Suwon Station teppanyaki from a Culinary Class Wars 2 chef: Jojo

Had a solo meal to handle near Suwon Station, so I headed to Jojo. This place is actually close to Hongchil's workplace, so it's where Hongsun, the Japanese-food maniac, often eats solo! If you're looking for a Suwon Japanese restaurant, Suwon teppanyaki spot, or Suwon Station solo dining recommendation, Jojo is my repeat pick.

Jojo AK Plaza Suwon basic info

• 📍 Address: 924 Deogyeong-daero, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, AK Plaza basement 1 food hall
• 🕒 Hours: 10:30–20:00 (20:30 Fri, holidays) / Last order 30 min before close / Closed once a month, check AK Plaza's schedule
• 🚗 Parking available (AK parking lot, discount varies by spend)
• 📶 No Wi-Fi
• 🚻 Restrooms separate by gender
• 🪑 Bar seats for solo diners only
• 📋 No reservations

A Suwon Station Japanese restaurant, AK Suwon restaurant, Suwon restaurant recommendation — Jojo!

The teppanyaki chef's shop from Culinary Class Wars 2, Jojo AK Plaza Suwon

The teppanyaki chef who appeared on Culinary Class Wars 2 (흑백요리사2).

Today I want to introduce Jojo, located in Suwon Station's AK Plaza.

The staff were super busy! Since they're a teppanyaki specialist serving food straight off the griddle, you can watch the cooking in person. A Suwon Station Japanese restaurant, AK Suwon restaurant, Suwon restaurant recommendation — Jojo!

Solo dining at the bar seats, basement 1 food hall of AK Plaza Suwon Station

Jojo is located in the basement 1 food hall of AK Plaza Suwon Station. So it's bar seats only.

There are plenty of shared 2–4 person tables nearby too, but they're always packed during lunch and dinner, so these bar seats might actually be the better choice.

And if you sit farther away, the bus tray return spot gets farther too... (self-pickup, self-return, you know how it is).

Still, with so many solo diners, turnover is really fast. If you're looking for a Suwon Japanese restaurant, Suwon teppanyaki spot, or Suwon Station solo dining recommendation, Jojo is my repeat pick.

Jojo's menu: yakisoba, okonomiyaki, fried rice

Before ordering there's a display with model photos, and honestly... maybe it'd be better without them. Usually it's the opposite, but the real food looks way more delicious than the models.

I guess it's considerate of the older crowd, given AK Plaza's typical customer age range.

So they sell yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and fried rice.

My favorite is the fried rice, but today I came to enjoy the basic yakisoba. A Suwon Station Japanese restaurant, AK Suwon restaurant, Suwon restaurant recommendation — Jojo!

When you order, they give you an adorable buzzer.

While we wait, let's watch the yakisoba sizzling on the griddle — jeez! What more needs saying? Fry it, fry it ♡ Griddle yakisoba, you lose track of time just watching!

Yakisoba's ginger sourness disappointed, but mentaiko gyoza was a hit

Alright, here they come! Entrance of the players!! I'd heard the mentaiko gyoza (명란교자, cod roe dumplings) was so good, so I ordered it as a set.

It might look like there's no toppings, but no no no, the squid, pork, and cabbage layered underneath show up at the end.

The noodles were plump and chewy, and the sauce was exactly that authentic yakisoba taste we all know! Tastes just like eating it in Japan.

But one small letdown — the pickled ginger on top seemed too heavily pickled, so its sourness came through pretty strong. I think the ginger's acidity was just too intense... Even after pushing it aside, it had already soaked into the noodles, which was a shame — it hurt the sweet-salty balance yakisoba is supposed to have.

The mentaiko gyoza side dish I ordered alongside, though, was a real hit. Whoever developed this deserves an award — lately every gyoza/dumpling dish I order has been a winner (??).

Crispy outside, juicy inside, packed with broth... but the mentaiko mayo bursting through adds a sweet-salty-savory combo that's the real kick. They really gave a generous, heaping amount of the mentaiko mayo sauce, so I was so happy dipping every bite... happy... happy.

Why Jojo works for solo dining near Suwon Station

I'm already a regular, but I rarely eat noodle dishes at lunch, so I hadn't ordered yakisoba much before. This time getting to try it paired with the mentaiko gyoza set was great.

The food comes out faster than expected and turnover is quick, so I'd recommend it as a solo dining option near Suwon Station!