Sugo Hand Roll Bar

"Sometimes, you don't want lunch to feel like lunch—you want it to feel like a small break from reality as you enjoy excellent food and soak up limited free time. Sugo is the place to do that. This four-sided sushi counter specializes in handrolls, and it's incredibly exciting to sit here among the soundtrack of Alesso tunes and the blast of a flame as it blowtorches wagyu on a pink Himalayan salt block. Expect a whirlwind of delicious fillings like sesame-forward ahi poke, marinated ikura, and melty chopped otoro that won't set you back too much money or take too much time out of your afternoon." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley

"Sometimes you want dinner to feel like a small break from reality as you enjoy excellent food and soak up some limited free time. Sugo is the place to do that. This four-sided sushi counter specializes in handrolls, and it's exciting to sit here among the soundtrack of Alesso tunes and the blast of a flame as it blowtorches wagyu on a pink Himalayan salt block. Expect a whirlwind of fillings like sesame-forward ahi poke, marinated ikura, and melty chopped otoro that won't set you back too much money or take too much time out of your night. And vegetarians, there are great options for you too—like truffled mashed avocado with tempura crunchies, fried green beans, and crispy battered tofu with sweet onion and pea shoots." - aimee rizzo

"Poke Handroll Sugo’s ahi poke is delicious on its own. But wrapped in seaweed, it’s even better. Between cubes of fresh tuna glossy with soy sauce and sesame oil, sweet onion shavings, chili threads, warm rice, and crackly nori, there’s plenty of seasoning to jazz things up while still letting the fish shine. It’s not only the best thing to order at this waterfront hand roll bar, but it’s our favorite new sushi item of the year. Has a morsel of poke slipped out and into our shoes? Yes. But it was worth it." - aimee rizzo

"In a city that lacks both high-end sushi lunch options and Downtown seafood restaurants that aren’t all crab cakes and halibut, we’re glad we have Sugo. This Japanese spot serves excellent handrolls layered with quality fish, and it works well whether you’re walking around Pike Place by yourself or planning a dinner date with a couple of friends. For a four-sided counter that looks like it belongs at a busy airport terminal, Sugo’s dining room feels equal parts relaxing and exciting, between the Alesso tunes in the background and blowtorches lighting up king salmon on a pink Himalayan salt block. Get some chilled sake, fill out the ordering card at your seat, and you’ll be off to the races. photo credit: Nate Watters A meal at Sugo is a whirlwind of delicious handrolls with fillings that are simple and effective, like sesame-forward ahi poke with chili threads, marinated ikura, and shredded snow crab splashed with spicy mayo. There are more elevated toppings, like seared wagyu with uni and caviar, or melty chopped otoro with fresh scallion, but don’t assume that those are automatically better than the basic ones though—our advice is to go with what you usually gravitate towards. Each crisp sheet of nori is wrapped around ever-so-warm rice and raw fish with polished precision, and these handrolls make for a superb waterfront seafood meal if you’re not in the mood for Market Grill or Jack’s Fish Spot. While you should come here prioritizing the fish handrolls, there are some worthy detours. You can build a really satisfying plant-based meal, with vegetarian options like truffled mashed avocado dotted with tempura crunchies, fried green beans, and crispy battered tofu alongside sweet onion shavings and pea shoots. There are also tasty appetizers if you’re really hungry. The seared sashimi is a non-negotiable starter, and other snacks include panko-breaded shrimp on a miso soup shooter, and tempura nori chips topped with masago, tomato, eel sauce, and Beecher’s cheese, which sounds like an excessive disaster but really works. The only downside to ordering small plates is that you might experience timing issues. Much like the Grocery Outlet Bargain Market radio jingle during a long drive, these handrolls start coming whether you’re ready or not. We’re talking like right after you order and even before you can finish your appetizers. You’re then left with a difficult choice of letting your handrolls get soggy or having your starters grow cold. You could also be left stranded without the next temaki—or the check—for 15 minutes. But these end up being minor complaints. In fact, we encourage you to stay for a while if you can. Go ahead, order another seaweed-wrapped bundle of scallops. This isn’t actually an airport terminal, after all. Food Rundown Seared Ora King Salmon Sashimi Always kick things off with sashimi at Sugo. Topped with savory ikura and a sneaky pinch of lemon salt, the trio of seared king salmon pieces is the best appetizer here. Norichos Raise your eyebrows at the list of ingredients if you will, but puffy tempura nori chips topped with masago, diced tomato, scallion, eel sauce, and about a block's worth of grated jerk-spiced Beecher’s cheese just works. But much like actual nachos, it’s considerably heavy, so we’d only order this again if we’re with a big group or are super hungry. Otherwise, save room for handrolls. Miso Soup Shooter The crispy prawn that comes with this shot glass of miso soup is as delicious, crunchy, and as satisfying as any fried piece of shrimp. The shooter is good too, but the vessel is small, so you might end up leaving chunks of tofu and seaweed in the bottom of the cup. photo credit: Nate Watters Hawaiian Poke Handroll This is Sugo’s best handroll. The sesame-soy marinade does a stellar job of soaking into the tender tuna without overpowering it, and there’s sweet onion and red chili threads for a bit of sharpness. Don’t leave without one, even though the tiny cubes of fish make it tough to eat—we may or may not have spilled some in our shoe. photo credit: Nate Watters Sugo Spicy Tuna Handroll The ground tuna and squeeze of spicy mayo is wonderful on its own, but then they go and add pickled daikon for crunch and tang. Along with warm sushi rice and crackly nori, you can’t get a better basic handroll than this. photo credit: Nate Watters Truffle Avocado Handroll This handroll is filled with extra ripe and smashed avocado, the perfect amount of truffle oil, and tempura crunchies for some welcome texture. It’d be even better if the avocado came in firm slices instead of a mash, but it’s still a great vegan option. photo credit: Nate Watters Crispy Tofu Handroll Another A+ vegetarian option, this tempura-battered tofu spear is served alongside shaved onion and microgreens. Drizzle it with some soy sauce to amp up the salt a bit. photo credit: Nate Watters Blue Fin Otoro Handroll It’s not always available, but when it is, do not skip this buttery tuna belly loaded with fresh scallions." - Aimee Rizzo

"Sometimes, you don't want lunch to feel like lunch—you want it to feel like a small break from reality as you enjoy excellent food and soak up some limited free time. Sugo is the place to do that. This four-sided sushi counter specializes in handrolls, and it's incredibly exciting to sit here among the soundtrack of Alesso tunes and the blast of a flame as it blowtorches wagyu on a pink Himalayan salt block. Expect a whirlwind of delicious fillings like sesame-forward ahi poke, marinated ikura, and melty chopped otoro that won't set you back too much money or take too much time out of your afternoon. And vegetarians, there are great options for you too—like truffled mashed avocado with tempura crunchies, fried green beans, and crispy battered tofu with sweet onion and pea shoots." - aimee rizzo