Gyudon restaurant near Ajou University Hospital in Suwon: Gyudongjip

Went to Ajou University Hospital with my dad and decided to grab lunch nearby afterward, so I looked up a good Ajou lunch spot 🙌

I was craving a hearty rice bowl loaded with meat after a while, so we went to Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch. They have a wide range of meat menus from gyudon to char siu, and ordering the set meal means you get side dishes too, which is great when you want a proper full meal. If you're a meat lover like me, this is definitely a place to keep in mind when looking for lunch near Ajou University!

Where is Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch, and what does it look like?

Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch is located on the 1st floor of 23 Ajuro 47beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi, South Korea, making it convenient when looking for somewhere to eat near Ajou University or Ajou University Hospital. The storefront is easy to spot from outside, so even on my first visit it wasn't hard to find.

The Ajou University area gets a lot of lunch traffic not just from students but also from people working nearby, so a menu that's easy to enjoy whether you're eating alone or with a friend matters, right?! In that sense, this place felt well suited for anyone looking for a spot near Ajou focused on rice bowls and set meals.

What is the inside of Gyudongjip like?

Stepping inside Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch, the overall vibe was clean and comfortable for a meal. For lunch, I find it easier when the menu isn't overly complicated or when it doesn't take forever to pick just one thing — an intuitive menu setup is nice!

At Gyudongjip, the main menus — gyudon, char siu, yukhoe (Korean-style beef tartare) — are clearly divided, so it was easy to choose based on what kind of meat I was craving that day haha. That made me think it'd be a solid choice for a filling Ajou lunch spot.

(The owner must really love Crayon Shin-chan.)

Gyudongjip menu and prices

What we ordered that day: gyudon hansang + char siu jeongsik! One thing I loved about the set meals is that you don't just get a plain main dish — you can pick sides to your taste.

You can choose between mini mormil noodles, udon, or cold udon, so we each picked something different. The gyudon hansang also lets you choose a fried side, and we went with the sweet potato cheese croquette. Being able to customize the combo within a single menu item was great for me, since I like trying a bit of everything. With so much variety from main to side, this is a solid candidate when searching for a rice bowl spot or a Japanese restaurant near Ajou University.

At around ₩10,000s per person, it's also a great value pick near Ajou University~

Gyudon hansang and the sweet potato cheese croquette

First up, I want to recommend the gyudon hansang at Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch. There's a generous amount of meat piled on top of the rice, and just looking at it feels like a satisfying meal!

Taking a big bite of meat and rice together, the seasoning naturally soaks into the rice while you also get that tender meat texture — really nice. If you're the type who feels a meal isn't complete without meat, I'd recommend the gyudon hansang.

Popping the egg yolk and mixing it in makes it taste even better.

And something I quietly loved about the gyudon hansang was the fried side. We chose the sweet potato cheese croquette! Crispy outside, fluffy sweet potato inside with cheese added, making it sweet yet savory. After eating gyudon for a while, mixing in bites of the croquette changed up the texture and made the whole set more fun to eat! If you like enjoying several dishes together rather than just one main, I'd recommend the gyudon hansang at Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch as an Ajou lunch spot.

Who is the char siu set meal best for?

Next is the char siu jeongsik. If the gyudon hansang is soft and hearty, the char siu jeongsik is the one to recommend if you want to enjoy the charm of saltier, well-seasoned meat. The rich, deep flavor of the char siu seasoning pairs really well with rice — a bite of meat with rice together was just the right combo.

If you usually like food with a bit more seasoning, or you enjoy sweet-and-salty meat dishes, I'd personally recommend the char siu jeongsik over the gyudon. Ordering both the gyudon hansang and the char siu jeongsik together, the charms of the two dishes were clearly different, so it was easy to choose depending on your taste.

Choosing the mini soba or udon side

The side dishes that come with the set meal at Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch were nice too. You can choose between mini mormil, udon, or cold udon depending on your taste, so you can pick according to the season or your mood that day.

Especially after eating meat and rice, adding noodles in between felt like a refresh for the palate rather than sticking to just one thing the whole meal — it worked really well together. Being able to eat from main to side all in one sitting made this a solid combo for an Ajou lunch spot when you want a satisfying meal.

Finishing lunch with plum tea

And a small but personally satisfying point! Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch includes plum tea as a dessert drink once you finish your meal.

After eating a hearty meal of meat and rice, I wanted something to finish it off cleanly, and the plum tea at the end really refreshed my palate. It's nice that a drink is included after the meal without needing to order anything separately. With this small addition, the whole meal felt properly complete from start to finish!

Gyudon hansang or char siu set meal: which to order?

Based on what we actually tried at Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch, here's my recommendation:

• If you love meat and want a generous full set → gyudon hansang
• If you like salty, richly seasoned meat → char siu jeongsik

The gyudon hansang in particular lets you enjoy gyudon along with a fried side, plus side options like mini mormil or udon, so it suits anyone who prefers a varied spread over a single dish. Being able to finish with plum tea also made for a hearty yet clean-finishing meal.

If you're grabbing lunch with a friend near Ajou University, or craving a solid rice bowl meal alone without any pressure, this is worth a visit as an Ajou lunch spot. Next time I'd love to try other menu items, so I'm definitely up for a repeat visit :)