This is a tough time for any Capitol Hill restaurant but try being a first-time owner. Fortunately for Joo Youn You, she has about three decades of goodwill to work with. Aoki Sushi and Grill, the latest incarnation of the sushi joint providing rolls to North Broadway since 1986, has put the old counter back into motion and is open for takeout and delivery.

You is looking forward to the end of COVID-19 restrictions, however.

She says the current menu at Aoki doesn’t feature the full selection and specials that are part of the longterm plan for the restaurant.

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In March just before the outbreak and social restrictions hit, CHS reported on the sudden closure of Aoki amid a swirl of unpaid rent under a short-term owner who bought the much-loved restaurant in 2019 from retiring neighborhood sushi chef Hitoshi Nishitani.

Aoki’s lineage goes back to 1980s Capitol Hill when founders Tak and Ruth Aoki debuted their “Japanese Grill and Sushi Bar.”

You said her investment in the restaurant came down to a simple factor: “good location.” After this current “big challenge,” she’s hopeful the decision will pay off.

Aoki Sushi and Grill is located at 621 Broadway E for delivery and takeout. Call (206) 557-4595 or check out aokisushiandgrill.com for more information.

Capitol Hill Restaurants, Bars, and Cafes offering takeout during COVID-19 ‘stay home’ restrictions