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    AA Sushi

    4.5 (106 reviews)
    Closed • 1:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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    Recommended Reviews - AA Sushi

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    Seared Salmon nigiri
    Stephanie H.

    This sushi spot is easily a hidden gem located in the heart of Ballard. Good quality sushi at unbeatable prices!! Most of the items are priced below $10 a piece, which makes this place so affordable, especially for sushi. Great for groups because there's so much variety and I also like coming here when i'm not too hungry because you can order as much or as little as you want. Quick service and friendly staff. Only downside is sometimes they miss some items you order because it's a self-ordering sheet where you mark off/write down the items you want and they sometimes overlook some items crossed off, but it doesn't happen often. Street parking can also be tricky during dinner time just like any other spot around this area.

    Asahi
    Sabrina P.

    My husband and I went here on a Saturday evening and had some of the best and most reasonably priced nigiri in Seattle. Admittedly, we were a little confused when we arrived as there was a line out the front door. We stood waiting in it before realizing that we needed to put our name down on a clipboard for a table, and that most folks in line were waiting for take out orders. Better signage or different areas for seating vs take out would be helpful. Once we were seated after 15 minute wait though, we had a great experience. You order with a paper order card, so it was great to be able to visually confirm our orders. Nigiri was very reasonably priced, and we loved that it came in servings of two so that we could try a bunch of different things. We will be back!

    Miso soup
    Vy N.

    What a gem! My partner and I visited on a Thursday night for an early dinner and were surprised to see how busy it is on a week day. We did not have to wait long for a table but it filled up quickly and we noticed that some people were coming and had to wait for some time. The menu is nice and easy to read and offers a huge variety. The nigiri selection is strong. I was surprise to see different options for salmon, scallop, sweet shrimp, and so much more. They give a paper menu where you can mark how many pieces you would like of each item which makes ordering super easy. The pricing was also super straight forward and reasonable!My parter and also ordered a couple of rolls and hand rolls too which were also so good! I was very happy with the quality of nigiri, especially at the price point. We spent just under $80 after tax and tip but left super full and had leftovers as well! The food was brought out to us super quickly after we order :) The service was a bit inattentive but it was super busy and their serving team is quite small. The service itself was super friendly. We will go back very soon!

    Cat T.

    I went to AA Sushi on a rainy Saturday afternoon for lunch and it wasn't too busy. I was seated immediately and food came out fairly quickly. Service was fine and ambience was casual. I got the black spider roll, creamy scallop gunkan, tuna toro nigiri, seared salmon nigiri, salmon toro nigiri, and albacore nigiri. Each nigiri came with two pieces and a sizable piece of fish. The black spider roll was good, although a tad too crunchy - you can't really taste the soft shell crab that well. The creamy scallop gunkan was standard. Both seared salmon pieces was a little overdone in my opinion, I couldn't tell the difference between the normal salmon and salmon toro. The albacore was good and I loved the pickled topping on it. The bluefin toro was so good! I wish I got more of it, so buttery and fresh. This restaurant is definitely a bang for your buck if you're looking for good, reasonable sushi. I think next time I'll stick to non-seared fish and it'll be a 5/5! Just a mispick on my part.

    Scallop, sea bream, seared salmon, squid, tuna, and yellowtail nigiri + Salmon Bomb
    Nick G.

    I've been able to stop by AA sushi a few times and it just might be my favorite sushi deal in town. The different fish we tried were all delicious, anything from the tuna to the sea bream were all popular. If you're able to catch their lunch special during the weekdays, there's great value on some quality salmon nigiri lunch sets. One of the craziest things on the menu might have the be the salmon bomb which comes as a seared salmon wrapped together and topped with ikura, resulting in a super flavorful bite. The service is always nice and the place has nice large windows for people watching in Ballard. AA sushi is definitely my favorite treat when in Ballard.

    Heaven Roll
    Generous Y.

    We visited in the evening as a group of five, pretty packed and there was a wait list. Checks out, as we came because a friend saw this spot trending on TikTok I guess. We were pretty excited while waiting outside for about 45 minutes because of the popularity. At some point, there were two tables waiting to be cleaned, but they were never cleared until after we got inside. Possibly understaffed, but at some point the entire dining room was full. Service was pretty slow and food was fine, nothing spectacular. Quality is similar to most spots in Seattle, as we are a coastal city with lots of fresh seafood. No one came around to refill waters, we had to flag down staff to do so. Our orders came out in random batches that prolonged the night. First, six orders of nigiri and one gunkan. Then one order of nigiri. Then one individual roll. Then finally the platter. Each delivery was offset by probably 12-15 minutes, where we'd be twiddling our thumbs wondering if they had forgotten our order or misunderstood the order, despite filling out a paper sheet. AA Sushi Favorite Roll Platter - our fault for not doing due diligence, but these rolls were primarily centralized around crab salad or tempura shrimp, so maybe favorite rolls for AA Sushi to prepare but they don't showcase the restaurant or their potential well. The outliers would be the Red Devil Roll and AA Sushi Roll, I'll call out below. Red Devil Roll - this is the best roll in the platter above. The seared salmon on top alone was the best flavor. Tender, rich, and above all else smoky, this roll showed off potential for the shop while being actually tasty. AA Sushi Roll - as the signature roll (given the name), this was voted our worst roll in the platter. The shrimp tempura is simply on the ends for aesthetics. All of the pieces inside are filled with cream cheese (very Americanized, arguably insulting to sushi). Then on top, is diced tomatoes. There's literally no fish here, so an extremely underwhelming roll to append the restaurant's name on.

    Harry S.

    Checked out this popular sushi joint on a Saturday evening during dinner time. I braced myself for some major wait time but we only waited for 10 minutes and we got a table for four. Staff were friendly and I definitely saw some smiles here and there. The place was full, busy, but still welcoming at the same time. It was definitely family friendly. We ordered using their order sheet and the goods started coming. We got a variety of nigiri sushi items including some appetizers. They were good. The fish were fresh and tasty. Their toro varieties were especially good and very fresh. I think how good a sushi joint's amaebi (sweet shrimp) is a good measure of how fresh their items are and their amaebi was great. There was one hiccup with the service as they forgot about our chicken karaage and salmon carpaccio. We let the servers know and they not only brought them right away but also surprised us with a free dessert. I thought that was a nice gesture. Overall, we really enjoyed our sushi dinner!

    Tai D.

    I felt that the sushi here was just okay. The king salmon toro was quite good. The bluefin tuna toro had a stronger fish taste and had a harder texture in it. Maybe not my preference. I did like the way you order by piece on a check list. The menu with photos is also helpful. It gets busy at lunch but there are many tables. I like the large window to look out in Ballard towards the movie theater.

    Jeff W.

    New-ish in this space which has hosted sushi places in the past, this is my favorite. Fish is fresh, huge options, attentive service. We went on a busy summer night and sat out on the patio so things were slow to come out so bring your patience but nothing terrible. Veg options were super plentiful for those who don't eat fish. I do eat fish and I was happy. Will be back.

    Cold house sake, poke bowl, hotate nigiri, ikura gunkan, uni gunkan
    Hucky K.

    Pros: pretty good quality food, portion is generous, food is fresh, it is reasonably priced, vibe is vibrant and easy going Cons: they can be busy easily not sure if the waiting staff can completely catch up with the demand (we did receive good and timely service when we dined there) This will be my go to sushi place in Ballard.

    We come here very often, and every single time we leave impressed! The sushi is always incredibly delicious, fresh, and clearly made with care. This is the kind of place you visit with excitement and a great appetite because you know the food will be amazing. We'd also like to highlight the excellent service. The staff is always friendly, attentive, and welcoming. Everything is clean and well organized, orders are prepared quickly, and the quality is consistently outstanding. Thank you to the entire team for your hard work and dedication to maintaining such high standards. We are extremely satisfied and will definitely keep coming back again and again. Highly recommended to anyone who loves sushi!

    Miso soup
    ThuyVy N.

    Overall I really liked this spot, the prices are closer to conveyor but the quality and ambiance are higher. Would def come back. Service is very fast and nice, the lunch deal / lunch set b we got for a 4 pieces of a roll, 3 pieces salmon and 3 pieces seared salmon with a salmon bomb and miso soup is really good. So you get like 10 pieces of sushi with the bomb and a soup!! Will come back

    Exterior (6/9/25)
    Marie B.

    Belated review for my first visit earlier this month on 6/9/25. It was a positive sign to also find street parking right out front. No reservations, just showed up and were seated at a two top near the entrance. Very welcoming staff. Lots of natural light with both indoor and outdoor seating. Spare interior decor, but nice vibe for solo, pairs, and group dining. Saw takeout orders being picked up too. After perusing the menu, we filled out the order sheet for apps, assorted nigiri, and rolls. We received our orders in good time and were blown away by the affordability, freshness, and served at the optimal temperature. It was so delicious, we went in on another round. I look forward to future visits to check out other menu items.

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    1 year ago

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    2 months ago

    Great sushi at a great price! Horrible service lol but the sushi will make this a regular spot for me

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    4 months ago

    The food and service were both great! Very friendly staff and the Lion King roll was amazing!

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    9 months ago

    Everything we ordered was delicious and it was all plated so beautifully together for a perfect takeout little party! Thank you!!

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    1 year ago

    Great service and great sushi, lunch menu has several options and well priced. Looking forward to coming back.

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    1 year ago

    Just went there today with friends and they all say the sushi was so yummie, it's very clean and the service was excellent. Thank you.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Amazing food, great service, and at a great price! This spot is our new favorite for sushi in the area.

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    1 year ago

    Really great sushi and not expensive. I will definitely go back. We had signature rolls and basic rolls - all delicious.

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    Umi Sake House - Chirashi

    Umi Sake House

    4.1(4.4k reviews)
    4.2 mi•Belltown
    •$$$

    Loved our dinner at Umi Sake House! The food and service were both amazing. We had the crispy rice…read morespecial and three rolls, including the Casino Royale and a couple from the daily fresh list, and everything was delicious. Our server was also incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and gluten allergies, which made ordering so easy. They were very accommodating and helped us feel confident about what I could safely eat. Would definitely come back next time I'm in Seattle! Plus they are open later than many restaurants, which accommodated our 9pm arrival in Seattle.

    Immediately upon entry of Umi you can tell that this is where all of the cool kids are hanging out…read morein Seattle. You should prepare your entire party ahead of time to stretch their vocal cords before your night out, otherwise you will not be able to hear each other. I'm not sure what is going on with the acoustics inside of Umi, but it is insanely loud (it might not be that way for everyone though, I do have a hearing problem). Umi is the Japanese word for ocean, which is very fitting since you can order any fish possible here. And somehow, my homie that I was with decided to order a steak. I can't fault him, he was ravenous at the time. Admittedly, the steak looked fantastic as well. My other homie is a vegetarian. And even though this is not the most vegetarian-friendly establishment, he was still able to have a nice meal. He explained to me that he is a tofu connoisseur, so we ordered the Agedashi tofu. I've never had tofu prepared this way, and it was some of the best I've ever had. It was bathing in a dashi broth, which was the perfect level of saltiness, almost like a miso soup. The tofu was fried, and when you let it sit in the broth for a bit, it creates a fantastic consistency to each bite. In order to test the true caliber of a sushi spot, you have to try a specialty roll. I was feeling a little spicy that day, so I elected for the Knockout. It didn't exactly knock me out, but I was impressed. First of all, this roll was a looooooong boy special. I always prefer sushi to be made this way, because if a roll is only 6 pieces, the experience is over far too quickly. The roll itself was very enjoyable, and I even convinced Mr Steak to have a bite (he seemed to like it too). A little bit of truffle oil took this thing to the next level, they're definitely innovating in the world of sushi over here. I'd love to come back and try more rolls from the extensive menu here. Maybe something like the Hottie Roll, which was my nickname in high school.

    Photos
    Umi Sake House - Entry lights

    Entry lights

    Umi Sake House - Legend Of The Rolls

    Legend Of The Rolls

    Umi Sake House - Chocolate mousse

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    Chocolate mousse

    Momiji

    Momiji

    4.2(2.1k reviews)
    4.9 mi•Capitol Hill
    •$$

    I wanted to go out for sushi with my parents, so i settled on this place. great gem in cap hill…read more loved the little japanese tea garden in the middle of the restaurant. lots of seating, and there were still people waiting on a Wednesday night. the servers were attentive and speedy. they brought some edamame over. delicious. No notes or critiques I love edamame. To drink, I had one of their specialty cocktails. It was their take on a spicy Marg. It was honestly a stellar drink. It was a perfect balance of citrus and spice. I would order this drink again without a doubt good presentation too. We had the toro sampler which came with three different types of Toro with three different toppings. It was cool to get to try the different types of Toro, and I enjoyed tasting them side-by-side to see the differences. The toppings were one of their house, sauces, fried garlic, and chives. I enjoyed the house sauce the best. I was also looking forward to the Crispy Rice which came with crispy rice w/ salmon roe, wasabi aioli, & aonori with spicy tuna. You could choose what type of fish went on it, but obviously we got tuna. This was a yummy bite. Came out piping hot. Beautiful presentation. The tuna was perfectly prepared. The salmon roll was an interesting touch but actually worked well. I think it's sacrilegious to go out for sushi and not get miso soup, so We also added a miso soup to our order. Solid miso soup. No critiques. Came out piping hot. Because I felt like we needed a vegetable, we had the House Spring Mix which came with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes & cucumber w/ spicy garlic ponzu. I enjoy the salad dressings at Japanese restaurants because I feel like they're very distinct. I don't think this one was as distinct, but it was still good. The cherry tomatoes weren't mushy at all, which I appreciated. I do enjoy a spring mix, but Romain or arugula will always have my heart. Moving onto rolls. We started with the Capitol Hill Roll which came with snow crab mix, avocado & cucumber topped w/ seared salmon, scallions, tobiko, sweet aioli, sweet chili & soy glaze. This was my favorite roll of the night, but I would love to go back and try some of their other rolls. They have a huge menu. I love a sushi that has seared salmon, but IDK if that still makes it sushi. My dad loves asparagus, so we got the El Diablo shrimp tempura, shibazuke & asparagus topped w/ seared snow crab legs, pico de gallo & chipotle. It wasn't the most traditional roll, but I did enjoy it. I probably wouldn't order it again when there's so many other good things to try on their menu, but Im glad that I got to try two rolls. Because we're celebrating my mom's birthday, they brought ice cream. It was a solid ice cream, even though we just got vanilla. It had good flavoring, even for vanilla.

    Stopped in for happy hour with some friends. Lots of options on the menu but still a bit on the…read morepricey side. We got there with an hour left on HH on a Wednesday night with no reservation and got seated pretty quickly. 1/5 Edamame came out cold and needed more salt - although complementary it should really come out hot 3/5 Bad boy 3/5 Crunch Seattle 3/5 Crunch cali 3/5 Seaweed salad Not a huge fan of the fried rolls. It was probably our fault, as we ordered three instead of getting a variety. The seaweed salad was topped on some greens which I would've just preferred the seaweed without it. Just a chill nice place. Cute garden in the middle and there's plenty of seating in the back.

    Photos
    Momiji - The bar facing the street has a beautiful washi light fixture. The best feature of this area.

    The bar facing the street has a beautiful washi light fixture. The best feature of this area.

    Momiji - Samurai Spirit.

    Samurai Spirit.

    Momiji - Lychee Martini

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    Lychee Martini

    Rondo Japanese Kitchen

    Rondo Japanese Kitchen

    4.4(789 reviews)
    4.4 mi•Capitol Hill
    •$$

    Yummmy. Seems like a real family owned spot. The decor is fun and cute- had Kiki's delivery service…read moreon the television and toys smattered about, but it's still a chill vibe in there. And it gets POPPIN here. We were ravenous in the morning thank god so we got there right as it opened. Line quickly formed soon after. Bento box - star of the show, good deal and all the items were good Unagi bowl - delish but small! Black garlic ramen - still delish but I'd maybe hop elsewhere for knock out ramen

    Stopped by while I was in Seattle and enjoyed this spot with a couple friends…read more We came without a reservation and luckily only had a short wait. It's located in Capitol Hill with a fun vintage Japanese-inspired interior. Service was friendly and the host was especially nice. We also had no trouble finding street parking nearby. We ordered quite a few things to share but these were my favorites: - Uni Seafood Creamy Maze-Udon: best item here imo. Creamy, rich, and topped with a variety of fresh seafood. Definitely the most memorable dish of the meal. - Tokyo Shoyu Ramen: Yummy! The broth was light but flavorful and the noodles had a nice chew and grabbed onto the soup really well. The veggies added a nice crunch. - Bara-Chirashi Donburi: Super fresh with a nice variety of high quality fish and perfectly seasoned. No additional soy sauce needed but I did ask for extra wasabi. We also tried a couple other items. All were good but nothing that particularly stood out. Glad I checked this place out while I was in Seattle! I enjoyed the meal but with so many places to eat in the city, it probably wouldn't be on my must-visit-again list.

    Photos
    Rondo Japanese Kitchen - Sashimi bento

    Sashimi bento

    Rondo Japanese Kitchen - UNI SHOOTER

    UNI SHOOTER

    Rondo Japanese Kitchen - UNI SHOOTER

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    UNI SHOOTER

    FOB Sushi Bar

    FOB Sushi Bar

    4.5(540 reviews)
    4.2 mi•Belltown
    •$$

    If you love sushi, this is now on your food bucket list. Don't question me…read more We came about 45 minutes before it closed. Had two boxes made for 18 pieces. They weight your sushi to calculate the cost so you can go as much or as little as you'll like. When in line, you should go to the front to quickly to see what's available so you can mentally figure out which ones you want then go back to your spot. The line moves very quickly so think fast! After picking your box, you go down the bar and fill your box as you go. Then when you reach at the end of the bar they weigh your sushi. Our boxes was ~$48 total. Then against the wall, you get your utensils, Ginger, wasabi , soy sauce , or eel sauce. There are some seats inside and outside.. but it is so busy , most people take their boxes to go. We sat against the windows and the table was slightly dirty but that's because we took the seats as soon as someone left them. There wasn't much seating left. They spoil you soooo much with their sushi. They had a great ratio of sushi:nonsushi and sometimes more so in your favor. Near the end I was so full I ended up eating the nonsushi bits off the rice and, surprisingly , it was still a heavily amount per sushi. When we left, it was closing time and there was still a huge line outside!

    Tried FOB Sushi Bar and thought it was decent, but it didn't quite live up to what I was hoping…read morefor. The fish tasted fresh and there's a pretty big selection, but the sushi had a lot more rice than I prefer. The rice-to-fish ratio made some of the pieces feel heavier and took away from the flavor of the fish. The space itself is clean, bright, and modern with a casual grab and go feel. Everyone there was friendly! The sushi is nicely displayed and it's an easy place to stop in for a quick meal, although the ambiance is definitely more casual than somewhere I'd go for a sit-down sushi experience which is what is expected for this sort of spot. Overall it's a convenient spot with lots of variety, but I personally prefer their FOB Poke restaurant around the corner. I've had more consistently satisfying meals there and would probably choose the poke next time, it's one of my favorite poke spots.

    Photos
    FOB Sushi Bar - 4 medium trays

    4 medium trays

    FOB Sushi Bar - Sushi selection

    Sushi selection

    FOB Sushi Bar - So good

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    So good

    Maneki - Sassy salmon roll

    Maneki

    4.2(1.4k reviews)
    5.5 mi•Japantown, Chinatown International District
    •$$

    Cozy place for a special occasion. Small restaurant. Appears family run…read more Price point for the quality of fish and thickness of cut is reasonable. The popular sashimi plate had sockeye salmon, scallops, king salmon, yellowtail, snapper, and shima aji. 3-4 slices per fish so total about 20ish pieces for $ 75 dollars. Also included salmon roe. Ask which fish is in the plate since it seems to change. Service was good. They serve distilled water which is appropriate for eating raw dish so you actually taste the fish and not the tap water. The star of the night was the miso black cod. Soft buttery and flavorful. Just enough miso to bring out the sweetness of the fish. Some may find it not flavorful enough. It depends on if you are looking for fish flavor or seasoning flavor in my opinion. The only down side is that it's a fatty cut of fish so by the third piece it can be a bit heavy. Ended up cutting the fat with a bit of lemon toward the end and using the shredded pink diakon. For the price of $ 17 dollars, it is quite a good deal as other spots in the area would charge more or give less.

    I found out about the oldest Japanese restaurant in Seattle 20 minutes before I ate there for the…read morefirst time. I was around the corner (literally) at a cafe, learning about the history of Seattle's Japantown, when I decided to look up recommendations of restaurants in the district to eat at. Maneki came up, and right after I read about how difficult it is to eat there as a walk-in without a reservation, I looked at the time and realized they were about to open for the evening. So I thought, "challenge accepted," and was in front of their doors in about 30 seconds. There was no one waiting and I was pretty shocked; it wasn't until 5:00 on the nose that other people walked up and got in line behind me, most without reservations. So if you're trying to do a walk-up, don't wait until 5:00 to get in line. Get there early. The owner was nice when I told her I didn't have a reservation and she said while all her tables were full, she had bar seating open if I was interested. I said yes, so I was seated in the Hannya Room (and happened to be wearing my Yakuza Majima sukajan with a hannya on the back) with a handful of other people (bar seating is very limited, maybe 12 seats tops, and the room is very narrow). The bartender was cool and offered to take our phones and take photos of the specials on the wall in the foyer so we all didn't have to walk back over there. I actually ended up getting one of the specials, the chicken katsu cutlet with beef curry. From the regular menu, I got a yaki onigiri and some gyoza (which are described as grandma's recipe and handmade), and from the bar I ordered the reggae punch cocktail (Iichiko saiten shochu, peach schnapps, and cold brew oolong tea). The regular menu is extensive, with a lot of comfort dishes and signature dishes I haven't seen elsewhere. Whether you want meat or seafood, there's something for everyone here. The meal was absolutely delicious. The only thing I didn't care for, unfortunately, was the yaki onigiri, because I felt the shoyu they used was just way too sweet. Yaki onigiri is one of my most favorite things on the planet, and Ippuku in Berkeley makes them perfectly. I was expecting the one at Maneki to be on that level, but I was disappointed. But other than that, the curry had great flavor and bit of a kick of heat, and wasn't skimpy on the beef. Lots of potato, too. The katsu was breaded and fried perfectly and the cutlet was pretty generously sized. The gyoza were great, not oily, each one stuffed with meat. I enjoyed the reggae punch and would order it again. I also ordered a glass of iced oolong, so I was feeling pretty refreshed on this warm afternoon with my two drinks. The bartender, who was handling both drinks and food service, was a nice guy with a good sense of humor. The owner also chatted with me on my way out and gave me a little history about why they decided to name the bar the Hannya Room, and some background on all the hannya masks on the wall in the bar. I'd love to come back here the next time I'm in Seattle, but especially to be able to dine in one of the tatami rooms. This was a great meal and it was awesome being able to support this important part of the local history of Seattle's Japantown.

    Photos
    Maneki - Several private rooms with traditional floor seating

    Several private rooms with traditional floor seating

    Maneki - Wild Salmon

    Wild Salmon

    Maneki - Miso black cod

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    Miso black cod

    AA Sushi - japanese - Updated October 2026

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