Monday, July 21, 2025
By Annabel Taylor
Behind the facade of a black townhouse door and wedged between M.M.LaFleur and Take Care at 1338 Wisconsin, lies Sushi Gaku, a traditional Japanese lair brought to Georgetown by culinary powerhouse Chef Yoshi Ota.
Ota has been in the business since age 18 when he began his career at ANA Intercontinental Hotel in Tokyo. In his early 30s, he opened his own sushi restaurant in Ginza, the high-end shopping hub of Tokyo. Since moving to D.C. 15 years ago, Ota co-founded the beloved Kushi Izakaya and Sushi in downtown D.C., worked as head chef and sake sommelier at Sushiko in Chevy Chase and opened Yuzu in Bethesda in 2013. Ota’s next venture after his restaurant Sushi Gakyu is Sushi Gaku—dropping the “y” to aid with pronunciation.
The space, formerly Donahue Cocktail Lounge, was transformed to reflect the true spirit of Japanese culture and dining. Descend the staircase to be met with a 10-seat bar space facing an array of sake on display—separated from the main dining room by a noren, a traditional fabric divider. While the below-ground oasis is cozy, warm and dimly lit, it isn’t without a breath of fresh air. The back of the restaurant offers courtyard seating, lush with greenery and a pleasant pocket of sunlight.
White fish, tuna and salmon nigiri. Photo by Annabel Taylor.
Sushi Gaku offers tradition and innovation hand-in-hand. As a sommelier and sushi chef, Ota introduces guests to curated combinations of sake and nigiri. The menu features both Americanized sushi like maki rolls—including langoustine and soft-shell crab—and a core set of nigiri and omakase. Edo style sushi, which originates from sourcing fresh fish from Tokyo Bay and providing a foundation for nigiri, emphasizes precise cuts and masterful seasoning. Ota’s 11-piece Edo set features rice soaked in akazu vinegar made from sake lees. The Okimari prix-fixe offers miso soup, sashimi carpaccio, nigiri, maki rolls and ice cream. Ota’s next move is to incorporate a full omakase menu, curated to each guest’s individual tastes and featuring fermented ancient-style sushi. Beyond that, he hopes to serve a seasonal tasting of fugu, blowfish. Ota is one of the few chefs in the area to possess a fugu preparation license, obtained in Tokyo after years of exams and practice.
Sushi Gaku is poised to make a lasting impression on the Georgetown restaurant scene—similar to Ota’s mirin-soaked nigiri on one’s palate.
Sushi Gaku is open for dinner from 5-10:00 p.m. except for Tuesday. Diners can expect brunch and lunch hours to be instated soon.