Sushi Gaku has been proudly serving Georgetown, a charming district with a rich history and character. Since first opening its doors in 2025, Chef Yoshi Ota has brought his incredible 40-plus-year journey and passion for sushi to the neighborhood, following the closing of Sushi Gakyu's downtown DC chapter in late 2024. Come experience his fresh take on sushi in a warm, welcoming space that has quickly become a local favorite.
Born in Hokkaido Japan, Sushi Chef Yoshi began his culinary career at the prestigious ANA Intercontinental Hotel restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. For the past 40 years, he has practiced the art of sushi making in the United States and Japan, including the work at New York's legendary Sushi Den.
While still in his early 30s, he opened the doors to his own restaurant in the heart of Ginza, Tokyo. For over a decade, Ginza Gakyu attracted both locals and international connoisseurs, often praised for serving high-quality, inventive sushi in a friendly atmosphere.
Since coming to the United States, he was one of the founders of Kushi Izakaya and Sushi in downtown DC and was the head Sushi Chef and Sake Sommelier at Sushiko in Chevy Chase. His restaurant debut in the began with Yuzu in Bethesda, next was Sushi Gakyu a block from the White House, and now he is excitedly opening the latest restaurant, Sushi Gaku in Georgetown.
He is one of the only chefs in the area to hold a Fugu or Pufferfish preparation license, honored to bring authentic Japanese cuisine and his philosophy of cooking, eating, and drinking to the United States.
