go well with it My friends also got the chicken momos and said it was pretty good, but could have been better: 3/5 Great ambience, friendly staff. All-gender, accessible, clean restrooms. Free parking in lot outside.

    Chicken Tikka Masala w/ Naan
    Daniel T.

    Great hole in the wall. Polite staff. The chicken tikka masala is not as creamy as your traditional tikka but it still packs a lot of flavor. Peaceful around lunchtime on a Wednesday.

    Nima P.

    Super disappointing. It smelled like fish when we walked it so we opted to sit outside. My son got the kids meal. Chicken was dry and overcooked. No flavor at all. The chicken tikka masala was also not very flavorful and meat didn't taste fresh. Sushi was mediocre as well. The jalapeño app was the only decent thing we had. Would definitely not go back

    Larry B.

    This place floored me. It was simply wonderful in every respect. Having bought a home here less than two years ago and we always wondered about this colorful place, so we looked online and saw that they had sushi. Seemed sorta oddball for Tibetan cuisine but what do I know? Anyhow, my wife and I felt like sushi so we went to Sea Fresh in Ojai and were told that their "sushi chef is off Sunday and Monday" so we said "Ok, so let's give Mandala a tumble". SO GLAD WE DID. The sushi was excellent, far superior to one full time sushi bar we tried in Ojai who threw indelicate slabs of fish on top of rice etc. These sushi chefs really prepared sushi delicately as it was meant to be and as I have enjoyed it in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and many places in Southern CA etc etc etc. We had been under the impression that the sushi menu was limited but that is not really so, offering a great selection of nigiri sushi, "Yellowtail" etc and lots of rolls etc. For anyone who "feels like sushi" this place is a strong GO! At some point I will try some of the other dishes that looked excellent. The entire idea of the place is a trip. I gotta tell you, ... Mandala LIVES UP TO AND FAR EXCEEDED any expectation I had. Mandala is a LOCAL TREASURE.

    Lovely outdoor dining...dog-friendly
    Kristin jensen S.

    They have just opened up this month for breakfast hours, and we had a fantastic meal. My husband is vegan, so it's not easy to find a breakfast place where he can have a nourishing meal. He ordered the traditional Tibetan porridge which he loved, especially after having a little bit of honey added on top. As always, the service was perfect. We got to sit out on the deck in the shade of an umbrella, but also enjoyed the mellow summer sun. I had a delicious mimosa and they even offered me tthe chance to try their sake bloody Mary. That was yummy as well!

    Decor on outside of restaurant
    Lauran E.

    Fusion has always been iffy for me, but this was a perfect balance for myself (who is Japanese) and my partner (who is Indian)! We ordered sushi and dal - both were perfect and delicious. The owner has an incredible story and he even served us himself! The ambiance was impeccable and we even enjoyed a book of the owner's private book collection during the dinner! Will definitely return if ever in Ojai again, and 1000% recommend to others!

    Garlic tuna roll
    Elisa H.

    This family run restaurant has been here 8 years and today was the first time we discovered it while in Ojai. Can't believe we never noticed it seeing as though it's on the main road into town! Brightly colored flags adorn the restaurant both inside and out. Service is friendly and prompt. Menu is varied and includes Tibetan, Japanese, and Indian cuisine. As the day was gorgeous, we decided to have our lunch in the spacious outdoor patio rather than dining indoors. We started our meal sharing a delicious spicy tuna burrito. Then we ordered a garlic tuna roll with ponzu sauce., also quite tasty. The highlight of our lunch though, was a savory Tibetan Momo soup, full of fresh veggies and amazing dumplings. The dumplings can be stuffed with beef, chicken or vegetables. The soup was absolutely delicious and quite filling. Restaurant is 10 minutes off the 101 freeway, highly recommend. Ample parking in the lot out front.

    Lynn R.

    Everything here is wonderful and delicious and happy. Good vibes all day everyday! It's like eating with your family at home. I always get to see the little daughters of the owners. Intieed the Tibetan soup with seafood and it was full Of fat mussels and scallops and shrimp and I chose the udon noodles which were plentiful and YUM!!! You can choose your level Of spice. I'm a wimp. Wish I wasn't!! My husband had the sushi burrito with salmon and said it didn't fill him up so I gave him some Of my soul. I still have enough left For my dinner ! I was too full to have my favorite dessert EVER....the tempura fries green tea ice cream With tons of whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. If you have room, you HAVE TO HAVE THIS!!

    Can't remember name
    Keith C.

    Driving up to this spot, you'll be presented some hesitation. Commit and check it out! I think a place like this would be appreciated by Bourdain or Jonathan Gold since it's a wild fusion of Nepal and Japanese food. The sushi was great and fresh! Good combinations for a spot next to a gas station!

    Drink and dessert
    Sarah S.

    This is a one-of-a-kind family owned restaurant where you can taste the love in the food. We see this place on our drive home from work everyday and its colorful appearance and location next to Circle K makes it questionable at first, but don't be deceived, this is a gem! We arrived at 12:10 on Friday, and they didn't technically open until 12:30 but the owner welcomed us in. We sat down inside at first, after looking around at all the unique decorations, but then migrated outside to the patio since it was a beautiful day. Both inside and outside were great places to sit and enjoy the meal. The owner took our order and my Mom stood by the kitchen and watched him make it. A true Pro he was! An excellent chef, very skilled in the kitchen. My mom ordered the Tibetan chow mein, which she thoroughly enjoyed. I got the baked salmon roll which melted in my mouth, so good! And my husband got the sushi burrito which I ate half of. The burrito was delicious! I'll be coming back again for that, but I'm also excited to try all the other goodies on the menu. We also got the vegetable Momos, which were tastey. And everything is very reasonably priced. Very worth it. To top it all off we got the green tea ice cream. That was the Big Bang to go out on. It was 4 scoops of deep fried green tea ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. It was sooooo delicious! The coolest part of it all was that the owner came and sat with us for the second half of our meal and we got to chat with him about his family history and the business and then his family came (wife and 2 little daughters) and we got to meet them too. They are a beautiful family which makes it feel even better supporting a place like this. We will definitely be coming back.

    Pineapple Chicken with white Plain Rice
    Joleen B.

    I ordered the pineapple chicken with white rice and it is really good. It has a lot of flavor. Maybe a little too much sauce. I ordered it to-go for my work lunch and there was sauce all over my bag. There was no napkins and no silverware. I was very disappointed because I wanted to eat in my car, but I had to go back into work and get silverware. I even gave a two dollar tip. Next time I will rethink that tip. I'm not sure what happened but to me, I think it shows how much they care about their customers when they add napkins and silverware for to-go orders. They were not busy. But the food was good. I will be back and try the sushi!!

    Garlic edamame

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    6 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Friendly and lively staff! Recommend the chicken tikka masala and shrimp tempura crunch sushi! Great spot overall (^v^)

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    9 months ago

    The food is awful. The cleanliness questionable. This is an establishment to stay far away from.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Everything about this place was amazing. Honestly, the vibe was comfortable and welcoming and the food was perfect.

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    1 year ago

    The sushi burrito was the bomb . Great place for us locals .always friendly staff great outdoor seating .

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    Gotetsu - Kushiyaki and Sake House - Shishito peppers

    Gotetsu - Kushiyaki and Sake House

    4.6(444 reviews)
    10.1 mi
    $$

    Absolute gem in Ventura! Food was absolutely the best I've had ever had!…read more Bring everyone you know!

    ~ SMALL SPACE, BIG FLAVOR, A HIDDEN GEM ~…read more Gotetsu is one of those blink and you'll miss it spots, but once you're inside, you know you've found something sooo special!! Cozy, intimate, and very much a hole in the wall izakaya, this place is all about authentic Japanese flavors and perfectly grilled skewers. There is NO sushi here (they make that very clear), just kushiyaki, small plates, and goooood vibes. I've never been to Japan (yet), but I would imagine this is what it would be like walking into a small mom and pop shop there. The open kitchen is tiny but fun to watch, and from pretty much any seat you can see your food being made. It's a GREAT date night spot, order a bunch of dishes and share everything so much fun. We came for dinner and with a rotating menu of skewers and specials we were satisfied and it kept things interesting! Lunch is more limited, with preset options, but the quality still hits. The donburi is solid, the chicken curry is comforting (could use a little more protein), and the skewers, especially pork belly, chicken & onion, and meatballs, are seasoned and grilled really well. Veggie skewers like zucchini and brussels sprouts are simple but still tasty. At dinner, my husband and I loved the spicy garlic edamame, chicken thigh with yuzu pepper, ribeye skewer, gyoza, and the yaki onigiri (grilled rice ball with a crispy outside). Pro move: dip the onigiri into the leftover spicy edamame sauce. Trust. Ordering is easy with scan-and-pay, the owner is hands-on, and you can feel the care put into every dish. Take it easy with the ordering (they are typically skewer by skewer because you can easily rack up a hefty bill!) If you're looking for an authentic Japanese izakaya experience in Ventura, focused on flavor, not trends, Gotetsu absolutely delivers.

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    Chili and garlic skewers

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    4.2(134 reviews)
    3.1 mi
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    Great food options, especially when paired with bevvies from Topa topa. You order at the counter…read moreand they'll buzz you when food is ready. 5/5 tater tots, perfectly fried and seasoned 5/5 pork katsu sandwich, good balance of bread, pork, and cabbage 4/5 Vietnamese noodle salad, felt healthy and satiated after a big bowl of veggies, chicken, and noodles. The rice noodles could've been one smidge softer I've had the wings and karaage chicken before and those dishes are also nicely done.

    Stopped by Little Sama in Ojai for some fuel after Chief's Peak. We got the sweet and spicy chicken…read morewings and they really hit the spot after a long hike. The Korean-style wings were juicy on the inside crispy on the outside and nicely sauced. The okonomiyaki tots were also a hit and worth ordering. It's located inside Topa Topa Brewing Company and the setup is straightforward. You order at the counter they give you a buzzer and pick up your food when it's ready. The service was so nice especially for counter service. They paid attention to small details without us having to ask and having worked in the service industry we definitely noticed and appreciate that The vibe is casual and family friendly. Dog friendly and kids running around, it's super relaxed. Food comes out fast and it's a chill spot to hang out

    Photos
    Little Sama Ojai - Cute casual interior shares space with the brewery.

    Cute casual interior shares space with the brewery.

    Little Sama Ojai - Chicken wings

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    Little Sama Ojai - Delicious fried chicken wings with a sweet tangy sauce, not spicy

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    Delicious fried chicken wings with a sweet tangy sauce, not spicy

    Mandala Restaurant - japanese - Updated May 2026

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