I really, really, want to give El Gaucho 5 stars, but alas, I just can't do it. I don't know why, but it just wouldn't feel right somehow. The food is tremendous, it really is. But it's not breathtaking. It's more like really exceptional home cooking. Maybe that's my issue. Maybe it's supposed to be exceptional, albeit hidden under a veil of that home-cooked feel. That would be great, but the ambience is so dark, I feel I'm on the movie set of Twilight - after the sun has completely vanished. So although the food is excellent, it's not enough to meet with the price points of the dishes (if in fact I could actually see what it was I was being served, imo. $400 for three of us (with 2 bottles of wine, and a Sauternes) I'll be back. Just not running. 4.4 stars. read more

After 17 years of special celebrations, client dinners and those magical years of the cigar box and bar, El Gaucho may have bottomed out. Starting with the Denny's level "hostess" it went odd after that. Instead of the professional approach from year's past, the waiter was extremely casual and a bit dismissive. Since I've dined here for years we knew what we wanted quickly but had to wait a long time for even the drinks order. After that it was like a land rush. Our appetizers barely landed when the Caesar salad show started. I don't know when they changed to such a sweet basalmic vinegar, but it is a mistake. It takes away the tart contrast and reduces what made the salad so special. The wicked shrimp were the wicked shrimp thankfully. My wife enjoyed her butterflied filet and my Steak El Gaucho was fine, but not the sublime greatness that has driven me to the restaurant for years. The portion of lobster would not even satisfy the smallest appetite. The bizarre and kind of useless addition of the Sundae presentation was a non-starter. Stick to the classics. If you are hurting for business it is because you have alienated too many of us old school El Gaucho lovers. I have defended you for the last few years, but may finally have to cave. Please don't reduce this place to a drinks and apps stop. Seattle needs you at your former glory best. read more

Expensive! Like seriously expensive. But the Caesar salad was really good and so was my steak! I wonder if Mastro's is better? I have had Fleming's, Ruth's Chris and Morton's and this place was better. Nice ambience especially if you want to just sit and talk to someone for a long time because food takes awhile to get served. The wine selection was very good as well. read more

My first time at any El Gaucho was with a deal I purchased through Amazon Local for $175 for a four course meal for two. It included an appetizer, soup or salad, entree, dessert, wine or cocktail pairing with each course, valet parking, and a $50 gift card to use with your next visit. I can't even explain what an amazing deal that is based on the quality of this restaurant. Looking at the menu, one of the glasses of wine I had was $25 alone! I chose the wine pairings and my boyfriend had the cocktails. The drinks were tastey, but the wine is an amazing deal. And each one was deliciously sinful...oh my goodness. The food. The food. Ceasar salad prepared tableside...wicked shrimp, prime rib medallions, chocolate bourbon cake...all of it, absolutely perfect. And they are not chintzy, we were completely stuffed when we left. A new experience for me is that they are not worried about turning tables. They want you to stay, savor your meal, enjoy your company...it is awesome. It couldn't have been any better. Five stars all around, hands down. Well done El Gaucho, well done. read more

El Gaucho, El Gaucho - How I want you to be great. Over the years I have eaten here a dozen times. I continue to hang on to one amazing meal that I had which was seven or eight years ago. It was the definition of perfection. Since then, I have had a number of good meals and maybe a great meal to keep me intrigued, but not last night. Last night, we ate here to celebrate my mother's 70th birthday. Overall, I think everyone enjoyed the evening, but the restaurant didn't really add to the ambiance to make it a really special event or dinner. The areas that I thought showed high class relate to them calling the night before to remind/verify our reservation, my daughters thought it was very sophisticated that they were escorted to the bathroom, the atmosphere is always very nice, and the food was very good. The areas that I was having trouble with, related to the service. Which is what defines a restaurant. The server in charge of water was excellent and very attentive to everyone's water glasses. The main server seemed like he had the potential to be great, but didn't really go the extra mile and seemed like he was going through the motions. It may have related to the fact that we brought our four children to the event, even though they were very good in their behavior. We started off with a fork being dropped on the floor and my mom trying to replace it with a clean one. The waiter walked by without acknowleding her request. No big deal we will get it on his next pass. Well no luck on attracting his attention, so do without. The biggest issues related to empty drink glasses without being asked to for another beverage. That just seems unheard of. When someone comes over stealthily and picks up the empty glass, but doesn't ask for a refill seems bizarre in any type of restaurant let alone a high end restaurant. As mentioned we were celebrating a birthday and a few small presents were opened. I placed the two softball sized wads of wrapping paper on the corner of the table expecting them to mysteriously disappear or at the minimum to be asked if they can be thrown away. Nope they sat there for atleast an hour until we walked out the door. Where were the stealth ninjas at to pick up our trash? The other area relate to the timing of the food, drinks and desserts. It seemed like the timing was off where the gaps between the various courses was greater than desired. The waiter asked if we were interested in desserts, which I said yes. He passes out some dessert menus and doesn't check up for 15 minutes. When dealing with kids, time between looking at the menu and gettting the dessert is critical. Fortunately the kids were all very well behaved, but the evening was wrapping up so the quicker the better. When it came to the server, there was no connection. This is a strange area when dealing with fine restaurants. No recommendations or information to add to the anticipation. When making reservations I noted that it was my mom's 70th birthday, but no real mention of that until dessert came out with a candle in hers. I am not even sure that he said Happy Birthday when delivering it. Very strange. The closest he came to providing value was when my fiance was ordering the French Onion Soup, which she loves, and he talked her out of it because it is very filling. We are going with that was a positive as she was full eating her steak. The steaks were very good. I heard nothing but good things. The mashed potatoes are prettly plain as well as the mushrooms. Maybe we ordered the wrong ones, but nothing special. I usually favor the sides more than the steaks at some places, but I wasn't overly impressed. Not the whole package, not terrible but just not great. Probably will stick with Ruth's or the Met. My fiance schedules dinner functions here pretty often for work, so this was her first trip where she could just enjoy the evening. She wasn't heavily impressed. Well $600 later, got an okay meal, wished we would have stuck with Ruth's or the Met. No one burst into flames with my son's flaming sword, so nothing to tramatic to report. I will probably try them again, as I still can envision that great meal that I had many years ago. That probably won't happen for awhile. read more

The Gaucho hires the best waitresses and waiters (managers too). The menu is a la carte. My favorite steak at the Gaucho is the filet mignon. I prefer to sit in a booth and usually they're able to accommodate my reservation request. It's best to have dinner there early in the week as it's generally very busy from Thursday through Saturday. Belltown can get pretty dicey at night and it's best to valet park your vehicle (going southbound of 1st Avenue). However there is generally a fair amount of on street parking right after 6 PM on the weekdays within a close walking distance of the restaurant. Be sure to not fill up on the bread and save room for the complimentary post dinner fruit and nut tray. read more

TREMENDOUS! I brought my boyfriend here for our anniversary after hearing such great reviews, and I was not dissappointed. However, I won't give this place 5 stars because they either lost our reservations or intentionally seated us right at the kitchen door. A bit of the romance was lost amidst the clanging pots & the bustling of waiters... not gonna lie. Anyway...the restaurant has a really cool, dark, jazzy ambiance. There was live music playing. Dinner by candlelight was nice, though a little complicated at times. We ordered the chateaubriand (for 2). It was prepared tableside. and OMG... it was probably the BEST STEAK I HAVE EVER HAD......... it stills makes my mouth water. SO GOOD. At the end of the meal, they brought fruit and nuts for dessert . Overall, it was a very good experience. Even the valet parking was expedient. read more

I might as well start off by mentioning the best part of my time at El Gaucho...Hello, watching the hot chicks come in with their sugar daddies. I also loved how my boyfriend and I were the youngest people in the place. I started off with the Shrimp Salad, which was actually so amazing. We shared the New York Steak for two and everything about it was delicious. The waiter we had was pretty gracious and nice throughout our meal, considering my bf was spending bank. The only thing that really irritated me off was when we finished with our meal we wanted the bill right away, yet our waiter shot us a dirty look and said something snooty. Wtf?? We had already BOTH got salads and an entree for two, what is the deal? Anyways, if you want a nice romantic dimly lit kind of meal this is the place to go. Make sure the person you are going with is making dough! read more

I love the swanky ambiance here! So dark, moody, and romantic that you're given a little flashlight to read your menu. It feels like a fancy night-out-on-the-town dinner spot from the 1940s, and I could easily imagine some Latin nightclub singer à la Ricky Ricardo performing here. Service was impeccable, warm and professional even to four peckish girls who wandered in off the sidewalk in search of cheap happy hour eats. The bar area has one of the longest banquettes I have ever seen! The happy hour cocktails were good, just strong enough but not especially inventive. Then again, I think classic is what El Gaucho is aiming for. Our table ordered the mac and cheese, a beet salad, escargot, and a truffle cream soup. Everyone thought the food was delicious, well-executed and well-portioned. And how did I almost forget to mention the live piano player? I actually felt richer eating here. read more

Ladies and Gentlemen. This is some old school class we got going on here. Once my eyes adjusted to the dimness and our server brought over those fun little pen lights so we could actually see the menu (this was hilarous, btw) I had a good look around and was able to take in the totally swank surroundings. I mean, come on, a piano bar AND a cigar menu? This is THE place you want to bring your date. Believe me. The second I got home I made a reservation for my anniversary. I don't know if I can wait a month to go back. Firstly, my cocktail was absolutely fantastic. One might just call it charming. It had vodka, and I hate vodka. Well done, barkeep, well done. And the food? Please. Everything was lovely. I would even go back just for the cheesy bread they served me along with my clams which were done very tastefully in a white wine butter sauce with pancetta I think? Drool. Crab cakes and steak sandwich. YES. There is literally nothing to complain about here, folks. Also, the service? Impeccable. Even though we were only there for happy hour, we were treated the same as if we had rung up a $500 tab - which I intend to do next time I go! Love it here. Love, love, love. read more

This place is cool enough to have brought me to its doors on several occasion. Seeing that I don't and won't eat meat, it is laughable that one of my favorite restaurants is El Gaucho. They have ONE veggie-friendly item (and it is good!), and they will almost always make jokes about vegetarians, but the atmosphere and the food is so good that I forgive it all. The place is super expensive, and it will take you 2 to 3 hours to have your meal. Make sure you save room for dessert and get the cherries jubilee (they set the dish on fire while doing a table side preparation). I always have fun! Oh, it is absolutely NOT vegan friendly. I swear that even the water has milk in it. read more

I find it truly amazing that I can spend that kind of money for a meal and drinks and still walk away thinking I got a good deal. It helps that it was a dining event that lasted several hours and the food and service were perfect. It was a Saturday and we were some of the first patrons in the door when they opened at 5pm. The meal was PERFECT from beginning to end. From the bread to the fruit bowl. Apps of CRAB CAKES and PANCETTA WRAPPED JUMBO PRAWNS (yummy) and meals of FRENCHED RIB CHOP OSCAR (a steak cut, by the way) and FILET MIGNON. Everything was perfectly cooked. Our half sides (Yeah! for those of us who like to try everything on a menu at one meal) of Lobster Mashed Potatoes, Mac and Cheese & Roasted Sweet Corn were memorable to say the least. Our server was top shelf. Knowledgeable, courteous, playful, and attentive in just the right amounts. He made suggestions by saying, "would you mind if I make a suggestion?" And when given, his suggestions were without fail less expensive than the items we were about to order. His best suggestion was the BREAD PUDDING (which we found out was actually made from cheese danishes - trade secret, so keep that on the down low). Absolutely, one of the best restaurant desserts I have ever enjoyed. Enjoy! read more

FAN, FAN, FAN.........I love this place. When you walk in, you feel like you have been transported back to the 40's when class and refinement meant something. W were greeted by well dressed wait staff who were very eager to assist us. At one point my wife excused herself to use the restroom and a waiter escorted her. Our waiters were very knowledgeable and very attentive. This visit was for our anniversary and they took extra special care of us. I had the Steak El Gaucho and my wife and the chicken. Both were excellent and prepared to perfection. I reccommend this place for anyones fine dining needs read more

Yummy yummy! We went here tonight and ate in the bar. It was fantastic! The decor was so unique - I seriously wasn't sure that I was actually walking into the restaurant because the entry is so different. The restaurant itself has no windows but it is so perfectly decorated! The service was fantastic. Brooke was our waitress. We ate: - Macaroni and Cheese: awesome - Burger with Truffle Fries: fantastic - Wicked Shrimp: spectacular I hope to come back and eat in the restaurant and also eat the bananas foster! Definitely recommend, you should try it out. read more

A very happy hour. Might be the best HH burger in town. Oysters in the half. And it is all served by El Gauchos experienced and professional staff. Nice way to start the weekend. read more

First, let me say El Gaucho supports its military service members. I can't tell you enough how grateful I am to them for the service they provided tonight. Top notch service, management and food couldn't have been better. Night started out with some great specialty cocktails followed by table side Cesar salad (yum). After our salad, we had table side chateaubriand for two which included two hardy pieces of beef per person to include fresh asparagus, scalloped potatoes and a broiled tomato which was "more then enough" food. After dinner we enjoyed "free" fresh fruit and nuts, another cocktail and table side " bananas foster" which was quite tasty. After dinner, they brought me a discounted check "thank you all so very much" and all of the staff, to include the management, met me at the entrance to thank me for my service. Once we exited the restaurant, the valet went out into the rain to hail us a cab so we didn't have to stand in the rain. Overall, I give them a 5 of 5 for not only the food quality but the impeccable service they provided. Thanks so much for making our evening so memorable. read more

My second time eating here. Amazing. Top notch service and a very tightly run operation. Escargo and Tuna Tartar were both super tasty appetizers. Caesar salad is made table side and was honestly one of the best I've ever had. Big ribeye was perfect. Sides of mushroom risotto, gaucho hash brown, and scallop potatoes were terrific. Chocolate Ganache was served with a maple ice cream which made it a perfect combo. Impressive wine list. Try the WA state Cab Franc (the only one they have) you will not be disappointed. Love this place. Will likely come back again and again. Kudos to the amazing staff. read more

EL GAUCHO! Take me back to Seattle right now... I am so ready to have dinner here again ASAP! First off- the look/feel and atmosphere, top notch. I think it is an old converted theater- the lighting, music, table arrangement, everything is just really well thought out. We decided to take a seat at the bar before our table was ready, we enjoyed the bartender so much we decided to dine there as well. After some recommendations, we decided on the wicked shrimp appetizer.. and it was seriously yummy. For the main course we did the filet oscar and I was so happy with that choice. The filet was cooked perfectly and the Bearnaise and crab were wonderful. The duck fat brussel sprouts were seriously to die for. Somehow we made some room for desert, and split the bailey's bread pudding... YUM! I dont know how we finished it but we did. Service, A+. Food, A+. Atmosphere, A. What a wonderful dinner! read more

You will not be disappointed!! El Gaucho has amazing service, atmosphere, food, and cocktails that will leave you raving for weeks. The staff made us feel so welcome, kept us laughing, and treated us like royalty. One cute service they provide to us women is being personally escorted to the ladies' room! Love it. We ordered fresh seafood for the appetizer, steaks all around, and lobster mash (mine and hubby's favorite of the night). Everything was perfect from the seasonings to the presentation. We also enjoyed table side banana fosters on the house since it was near our anniversary. YUM. Will definitely return soon!!! P.S. There actually isn't a dress code, but I wouldn't show up in jeans. Have some respect for the establishment, eh? :) read more

When you really want to impress your parents, in-laws, boss, girlfriend, out-of-townies, this place is a must. The place has little curb appeal, but I think that's what makes it SO great! You walk through this very unassuming set of double doors into almost complete darkness. The evening begins! Hopefully they'll seat you at a booth on the "upper level" where you can check everyone out, but no one can see you! The waitstaff are fabulous - they wont let on that you're totally hacking the wine and food pronunciation. They make you feel totally comfortable - not snobbish at all. Make sure to order the Wicked Shrimp for an appetizer. So gosh darn good. I got the recipe from them and had them at my wedding. Just enough spice to make you remember how great they taste. Also, make sure to ask your waiter where the bathroom is - they totally make some secret hand motion, and, voila! a man in a tux magically appears to escort you there (don't worry, they don't go inside with you OR wait outside until you finish your business). Or, try dropping a utensil or your napkin. It's like a little dinner fairy wisks around and gets you whatever your little heart desires. My favorite dish is the Steak El Gaucho, and I don't typically even LIKE steak! My hubby LOVES the venison. Which I wont comment on (poor Bambi!). The scalloped potato side is super mouth-watering, too. We've never had the "Flaming Swords," but they look really cool all on-fire and whatnot. Of course the Cherries Jubilee and the Banana's Fosters are a must. Even if you can't stuff another spoonful in your mouth, you have to order one (they don't mind if you split one at all). To top it all off, they bring you a big plate of fruit, cheese, and nuts to cleanse your pallet (I can't remember if they bring it before the desert, or after). They don't rush you even a tiny bit. You totally feel welcome to stay as long as you want and finish your bottle of way-too-expensive-but-so-amazing wine. It's a true dining experience. You might only be able to afford coming a few times a year, but you'll remember every visit. read more

The service by our waitress (Sol) was unpleasant to say the least. The restaurant is represented by the servers and it embarrassed me. I had very close friends in town from Alaska and we were looking forward to a nice dinner. Unfortunately our waitress was condescending misleading and rude. When a steak was incorrectly cooked (given medium well when medium rare had been ordered) she acted like she was doing us a favor by taking the steak back. The steaks which were prepared correctly were very good. The one that had to be prepared again was also very good once it was redone. If it wasn't for Bret the evening would have been ruined. read more

I love this place! I've tried almost every reputable restaurant in Seattle that serves burgers searching for the best one, and El Gaucho wins. I've been here about a dozen times, and it's consistently top notch. read more

To start off with, despite reservations, we had to wait at the bar for 45 minutes before we got a table. Good for their revenue but not part of our plan. The food was excellent, but a bit over-priced. Our waiter was great and funny, and prepared salad an desert table-side. Wine list is extensive but definitely over-priced. The last time we went there the background music was too loud also. This was not the case previous times. With starters, main course and desert, and a couple of drinks, we each exceeded $100 per person. Probably close to $150 pp when adding tips and pre-dinner drinks. There are cheaper places to have great steaks. read more

After a debacle at the El Gaucho in Bellevue, this was the last place I expected to end up with my vegetarian special lady friend. To be fair, we were on a mission for bananas foster, not steak. After scouring the city for bananas foster we finally found that El Gaucho offers this ridiculous desert. Thanks to the the host at the Virginia Inn who pointed us to Etta's who then called El Gaucho to make sure they still had Bananas Foster (we had a drink as a thank you gift). We made the walk to El Gaucho, slightly nervous about our attire (jeans, t-shirts, hoodies), not exactly knowing what to expect. The sun was bright on the sidewalk, the doors thick, offering no indication of what was inside. Open the doors and holy crap. A beautiful, art-deco space fitting for a Kubrick film. Was that a delusional Jack Nicholson talking to a non-existent bartender? Seriously, the space at this restaurant is phenomenal. Dark, moody, atmospheric. It takes a solid 20 minutes for your eyes to fully adjusted. It's the type of place where time stops. After downplaying our scruffy appearances and finding a seat near the bar we decided on some appetizers and booze (happy hour!!! until 7). Mac and Cheese, crab cakes, bread, a beer, and two cocktails were all a clever disguise to prove that we weren't cheap (we were) and that we aren't some young scrubs off the street (we are). I think they bought it. Service was pleasant, attentive, and never overpowering. In fact, even with people dressed to the nines pouring in, we still received prompt service that was never judgmental. Finally, after polishing off the appetizers that were drenched with asiago cheese (not a bad thing) we were offered desert. Would you like desert? A resounding yes, in unison, from our party of three assaulted the server. Scouring the menu, we didn't notice bananas foster on the menu. Was the trip all for naught? I don't think so. Because cleverly disguised at the bottom was bananas foster. Served table-side. Flambe! We ordered three. The general manager (we think) put on the show as we watched the copious quantities of brown sugar, rum, and butter bubbling away creating that decadent goo. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream came out and the bananas went swimming in the sauce, just long enough to warm the whole way through. Needless to say, we housed that shit. Keep in mind that you had to order at least two servings at 10 dollars a person. No bother considering this was the point of the trip. Considering I had low expectations (after a bad experience in Bellevue) going to this El Gaucho, I was completely blown away. The fact that we finally found bananas foster was icing on the proverbial. read more

All-day Sunday happy hour at the bar is a steal with great half-priced food, and live piano. The atmosphere is very Casablanca, and it's easy to feel like you're the only patrons here. I absolutely couldn't leave without the bananas foster and it did not disappoint. Everyone around us stared at the tableside flambé spectacle. It was fun, but the perfectly caramelized bananas and vanilla ice cream were more fun. The meat/sword flambé thing might be a bit over the top. But I can see this place becoming a dangerous Sunday addiction... read more

Wicked Shrimp and Wicked Happy Hour It's not just about the steak. I love the El Gaucho HH menu. They have a great sampling of items like the wicked shrimp, salmon cakes, salads, soups, burgers, and more. You don't have to stick to the HH menu though - my friends and I adore their baked potato and their tableside Ceasar Salad. They also have a nice selection of cocktails/drinks for you to toast the evening with. If you play your cards right, you can even catch a movie after dinner at the Big Picture Cinema which adjacent to the restaurant read more

Mmmmmm looking for steak and fries? I tried this place at the bar during happy hour and was so happy about it! Drinks were so on point, not watered down at all. Bartender was very friendly and accommodating to my food intolerances. If your in need of special requests they are very willing to do what they can. My stomach is extremely sensitive and I left with zero pain which is so rare! I hardly eat out because of cross contamination, but they made sure everything was extra clean when making my food. It was awesome. The vibe at the restaurant is also very old school. They have the piano playing, dimly light, and elegant decor. I'd say really good place for dates and or special occasions. Then again, I also noticed lots of friends at the bar! If your not too keen on dropping lots of money on dinner, I'd recommend definitely taking advantage of the happy hour menu! There is lots of goodies on it. read more

So good. So so so very good. Food, atmosphere, and service is top notch to me. Our server/bartender was great, very friendly and nice to each group of people yet never made anyone feel ignored or smothered. My bestie and I went in on a Monday, where happy hour is half off! We sat at the bar and got two drinks, and they were great tasting drinks. I got a Cuba Libre and a well done steak sandwich, with some crab cakes. Each was delicious. The steak was well done yet very juicy, except one chunk which was very red on the inside, it was okay though as I was full by that point. My crab cakes were full of crab and really good. My buddy got the bourbon lemonade and I ended up taking and finishing his drink. Don't sleep on this happy hour, its a great value and great food. I will be back but for dinner next time, the Bananas Foster is on my list! read more

Atmosphere: It's dim like a fancy restaurant but the patrons are pretty casual. It's fun watching table side flambes. Service: Very very very nice! I like how even though there are 10 different servers who come by your table, they all know what's going on. Food: It's good but not so superb that I would come back here over other steak houses. The steak wasn't cooked the way we asked so we had to send it back to the kitchen, which they were super nice about. The escargot was too oily. The side dishes were OKAY. Everything was OK. Not WOW. Come back: If I had a choice, no. If someone else chose it then I wouldn't complain about it. read more

I'm a frequent patron of the Metropolitan Grill, so I'm basing part of my review against that. We didn't get steaks this time (weren't in the mood), but we figured the rest of the menu would still be up to snuff. That was a mistake. First we got the French Onion soup, and another soup on the menu. Both of us didn't want to say at first, because we figured it was just our respective soups, but neither was very good. In fact, the french onion soup that I had was easily the most overpriced, under-seasoned, and bland FOS that I've ever had. That includes if I'm in the mood to order this type of soup at your average, low-cost diner. The cheese was bland, the soup tasted watery, and it completely paled in comparison to the Met, or anything I can make at home given an extra hour or two that I need to kill. I believe I had the lamb chops, cooked rare, and my wife had some sort of chicken dish. The lamb was cooked appropriately, but lacked decent seasoning. It was actually impressive with how little seasoning there was on the lamb. Even so, it's still really hard to screw up lamb. For the most part you can just warm it up and you are 80% of the way there. I remember what I had, but I don't remember much else - so that's not a good sign of the food. Similar outcome with my wife's dish. Yadda yadda yadda it's a steakhouse; I know. But their non-beef items should be just as good for what they charge - and they aren't. Also, the service was acceptable, but not very attentive. It was nowhere near the level that you can expect at the Met where they will educate you, joke with you, and wait on you hand and food. The servers at EG were devoid of humanity and did a pretty good job of topping off the water, bringing food, and delivering the check. For the ambiance, service, and overall experience, skip El Gaucho and hit up the Met or Danielle's. If you want somewhere that feels really trendy (they have a piano!) then this place won't disappoint. Just make sure you stick to the beef part of the menu. read more

The Food was average and not worth the price. You'd be better off going to Daniel's Broiler or other steakhouse. I had a Special Rib Steak with a gourmet sauce on it(not on the menu) Don't was your time trying that. The service took way too long (over an hour for our steaks to show up!!) and we were about to leave as some of us were hungry. The staff was apologetic and they offered us comps on the soup and salad(those of us that had them). A truly BAD experience for the 8 of us. read more

Top notch! The food and service are both outstanding. However, this isn't a place I'd go to on a weekly basis because of the price. I'd probably only go here for special occasions. ;) If I was loaded, I'd go here every day. lol. Their menu features mostly steak and meat, with a mini seafood section if you're feeling fishy. There's even a little section on the menu for items carved table-side! (neat!) El Gaucho was the first place I had ever had Ostrich. Since I love trying new things, why not? The ostrich filet = $42 but was totally worth it. Turns out I like ostrich :) This is definitely a romantic spot especially with the live music (piano player dude)! And it's nice for a nice family dinner too! :) If you're willing to pay, you should definitely check out El Gaucho. The experience is definitely worth the price! read more

Been here twice, and what can I say? Fantastic porterhouse! But that is not what makes this place stand out from other steakhouses. What really stood out for me was the Caeser salad. A real one as a matter of fact. They make it right in front of you, even mince the anchovies there. I do not eat seafood, and cringe just thinking about anchovies, but you can not taste them at all in the salad. Wonderful! Also loved the ambiance of the place. Rock! read more

I don't know how this place doesn't have all five star reviews. The food and service is f-ing amazing. We came here as a celebration for finishing my masters program, and they gave us free desert. :) ORDER THE CORN!!!! The corn they offer as a side dish is the best thing I have ever eaten in my life. No joke. read more

Unbelievable! An evening at El Gaucho is like being transported to another time and place where impeccable service, outstanding food and sophisticated atmosphere combine for an exceptional experience. We enjoyed a drink at the bar while we awaited the arrival of the rest of our guests and were served by two of the most professional bartenders we have ever met. It's as if they drilled... We were also tantalized by some of the appetizers being served there and just couldn't resist the tenderloin diablo and duck fat fries. We were later escorted to our table and introduced to our waitress, the Captain and the sommelier - engaging, delightful and again, completely professional. Now I could step through every bite of this delicious dinner but I'll spare you that tedious detail. Let it suffice to say that the table-side service and salads and steaks and wine and dessert and espresso were handled with precision and the food was remarkable. Great experience; anxious to go back. read more

I had one of the most amazing crab cakes of my life last night. El Gaucho was on the Belltown Wine Walk put on by the Seattle Wine Club. We missed a couple stops but did stop here. The wine being poured was a lovely Syrah that had a really nice spice to it. And like I said we ordered the crab cakes (half off during happy hour!). They actually tasted like crab, with an excellent crust on them. No sauce needed at all... they were amazing. I love the ambience here. It's dark and you feel like you're in a another era, where women wear gloves and hats and men smoke cigars. I want to come back in something other than capris and a hoodie sweatshirt and have dinner... and BTW, they totally didn't look down on us for not being dressed up. read more

Hmmm where to start. Made reservations and was seated right away. Great start to the night but not really. Was seated and waited for more than 20 minutes to order. Seemed as though the server Nicholas had other important things happening since he was not around to often to see how things were going. Started with steamed steam clams and it just was ok. 20% of the shells were empty and overall the sauce was salty. Order the chateaubriand with lobster. Requested medium which was closer to medium well. Request a step down from your preference. Even with the steaks overly cooked we still enjoyed it. After finishing the server was lost. We waited for the plates to be cleared. Finally after waiting over 15 minutes he finally brought the fruit and nuts. By that time we were ready to leave and annoyed. The table next to us discussed the lack of service. We were both in agreement. POOR! I highly doubt I would return. After getting the bill the server was not found. But as we left he was smoking outside. I would not complain but for the price you pay you expect above average average service at least but that was not expressed. read more

I've yet to come here for dinner, but they're happy hour is incredible (half off the bar menu). Lately when going, my fiancee and I split the 410 burger (house made taro chips, yum!), steamed clams, and baby back ribs. They always split the burger in half on two separate plates with a small portion of the taro chips without even asking, so there's already 1 extra bonus star for that! The ribs are amazing, I'd bathe in the BBQ sauce if I could! The clams have never disappointed either, great broth that requires soaking up with bread! Last time we went with my sister, so we were able to try the Mac & Cheese. If you are a fan of Mac & Cheese, this is a must! Usually the pasta in mac&cheese is a throw away, but the penne they used was quite good and cooked perfectly (al dente)! The 'cheese' is a creamy cheddar (almost a sauce but thicker) topped with crunchy panko bread crumbs. As for drinks, the fiancee enjoys the $4 Full Sail IPA and I go with the $5 glasses of wine, so we can't speak to the $6 cocktails. read more

UPDATED. 1 Year Later. Last year, I had a pretty mediocre experience at El Gaucho. The food was cold, the waiter was new, expectations high.. The only thing memorable about the food was that I wanted to forget it. A year later, everyone is still raving about El Gaucho. Maybe I just had a bad night and it would be an unfair representation if I didn't go back and try it again. This time, I brought reinforcements. Party of 4 and informed the staff that I was excited to give El Gaucho another try and they informed me that I was going to pleasantly surprised. Well, I was. Surprised at just how terrible it was again. Just totally disappointing. I ordered the same Chateaubriand w/ lobster. Lobster was SALTY, unbearable and not even edible. The steak, was average. Outback is actually more flavorful. The salad, however not beaten up from our very nice and experienced waiter, suffered from anchovy overload. Everything from the bread on the table to the cheesecake at the end was just okay. A year ago, I really thought the waiter jiust had a bad night and I was a casualty. Now almost $1000.00 down for two meals, its safe to say. El Gaucho is just average. Over Priced, Under-Seasoned and terribly disappointing. read more

Waited 50 minutes for my burger to come out. I think it was because I had some soup left in the bowl, but how could I finish that overly rich bowl of squash soup ? I mean the server could come by and ask how I was doing, but he just let us wait. Never again. read more