Mantra

by Sarah N.

I work for a large company in the financial district and was in charge of planning our company dinner.  I contacted the event manager and she was a pleasure to work with. I had never booked an event of this size before, so she was extremely helpful and patient with all of my questions.The night of the event, everything was great.  We had an amazing 3 course meal and everyone loved the food.  Overall, we had an excellent experience with Mantra and I will definitely be going back with some of my friends for drinks and tapas.

by Nicole S.

I apologize to my coworkers who can just smell Mantra's buffet lunch steaming from my pores. I just consumed mass quantites of potato picora, chick pea salad, basmati rice, curried mixed vegetables, chicken tika Marsala, tandori chicken, and onion chutney. So sorry everyone but my lunch was damn good.While it was not my goal to spend $15 on lunch that day I was in the mood for Indian food and Manta or the place in Faneuil were my two closest options. Since I was not mentally prepared to deal with tourists on top of the rain I chose Mantra. I have to admit it is dicouraging that when you walk in the hostest is texting and I counted to about 8 in my head before she looked up and noticed I was there. The buffet was clean and the food was fresh, nothing looking like it had been out there for a while and they kept refilling the dishes. There was a good selection of dishes which of course is the point of a buffet. I say save room for the rice pudding- creamy, sweet, delish.

by Meagan N.

Im not going to lie here....I was incredibly intoxicated upon arrival as my old roommate from college had booked a hotel room and I didnt have time for dinner.....whoa alcohol travels fast. By the time we rolled up there was a bit of a line. A friend happened to know everyone there so we simply walked right on in. It was easy to get a drink....however, I paid 12 dollars for an upgraded vodka tonic....wtf. :( The music wasnt too bad. I remember hearing LL's new jam, "Im yoooo Baby, yo baby, yo baby..." and loving it. This place was pretty generic. Nothing too special about it. I only gave it three stars because I had room to dance without bumping into people and the crowd was dressed nicely. Say no to jeans and sneakers.

by Kymm P.

Ugh, I can't believe I'm actually reviewing this place. But since it's Monday morning, I think I'm fairly removed from the weekend that I can 'fess up to what actually happened Saturday night.I've really beaten the whole Alley-skanky-club scene to death these past several weekends, so my friends and I agreed to try something else. This desire for a new spot, combined with our non-sobriety (I love getting drunk in hotel rooms) and penchant for Eurotrash led us to Mantra's door on a side street.Long story short - gorgeous space, RIDIC cover wtfff, bridge-and-tunnel crowd, unjustifiably expensive drinks, pretentious bartenders, decent(ish) music.Why two stars? You see, people, I'm a club girl. I'm willing to forgive a place for asshole bouncers and cheesy clientele if I can just have a good time, with good music, and good people.Andddd, I totes made out with a model from LA here. Yeah, I have no shame :)(Hi Mom!)

by Jin C.Anas Q.Elizabeth F.Jillian Y.

I wish I could give a 2.5?3 stars is "A-OK" ... does that mean 'Alright' ? ..I was going to give 2, but I'm adding a star because the interior design really is lovely. (Although they really should use one of their many flowing fabrics to cover the giant, 'you are in a club' speakers up during dining hours lol.The service was pretty good.The waitress was very friendly, but not very knowledgable.. and the server did pretty much all the work which always makes me wonder, who exactly am I tipping...  She told us that the Naan trio was good for two people...Just to let you know the Naan trio is good for two people, if you are only eating naan.  It was more like an appetizer for 4... and my boy and I are not pussies... we can eat.Now, aside from the quantity... the naan was, to give you an idea... not even close to trader joes naan, not even close (I must reitterate).  I tasted it and immediately thought they tasted like half unknown flour and half bisquick... I like my naan to not taste like pancake batter if you please.  All the types of naan are non-intergrated, aka, they have a stock naan they sandwish other ingredients into.   Needless to say worst naan I've ever had.  I love naan, bummer.  =(Boy and I both ordered the duck entree.We both kind of wished the duck fat had been reduced a little more on the meat for better flavor, but it wasn't bad.  The sweet potato and broccolli rabb were really good, but we didn't pay $56 for sweet potatoes and broccolli rabb...They also gave us a pre-meal sample of soup which was very good.Decor was excellent and made us feel like we'd really gone out, but the bottom line at a restaurant is, the food in my opinion.  I'm sorry to say the food, especially for the price, is not worth it.I'll update again at some point though, we are going to go back and try their $2 tappas during the week and give the food another chance at a more affordable gamble.Highlight of the evening.* ** ****This section contains private gossip.**This highlight was a highlight for us, because it was funny to hear women our mothers' age using the kind of language they used, obviously not funny for the 50 y.o. woman.***I'm adding this portion in part because these may be the type of people you are dining with.  The other part is... it is funny.  =)After we left the restaurant my boy tells me that he overheard the ladies behind him say, "She's 50 years old and desperately needs to be f**ked... How many 50 year olds do you know who need to be f**ked?  That are married..."Mantra redeems itself.I went to Mantra because my GF got an gift certificate from the owner because she had originally left a bad review. I read the reviews before I went and I had my doubts.I was pleasantly surprised, the staff was friendly and attentive, my water glass was never empty for more than a minute. Spot on service really.The setting is incredible, one of the fanciest places I've went to in Boston yet.Now to the stuff that really matters: FOOD! It was superb, I tried the shrimp jhinga (shrimp, biryani rice) and it was freaking delicious and the shrimp was abundant, bordered on too much shrimp really. The appetizers and the naan were as good as it can get.I would really recommend this place as a dinner destination as I had a lovely experience. I have no idea if it is that good as a night club, so you're on your own if that's why you're going there.Mantra really deserves 5 stars, but I took one out because I wasn't a big fan of the men's room. It was clean, but smallish, unorganized and the sinks were really annoying to use. It's really below the standard the rest of the place sets. However, I was told the women's room was lovely. Discrimination lawsuit anyone? *kidding*If you want a lovely indian meal with a great experience to go with it, Mantra won't let you down.Five stars for the mustard seed lambchops and the use of the space, transforming an old bank into a restaurant, keeping the vault door and the marble walls and columns. Also for the mirrored glass on the doors in the ladies room; being able to see someone wash their hands while they couldn't see you pee was a little creepy at first, but a cool idea all the same.Four-and-a-half stars for the naan kofta sliders. They lose half a star because the menu didn't say they had mayo on them, so I had to scrape it off. Four-and-a-half stars also for the roasted garlic and spinach naan. The dipping sauce which accompanied the naan, the cilantro-mint chutney, had pulverized nuts incorporated into it, making it more like a pesto. Very interesting, and quite tasty.Four stars for the dirty martinis, both gin and vodka.Three stars for the potato-chorizo samosas. They had more cranberries in them than chorizo (I found six specks of chorizo total, two in each samosa. Yes, I looked. Shush). They weren't bad, but I couldn't taste any chorizo at all.Two stars for the chili-tequila mussels. They were quite good, but half our shells were empty, and the meat that was supposed to be inside couldn't even be found hanging out in the broth. Two stars for the MoMos. We had really high hopes for those; they sounded like the most delicious things on the menu. But they had as much flavor as rice paper rolled around rice paper. The spicy tomato-peanut chutney which accompanied them was not spicy, nor did it contain even a hint of tomato. Two stars for the cocktail menu, which offers only the sickly-sweetest looking drinks.One star for the fries which accompanied the naan kofta sliders. I'm pretty sure they were Ore Ida fries fresh from the freezer, and the ketchup was less ketchup and more no-name catsup. Feh.Finally, half a star for the waiter, who took his sweet time with us. We ordered our appetizers (the MoMos and the naan) but said we weren't yet decided on the main dishes. Our drinks arrived, sometime later our appetizer arrived, but our waiter didn't reappear to take our order. We tried to flag him down a few times, but he averted his eyes. He finally returned when we'd finished our appetizers nearly half an hour before. When it was time for us to get our check, he didn't walk it over to our table. He reached over the bar and kept calling and motioning for me to come and get it from him. He tried the same thing to return the check to us for my boyfriend to sign, but when neither of us ever stood, he huffed and walked it over to us himself.This is the update an of older review; the owner sent me $50 in gift certificates to come back and try the food (with an apology, of course, since my previous review* was horrible), and who can say no to that?We walk in, and the maitre'd is on an obviously personal call...for FIVE MINUTES. He doesn't even put them on hold to talk to us.  One star off.After that, however, it was smooooooth sailing.  Our waitress was very sweet, we were served some delish complimetary soup, and the naan was fresh-fantastic (the other naan we ordered, on the other hand, was overcooked).  Together, we had the jhinga biryani and curry leaf shrimp and both were 5-star meals - excellent portions, and totally delicious (now that I know the same people own Mela, I understand...both have the same dishes and same delicious food!)So...Maitre'D: 1 starWaitress: 5 starsFood: 5 starsAtmosphere (as always): 5 starsBathrooms: 2 stars (boyfriend said the bathroom was filthy)*Worth noting: While the owner was nice, the waitress who allegedly served me that same night left me a very rude private message telling me I was wrong.  Um, no? Gossip GIrl here.This place would be great if it weren't for the fact that the servers expect you to…

by Jimmy H.

I finally came here for buffet. Solid 3 stars without compassion vote like my previous review. I am almost leaning into 4 stars. But when I hover the cursor over 4th star, it says "Yay! I am a fan!". And I am not sure if I can say that.I must say it was all pretty tasty. As far as other Indian buffet in Boston I've been to, I think they hold the 2nd biggest selection in buffet if I remember correctly.(1st is Kashmir). You may find it pricey but it's necessary considering its location and size of the space. So I think it's fair.(appx $15 including tip)If you have liberty and time to go out of this downtown area for lunch, I would do so. But if you have neither, I think this place is pretty good. I think this is the only place in downtown where offers buffet. I think it's precious, don't you think? Ugh.... I really want to give this place more stars as my buddy works here, but man.....Firstly, I…

by Lily C.

MANTRA as a CLUB sucks ass. Been here a few times and have left feeling like "WTF just happened?"-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------Do you want a Downtown Crossing skank that stole clothes from a homeless man on the Commons?Do you want herpes all over your face?Do you want to blow your money on a little table and inattentive waitress?Do you want to be the Eurotrash on the sidewalk screaming at the a$$hole bouncers?Aside from all that, the place itself isn't half bad looking.

by Laura S.

Mantra has to be the biggest P.O.S in New England.......A) The Manger is a creep, this smurf pops up out for no where and says you arent on  aguest list you have to wait. Great choice Mr.Manager, 17 hot girls cant come in?? I kid you not 17..There isnt even a line and we were willing to pay.B)The bouncers really forget that they are bouncers and believe that they are home land securityC) A promoter comes out and says hey ladies wh are you leaving, Uhmm because its been 15 minutes and im not waiting in line at an Indian  joint turned Night club, a second longer.D) The promoter mentions we should go to  Rumor or Whiskey Park, I think the promoter is right. We should go to a really trendy and busy night club. Great idea jackass..

by sabitha y.

Me and my co-worker went on a wednesday night after work to check out their $2 tapas. They were awsome. When i heard of the price $2, i thought thay must not be that great. I was wrong. They were awesome. They have a friendly service and i love their architecture setting. The huge lord ganesha murthy at the entrace is my favorite. It looks very ethnic and beautiful. It had a relaxed environment and not very crowded. It's a nice place to go after work for appetizers and drinks! And i am there almost every wednesday!

by Elizabeth F.

Five stars for the mustard seed lambchops and the use of the space, transforming an old bank into a restaurant, keeping the vault door and the marble walls and columns. Also for the mirrored glass on the doors in the ladies room; being able to see someone wash their hands while they couldn't see you pee was a little creepy at first, but a cool idea all the same.Four-and-a-half stars for the naan kofta sliders. They lose half a star because the menu didn't say they had mayo on them, so I had to scrape it off. Four-and-a-half stars also for the roasted garlic and spinach naan. The dipping sauce which accompanied the naan, the cilantro-mint chutney, had pulverized nuts incorporated into it, making it more like a pesto. Very interesting, and quite tasty.Four stars for the dirty martinis, both gin and vodka.Three stars for the potato-chorizo samosas. They had more cranberries in them than chorizo (I found six specks of chorizo total, two in each samosa. Yes, I looked. Shush). They weren't bad, but I couldn't taste any chorizo at all.Two stars for the chili-tequila mussels. They were quite good, but half our shells were empty, and the meat that was supposed to be inside couldn't even be found hanging out in the broth. Two stars for the MoMos. We had really high hopes for those; they sounded like the most delicious things on the menu. But they had as much flavor as rice paper rolled around rice paper. The spicy tomato-peanut chutney which accompanied them was not spicy, nor did it contain even a hint of tomato. Two stars for the cocktail menu, which offers only the sickly-sweetest looking drinks.One star for the fries which accompanied the naan kofta sliders. I'm pretty sure they were Ore Ida fries fresh from the freezer, and the ketchup was less ketchup and more no-name catsup. Feh.Finally, half a star for the waiter, who took his sweet time with us. We ordered our appetizers (the MoMos and the naan) but said we weren't yet decided on the main dishes. Our drinks arrived, sometime later our appetizer arrived, but our waiter didn't reappear to take our order. We tried to flag him down a few times, but he averted his eyes. He finally returned when we'd finished our appetizers nearly half an hour before. When it was time for us to get our check, he didn't walk it over to our table. He reached over the bar and kept calling and motioning for me to come and get it from him. He tried the same thing to return the check to us for my boyfriend to sign, but when neither of us ever stood, he huffed and walked it over to us himself.