Photos: Joy Asico-Smith/Asico Photo
Sushi Gaku brings a parade of sashimi, Japanese plates, and ever-elusive pufferfish to the depths of Wisconsin Avenue NW
D.C. isn’t exactly starving for sushi — with sleek omakase counters, Michelin-starred places, and quiet hole-in-the-walls in just about every neighborhood, the city’s raw fish game is strong. But, there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing. Enter Sushi Gaku, the latest contender to roll into the District that hopes to slice, dice, and impress its way into your weekly dinner rotation.
Occupying the subterranean Georgetown space formerly held by cocktail lounge Donahue (1338 Wisconsin Avenue NW), Sushi Gaku is the newest installment from chef Yoshi Ota — but it’s not his first pass at the D.C. restaurant scene. Sushi Gakyu was a longtime favorite of Washingtonians, serving up similar rolls in a sleek spot near the White House until its closure this year. Its newest D.C. iteration, named Sushi Gaku, sits blocks away from always busy M Street, nestled along the less crowded corridor of Wisconsin Avenue NW.