Gwanggyo drone show dinner at Hwial, a Suwon bar: jjamppong hotpot

September brings cool weather and festivals popping up everywhere. Last week Gwanggyo Lake Park held a drone show and fireworks festival, so my husband and I headed straight there after work. Before the festivities, we needed dinner, and we ended up at a spot near Ajou University known for great drinking snacks — Hwial Ajou University Branch.

Where is Hwial Ajou University Branch, and what are its hours?

• 📍 6-3 Ajou-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 1st floor
• 🕖 Sun–Thu 16:00–00:50 (last order 23:50) / Fri–Sat 16:00–01:50 (last order 00:50)
• 🅿️ Umandong 2 public parking lot (1 hour free)
• ✨ Local currency accepted

It's a bar with great atmosphere, but the food is so good you could easily go just for dinner. If you're looking for a nice Gwanggyo bar for a date, a go-to spot near Ajou University or a Yeongtong date restaurant, I'd highly recommend this place.

Parking at Hwial, a Suwon bar near Ajou University

If you're driving, I'd recommend the Umandong 2 public parking lot right across from the restaurant. It's easy to park in, and best of all, the first hour is free.

Inside Hwial Ajou University Branch: seating and atmosphere

The moment I walked in, I noticed how tidy and private the space felt. It was quiet overall, and the seats were spaced generously, so we felt comfortable sitting there for a long time without any crowding.

The generous distance between tables makes it a great place to chat quietly over drinks with a friend or partner. It was easy to see right away why it's known as one of the top date spots near Ajou University and in Yeongtong for a calm, cozy place to talk.

Hwial Ajou University Branch menu and prices

Every table has its own tablet menu, so ordering was easy. Since I remembered loving the yurinki from my last visit, and the weather had turned chilly, I ordered that again along with char-dolp jjambbong jeongol. Char-dolp jjambbong jeongol ₩26,000 / Yurinki ₩20,000.

Hotpots and soup dishes at Hwial

• [Signature] Aronsatae Suyuk Jeongol (boiled beef shank hotpot): ₩28,000
• [100% reorder rate] Char-dolp Jjambbong Jeongol (charred brisket spicy seafood hotpot): ₩26,000
• [Discounted] Eolkeun Yukgaejang Jeongol (spicy beef soup hotpot): ₩23,000
• Nurungji Dak Jeongol (chicken hotpot with scorched rice): ₩23,000
• Sogogi Shabu Jeongol (beef shabu-shabu hotpot): ₩19,000
• [Discounted] Char-dolp Doenjang Sulbap (grilled beef & soybean paste rice): ₩11,000

Meat and fried dishes at Hwial

• (Limited) 1++ Hanwoo Tataki (Korean beef tataki): ₩30,000
• [Signature] Maneul Gabrisal Suyuk (garlic pork skirt steak, boiled): ₩24,000
• Minari Gabrisal Sukhoe (pork skirt steak with water dropwort, blanched): ₩24,000
• [New menu] Kimchi Cheese Tangsuyuk (kimchi cheese sweet and sour pork): ₩23,000
• [Popular] Daepae Samgyeop Dubu Kimchi (thin-sliced pork belly with tofu and kimchi): ₩22,000
• [100% reorder rate] Yurinki (Korean-style fried chicken with tangy sauce): ₩20,000
• Mala Cream Saeu (mala cream shrimp): ₩20,000

Seafood, noodles and tossed dishes

• [Discounted] Sukseong Yeonhoe Sashimi (aged salmon sashimi): ₩22,000
• [100% reorder rate] Tong Ojingeo Sukhoe Muchim (whole squid salad, blanched): ₩21,000
• [New menu] Myeongran Cream Jjambbong (pollock roe cream spicy seafood noodle soup): ₩23,000
• Myeongran Cream Udong (pollock roe cream udon): ₩17,000
• [New menu] Char-dolp Bibim Udong (spicy mixed udon with beef brisket): ₩15,000
• [Discounted] Yeonhoe Salad (salmon salad): ₩15,000

Savoury pancakes, grilled items and dried seafood

• Sogogi Yukjeon (beef pancake): ₩20,000
• Sisamo Gui (grilled capelin): ₩18,000
• [New menu] Saeu Minari Jeon (shrimp and water dropwort pancake): ₩17,000
• Myeongran Cheese Gamjajeon (pollock roe cheese potato pancake): ₩17,000
• [Discounted] Oksusu Cheese Jeon (corn cheese pancake): ₩15,000
• Meokte (dried pollock strips): ₩13,000

Desserts and signature drinks

• Ice Hongsi with Ricotta Cheese (frozen persimmon with ricotta): ₩13,000
• Oreo Ice Cream & Flower Bread: ₩9,900
• (Matcha, Ube) Draft Makgeolli: ₩8,900
• (Matcha, Ube) Draft Beer: ₩5,500

The complimentary side dish was popcorn, and it looked freshly popped in-house.

Yurinki, 20,000 won: fried chicken with tangy sauce and fried onions

Yurinki at Hwial Ajou University Branch, ₩20,000. I remembered loving the yurinki on my last visit, so I ordered it again without a second thought — and it was the right call again.

The chicken is fried crispy outside and juicy inside, and the tangy, sweet special sauce comes on the side — great news for anyone who prefers dipping over drizzling.

The yurinki soaked in the tangy sauce is perfect for stirring up your appetite. And underneath it, there's a layer of fried onions — the crispy coating and sweet onion aroma made for a surprisingly great bite. The fried onions were as good as the yurinki itself, so I definitely recommend trying the yurinki at this Ajou bar.

Beef brisket jjamppong hotpot, 26,000 won: packed with clams

Char-dolp jjambbong jeongol at Hwial Ajou University Branch, ₩26,000. As soon as it arrived, the subtle smoky aroma was so good. Packed with meat and seafood, this hotpot made it immediately clear why it's the best-selling menu item.

Along with the lightly charred beef brisket with real smoky flavor, the hotpot was loaded with clams, and snow crab legs and squid rounded out the seafood, making the broth rich and refreshing.

There were plenty of fresh vegetables like bok choy and bean sprouts too, so it worked well as a meal, and the spicy, rich broth made it excellent as a drinking snack too — this char-dolp jjambbong hotpot at this Ajou bar. Seriously, so many clams — loved it!!!!

A weekend date that ended at the Gwanggyo Lake Park drone show

After dinner, we headed to Gwanggyo Lake Park and enjoyed the beautiful drone show and fireworks, capping off a perfect weekend date. Each dish was carefully made and high quality, and the calm atmosphere made it a great spot for conversation — truly a Gwanggyo date restaurant. If you're looking for a filling, delicious spot near Ajou University for a date, I highly recommend visiting this Yeongtong date restaurant, Hwial Ajou University Branch.