Ajou University first-date bar: ube beer and salmon sashimi, Hwial

What is Hwial Ajou University Branch?

Hwial Ajou University Branch (휘얼 아주대점) is a cozy Korean pub-style bar on Aju-ro in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. The interior stands out right from the entrance~ I went there with my boyfriend for our very first date near Ajou University!

• Hours: Sun–Thu 16:00–00:50, Fri–Sat 16:00–01:50
• Closed every Monday
• Address: 6-3 Aju-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi, South Korea (1st floor)

Hwial's pebble entrance and sofa-seat interior

The entrance is covered in pebbles. It's a perfect date course spot near Ajou University, and my boyfriend kept saying how great the mood was. There's also a smoking zone on one side.

It looked pretty from outside, but inside the atmosphere is crazy good....!!!!!! All the seats are sofa-style, so sitting there is comfortable, and it's a great place for small gatherings or double dates!

Free iced persimmon for leaving a review at Hwial

If you leave a review, Hwial gives you an iced persimmon (ice hongsi, a frozen persimmon) as a freebie. Reviews can be on Naver, T map, Google, KakaoMap, Danggeun Market, Instagram and more, and it's one per person!

What did two people order from the Hwial menu?

The two of us ordered the salmon sashimi and the brisket jjamppong hotpot. There was so much I wanted to try, from braised beef shank suyuk hotpot, perfect with drinks, to nurungji (scorched rice) chicken hotpot, corn cheese jeon (Korean pan-fried pancake) and the new salmon sashimi. After agonizing, we picked the salmon sashimi we both love, and the jjamppong hotpot because I was craving a hot broth.

Ube beer or matcha makgeolli: which suits light drinkers?

The ube beer at Hwial is slightly sweet, so I recommend it for people like me who can't drink much! I'd wanted to try ube for ages, and here I am meeting ube through beer, haha.

The matcha makgeolli (milky Korean rice wine) has a strong matcha aroma and a bitter note, blended with that typical makgeolli taste? Still, I think the ube beer is tastier! Matcha lovers, definitely try it! Haha.

How was the brisket jjamppong hotpot (₩26,000)?

The brisket jjamppong hotpot at Hwial is ₩26,000: a spicy hotpot with seafood and beef brisket stir-fried and simmered in a Chinese wok with a smoky wok flavor. The mushrooms even have 'Hwial' written on them, so cute, the look alone got me~

We let the vegetables simmer a bit before eating. And the brisket was really tender and delicious.

The broth was very spicy and kick-y, just right as a drinking snack. They give you a burner too, so it stays warm for a long time.

It's loaded with bean sprouts, clams, crab, squid, bok choy, onion, mushrooms and more, a generous mix of seafood and vegetables. The brisket made it even better, I think. I'm craving that brisket again..sob.

The noodles in particular were so soft and good. I thought they were udon, but they were a little thinner and even softer than udon. They slid down easily too.

New salmon sashimi: discount price and asking for chojang

The salmon sashimi at Hwial is a new menu item, and a discount is running from ₩27,000 to ₩22,000. We both love salmon so we ordered it. The plating is lovely, with onion and plenty of salmon sauce in the middle. Try it before the new-menu discount ends.

Soy sauce and wasabi come neatly in small dishes.

Salmon is tasty with soy sauce, but I love chojang (sweet-spicy gochujang dipping sauce), so I asked for it and they prepared some for me!! Haha. Chojang flavor is the best, as expected.

I'm told it's a salmon dish where raw salmon is cured gravlax-style! Maybe because it's cured, the flavor is rich and the salmon melts in your mouth? There was zero fishy taste, just clean.

Is Hwial Ajou University Branch good for a first date?

One hotpot plus sashimi is a great combination at Hwial. It's a bar with a nice mood near Ajou University, so it would suit Ajou couples too, haha. Truly a good place for a first date.

The salmon was so good that we finished it all, haha. I was full, but I inhaled every last bite...haha.

For dessert they gave us the trendy mint candy, and if you're looking for a date spot or a bar with a nice mood near Ajou University, I recommend Hwial Ajou University Branch!