We celebrated our wedding anniversary at El Gaucho and it was amazing! They went over an above to make our special dinner even more special. The food, service, and atmosphere was perfect. We will definitely be back to celebrate more special occasions. read more

Great food, but a little sparse understandable because of the economy, but when you can actually see each individual seafood, and count it?! with the price we pay?! Service was ok not great. I say that because for a fine dining restaurant service is what we pay for and when you have a seasoned server who expects a huge tip because he works in a fancy restaurant, well that would explain the lower rating. You can tell when employees are working just for a paycheck! Or an automatic 20% tip read more

A special anniversary dinner was made into a magical evening with live music for romantic ambiance, incredible wines, quality NY steaks, attentive and friendly service by Mason. From the valet opening my car door to greet me, to the cookies added into our togo bag, our anniversary dinner was a special occasion because of El Gaucho Portland. Thank you. read more

On a whim, we decided to alter our dinner plans, shop for some suitable clothes, and make reservations at El Gaucho toward the end of a hiking trip around the Pacific NW. It was also our third anniversary week! We initially made an 8pm reservation for a Friday but were able to arrive around 7pm. The hostesses were very accommodating and after a quick drink at the bar, where I had a properly iced and garnished old fashioned ($20), we were seated in a private back room. They had live music in the main dining area and it was a lively atmosphere, we were happy to sit in an area where conversation was more possible. Our server did a comprehensive job of acclimating us to the menu and specials while also suggesting some personal favorites. We had scouted out the menu online beforehand, so we knew what we wanted! We started with the tableside filet mignon tartare, which is seasoned, mixed, and egged before your very eyes. I added a bit of horseradish and enjoyed the dish! The spicy crab bisque, while not especially spicy, came with some nice chunks of crab and tasted great. We split the 18 ounce Canadian lobster tail which was deshelled at the table and cut into two portions with drawn butter. Expensive at $125 but so delicious! My wife had the petite 6oz filet and asparagus and enjoyed them both. I ordered the bone in ribeye Pittsburgh style and got exactly what I ordered! The char tasted great. We powered through to dessert where we shared a slice of strawberry rhubarb cheesecake with an outstanding sauce and crust. We also received a fruit and cheese plate as a part of the course. The dessert was also comped due to our anniversary. We were given a congratulations card and some rose petals strewn across the table to celebrate our anniversary as well. All in all, a great experience! The tip was figured into our final tally, with an option for additional gratuity but our server made it clear that the auto grat was present. If I had to find a "room for improvement" it would maybe be the yukon gold mashed potatoes, they could use some embedded skins or additional flavoring like garlic. read more

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I've walked by El Gaucho for decades, but had never visited. Since I was staying at The Benson Hotel next door, thought we'd take a taste! El Gaucho is a serious steak house, very festive and busy. The service was really good, the food varied. As an example, the french onion soup was the best ever, the mac and cheese with crab was average. The key lime pie was killer and so was the garlic bread. The prices are up there and you can even buy drinks that cost $150, so El Gaucho is a little expensive. The 20% service charge, surprising. But El Gaucho is a perfect place for a special event or occasion. read more

Went for my daughter's college graduation. Table side Caesar was fun. Steak a tad too rare in the middle for medium. Brussels were overly seasoned. Scalloped potatoes were on point. Service of course 5 stars but for $500 for 3 people expected food to be a tad better read more

I was super excited to try this restaurant and was quite underwhelmed. My wife and I came here and splurged and I regret it, but there were a couple highlights. The tableside bread was great, their oysters with tartar sauce was great. The other sauce that came with the oysters was not good. We also ordered the escargot, which the raw garlic flavor overtook the entirety of the dish, it was just too much. We ordered the cesar salad, which was mediocre, i've had better cesar dressing from a bottle. Also had the crab cakes, and the crab was overcooked and rubbery. Then we ordered the steak diane, which was cooked well, but the sauce it came with was not good. The bourbon taste was too strong and overpowering. We got corn and crab mac and cheese as a side, corn was good, the mac and cheese was flavorless. We then had the mudcake which was fine, and vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce. I did not know they charge 3 dollars to drizzle some caramel on the ice cream, which is ridiculous. They then do an automatic 20% service fee, so our total bill was over $400. Our meal was not worth $400. Food is too mediocre for the amount they charge. The way they charge is also sneaky. When we ordered the cesar salad we ordered just the 1, but that's not an option apparently. Because its tableside its 1 per person, so we ended up paying for 2. Same thing with the sneaky 3 dollar caramel sauce. read more

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I'm in nice steakhouses probably once a week. I was excited to try El Gaucho for the first time in Portland. My thoughts below but in short, disappointed for the money. Service and ambience - very good and lives up to their reputation Hendricks Martini slightly dirty w blue cheese olives - spot on Wedge - light on toppings, esp bacon, and too heavy on blue cheese Steak - ribeye had little marbling, hard time believing it was really Prime. They didn't trim the leathery outer layer off after dry aging. The combination of little marbling and leaving the outer layer made the steak meh. Ordered Medium Rare and it was on very low side of Medium Rare, which was perfect for me. I assume the sear and then oven finish to temp. Brussel Sprouts - good flavor but very over fried Wine list - Very good overall bottle selection but by glass limited was far too limited Cigar Lounge - I certainly appreciate a nice steakhouse having a cigar lounge. Nice selection of cigars/spirits, good service. TVs to watch the game. I do wish that it was a traditional lounge instead of full dining service. The servers coming in and out constantly, and making table side items, made it feel more like a restaurant in which you can smoke a cigar. read more

Really fantastic experience. We were seated promptly, the server was very friendly and knowledgeable. The food came out perfectly timed, and the suggested wine pairings were on point. I've dined here many times, and am always pleased to with the quality of food and service. It remains my favorite steakhouse in Portland. read more

El Gaucho - Seared Tuna Seared Yellowfin Tuna - Steakhouses Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Absolutely phenomenal food, drinks, and Service. Took my wife here for our anniversary dinner, and it did not disappoint. Host greeted us saying "Happy Anniversary". Our table had a card from the staff wishing us a happy anniversary with rose pedals around it. Brandon are server was awesome. Went over the menu and made his personal suggestions which were appreciated. Everything was just perfect. For appetizers we did the oysters, scallops, and the table side Filet Mignon tartar. Entrees we did the Chateaubriand- the 2 person tenderloin meal table side service, with loaded baked potatoes, asparagus, and grill tomatoes. We also order a side of Risotto which was also very good. The tenderloin melted in your mouth. Everything was just delicious!! Definitely spendy spot, but worth the experience you get. read more

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Our waiter Mason made my wife and me feel like a king and queen from the moment we sat down. His attention to detail was on another level, checking on us at the perfect times, anticipating what we needed before we even asked, and treating us with genuine hospitality. He turned a simple dinner into an unforgettable experience and played a huge part in making my wife's birthday absolutely perfect. We couldn't have asked for a better waiter. Honestly, I would drive 2.5 hours from Tacoma, WA to Portland Oregon any day of the week just to experience Mason level of service again. read more

El Gaucho - Steakhouses Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I heard about El Gaucho when I moved to town. The classic, downtown, fine dining, table side, top quality steak house! Upon arrival, it feels like the kind of place that would make you wear a sport coat or jacket to enter. However, I saw a guy in a white, Hawaii T-shirt. We were asked if we would be following our dinner with time in the smoking lounge, tempting - but we did not. Top notch service with exceptional attentiveness. The table side Caesar salad was a highlight. I opted for the Steak el Gaucho, sauce on the side (smart decision). While I enjoyed it, the lobster was a little overcooked and the steak was not the best I've had. Overall, a delicious meal made better by the experience. Prices are reflective of the service more than the quality. read more

El Gaucho - Steak El Gaucho (sauce on side) - Steakhouses Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Went for dinner with my family . The restaurant is great. Everything from ambience to service was excellent. Only complaints are the long wait time without having a reservation, and the prices. Definitely one of the most expensive restaurants I have been to. read more

I ate here Saturday night with my wife and friends. This was my first experience at an El Gaucho. They have other restaurants in other Pacific Northwest cities (so I'm told). It's a dimly lit restaurant with an open live fire kitchen. Nice interior design and atmosphere. They had a keyboard player playing Spanish and contemporary music that enhanced the atmosphere of our dining experience. Service: Michael was our server. He was fun, helpful, and a very good professional waiter. We started with a bottle of sparkling wine from a local Oregon winery. El Gaucho has a decent wine list with one or two sommeliers working. One of the somm's helped us select the sparkling wine to start, and a bottle of California cab for dinner. The restaurant serves a complimentary yummy warm garlic bread (5/5). This bread is addictive. We ordered soups and salads for our starters. I had the French onion soup (5/5). Savory and rich onion forward broth. Crunchy croutons that progressively got soft as they soaked up the broth. Lots of gooey cheese. It was a perfect start to my meal. My wife and friends also enjoyed their bisque and salads. For my entree I ordered the top sirloin with a 2oz portion of seared fois gras on top plus their peppercorn sauce (5/5). The steak was cooked to the correct temperature. The combination of textures and flavors together was amazing. For a side I got the frites (5/5) to share with my wife. They were crispy, salty, and perfect. We had a wonderful dinner at El Gaucho's. I would highly recommend this steakhouse when dining in downtown Portland. read more

Ate here for a holiday party. The server was very charismatic and created a great experience. The food was "okay" for me, as I am a vegetarian. Everyone who ordered steak was pleased. They do prepare things a bit more rare, so ask for a bit more well done than you expect. read more

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Had the most unforgettable experience at this magical place for my birthday. Best birthday dinner to date!!! The amount of care we received and service was just stellar!!!! We ordered the seafood tower which we forgot to take a photo of but it was so amazing and what really caught me was the oysters so of course I had to get a half dozen more! The steak was so perfectly prepared you can taste that quality. I am drooling and dreaming of it now. I am beyond happy to have celebrated here because there was nothing that could have been better! read more

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Great service.. Great hospitality.... The food was amazing, calamari, asparagus, sweet, roasted corn and potatoes was ordered and was very good.. The ambience was really good the vibes, dark, sexy. This place is a staple steakhouse in Portland. read more

El Gaucho - Menu - Steakhouses Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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the service is very good. the tall wine steward who also helps serve dinner is the best. the place can seem a little busy because of table side service, but in a fun and interesting way. We like We like El Gaucho! read more

was running late to a reservation and was able to push it back an hour with no problem. there was beautiful live music and our service was extremely kind! the diablo tenderloin was a bit too smoky for my taste but the tenderloin was cooked perfectly, as was the crab mac and cheese which was amazingggg!!!! i also got the prawn linguine, the prawn was cooked perfectly, not my favorite but worth the try. read more

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Mmm mmm, EL 'effin' Gaucho is more like it! I'm gonna start by saying that my lasting impression of this steakhouse was simply thinking, "Whoa! When the scallops taste as soft and as tender as the steak, then that's perfection!" Here's the gist: :: Location & Parking :: At the corner of Broadway and Harvey Milk St, in the heart of downtown. You're gonna need to whip out that Parking Kitty app to find street parking. We did find parking at a small garage across Broadway, but it might be safer to park on the street versus a garage in my opinion. Just realize you're in the heart of downtown. ::: Dining & Atmosphere ::: White table cloth dining. It's like your typical steakhouse experience; Low lighting, but not super low to where you can't see the menu. Just right. Wine flowing, but I didn't see your common wine refrigeration display. I only saw big wine bottles around the tables, but also not a big deal. Happy patrons dressed to the nines, but also dressed comfortably. You can come here wearing a t-shirt, but you'll stand out as the odd one. Everything else appeared pretty clean. Even with a restroom break, I'd say it was fairly clean inside as well. :::: Starters, Steak & Service :::: My party wanted to share a few sides. So we did the Gaucho Mac n Cheese ($14) and mmm mmm what a great starter indeed. Loved the toasted bread crumbs on top. We tried the Grilled Sweet Corn ($14) which was also a pleasant honeyed sweet choice. And finally we gave the good ol' fashioned Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes ($14) a try, and yeah "light and lovely!" I'm not a fan of the "Lets add some seasoning to mashed potatoes" type. They kept it basic, and the side itself was truly golden! As for me, I kept eyeing the French Onion Soup ($16), so I'm glad I gave it a try. It wasn't overly salty and the cheesiness level was just full of stretchy ropy fun! The way it should be. Since I've never been here, I did their signature plate, the Steak El Gaucho ($89). An 8oz aged filet with Maine lobster medallion on top covered with this creamy bearnaise sauce. And of course an asparagus companion. I had the steak medium-rare, took one bite, and ugggh heaven! Grilled perfectly! Honestly, I could do without the toppings which were also delectable, but the filet was one of the best I've ever had in a long time. My friend ordered a side of scallops, and I had one with my steak. And man, that tenderness comparison just topped it all! Finally, with service. Maaan, I cannot thank Mathisen enough. He was serious when I asked him snooty question, but also hospitable when I threw stupid 'dad jokes' at him. He made an excellent wine pairing to go with my steak, and he definitely kept our party entertained. Mathisen deserves a promotion. He brings a lot to the table! (: hehe :) At the end of our dinner, we were also greeted by Gillian, the manager. She too was very courteous and another reason why we plan to come back someday. Thank you Mathisen and Gillian, it was a pleasure dining here. read more

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Called in late on a Wednesday and was able to reserve a table for our 15th wedding anniversary. The place was very busy but they had saved a very nice and I might add large booth for just the two of us. The meal was to die for! Steaks perfectly done, they gladly split the wedge salad for us, the roasted squash side was superb and the service was excellent. The staff is professional yet personable and the attention to detail is amazing. They even printed us a personalized menu surrounded by rose petals!! El Gaucho is one of my all time favorites and highly recommended!! read more

El Gaucho - Personalized menu for the 15th Wedding Anniversary!! - Steakhouses Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Absolutely the best service I've ever had at a restaurant in my entire life. The whole place runs like a well-oiled machine - you have tuxedoed servers racing around the restaurant without ever bumping into anything or looking stressed, delicately reaching over your table to place utensils in exactly the right place or delicately pick up a piece of food that's fallen off a plate. There's an open kitchen in the back where you can watch the cooks at work, and there was a live guitarist playing in a Spanish style. I was there celebrating my mom's birthday and they presented us with a birthday card signed by the staff and custom-printed menus with her name on them. Our waiter was super-friendly and attentive to all our needs, and even personally escorted mom to the restroom when she needed to find it. They made sure our water glasses never ran empty. We both chose to dress up for the occasion, but there's no official dress code, so feel free to come as you desire. It was a packed house on a Friday night so it was a bit of a wait for our food, but everything was piping hot and delicious when it was delivered to our table. We both started with French onion soup, which was topped with bread and a thick layer of broiled cheese. The soup itself was extremely rich and the onions were delicate and delicious. Mom had a lobster tail which they de-shelled and plated for her at the table. I had a filet mignon with grilled prawns, and for sides we split an order of mashed potatoes which were so rich they didn't need any gravy or sauce, a plate of sauteed mushrooms and onions which were absolutely delicious, and some steamed asparagus with lemon butter. After the main course they served us a complimentary platter of fruit and crackers and cheese, and our dessert (cherries jubilee over vanilla ice cream) was flambeed at tableside, which made an impressive show. The only thing stopping me from giving them five stars is that I ordered my filet mignon medium and it came out much rarer than I'd typically expect medium to be. I suspect they deliberately undercook the steaks because if a customer sends it back, it's easier to fix an undercooked steak than an overcooked one. Nonetheless, I'd highly recommend this place if you're willing to drop a few hundred dollars on a special occasion well worth remembering. read more

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This place is so good that I wish I hadnt given out 5 star reviews to other places! As it is, Id give El Gaucho 6 stars. To me, this was the best classy restaurant we've tried so far in PDX. The ambience is upscale. We chose to dress up a little bit but you dont have to. We saw plenty of people in shorts and polo shirts. The server we had was very friendly and attentive. We felt very well taken care of. The food came out quickly and was done to perfection. I had the A5 Miyazaki Wagyu New York and it was literally the best steak I've ever had. My wife had the filet and it was the 2nd best steak we've ever tasted LOL. What I really loved was the fact it was served with a pinch of salt and there was actually salt and pepper at the table. America has developed a salt phobia and it's gotten to a point where we feel like we need to bring salt with us to restaurants. The wine list was amazing and the prices for the bottles werent nearly as inflated as I would have imagined. Same goes for the liquors. Be warned you get bread with your meal and some little after-dinner thing too - fruit and cheese? I cant remember. We were VERY full by the time we left. Yes, the price of that dinner was high, but we were treating ourselves and felt very happy with the experience. We are looking forward to going back and trying additional menu items. read more

First of all, the restaurant is really dark, they provide live music and the table is very close to each other. The service is good and the server is quick response which is nice, but as I am dinning alone, I am not sure why he help me to order a full side of corn instead of half portion. Regarding the food. I feel quite disappointing. It is not the amazing with the price and not really special. The table side salad or steak request minimum order for two. So I ordered the Diablo(may spell it wrongly) as appetizer, it is not special only spicy. The bread is quite okay which the garlic and butter taste just the balance. The steak is the El Gaucho aged signature steak, the sauce is a little too salty and the steak itself is soso. (The side of corn is nice though) The cocktail is quite nice but the glass is sticky when it came to my table. I will not really recommend to you according to the price but what you get is totally not worth, included the service charge it cost me near 200 for one person with only one cocktail that night. read more

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Another perfect meal last night, delivered to me by a perfect group of servers. ARI, my all-time favorite server (at any restaurant), brought me my first "bloody maria" with an excellent premium tequila she recommends, followed by escargot, a perfectly cooked top sirloin with peppercorn sauce and a fully-loaded baked potato. Wrapped it all up with crème brûlée and I could not have been happier. El Gaucho Portland is such an awesome restaurant - especially if you're celebrating an important event. You should try it if you haven't already. The live guitarist always sets the right mood with his songs and the ambiance is always perfect for romance or for a group from the office. A perfect 10+. read more

Went for a work dinner. The customer experience was amazing. Top notch and will definitely be back. The food was great. What stood out for my was the salad and bananas foster which were both prepared in front of us. Drinks were yummy as well. Our party of 5 was there for about 3 hours! Great service food and staff! read more

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Had a recent Birthday dinner that was beyond disappointing. NY Steak that had zero flavor and over cooked, a 17.00 baked potato , French onion soup that was mostly cheese. No issues with servers but in the end dinner for two with the house added gratuity...375.00!! Insanely not worth it. read more

Unfortunately, we left extremely disappointed. While we dropped a ridiculous amount of money, we were unsatisfied and irritated. We came for my wife's birthday and they immediately treated us like their own special guests. They had rose petals on the table and a card, great touch. The service here was impeccable, however, that was the only highlight. We waited 2 hours for our food. Yes, you read that correctly, 2 hours for our food. We ordered the table side Caesar salad which was done fairly quickly after we ordered. Somehow the salad came out spicy? My wife is very sensitive to spice so she couldn't even eat it. $17pp so that was money down the drain. 2 hours later, the rest of the food came. We ordered lobster mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, brussell sprouts and the bone in rib eye. The rib eye was cooked perfectly but all of the side dishes were not seasoned well. We ended up taking a bite or two then packing it up to take home and fix later. By the time we got all of our food it was 9:30 (we were sat at 7pm) so we were exhausted and no longer hungry. We walked away with two bags full of food. They also gave us a complimentary platter of cheese and fruit. They chose a very strong bleu cheese and they didn't even slice the apple. Just a weird choice. Overall, while the service was impeccable, the food and the wait was bad enough for us to never want to come again read more

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13/10 best restaurant we have ever been to. We LOVED our server Mallary, she was incredible. We will definitely request her in the future. We were well taken care of and everyone was so attentive of our needs. Can't say enough good things about this place. Food was also very good, the Caesar salad and baked potato were my favorite parts also the drinks are incredible read more

Extremely disappointing service. My family came for dessert, and two of us waited a very long time for ours after everyone else had the tableside dessert. Our server never came to check on us, and then again, we waited an extremely long time for our check. She didn't ask us about rewards, just dropped the check on the table very dismissively. My husband and i have been dining at El Gaucho for years, and the thing we love most is the exceptional service. I am truly let down. On top of that, two of our desserts weren't great. I will absolutely never come back to the Portland El Gaucho again. read more

El gaucho is a very over priced steakhouse. Ever since they went corporate, the quality has suffered. Went for anniversary last night. We were given a nice table in the bar. Waiter was pretty good although distracted. Steaks were serve ice cold on cold plates. Just a plain steak on a white plate - no garnish no parsley, no sizzling platter. By the time the baked potatoes were fluffed, I was ready to leave. An $80 cold steak isn't worth it to us. Plus an $18 baked potato. They add 20% gratuity . FYI. Recommend Clyde's, Ringside or Ruth Chris for steak. Or Save your money and cook a great steak at home. read more

I just ate at El Gaucho, and am still thinking about what a great dinner, and dining experience it was. We had the server Meg, and she was first rate ,and very attentive without being annoying. I had the Steak El Gaucho and it was to die for. This is a place to have tableside service and my friends had it for Chateaubriand for two. Great fun to watch and experience. My filet mignon was so tender you didn't need a knife to cut it, and the preparation with Bearnaise sauce and lobster medallions was amazing. The table side Caesar salad was fun to watch being made, and one of the best caesar salad I have ever had. Very garlicky which is how I like my caesar salad. the sides were great too we had cornbread, and scalloped potatoes. For dessert we had bread pudding with ice cream which was a perfect way to end the evening. I am not a big drinker, but I had one drink and it was well made. My friends had glasses of wine and they were happy with the wine. It's also nice that the staff at El Gaucho know this is a dining experience and let you take your time nothing rushed here. I can't recommend El Gaucho enough when your craving steak and a fine dining experience. I am already looking forward to returning to El Gaucho! read more

My first time visiting and service was amazing. Jacob was so sweet checking up on us making sure we had a good time. Ian is the best server. It was like dinner and a show. I would come back again just to see them. read more