Suwon Station Japanese restaurant for a casual date: Jojo AK Plaza

Whenever I have a reason to go to Suwon Station, AK Plaza is somewhere I end up stopping by naturally. This time I finally visited Jojo (죠죠), a place I'd had my eye on for a while. Jojo serves Japanese-style dishes cooked right on the teppan griddle, and it seemed popular with people eating solo as well as anyone wanting a light meal. After trying the yakisoba set myself, I was happy with both the food and the atmosphere, so I wanted to introduce it to anyone looking for Japanese food at AK Suwon.

Where is Jojo AK Plaza Suwon, and what about parking?

Jojo is on the B1 floor of AK Plaza Suwon, and if you use the AK Plaza parking lot, the first 30 minutes are free. It's directly connected to Suwon Station, so it's easy to reach by public transport too.

Since Jojo is inside AK Plaza Suwon, it's a handy spot for a meal before or after shopping or a movie. If you drive, you can use the AK Plaza parking lot, and the free first 30 minutes made the visit stress-free. Even by public transport, the direct connection to Suwon Station makes it very accessible, which is a big plus.

What are the atmosphere and seating like at Jojo?

Jojo AK Plaza Suwon has bar table seating centered on the kitchen, so you can watch the teppan cooking right in front of you. The vibe felt comfortable whether you're alone or having a casual meal with a friend or partner.

Watching the staff cook on the griddle was fun, and the wait while the food was being made wasn't boring at all. The seats are bar tables around the kitchen, so going alone didn't feel awkward. There were plenty of solo diners, and it was a relaxed place where you could just focus on eating. It's also good for a simple meal with a friend or a quick stop while shopping.

Review event drink service

Another thing I liked was the review event. If you join the review-writing event, they give you a drink, which made the meal even more enjoyable.

What did I order at Jojo?

I ordered the yakisoba set (야끼소바세트), which comes with yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) and mentaiko gyoza (pollock roe dumplings).

Because it's a set, you get the yakisoba and the mentaiko gyoza together, which I felt makes it a very satisfying choice for first-time visitors.

How does the yakisoba at Jojo taste?

Jojo's yakisoba is stir-fried over high heat right on the griddle, so a light smoky aroma comes through, and it's generously loaded with cabbage, vegetables, meat and seafood. It wasn't too salty or too sweet, so I finished it comfortably.

I could watch it being stir-fried on the griddle right after ordering, and once that smoky aroma started rising, my appetite woke up on its own. The yakisoba was much more substantial than it looked. Cabbage, assorted vegetables, meat and seafood were packed in, and everything blended well, which made it fun to eat. The noodles were a good thickness and stayed chewy, and being fried over high heat gave them that subtle smoky flavor. The seasoning was neither harsh nor sweet, just right, so I could enjoy it to the last bite.

The sauce soaked into the noodles evenly, so every bite had a rich savory depth. The vegetables stayed crunchy, and with the generous meat and seafood, it felt like a proper meal rather than just fried noodles.

What is the mentaiko gyoza in the set like?

The mentaiko gyoza in the yakisoba set was golden and crisp on the outside, and the pollock roe filling was salty and still juicy. Dipping it in the flying fish roe mayo sauce served alongside was the most memorable combination.

The mentaiko gyoza that came with the set was better than I expected. The outside was nicely browned with a crisp texture, and with one bite I could tell it was packed full inside. The pollock roe filling was salty yet rich in savory flavor, and the juiciness made it satisfying.

Above all, the flying fish roe mayo sauce served with it was really impressive. Dip the gyoza in it and you get nutty mayonnaise plus the pop of fish roe, which gives it a different charm from ordinary gyoza. It's the kind of combo you keep reaching for, so the plate was empty in no time.

Is Jojo worth recommending for a Suwon Station date or solo Japanese meal?

If you're looking for Japanese teppan cooking near Suwon Station, Jojo AK Plaza Suwon was a thoroughly satisfying choice. It worked well both for a light solo meal and for eating with a friend or partner.

The yakisoba fried on the spot had smoky aroma and savory depth, and the combination of crisp mentaiko gyoza with flying fish roe mayo was memorable. If you're after Japanese food at AK Suwon, I recommend visiting Jojo inside AK Plaza at Suwon Station. It's great for a quick solo meal, and it was just as satisfying for enjoying Japanese teppan dishes with a friend or partner.