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Name: El Gaucho Bellevue
Address: 450 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004
Telephone: (425) 455-2715
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 4.02

El Gaucho Bellevue

450 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004

(425) 455-2715
Store is closed

El Gaucho Bellevue Menu

Starters

Escargot

Pancetta Wrapped Jumbo Prawns

Steamed Clams

Prawn And Crab Cocktail

Dungeness Crab Cocktail

Fresh Dungeness Crab Cakes

1/2 Dozen Fresh Northwest Oysters

Pan -seared Oysters

Oysters Rockefeller

Tenderloin Diablo

Iced Shellfish

Gaucho Niman Ranch All-natural Baby Back Ribs

Wicked Shrimp

Ahi Tuna Tartare

Steak Tartare

Diver Sea Scallops
Soup & Salad

Creamy Clam Chowder

Classic Wedge Salad

Gaucho Salad

French Onion Soup

Tableside Classically Made From Scratch (minimum Of Two)caesar Salad

Salad 410
Entrees - Steaks & Chops

Filet Mignon

Frenched Rib Chop

Baseball Cut Top Sirloin

Bone-in New York

New York Steak

Peppercorn New York

New York Steak
Entrees - Speciaties

Filet Medallions Oscar

Steak el Gaucho

Gaucho Niman Ranch all-natural Baby Back Ribs

Flaming Sword Brochette Of Tenderloin

Anderson Ranch Natural Rack Of Lamb

Surf And Turf
Entrees - Carved Table Side

Chateaubriand

Chateau Of Sirloin
Saute

Oven Crisped Chicken

Chicken El Gaucho

Crimini And Shiitake Risotto

Pan -seared Oysters
Seafood & Pasta

Australian Lobster Tail

Grilled Prawn And Diver Sea Scallops Linguine

Diver Sea Scallops Linguine

Barents Sea King Crab Legs

Seafood Fettuccine

Warm Seafood Caesar

Three Fresh Fish Nightly
Shareable Sides

Norigold Mashed Potatoes

Sw Scalloped Potatoes

Skillet Hashbrowns

Crimini And Shiitakerisotto

Lobster Mashed Potatoes

Gaucho Mac And Coastal Cheddar Cheese

Roasted Sweet Corn

Asparagus

Sauteed Spinach

Steamed Broccoli

Grilled Portobello Mushroom

The Full Gaucho Baked Potato
Dessert

Burnt Cream

Chocolate Bourbon Cake

Chocolate Ganache

Granny Smith & Fuji Apple Tart

Banana Bread Pudding

Homemade Cheesecake

Sorbet

Healthy Meal suggestions for El Gaucho Bellevue

Starters

Escargot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pancetta Wrapped Jumbo Prawns [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Clams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prawn And Crab Cocktail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dungeness Crab Cocktail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Dungeness Crab Cakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

1/2 Dozen Fresh Northwest Oysters [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pan -seared Oysters [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oysters Rockefeller [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tenderloin Diablo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Iced Shellfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gaucho Niman Ranch All-natural Baby Back Ribs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wicked Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ahi Tuna Tartare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steak Tartare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Diver Sea Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Soup & Salad

Creamy Clam Chowder [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Classic Wedge Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gaucho Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

French Onion Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tableside Classically Made From Scratch (minimum Of Two)caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salad 410 [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees - Steaks & Chops

Filet Mignon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Frenched Rib Chop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baseball Cut Top Sirloin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bone-in New York [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

New York Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Peppercorn New York [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

New York Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees - Speciaties

Filet Medallions Oscar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steak el Gaucho [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gaucho Niman Ranch all-natural Baby Back Ribs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Flaming Sword Brochette Of Tenderloin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Anderson Ranch Natural Rack Of Lamb [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Surf And Turf [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees - Carved Table Side

Chateaubriand [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chateau Of Sirloin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Saute

Oven Crisped Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken El Gaucho [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crimini And Shiitake Risotto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pan -seared Oysters [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Seafood & Pasta

Australian Lobster Tail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Prawn And Diver Sea Scallops Linguine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Diver Sea Scallops Linguine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Barents Sea King Crab Legs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seafood Fettuccine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Warm Seafood Caesar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Three Fresh Fish Nightly [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Shareable Sides

Norigold Mashed Potatoes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sw Scalloped Potatoes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Skillet Hashbrowns [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crimini And Shiitakerisotto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lobster Mashed Potatoes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gaucho Mac And Coastal Cheddar Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Sweet Corn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Asparagus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sauteed Spinach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Broccoli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Portobello Mushroom [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Full Gaucho Baked Potato [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Dessert

Burnt Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chocolate Bourbon Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chocolate Ganache [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Granny Smith & Fuji Apple Tart [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Banana Bread Pudding [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Homemade Cheesecake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sorbet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Bellevue for healthy meals suggestion.

Bellevue Grille ( 100 112th Ave NE )

Bellevue Grill ( 5500 140th Ave NE )

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Miles A.

Love this place, very nice so dont dress like youre going to walmart. I love grabbing a seat at the bar and getting a great Abosolutly delicious steak. Beer selection suits me beautifully. Great wine too if thats your deal. Good place for a date or meeting up with a old friend. They have valet parking. Staff is full of charactor and a pleasure to talk to. This is a jem to keep in your back pocket
(5)
Steve G.

Nice place to eat for a special occasion thee service was great the atmosphere very good We had the filet mignon with lobster it was very good. Downside is you are going to pay $$$ for a night out
(4)
Denis M.

A top shelf, old school dining experience. The best clam chowder I've ever had, New York strip cooked to perfection and a staff that takes the utmost pride in their work. Beautiful setting also.
(5)
Joy H.

El Gaucho is pretty solid of a steakhouse for me - it's not my fave, but it's up there! I've had the salmon and baseball steak and both were pretty tasty with good portion sizes! Romantic atmosphere with some tricky parking but overall a solid place for date night!
(3)
Liz K.

We had a gift cad for El Gaucho, and we decided to visit the Bellevue location rather than fighting Seattle traffic. It was a little challenging to find this place, but once we figured out it is actually part of a Microsoft building, we found the entrance. We were seated right away (we had reservations), and we were immediately greeted with water and bread. Our server popped by and got our drink order, and returned quickly to get our food order. We ordered the tableside caesar salad for 2, the bone-in New York strip, the baseball cut sirloin, lobster mashed potatoes, and asparagus. The tableside caesar was easily our favorite part of the meal. Our server was AMAZING. He talked us through the recipe step by step; the showmanship was great, but the flavor of the salad made me wish we'd just ordered 3 of those for our meal. The steaks were quite good; they were just a tiny bit more rare than we would normally prefer, but not enough to send them back. They were very high quality cuts of meat, and the charcoal grill adds a great amount of flavor. The lobster mashed potatoes were fabulous--whipped real potatoes topped with a lobster bisque-like topping. The asparagus seemed to be blanched or boiled, which in my opinion is the worst way to prepare asparagus, but they were well seasoned. All in all, it was a pretty good meal. Shortly after our plates were cleared, our server delivered a complimentary fruit, cheese, and nut plate, which was an amazing palate cleanser before dessert, which we ordered right away. We had the banana bread pudding and the chocolate bourbon cake, both recommended by our server. The banana bread pudding was surprisingly delicate--very light bread pudding and fresh bananas topped with a creamy custard and caramel drizzle. The chocolate bourbon cake was perfectly moist, rich, and chocolatey. This was a great finish to a tasty meal. The only thing that would have made our visit more pleasant is a different table. We loved being seated near the open kitchen so we could watch the magic happen, but we were seated next to a family of 4 with two young children. All were dressed very casually and seemed to not realize where they were going for dinner; they were disappointed to not find hamburgers on the menu, and the kids were watching Spanish television on an iPhone with the speakers turned all the way up (yes, really). I didn't see a dress code posted for El Gaucho, and I'm sure it would have been awkward for the staff to ask the family to please turn the volume down on their television show so other patrons could hear the live piano music. I don't think this rude family was the restaurant's fault, but I wish they could have done something to address the disturbance.
(4)
Lance A.

I cannot say enough good things about El G. Bellevue. For years I have done corporate meetings and events all over the Northwest and there is no equal to El Gaucho Bellevue. The Private dining group is the BEST in the business, they have no equal. The food and staff are amazing at this location! If you are planning a large scale corporate meal and it is important to you, your best location in the entire northwest is El G. Bellevue. I would mention the great staff by name, but there are so many it would take my entire review to name them. Any meal of importance you want to go here!
(5)
Larry L.

If you can time it right you'll get a great happy hour rate excellent service super atmosphere and the 410 Burgers are huge and tasty. If you miss happy hour bring a wad of cash. But, parking is covered by el Gaucho. Very nice.
(5)
D K.

Celebrated a family bday yesterday. Atmosphere, food, service, and overall dining experience is always perfect on every visit including yesterdays. The garlic cheese bread is always warm and good. Appetizers shrimp diavlo, crab cocktail was delish. Table side caesar was crisp, with the dressing being on spot made via the waiter. Family all ordered the filet along with the oscar medallions, which melted in our mouths, along with sides of sweet corn and potatoes. Due to its ultra high ceiling, and ultra classy decor makes El Gaucho Bellevue definitely a place if you want to celebrate an occasion, or want to impress someone or out of town guests. Id suggest one person doing the flaming sword for a pretty cool presentation. I really want to try the happy hour menu at the bar sometime as well.
(5)
Sarah R.

This was my first time here and I totally meant to come for Happy Hour, but because I was super hungry and was craving a full meal I ended up with a steak dinner ALSO LOL. To start, the bar was pretty full for happy hour, but the hostess was very accommodating and sat us at a regular table near by and said we could still do happy hour. How great! I was very pleased given it was my first time there. I was able to enjoy my time and not feel cramped trying to fit myself in where I could at the bar or what not. We were greeted by our waiter right away who got us started with drinks. I love how the staff dresses up in a tuxedo and bow tie. The ambiance of the restaurant with the wait staff totally made me feel like I went back in time, not in a bad way, it reminded me like the Great Gatsby movie! I totally loved it! Soo classy! What I also appreciated was that I never felt rushed; we were totally able to take our time. We wanted to get a couple more drinks in before happy hour was over, but the waiter said we could take our time and he could take our drink orders for happy hour price after happy hour time (just not their happy hour food). That was awesome! Great service all around! Dishes we ordered: -Calamari: fried, smoky flavor with a little kick, it also comes with a chipotle aioli which gives it more kick; personally I like garlic lemon aioli with calamari -Fried Chicken Sliders: it had a little crunch and the sriracha aioli was not spicy at all -Creamy Clam Chowder: New England style, which was delicious, hit the spot! They gave us some rosemary crackers to eat with it and it went well together -Filet Mignon: I always order my steaks to be prepared medium-well, I rarely get it exactly that way but here it was perfect! -Norigold Mashed Potatoes: eating steak and mash potatoes are always great together, but they are both really filling, El Gaucho's I REALLY liked because it was VERY soft and light! I didn't feel stuffed too fast -Chocolate Ganache: very rich and I love the cold texture the way it melts in your mouth -Gaucho Cosmo Cocktail: very delicious, subtle sweetness -Coffee: delicious! What was pretty neat also was after dinner (before dessert), they brought out a complimentary platter of various fruits and nuts, a cheese (blue), and small pieces of bread to eat with it. Very nice!!!
(5)
Agnes G.

I've been here twice and I really enjoyed this restaurant. Great atmosphere, including live music. The service is probably some of the best I've ever received. Highly recommend trying the flaming sword, it melts in your mouth! Ive also tried their Caesar salad, fresh Dungeness crab cakes, escargot, full gaucho baked potatoes, and banana bread pudding-- all so so good! If you're celebrating, this is the perfect place!
(5)
Nick B.

I went here on a Sunday evening around 6 and sat in the bar. There weren't too many people in the place but certainly a nice ambience. The staff was fairly attentive but kind of felt like robots. I put in my order for a steak meal and the poor girl didn't even ask me how I wanted my steak! This is a high brow steak joint right? That's a first... I had a crab cake appetizer that was pretty good. The thing had SOOO many shell pieces in it! A good 8-10 of the them that I had to pick out of my bites. Flavor was sufficient though. Filet mignon was cooked perfectly and good flavor. Lobster medallion was tiny. Good hollandaise but could have used a bit more of it. Chocolate ganache cake for dessert wasn't even luke warm. Again good flavor. The waitress docked it off my final bill. Very nice of her. All in all, if I'm shelling out over $100 for dinner I wouldn't expect the little hiccups in quality. I would consider this your run of the mill steakhouse chain. Not bad but not nearly what it could be.
(3)
Kris V.

Impeccable service from the hostess, servers to Valet. Loved the big open concept of the restaurant. We were there for happy hour. Spicy wicked shrimp, cheese platter, fig flatbread, all amazing. When I got into my car from Valet he had left chocolate chip cookies in the car. Amazing!
(5)
Annie Y.

Meh~ I think happy hour menus are a pretty good indication of a restaurant's full menu. We sampled various dishes at the Bellevue location and everything we tried was just average. The biggest disappointment was probably the steak sandwich. At $17, it should have been a hit. It wasn't. It was hoagie bread, steak and hoagie bread with a side of au jus. I could have gotten something like this at a deli anywhere. On top of that they forgot our chowder then charged us for it. Try John Howie's for happy hour. It's comparable as it's in the same vicinity and the whole steakhouse thing. It isn't as flexible as 2-10pm Monday happy hour but the food is a lot better. Overall a very meh experience. And what's with the smell? I think it's time for a carpet cleaning...
(3)
Eric B.

Came here for late night happy hour. I was pleasantly surprised to hear they had one. The restaurant itself is rather tucked away and I wasn't even aware it was here in Bellevue despite being quite familiar with the area. They offer validated parking, and the restaurant itself is absolutely stunning. When we came, there was a pianist in the background, nice comfortable ambiance about the place. Very large full bar and multi floor dining. The service was top-notch and the food was also done very well. The only qualms about the place were that even despite it being happy hour, the pricing was rather high. We ordered the 410 burger, wicked shrimp and goat cheese and rock shrimp flatbread. 410 burger - cooked to perfection. incredibly tender juicy high quality beef. wicked shrimp - tasty but a little small on portions. great sauce, not particular too spicy but then again, I LOVE reallllly spicy food Flatbread - quite a pleasant surprise and probably the best bargain for the price and taste. Ample amounts of shrimp, very delicious.!
(4)
Dee C.

I keep coming back. Love the food, love the service. Food is always amazing and tastes great. From the moment you walk in you are treated great and greeted with a smile. .I'll be back!!!!!
(5)
alejandra F.

We come here a few times a year and it's always good. I always order the same thing, the filet mignon and it's always good. Sides are all separate so you can customize your meal and the service is friendly.
(5)
Tuan V.

My friend said this was the "best steak she ever had." So I gave El Gaucho a chance, and realized it was way overrated. Metropolitan grill is better, and even Jak's steakhouse which is like 1/2 or 1/3 the price is better. Heck, I even thought Ruth Chris was better, and that says alot. I imagine this place would have amazing service. I thought the waiter was sort of slow and not that friendly. I think we were just unlucky, and I think on average this place would have better service than other restaurants. Other than the waiter, the other service staff was great. The wine was good, though. Even if this placed was 1/2 the price, I probably wouldn't eat here again.
(3)
Yeelin T.

I've been here several times for lunch and happy hour. I've tried all of the following items: Short rib special Duck special Halibut cheeks special Open faced crab melt and clam chowder combo Pear martini Cosmo Fries Onion rings The food is excellent. The specials are worth it since they are usually in the low twenties and pretty good in size. The sandwich and soup combo is a different story. The soup comes in the smallest soup cup I've ever seen (think chinese tea cup!) which is unfortunate. If you are in the mood for a combo like that, I would head over to john howie; they have incredible sandwiches. But if you are in the mood for entrees, then el gaucho's specials are the way to go! The service here is attentive and polite. I've not been here for dinner but it's easy to get a table for lunch. They get you in and out in an hour. This is one of my 3 favorite lunch spots in Bellevue!
(4)
Ahmed E.

Been wanting to check out this place for a while was so excited for it, over all place was amazing so was food, service was horrible tho, our waitress was a total mess, didn't introduce her self, messed up my order and got me something other then I ordered so I had to wait on my food after my girl got hers, she just didn't belong in a high end establishment like this, hope it isn't always the case because I would love to go back
(3)
Sean S.

It's El Gaucho :-) Service is great. Food was delicious; I particularly like the caesar salad made at the table. You want to dress up, but don't think it's really necessary (you should definitely leave the slippers or flip flops at home). Not a every night dining place for the common person, but definitely worth treating yourself once in awhile. This is just for dinner. I haven't been here for lunch or HH.
(4)
Erica B.

We love eating here service, ambience, food and of course the steak are fabulous. One of my favorite places to eat on special occasions.
(5)
Jen M.

When my friend was visiting from out of town, he wanted some seafood, but somehow we ended up here for some steak. Been here 3 times before, and man.. The food, ambiance and staff do not disappoint. We ordered prime rib, swordfish, carpaccio, their roasted corn and crab cakes.. all were excellent. Love a place that uses real crab and not a lot of filler!!
(5)
Michael K.

The Bellevue location of El Gaucho is gorgeous. I think there would have been a time in my life when I would behold a "wavy" bar and sneer, but I was genuinely impressed with every aspect of this restaurant. As so many have mentioned, El Gaucho is a bit daunting if you're not going with a company credit card at the ready, but their happy hour is near the top of the best in all of Seattle. During our visit, we shared calamari, steak and fries (frites), a flatbread, super spicy shrimp, and wings of some kind. I think we tried most of the happy hour menu and everything was as good as I would expect it to be. The calamari here didn't crack my top five but it was still good and the portion was huge (which I expected at 12 dollars). I don't think I found it to be pretentious as many before have noted, but then, I may not be the best judge of what is snobby. Everyone was friendly, the bartender joked with us while we talked *stuff* about Amazon, and the bill wasn't outrageous. I don't know if I'd ever choose this as a dinner spot but the reason would be that I prefer a wide variety of seafood choices to steak, nothing more. For the well-off steak lovers and romantics, El Gaucho should be a must.
(5)
Henry K.

We went on a Saturday night, and one of the nicer restaurants that have available reservations 2 hours ahead. It was noisy and hard to talk with friends. The ambience is too dark. The waiter seemed very rushed. He came over and introduced himself in a fast pace and then rushed off. Obviously they are unstaffed. It took him a long time to come back and take our orders. It took around 45 mins for the food to show up. Our reservation was at 7:30pm and we leave at 10:00pm.
(3)
Karla Roxanne M.

I had to deduct a star for the lack of crumbers. Everything else was fantastic!
(4)
Cristina P.

Went here for happy hour during a business trip to Bellevue...awesome! A great menu of happy hour items (the prosciutto and fig flatbread is the perfect balance of sweet and savory) plus inexpensive drinks is what a great happy hour is all about! The vibe is predictable - After all, it's in Bellevue so you expect the .dom crowd around. But very chill yet lively. Service was friendly and accommodating - thanks, Chris!
(4)
Noong M.

Thanks to the el gauchos family for making this right. In typical el gaucho style they have gone above the expected! Perfect service! Thank you, thank you!
(4)
Elin K.

El Gaucho in Bellevue is my all-time favorite restaurant! I go there at least once a week! The staff is amazing, the service is always terrific and the food never disappoints. I usually have the steak sandwich from the bar menu, which is superb! Every so often we treat ourselves to the dinner menu, which is more expensive, but always superb. I love the atmosphere at the Bellevue location. The ceilings are high and the place is so cozy even though it's a huge place. For all the steak lovers out there, if you haven't tried El Gaucho, I would highly recommend you to go asap!
(5)
Derek M.

I have been wanting to go to El Gaucho for MONTHS now and I finally went. If there is something you should know about El Gaucho, is it's not like you normal high class steak restaurant... When me my parents, sister, and grandparents entered, I was astounded at the look of the place. The dining room was like a comparison to the Titanic, except, this can't sink. It was gorgeous. When we arrived at the table, there was a birthday card for my father, signed by some of the staff. A really sweet gift! We sit down and are greeted by our waiter Jerrel. Now Jerrel is an awesome server. He's being funny, giving recommendations (and nailing them) and providing great service. We were talking and he mentioned that people in bow ties usually know what they're talking about (which isn't a lie) and said he owes me a dollar because I agreed. I got a bone-in New York which came perfectly cooked Medium-Rare, as me and my sister split a side of mashed potatoes which were creamy and beautiful and delicious. After our entrees I told him the steak (which he recommended to me) was delicious and that I now owe him a dollar (review: Money I owe $1. Money he owes now $0) so afterwards they give you a complimentary fruit and cheese plate with delicious fruit just for dining there. We ended with dessert and the chocolate rum cake was delicious (Jerrel recommended that to me, so I now owe him $2) We paid the bill, left, paid for our valet parking and I had $3 left in change. I walk in to the restaurant and give $2 to Jerrel, shake his hand, and leave. I paid my dues. And because the experience we had wasn't awesome enough, they put cookies in our car on the valet. Nothing beats cookies when you pick up your car for a valet. NOTHING. All in all El Gaucho is not a meal, it's an experience. That have a pianist played jazzed up versions of songs from Aladdin and Cats as well as friendly staff (the sommelier practically escorted me to the bathroom). I really hope I can make it back soon. Edit: So I am writing this about a month later due to my parents and our neighbors going to El Gaucho again to use some gift cards and had the same waiter, "Jerrel". Now the reason I put that in quotation marks was because I accident;y screwed up really bad and Jerrel is not his name it is Jamal. And the best part of this is Jamal and his boss actually read this review. To Jamal: I am terribly sorry I messed up your name, you were amazing and I hope to return. To Jamal's Boss: You have a really special worker on your hands, he knows his way around the menu and he's a pleasant person to be around. Tell him to keep up the good work!
(5)
John S.

Excellent service, some if the best in the Northwest. For the caliber of food, they were rather over the top with the salt today. Nice for special occasions.
(4)
Lena K.

El Gaucho has always been my favorite and last night was no exception. I went with my husband at around 8pm and started with a few drinks before being seated. I always feel the service is excellent here and while they don't rush you out the door, they move the food and drinks at a fast enough pace. I don't want a 5 hour dining experience so this is perfect. My steak was cooked to perfection completely rare and cool on inside yet the char on the outside was perfect. I had the filet oscar style, we split a table side Caesar and split desert. I'm stuffed beyond what I should eat, but meh it's the holidays and a special occasion. Best steaks in Bellevue!
(5)
Karen L.

I really wanted to love this place, so I will definitely come back to try their happy hour. My boyfriend treated me to a birthday dinner here, and I immediately fell in love with the ambiance and how friendly the hosts and servers were. The food, however, was okay. We ordered the tuna tartare for appetizer, which wasn't very impressive. For entree, I ordered the Frenched rib chop and BF ordered the bone-in New York steak on the specials menu. We also ordered the lobster mashed potatoes to share. The steaks were alright, but a bit too charred for my taste, and they weren't particularly flavorful or "melt-in-your-mouth" as I expected. Maybe I've been spoiled by the Met and their wagyu steaks. The mashed potatoes were also okay, and the lobster sauce wasn't very good--I end up pushing it aside to eat the plain mashed potatoes underneath. I really wanted to be "wowed" by their steaks but I wasn't too impressed. It was still a very nice experience, so I'd definitely return to try their famed happy hour.
(3)
Yoon H.

So I been to the Downtown Seattle El Gaucho and I didn't like it much restaurant was dark service was meh but the Bellevue location is amazing service was great, steak was wonderful. By far best steak house I've been to this year.
(5)
Michael G.

The best steakhouse I have found in the area, as they offer a more traditional style of great quality food vs.. getting too fancy and innovative for their own good like other high end steak houses in the area that don't nearly deliver as well. Service is very personal, attentive, and excellent overall. Probably the best service in the area as well. Bravo El Gaucho!
(4)
Ron M.

Are you kidding me? This place thinks it is in the same league as Daniels, The Met, Mortons or John Howie, but when I went I felt that only a sucker would call this place good. I'm from New Orleans where good food is in abundance and I've lived a good life so I've eaten at many of the best steakhouses in the country. I know good steak and I was absolutely appalled when the chateaubriand that ordered came out as effectively as an uncut pair of ordinary filet mignons. If you've had proper chateaubriand from The Met or John Howie, you know that is NOT what chateaubriand is. What's more they burned the crap out of the outside making it as hard as a badly cooked pot roast. Don't get me wrong, I love blacked meat and a good steak should be charred on the outside, but it shouldn't have the same texture as your shoe! What's more the presentation at the table was one cut and toss it on the plate. WTF? Have they never done chateaubriand before??? Overall the meal was mediocre at best and left me with the runs later that night, but the real kicker was that it was MORE expensive overall than any steakhouse I've ever been to - including every great steakhouse in King County! I've been to the one in Belltown and had mixed results. Sometimes it's sucked really bad and other times it was okay. If you just go with a filet it's probably fine, but save your money and just get a salad and filet then go elsewhere if you are still hungry. Drink before you come too because the wine selection is a joke and the mixed drinks weren't knocking my socks off either. The only reason I ended up here was that all of the other good steakhouses (and even the bad ones like Ruth's Chris) were fully booked, so I came here. They had lots of openings and now I see why! Normally you have to go to Vegas to get cheated this bad. Lesson learned - I won't be back!
(2)
Cassie N.

We went here for Valentine's day weekend. The food was good but the service was just okay. Our server was a little passive aggressive and really uppity. Lets just say he acted as if we have never been to a fine dining establishment before. When we ordered our appetizers he kept asking us if we were sure and if we were really hungry because it seemed like a lot of food for two people. We ordered one app each, he also looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if they had sprite. He acted as if he had never heard of what that was. He also made a lot of smart ass comments throughout our ordering process. Not to mention he dropped our leftovers however he did have them remake it, minus the tomato I had leftover. He was just nice enough and provided good enough service but overall service was a huge disappointment but food was good. If you must go to El Gaucho go to the Seattle one, I've been there a number of times and service and food was good too. Though I recommend The Metropolitan Grill over El Gaucho. Good food does not make up for bad service especially at a place like this. We will not be returning to El Gaucho anytime soon.
(2)
Dan S.

*had a superb swordfish for lunch with a ponzu, they had me at ponzu *service as always was stellar *after a few years now, they have def found their groove thus I am warranting them the 5 stars, servers remember you and the hostess is always spot on
(5)
Danilo M.

If you want to go out for a nice dinner this place is suitable. It's not the most exciting place I've ever been but it did have its perk. They had someone playing music on a grand piano the whole night. I enjoyed that. The service was always there when I needed something. The food was on par for a good steakhouse. I wouldn't exactly call this fine dining. Our meal was served in time for me to have a few minutes between courses. The food here is expensive. My bill was 240 for two people. If you're the type of person to scoff at menu prices, this place is not for you. My experience at el gaucho was overall, alright. Everything went as it should, it just wasn't my favorite. I would still recommend this place to friends if they asked.
(4)
Veronica S.

Food. Drinks. Service. Atmosphere. El Gaucho wins by excelling in all four areas. Yes, there are other steak houses in the area, but this is "our" spot. Classy yet laid back, it's perfect for everything business or social. The steaks, of course, are perfectly prepared to your liking. Once in a while, I opt for the fresh fish selections, and they're equally well done. (Like seafood? Do check out Aqua in Seattle.) Whatever your main course, please order the corn as a sharable side. You won't regret it. The tableside desserts are great for putting a smile on everyone's face. Or enjoy the fruits and cheese plate with your after-dinner drink of choice. What I really appreciate is the service here: observant and attentive but never fussy, friendly and helpful but never chatty. The pace is well timed and relaxed, although I'm sure they'll adjust the tempo if requested. (Have a show to catch? Let them know when booking or as soon as you're seated. It will help everyone involved.) A note for new visitors about attire: El Gaucho is not stuffy and does not expressly require dinner jackets. That said, you wouldn't feel quite right walking in with beach attire or a baseball cap, either.
(5)
Jennifer S.

The food was top-notch (it better have been, given that this is a Very Nice Restaurant) but the service was a bit slow for me. The waitress was nice enough but she seemed a bit flourishy - like a circus entertainer! - and difficult to feel comfortable around. I really liked the way they gave us complimentary fruit and cheese and nuts at the end but by that point I had stuffed my face with the seafood pasta that I couldn't really admit any more edibles. If you want a delightful, creamy coffee drink for afterward, get the warm Kahlua beverage. If you do choose to get regular coffee, do know that they serve very thick cream with it, which was delicious. This restaurant is grand, I would like to conclude. Generous when you don't expect it but the fact is you get what you pay for in the end. A very luxurious establishment - but best left for a Friday or Saturday night with someone with whom you have much to share and memories to savor.
(4)
Z M.

We got a whole bunch of appetizers. We skipped the wine and had cosmo and manhatten instead. The service was excellent, the food delicious and everything came out at just the right time.
(5)
David S.

I went there with my wife for our anniversary. The main reason was to use a $50 gift card that we'd been given. The fact that they accept the Prime card was also a plus. Nonetheless, the bill still came to $90 including tip - and we had nothing to drink except for sparkling water. We got there for about 7.30 on a weeknight. It was very quiet but while the service was attentive, it was s-l-o-w. The live piano music was nice, but reinforced the overly bright acoustics of the place, which is a clue to how cold the place feels in terms of ambiance. In fact the space reminds me of one of the Microsoft cafeterias (not a good thing!) OK, so the atmosphere: not great. How about the food? A mixed bag. We had salads to start. The mixed salad was good but full of oily dressing. The caprese salad was OK - thick slabs of tasteless beef tomato really marred it. And the portion size? Fit for a zoo animal. For mains, we had scampi and scallops, and meat on a stick (flaming beef skewer.) These were good - though I could have done without the theatrics of the flaming beef sword, and the linguine that came with the seafood was stone cold. We got two sides with them (which were needed since the beef came with nothing other than a tomato!) The mushroom risotto was way too cheesy - even for my wife who likes cheese. The spinach was overly seasoned and acidic. After the plates were cleared away, a surprise fruit and cheese plate appeared. This was an unusual and nice touch. I enjoyed wrestling with the nut opener to get at almonds and hazelnuts. We then shared a bread and banana pudding, which was the standout of the entire meal. So, would I go back? No - it just didn't do it for me. Update: I received a message from the manager who read the review. I appreciate his reaching out and that at least demonstrates good customer service.
(2)
Carly L.

This place isn't cheap. Not at all. Luckily my kick ass roomie's parents invited me to join them for roomie's bday dinner... yay! It was quite a treat. We started in the bar, where my roomie enjoyed her $15 drink (!) and me a HH glass of subpar malbec. Service was a bit slow in the bar, but since they have HH all night in Sunday, the place was crowded. When roomie's parents arrived, we asked if we should pay or transfer to the table... and she said, "happy bday" and not to worry about it! yay! We got to the table and my only complaint was the lighting. It was very very dark, and I could read the menu, but I know it was a bit of a challenge for roomie's parentals to read. Our server was very very attentive, answered all our questions. Food: Loved the garlic cheesy bread. Loved the table side Caesar and it was seriously fantastic. Roomie and I split the baseball cut with Roquefort, and I forgot what her parents got. (d'oh). For the table we also got the macaroni and cheese and scalloped potatoes. But since I am such a piggy, I got the table side baked potato. Cheese sauce mashed into a baked potato? yes, please. I tasted a bit of the sides for the table which were very good but I was busy sucking down my baked potato. We were all too full for dessert but our server brought roomie a dessert to take home. It was wonderful, it was expensive... and I am grateful I got to go. I have a gift card at home and I will go during the all night HH on Sundays. My one gripe is the wine by the glass list is lacking. I am not paying $25 for a glass of wine.
(5)
Cherene R.

I'm a huge steak fan and this place didn't disappoint. As a Daniel's fan, please forgive me ahead of time if I constantly start to compare this place to them. A friend made a reservation for us at 8:00 on the same day we planned on going. This seemed like a late notice, but they said it would be fine and they could get us a table. But, when I got there (and fashionably late - like 8:15ish late), the others were at the bar still waiting. I think we didn't get seated until around 8:30 PM, but I guess it was understandable for a Friday night. And at least they were able to wait at the bar before they got a table. We started off with garlic bread and OHMYGOD this is probably the only classy restaurant where they already had the butter ON the garlic bread. No need to spread on the butter yourself! And I have to say - their garlic bread was so delicious...and they probably would have kept them coming if we wanted to, but I knew I had to leave room for my steak. Evil garlic bread - deliciously evil, tempting garlic bread! Appetizers we've tried were the Diver's sea scallops and the steak tartare. I wanted to see how their scallops fared against Daniel's bacon-wrapped scallops. As I've predicted - bacon STILL makes everything taste better. But to El Gaucho's defense, it was deliciously prepared and the butter sauce that was drizzled over these seared babies still did the trick - I mean, they were still capable of producing O-faces of deliciousness. On the other hand, the steak tartare was quite a surprise - I didn't realize how rare the meat would be and I was glad the taste of Hennessy Cognac was there to mask it because I usually don't eat meat that rare. Also, maybe if I ever decide to go crazy, I'll try their $95 Seafood Tower appetizer someday - yes, a $95 appetizer. At Daniel's, I usually like to order their slow-roasted bone-in prime rib which is limited in quantities. But here, they called their prime rib the Frenched rib chop. I was a little confused, but our server was more than happy to explain it to us. It was really good and I didn't realize how steak-deprived I've been until I started salivating on my plate. Another thing to note is that at Daniel's, even though your steak already comes with some sort of potatoes, potato sides for your steak at the Gaucho are available, but at an additional charge depending on how you want them. And, of course, if there's still room, there's dessert. Aside from the free platter of fruit, dry nuts, and cheese that tasted far from Kraft and Tillamook, we ordered a small Baked Alaskan that we split between the five of us. The presentation was pretty cool with the fire and volcano and the sparks everywhere, but the taste was only okay. I don't think I liked what tasted a little like burnt meringue and I have to say I wish I tried the apple tart instead. Aside from the food, the staff was great and friendly! They really made us feel like honored guests and it's always nice to be somewhere that makes you feel like a celebrity once in awhile - especially when you're paying quite a penny...pennies...many pennies. Although my heart belongs to Daniel's, I think my first time with Gaucho was a great experience! Good dinner, terrific service!
(4)
Alli B.

El Gaucho = Food Porn. Where else do you get your very own potato fluffer? I'm being serious some nice looking woman just appeared at our table to fluff my potato and I could see my husband get that look in his eye. The decadence of this place always makes me feel a little dirty. Maybe it's a PNW thing but I'm always looking over my shoulder when I eat here expecting someone I know to be judging me for my over consumption. I always get my steak "El Gaucho" style with lobster medallions and bernaise sauce, and yes it is orgasmic. My newest favorite is their ahi starter that came with pine nuts, habanero peppers, soy sauce and pears (I know it sounds bizarre but it was heaven). My only complaint is that after eating here my expecations of great service were raised so high it's been a huge letdown to eat anywhere else.
(5)
Mike F.

The most important thing at any steakhouse is the steak. Lighting, view, $200k cars in front, staff, etc ... All of this is secondary to the steak. The steak here is very good. The aging is perfect. I had the bone-in rib-eye. Perfect amount of fat (a note to other steakhouses - a rib-eye shouldn't be 40% fat!). The preparation however is much different than traditional New York and Chicago steaks. The usual crust of a 1500 degree broiler was missing. I asked my server about the preparation and he explained that they actually fire grill their steaks over Kingsford charcoal. Pretty unusual for a high-end steakhouse, as it reminded me of grilling my own steak from Costco at home, but much tastier. It made the entire steak extremely juicy, which I wasn't expecting when I didn't see the usual burnt crust. Very good. I can do without all of the ambience and it has absolutely no view (definitely can't compete with Daniel's Broiler in that category), but I will be going back if only to have something a little bit different.
(3)
James B.

We went here with a large group and had a great time! This is a top notch place if you are looking for a classy night out. They served us very well! Limited menu for our large group, but that was more for streamlining the service. The steak I had was amazing! We had a great time, everyone was very nice except for one grouchy bartender.. They validated our parking, and treated us like kings! Thanks for the great service and a good time!
(4)
Sirio B.

Memorable. If I was to choose one word for my experiences here, memorable would be it. The Seattle branch of El Gaucho is a hidden gem, located in the lobby of a Microsoft building. Its spacious, moodily lit and incredibly relaxing to dine here. I've been there twice so far, the first being around the time it launched with the last being just recently for a special occasion. The waiter recognized me and welcomed me, seeing that we were sitting in a similar area we had been before. The food was amazing..We had the Caesar salad made table side both times we were here. Dressing made from scratch, tangy and delicious with fresh croutons. The escargot was very good too, featuring a delicious garlic butter. The steaks we ordered were perfectly cooked and simple seasoned, allowing the flavor of the meat to come through. I've had the filet mignon and the New York, not liking the latter as much out of personal preference. I also sampled the juicy baseball cut Sirloin. All excellent and perfectly cooked. Try it with a side of lobster mashed potatoes, its as decadent as it gets. Its the little details that really make the big difference at El Gaucho. The waiter accompanying my girlfriend to the bathroom, being recognized and remembered despite not being there for months, the impeccable service. It really all adds up to quite a memorable experience. I can't wait to go back and enjoy a wonderful evening again.
(5)
Ell C.

We truly love El Gaucho! We have eaten here more times than I can recall. Often for a special occasion but we also frequent the bar for lunch and happy hour. The table-side caesar salad is always a go-to, we alternate between that and the 410 salad. We rely heavily on the fresh sheet and our server's suggestion for entrees, we've never been disappointed. Wine selection is outstanding, as is the knowledge and service. I'm especially appreciative for the 9oz serving of wine by the glass when a bottle is too much or when my spouse opts for the El Jefe Margarita! We always look forward to coming here or to the downtown location...each have their own feel and never fail to deliver a quality experience.
(5)
Julia G.

Great place to go , amazing food . Prawns for appetizer were delicious , tasty and flavorful . Steak was great too , perfectly cooked . And dessert had cool presentation as they cooked it right next to you . Great restraint , thank you for making my stomach happy ! Oh and decor is nice too, lovely atmosphere , five stars!
(5)
Shirley K.

A few years ago: I have been to the Seattle location a few times and the food and service have always been really good so I thought I'd try the Bellevue location out with my boyfriend. I came here about a year ago and the food was a little disappointing. My steak wasn't as good as Seattle's but the sides were good. I always get the corn and scalloped potatoes. The corn is my favorite! The service was good as well. At the end of dinner we both wished we went to their Seattle location. Last year: I came to eat here again for my birthday with my family. There was 9 of us. We made reservations and the host told us that it would be 5 minutes so we all waited in the lobby. While we were waiting I decided to go to the restroom, hoping to be seated when I got back. When I got back we were still waiting so after about a total of 15 minutes, I asked the host when we would be seated and she asked if we had a reservation. I replied and said yes, we already checked in with you... She responded "oh you were in the restroom," I was confused and was like okay well we are back from the restroom and she finally seated us. We were taken to a private dining room for bigger parties. I didn't really like being out back here. Their chairs were cheap banquet chairs and the room was pretty cold. I honestly thought the dinner was going to be just as disappointing but I was wrong. We ordered wine and appetizers. We had the wicked shrimp, oysters, and table side caesar salad and everything was good but nothing too special. Then for our main course everyone ordered something different so I don't remember but I got the bone in ribeye; my dad, boyfriend, and a few other relatives got the filet mignon; one of my cousins got the surf n turf; and the rest I don't remember. I loved how well my steak turned out, it was perfectly cooked to a medium rare. We got a few sides of corn, scalloped potatoes, and asparagus. I love their corn!!!! The host wasn't very friendly but the server was great and attentive (probably helped knowing that we were ordering a lot of food).
(4)
Karen M.

The place is awesome and I normally like this place for steaks. However, I ordered the el gaucho burger for lunch today and I was disappointed. The bun was saggy and the burger had too much sauce. But the server was nice and the cookie was just right. I haven't had lost hope yet.
(3)
Bob W.

Had the good fortune of dining here for an early birthday dinner. OUTSTANDING! The service, the food, the wine.......and the birthday dessert was a fantastic gesture on their part! I want to go back soon....and I will. Could not have been happier!
(5)
Jonathan D.

This is one of my favorite steak houses in the Seattle - Bellevue area! My wife and I go here at least twice a year for a special night out! Service is first class! Food is amazing! Defiantly a restaurant that you have to try out!
(5)
David B.

The interior resembles that bar in Lost in Translation. Drink specials are surprisingly well priced for a bar marketing itself at Microsoft employees. Staff are friendly, there's a coat check and the selection is impressive.
(5)
Paul W.

Always serve best steak!! Love the place but pricy...^^; I think better than down town el gaucho. More clean and modern~ Definitely Recommend!!! $$$$$
(5)
Kim L.

I came here this past Monday for a date night. I love to eat steak and have wanted to try a new steakhouse, so El Gaucho it is. I got the surf & turf, and my date got the filet medallions oscar, and we got the tableside caesar salad to split. We received a basket of free cheesy, garlic bread, which was good. The caesar salad was good, and it was interesting to see our waitress prepare it. The surf & turf was brought out while I was still trying to finish my salad. By the time I started eating it, the food had cooled down. It was ok, but I had wished they had brought it out a little bit later. I was trying to finish my salad and talk to my date. Anyways, the lobster tail was good, and the steak was good, but I was a bit disappointed to say the least. I've had better steak at other steakhouses in the area. Also, we didn't receive the complimentary fruit, nut & cheese platter at the end of our meal. I liked our waitress, she was nice, but I felt service was rushed and I like to take my time eating. I'm not sure if I would come back here again-there's better steakhouses in the area.
(3)
Erin H.

Been here for happy hour lots of times and it took a while to find food and drink that I love. The beer selection is not good, and the fries and Diablo tenderloins are very good. But the Harper Collins and $12 burger are amazing! Plus, there's outside seating in the afternoon sun in the summer months. Although it can get pretty toasty if you're close to a window.
(4)
Lori L.

My husband surprised me with dinner one evening to celebrate our newest little bun in the oven. From the minute we walked in we were greeted with smiles to the end of our meal. There aren't enough good things to say about this place! The food was phenomenal and the service (Jamal and team) was top notch. If there was one thing that i could nit pick was that the restrooms were far from where we were seated, only being far because of being pregnant and having to waddle everywhere. Otherwise, I would LOVE to dine here again. Thank you to everyone!
(5)
John K.

Great eventing. We had a group dinner there, so our options were limited. However the filet magnum I ordered was excellent. The wine didn't flow freely; and they appeared to struggle with clearing plates and delivering our orders in the compact room. But it was still a wonderful meal.
(4)
Sabrina S.

Tried hard to like this place but Couldn't stand the taste and smell of the food. Extremely salty and smells like cow dung. I ordered flat iron steak. It was floating on bed of oil
(1)
Jay P.

I would give this place a 3 star but the customer service was too horrendous. I go to many nice restaurants but sometimes I don't go in dressed up as other people. I usually just walk in with whatever I am wearing that day if I wasn't planning on going there. That was the case when I went to El Guacho. I heard great things. I walked in and they walked me to the table. I was bored and I went by myself. The waitress asked me what I wanted and I told her I would just be getting a steak. She try to upsell my just like any other steak house so nothing wrong with that. I didnt get anything other than a steak. She looked at me weird and said exactly "So you just want a piece of meat?" in a rude tonality. She never came to refill my water or ask me if I wanted more bread. The steak going aside from the customer service and being as candid on the taste, it was very average. Taste was average and customer service was a 1 star which makes the overall rating a 2. What I did enjoy about the place was that they had complementary grapes and fruits in the end. It was moderately fresh but I liked it. There are much better steak houses in Seattle or Bellevue that you do not have to go here. I don't recommend this place. For the price and the quality of the meant there are much better restaurants that are out there. For those that says this is really good and gives this place 5 stars, they clearly have not been to a top notch steak house. Some just say its good because its expensive or they think its cool to say its good because other people say so. I look at the actual taste and the overall ambiance. I always go into restaurants and compare and look for unique taste. If this place had bad service and great food I would say it. But food was average and the service sucked.
(2)
Ritz p.

Today was great service. Victor is a great waiter wish we always get him when we come to El gaucho.
(4)
Maggie L.

The staff was beyond fantastic so I am not giving them 3 stars - just the food. The food was ok - nothing crafty about it. overpriced.
(3)
Carrie B.

We came here for A Taste of Seattle, where we had a few choices from a prix fixe menu. The food was high quality, and the wine pairings were very good. I had a kale salad, beef medallions, and a chocolate dessert. Husband had shrimp and a shredded beef dish. The ambiance was very cool. The light are low, and you get a little flashlight with which to read the menu. If you happen to get up to visit the ladies' room, a waiter will escort you there arm in arm.
(4)
Ponarett X.

El Gaucho just started serving Sunday brunch buffet and it's amazing! Dining at El Gaucho before, I expected nothing less than great food and great service. My family and I decided to check out their brunch for Easter. The offerings included an omelet station, waffles, french toast, salads, charcuterie, chicken fried steak, country gravy, bacon, sausage, eggs benedict, a carving station, a mac and cheese bar, and dessert. There was so much food that, unfortunately, I could not get to it all. The highlights were the following: - Mac and cheese bar. You can either have it plain or customize with toppings. I chose bacon, mushrooms, spinach, and truffle oil (yes, truffle oil!) -Eggs benedict. They served individual benedicts but instead of the traditional english muffin, each one was perfectly housed in its own little pie shell. I have not seen eggs benedict done this way anywhere else. -House cured pork belly. The skin was nice and crispy and the fat just melted away in my mouth. This is really rich so one small piece was plenty for me. -Caesar salad. This is the same as their table side caesar and just as tasty. Easter was only the second Sunday that brunch was offered and it seemed to me that El Gaucho had the flow down well. My only complaint was that the caesar salad was always empty when I went to get some. I finally got some only because I ate it off of my sister's plate. I was so stuffed by the end of the meal that I didn't eat again until late night.
(5)
Richard T.

I thought we'd be having a great dining experience after reading the reviews and seeing the menu and the prices. The whole experience was lacking....i ordered the bone in ny steak for 72.00. Ive had better for half the price. It was ordered med rare and that was about the best part. The steak came luk warm, was gritty and some of it was tough to chew..not to mention, it did not taste like a 70+ steak should. In my opinion, not a very good cut for the price...my guests also felt the quality of food was lacking. My wife was just as disappointed with her meal as I was. We also ordered appetizers with the waiter forgetting to give us appetizer plates. The table was not cleaned between services and in the end,we were surprised to get a cheese and fruit plate, but again the waiter did not give us plates or utensils to eat this. Once we paid the bill, the waiter disappeared....I will not return to this overpriced restaurant again. In my opinion, ruth chris, chop house, ljs, or mortons are a better choice for steaks.....
(2)
Roman T.

This place has been up and down for the past couple of years. But, it has gotten really good lately. The outdoor seating with the fire pit tables is fantastic. Steak has gotten much better. Almost close to five stars, but there are better steak houses that have fantastic meat. Also, they used to have a way better selection of fruits and nuts for the after dinner snack. The plate looked very bare, but still a nice touch. Overall, a very good experience.
(4)
Patricia B.

6/3/2015 We had such a great experience last week at El Gaucho (Bellevue) for Happy Hour. We had kind of given up on them because we had been repeatedly disappointed with the service on the terrace last summer. But we were in the mood for eating outside last week and decided to give El Gaucho's happy hour another try. The service was great, the food delicious (I had the 410 salad and I enjoyed it a lot). So El Gaucho, we are back!
(5)
Heidi M.

My husband and I have been here a few times for dinner. We actually enjoy the Seattle location better. The Seattle location is a little more intimate/romantic. The Bellevue location is more corporate/work people. We always have great service, great meals, great wine selection.
(4)
Naarah H.

My friend & I celebrated my bday w/ an early dinner. Had the best service I've ever had at el gaucho thx to Manny. He was spot on w/ helping us choose our entrees, I never ran out of sparkling h2o and he even surprised me w/ a creme brÃ»lÃ©e not on the menu for my dessert. Thx for making my bday dinner special!
(5)
Elizabeth S.

Absolutely perfect service and outstanding food! Nothing to improve upon, perfection. Waiter by the name of "Manny" made the evening.
(5)
Laurie T.

Updated review, thank you to "Tony", who telephoned us today, in order to discuss our experience at this restaurant, I give him 5 stars for actually caring enough to call. Thank you.
(5)
Ann W.

Yummy yum yum! I love going to El Gaucho for a nice night out. Most recently, we celebrated a friend's birthday and had a great meal. Our waitress was kind and attentive and knew how to sell all the right items on the menu. I was in the mood for mocktails, and I asked her to surprise me. The bartender made me two different delicious drinks - a pomegranate mojito and a ginger pear-tini. I highly recommend the ginger pear-tini: it is a great bevvy to sip on while watching your friends get drunk!! For my meal, I ordered a Gaucho salad (crispy lettuce with bleu cheese dressing and shrimp...humongous portion that is perfect for sharing) and the steak duet. The steak duet was a 4 oz filet mignon with bearnaise sauce and a 4 oz ny strip with foie gras truffle butter. I had them substitute the foie gras truffle butter with truffle oil but I couldn't really taste it. Anyhow, they were both perfectly cooked, moist, and beefalicious! Sides of asparagus, corn, spinach, and broccoli were perfect accompaniments. As our friend's bday dessert, we shared the tableside bananas foster. I highly recommend this! Not only is it fun to watch (oooh, fire), but it is absolutely amazing. Sugary sweet and thick sauce with caramelized bananas--what's not to love? We even cut up some pears and apples from our fruit and nut platter and dipped them in the leftover sauce! I would love to return again for another special occasion. Always great food and great service!
(5)
Greg H.

The service is really outstanding! I'm amazed by the bourbon they have! Pappy van Winkle 20 year old AND 23 year old! The filet was very good, but I am thrilled with the bourbon they have available. The staff really cares about service!
(5)
Ben B. N.

I dont think I've had a bad plate here. Solid steaks and great service!!
(4)
Dustin M.

I usually go to the one in Seattle and really enjoy the experience there. I decided to bring my family with me to the location in Bellevue, and they were disappointed. We went here on Feb 6th Friday for dinner. The service was okay, but the lobster was really dry and overcooked. I had better lobster in many other places before. Steak was good, but the wine that waiter recommended was too sparkly we hardly drink any. The restroom is located outside of the restaurant and clean but not decorated or state of art at all. My family talked about how overrated this place was all night. I won't go back or recommend this place to anyone else, if you want the sophisticated restaurant experience. Maybe going to AQUA or El Gaucho in Seattle would be a better idea.
(1)
Zannah B.

My husband and I decided to have a lunch date at El Gaucho this afternoon. He had heard that they had a good burger and wanted to try it. He ordered the El Gaucho Burger done to medium. I ordered a Garden Green Salad, the Wicked Shrimp and a Petit Filet done to medium rare. First came out the Garden Green Salad. I had asked them to hold the candied pecans which they did. The overall salad was unremarkable. The same rather limp lettuce that all the restaurants seem to serve. It had some dark pieces of lettuce in it as well as some with browning on the edges. It indicated to me that it had been prepped some time ago. I set it aside as the dressing was nothing to rave about either. The Wicked Shrimp arrived. Now these were actually 4-6 large spicy shrimp, served in a bowl of sauce with some hard bread slices. The shrimp were good and the spice level reminded me of a really good cioppino broth. My husband's El Gaucho Burger arrived and looked rather pale from the get go. The bun was a very pale bread. It did not appear to have been toasted in any way. The meat looked very done. His comment was that it was more oily than juicy. The bun seemed to be absorbing the oils from the meat. There was a large amount of what looked like thousand island dressing on the upper bun. Overall the burger was not going to be a repeat experience for my husband. He stated he would rather the prime rib burger at The Keg. Funny enough my Petit Filet arrive at the table not medium rare but well done. Perhaps there was a mix up in the kitchen. They took it back and brought out another Petit Filet. Lots of apologies on their part. This was more rare than medium rare but there was no chance I was sending back another piece of meat at this point. I tasted it and did Not experience that melt in your mouth, this is amazing sort of taste I expect when dining at a steakhouse or restaurant that prides itself on it's beef. This had an odd taste to it that indicated to me that perhaps a spray can of cooking oil had been applied to the surface before it had been cooked. I have had plenty of charcoal grilled beef in my life and this tasted nothing like what it should have. I ate a few bites and told my husband that the green beans on the plate were better. We paid about $106.00 with tip for lunch. It did not taste like we has spent that amount. My husband found it odd that they did not offer to at least comp my Arnold Palmer since my meat had come out wrong and I had to wait a bit for the next one to come out. The service was fine, everyone was polite and the restaurant seemed clean. The kitchen seemed to be in order as you could see it from the dining room. The main issue was the taste and quality of the meat provided. We expected better and were disappointed. Perhaps it was an off day. Regardless we won't be returning.
(2)
Aly T.

I expected so much more in service and quality of the food as the setting was stunning. It was very upsetting, the fact that we made reservations months ahead for 845pm that evening yet waited 20 30+ minutes to get to our table. Waited awhile to receive our drinks. The Bourbon Peach Bellini was just ok. We ordered the Pancetta Wrapped Jumbo Prawns as our appetizer which were decent by itself but that apple compote on top wasn't great. What upset me the most was that our waiter did not ask how would i like my steak. I was not satisfied with a slab of well done steak. The one thing decent about the entire meal we had were the banana bread pudding. I was hoping for a better experience and a better meal. Sadly the experience wasn't great during our special occasion.
(1)
Katie L.

I went here for dinner with colleagues. I am not a vegetarian but I was won over by the "blackened tofu steak with caramelized onion succotash". What came out was a limabean/corn succotash with mounds of tofu on top, just like I had when I was a kid! :/. Does anyone actually like corn and limabeans? I thought oh well I'll ask for some more of the cheesy garlic bread to appease me but unfortuantely it was forgot about! Definitely would not go back.
(1)
Theresa F.

For my daughter's 18th birthday I wanted to take her somewhere special, somewhere we could celebrate her special day and we would not be surrounded by disinterested wait staff halfheartedly singing a cheezy rendition of Happy Birthday. I couldn't think of a more perfect place than El Gaucho Bellevue! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with sincere Happy Birthday wishes. The manager, Steve, came to the table several times with Birthday wishes and to ensure my daughter was having a fabulous dinner. We started with the Tableside Caesar Salad, which was delightful! The table bread was so tasty, My daughter ordered the Steak El Gaucho which is a beautiful 6 oz filet mignon served with lobster and asparagus. I ordered the wasabi encrusted seared ahi which was simply amazing, so delicious! We also opted for the lobster mashed potatoes, a must. The beautiful fruit and nut platter was brought to the table after dinner, we couldn't eat much because we were saving room for dessert! Bananas Foster was ordered for the Birthday Girl and Steve came to the table to flambe the dessert, he even added a little candle when the dessert was presented. Always a fun show! Because of my aversion to bananas, I ordered the strawberry cheesecake, indulgent. As we enjoyed the dessert, the pianist played happy birthday. My daughter appreciated the subtlety! As per usual, El Gaucho made our special occasion extra special. The service and the food were exquisite!!
(5)
R P.

This place is amazing. It is very classy, high end, with amazing service and delectable food. I started with warm bread and a Virgin cocktail, both delivered in a timely manner. The next part was my personal favorite: the tables side caesar salad. A server brings a cart over and makes it right in front of you to personalize it. Then, I got a dish with 2 different types of steak. There was a side of roasted corn that was amazing and mashed potatoes that complemented the meal perfectly. They even brought me birthday cake and a hand signed card from their staff. Highly recommend for a fancy night out!
(5)
Mary Jo B.

Another Seattle Favorite. El Gaucho is a good to place for special occasions for us. I love the ambience and the staff is so friendly. I love the table side preparation for certain dishes and the Escargot is my favorite app. That, and the Wicked Shrimp. Oh my. The Bellevue location is a little more intimate than the Bell Town location. But both are always a great experience. They used to have an Ostrich fillet on the menu and one time we came in and were disappointed that it had been dropped from the menu. The Captain came over and told me that we were always welcome to call in advance and ask for a special order. Well, we do and we have been spoiled every time. Thank you for the special treatment. We are going this Saturday, to celebrate a friends birthday, and yes, getting the Ostrich. Oh - and be sure to leave room for dessert. If the bread pudding is available - don't hesitate to indulge.
(5)
Miss N.

MMMH why did I just discover this place? Went after Id eaten dinner beforehand but I got the soup, think it was clam chowder.. And it was so good I got another cup. I should've ggotten the bowl lol. I went for oysters though and they were very good. Topped it all off with a glass of wine. I can't wait to go back and try the food!
(5)
Craig M.

I visit El Gaucho in Bellevue almost every week - it is a fantastic steakhouse that has some really great options on the menu for you to try. Personal fave: Flaming swords! If you have kids it's a must see free show! The restaurant itself is a beautiful piece of architecture - one expansive high-ceiling room that centers on the huge windows that surround the bar. Beautiful place and great to take someone to impress. Because of the gigantic room the noise is always very manageable and you won't need to yell to your partner to have a conversation. The food options are fantastic from really impressive soups (the Corn Chowder is fantastic) to a bevy of steak-inspired dishes
(4)
Chelsea H.

I went here for a business dinner and we had a prix fixe menu so my experience was different than your every day visitor. However I can speak to the quality of the food! I had the mixed green salad, filet with lobster medallion and Bearnaise sauce, and cheesecake with strawberry sauce. Salad was average but good (wish I would have tried the table side ceasar salad instead which looked great!). The filet was amazing! Easily one of the best I've ever had! The cheesecake was good but average also - I will note I'm pretty picky about my cheesecake though. Many people in our group got the table side banana foster - I will definitely be getting this the next time I go. A couple people in our group tried the salmon which they said wasn't bad but not great. I guess the lesson learned here is stick to what they do best! Steaks and their table side made items! Enjoy!
(5)
Cheryl L.

If you want a great steak, then you can't go wrong dining here. Very pricy but well worth it if you are trying to make a good impression. It is a bit difficult to find the first time you dine here (tucked back off the road), but you will want to come back again. Use the valet parking so you don't have to hassle with garage parking.
(5)
Holli M.

We celebrated our anniversary for the first time at El Gaucho and it was wonderful. The meats were excellent. I can tell the difference with other steak places. We love Daniels Broiler too but the steaks here were top notch. The only gripe was our server Jamal, he was great but I think he just got busy with another larger table and wasn't able to give us his full attention and no one gave us the spew about their steaks, unlike the other table. I wish the patrons were nicely dressed since this is a high priced restaurant. A few people walked in with their Seattle Seahawks jersey, really!
(5)
Mike F.

Visited today as part of a work lunch. Ordered the special - Chicken n' Waffles. The fried chicken was seriously a disgrace. It was 80% fried skin. One piece had one bite of chicken and the rest of the 4x4" piece was ALL SKIN. If I hadn't been with a client I would have sent it back. I can't believe they thought it was ok to serve. No chance I will bring clients back here again. My client and coworkers ordered other items that looked great - but the daily special was so bad it seemed as though they hit the corner gas station, grabbed the remains of the fried chicken at the end of the day, and slapped it on a waffle. I'd eat KFC before I'd eat here again - and I won't eat KFC.
(1)
Zachary J.

This review is not about the food, it is about the service..,,Unreal!!!! I had an unexpected allergic reaction to nut during my 1st anniversary dinner. Our server went more than out of his way to ensure I was okay and we had the best night possible...including finding me some Benadryl. Btw...the food I was able to eat with my wife was amazing! Great setting, wonderful food, perfect service...live this place!
(5)
Tony L.

I stopped by on a Saturday for happy hour with a couple of co-workers (note: happy hour on Saturday is only from 5-6 PM), and the place was starting to fill up. The self-parking here is a little tricky, so I would recommend going to their website and watching their short video on what to do. The restaurant itself is very nice, with seating and party rooms on the upper level. We ordered: Calamari: this was pretty good, and they gave you a decent-sized portion. There is a little spice in this dish as well. Steak sliders: three sliders, not bad. Mixed greens salad: not bad (liked the toasted hazelnuts). Cheese plate: this was good, and had three varieties of cheese with fig jam. Rock shrimp and got cheese flatbread: this was my favorite dish. Diablo shrimp: biggest disappointment as far as the appetizers go. For $8, we got 3 medium-sized shrimp and a small piece of toast: I would skip this for sure. For a couple of appetizers and a couple of drinks each, it came to a little over $100. Luckily, they accept gift cards (buy from Costco for a good deal), so it offset the price a little. I wouldn't mind coming back for dinner to get some of the tableside preparations from the regular menu, but as far as happy hour goes, you can probably find better value elsewhere.
(3)
Beth E.

My only El Gaucho experience was a heavenly weekday lunch with one of my friends. We went because even though you can order a $60 steak or lobster for lunch at El Gaucho, they also offer lunch specials as affordable as $15 total per person. My friend and I each ordered a ~$20 entree for our whole lunch and loved them. The amount of food was filling, too. She got a shrimp and gnocchi dish and I got a salad with seared rare ahi tuna and citrus dressing. It was the best fish-topped salad or seared rare ahi I've ever had, and so many restaurants offer both. The service and atmosphere are fine dining in quality. You can show up in the Seattle definition of business casual clothes for lunch at least, but it's for sure on the fancier side for our oh-so-casual metropolitan area. I hope someday I get to go to El Gaucho for dinner on someone else's dime.
(5)
Birger S.

Great ambience, although the music could benefit from some air, as in a break now and then. Starters were good to very good - somehow 6 out of 8 of us had shrimps or prawns. One big minus here: supposedly fresh crab meat tasted of ammonia. It went straight back to the kitchen. The big disappointment, however, was the steaks. Of 6 orders, 5 were overdone. Very, very surprising for a 60$/entree steakhouse. Everyday corporate business in Bellevue, in between Microsoft, Expedia and Trulia, may be too good. Our freebee nuts, cheese and fruit had good cheese, ok fruit but old, bitter nuts. Great deserts and good, hot coffee plus profuse apologies salvage 2 stars.
(2)
Chipsie P.

Hungry, craving for a burger, working in the same building as where El Gaucho is, I decided to give them a try. The menu says "Niman Ranch All-Natural Certified Angus Beef". I ordered to go, the waitress forgot about it so it took forever. They recommended it cooked "medium". Much of the meat was raw which I didn't like and it wasn't warm enough anymore since the waitress forgot.... I decided to give them another try and asked to have it cooked pink in the middle this time but it was still raw in the middle. Fortunately the meat was fresh so it was ok. However I just got a couple of fries with it, not sure why the portion got tiny. Recently I went there during their happy hour and ordered burger and oignon rings. The oignon rings were sub par. The fries were good. The meat of the burger seemed NOT FRESH AND TASTED FUNKY WITH A WEIRD SMELL despite it being cooked well done - I SUSPECT...PAST THE EXPIRATION DATE?!? The server kindly had another one made but the problem remains the same. Another thing, the bun is not of the same kind/quality and not as fresh as when I ordered it full price during lunch time/to go. Also the size of the meat patty was much smaller which I didn't mind as much as it being not fresh. The difference in price lunch time vs. happy hour is only $5.... What a SHAME! SOOOOO NOT HIGH END...on the contrary. NOT RECOMMENDING. NOT RETURNING.
(1)
Marie G.

Definitely pricey but delicious. The perfect place for a special occasion. The atmosphere was so romantic and the food was delightful! All the items on the menu come a la carte so just know ahead of time that you pick your entrÃ©e and then your sides separately.
(5)
Julia S.

For appetizer, I had the Dungeness crab cocktail, the crab wasn't fresh and they immediately took it back. They were misinformed of the definition of medium rare. They also messed up some medium orders. However, like the crab, they took the order back right away. They tried to compensate for the mess up in the beef and not so fresh crab by giving us a nut, fruit, and cheese platter. Which was a nice notion, but apparently that nuts weren't fresh either. The wait for food as well was quite long despite the restaurant being semi-full. foe my main meal, I had the Clam Chowder, it was delicious! The service was great and they immediately took back anything that we thought was not up to par in such a restaurant. Their shrimp was also delicious. The music is live piano, it is quite loud, but good taste of music for this restaurant. I personally like that the restaurant is a bit dimmed and calm. Overall, I liked it but it has room for improvement.
(3)
David P.

Best cooked/seasoned steak in the state, love the table-side ceasar. Ordering the stek on a flaming sword is my birthday tradition, will be back many times.
(5)
James R.

Drove all the way in for happy hour after looking online for the times this Sunday evening at 6pm. Apparently the mangers decided not to have happy hour for valentine weekend? Or something. Seems like they should easily post that on their website. Disappointed!
(1)
Lauren S.

Hmm. No. To begin with, the bread was good, although cold. We ordered the caesar salad, which is prepared tableside. It has wayyyy too much garlic and mustard. My mouth is still infused with garlic. They don't measure the ingredients before bringing them to the table, which makes it highly probable that a mistake will be made. I don't care about theatrics, I just want a good salad. I had the bone in New York steak. It was fairly good, but I have had better elsewhere. And it was way too big, I could only eat 1/3 of it. For dessert, we had the chocolate bourbon cake, which was aggressively mediocre. This place seemed more about the theatrics than the food.
(3)
Mark Y.

Really deserve 3.5 stars here.. but relative to other steak houses, it bumped down to 3. Great location, well decorated, and friendly servers. Steak is decent - similar / common selection of cuts of meat.. nothing too special. BUT the do use top quality meat, and the taste is very good. I come here for lunch a few times too and actually my fav is the seafood chowder. :) Good.. not great, but solid.. Would i go in Bellevue? no b/c there are better.
(3)
Danielle M.

We went in here for desert and a cigar...awesome place! We got the cherries jubilee with was a real production when they lit everything on fire. It was delicious! We also got a cigar, but it was raining outside so they sent us across the street with umbrellas. I hope to come back for dinner...
(5)
Ku S.

I actually got food poisoning from eating the raw steak. It hit me 3 days later. Was stuck at home for a whole week.
(2)
Mary A.

This is an amazing place to enjoy a special meal. Parking is a bit cramped, and somewhat confusing in the garage. We recently took family members from out of state who complained about the prices. The Caesar salad made at your table, and the bananas foster made at your table, and the various flaming items are a real treat. It's a GREAT time, until the bill comes. Lunch and Happy Hour are less expensive, and very good.
(5)
Ken L.

If we were a couple of carnivores hankering for superior steak, where would we go? John Howie, Daniel's Broiler, Ruth Chris, and El Gaucho come to mind. Since we have yet to try El Gaucho, it was naturally our choice this time. In brief: Elegantly designed dining room that was dimly light with individual small lamps. A romantic setting for a formal dinner and special occasions. Free toasted, cheese (not too cheesy) garlic bread started us off. Our preference is to always have our bread slices toasted for a crunchy effect. No need for that request as these fit the bill. We requested another basket to assist in sopping up the escargot we are about to devour.... To my surprise, the traditional escargot dish was offered on the appetizers list. At the average price of $12, the six pack tray of large full sized snails, drowned in generous amounts of garlic and butter illicted toe curling and estasty. Bonus points for this awesomeness! The 18 oz Frenched Rib Chop Steak ($65) was our prey of the night. We split it up and that served to be a wise decision due to the portion size. Steak was cooked medium, just the way we like it with a hot, pink center. The 28 day dry aged prime angus proved to be the epitome of quality meat with substantial marbling*. In my opinion, this Rib Steak blows the doors off of Daniel's Broiler; just delicious and melts in your mouth. Pairs well with the Charlie Smith Merlot or any red wine you choose. The side items were equally good. The roasted corn, sweetened with chipotle honey butter almost could be called dessert! The baked potato added starch to the equation, effectively balancing the marvelous meat. It also came with a herb au jus sauce that did add a subtle depth. With our bellies full, we just could not proceed with dessert. However, they presented us their standard, complimentary fruit & nut bowl and a mini cheese dish with dates and melba toast. Just a few nibbles here and there to finish out the visit. Total check: $140, tips included. We noticed the advertisement about future events that are worth a try; perfect example includes the clam bake event in July. Highly likely that we'll return here before then though. I loved everything about the experience except for a few minor details: 1) parking: confusing as most had Microsoft visitor signs in the underground garage. I was told later by the hostess that those spaces were fair game and parking there was okay. Not sure about that still. 2) the server took much longer than expected (est. 10 min) from the time we finished our food to bring the check. ----------------------- *Marbling -The steak fat is evenly distributed throughout the meat.
(5)
Tammie E.

GREAT STEAK! But the ambiance brings it down to 4 stars. AMBIANCE: We visited the Seattle location a couple of years ago and decided to visit this location to compare with other steakhouses in the area. The dining room reminds me of Jazz Alley and I personally like the setup better than the Seattle location. However, the entire feel of the restaurant feels a bit stuffy, so didn't really enjoy my whole experience as much as other steakhouses (Metropolitan Grill, Mastro's). I felt as though if we go to this restaurant, it HAD to be a special occasion. I understand this place isn't cheap, but does it have to feel so uptight?! I don't think so. SERVICE: The service is on par with the quality of the restaurant, however, toward the end of our meal, our server was definitely pushing us out. She checked out tab to see if we'd place our credit card in the billfold when we hadn't yet, so that was awkward. FOOD: The BF ordered the Steak El Gaucho and I ordered Oscar Filet Medallions, we shared the table-side Caesar Salad and lobster mashed potatoes. The lobster "medallion" that accompanies with the Steak El Gaucho was disappointing, it was so tiny!! The Oscar Filet Medallions were very tasty! The filet was SO SO SO tender (NARM!). The lobster mash , although cheaper than Mastro's lobster mash, were not as good as Mastro's. Bummer. They just seemed like whipped potatoes with a VERY HEAVY lobster "bisque"-type sauce with baby chunks of lobster. I wasn't too big of a fan. They were very fishy tasting.. not a good thing. The table-side Caesar Salad was delish. Very fresh and you get a GIANT plate of salad! Also to note, they don't serve any Wagyu beef - disappointing. BONUS: They bring you a free fruit platter that has some nuts, plus a bleu cheese plate for dessert. Nice touch! PRICE: For the price point, one bone-in NY steak was $82 (WHAT?!), I expect a little more. It just seems El Gaucho is missing something. Maybe I've been spoiled by Mastro's and nothing can every compare, but I refuse to settle simply because of the lack of selection in the area. OVERALL: This is a good steakhouse; a great place to experience. But when I have that irresistible craving for a high-quality steak, this will not be the place I go to again, I much prefer the atmosphere, food, overall experience of the Met Grill.
(4)
David E.

This review is based on the Happy Hour in the bar. I have been wanting to try this out for a long time and finally got a chance to do so. First, the service was amazing, could not have asked for better. We ordered quite a few things from the menu and all were very good, there was not one thing I would not order again. The Diablo bites were amazing with killer sauce that our server brought us some bread to finish it up. The steak sandwich, burger and flatbreads were all so very good. We will definitely try this again
(5)
Monica D.

Had only been to the Seattle downtown's El Gaucho and this location was nice as well in it's own way. It had more of a modern twist to it but still had that live piano music and looked classy. Went here for HH and wasn't sure if we had to sit at the bar but luckily there were a lot of tables near by so we just sat ourselves down. I tried the steak sandwich and calamari. The steak was cooked perfectly and their calamari with the sauce was spicy but yummy! Their drinks are good too (Give a Manhattan a try, goes down very smooth)
(5)
Jess Y.

Came to the new El Gauchos for the first time for their Monday 2PM-Close happy hour. VERY DISAPPOINTED. Asked the hostess if happy hour was in the bar. She said yes. We sat down. Seriously 6 mins go by and no one has acknowledged that we were even there. Looking around, the bar only had 4 other couples and they all had their drinks/food already. The bar was more than half empty. We waited another couple of minutes and decided to leave. The hostess just gave us a look when I asked her a question about parking validation. Didn't ask why we were leaving so quickly, or any follow ups. It's a shame because I book private dining parties for my organization at Microsoft all the time. I saw a lot of private dining sections on their 2nd floor. But I have to think twice if the service I received is what my high level managers may or may not experience.
(1)
Mitchell L.

It was my first time here and while the food was good, very very good; I wasn't blown away. I went there with my wife as a late Valentine's day. The start there was rocky, when I was 5 minutes early for my reservation, had to wait, which is no big deal, but a couple came in after us with no reservation and was seated immediately. It was a little odd to me; our table wasn't special in any way that explained it. I didn't let that bother me though. We started with crab-cakes which were very good. They were among the best crab-cakes I've had before. Just two of them though; which surprised me a bit as I hoped for a little more, though I didn't leave hungry. Then we had the table-side made Caesar salad; watching him make it was very cool. Everyone should get the Caesar to see it. The salad was pretty good, nothing exceptional though, but it was massive. Then for dinner we both got NY steaks, medium rare, with sides of risotto and Mac N cheese. The steaks were perfectly cooked and were some of the best either of us had ever had. The sear on the outside gave some incredible flavor. I would recommend this steak to anyone going. As for the sides, they were really just OK. The mac n cheese was good, but lacked any sort of wow factor to it; just seemed like ordinary restaurant mac n cheese. The risotto was actually not good at all. It was hard and undercooked. The flavor was pretty good, but we didn't eat much because the texture was too far off. After dinner they brought a platter with cheese, crackers, fruit and nuts; this caught us off guard and while some might enjoy it, we actually thought it was too much. It's a nice gesture, but at that point we didn't need it. It was a huge waste as we barely touched it and only did so to not feel bad for wasting all of it. For dessert we had the chocolate ganache with white caramel. It was incredible. Tasted similar to the inside of some of the best fine chocolates you can buy from chocolatiers. It was a great way to finish the meal. Overall it was a great experience with some great food. But for the price; I expected to be completely blown out of the water, and while it was very very good, it won't list among my top meals I've ever had; something I'd hope for in a meal that lists among the most expensive meals I've ever had.
(4)
Leslie P.

We came for HH, and sat in the patio. We nibbled on the spicy shrimp, calamari (which were also spicy), tenderloin diablo, cheese plate, mini creme brÃ»lÃ©e, and mini banana bread pudding. Everything was good, but nothing to write home about. I would come back, but wouldn't be my first choice.
(3)
Jenny K.

Came here for happy hour and LOVED it! Great drink selection, food selection and atmosphere. The service did leave much to be desired, as it was inconsistent, unfriendly and very unfitting for such an upscale place. I got the pineapple mojito - oh my gosh so yummy and I want to drink a pitcher of it right now! Also tried the goat cheese & shrimp flatbread, burger, cheese plate, and wicked shrimp and the banana bread pudding for dessert. I LOVE bread pudding and El Gaucho's version is pretty spectacular! I wish it had been at least twice its size but I guess good things sometimes come in small packages :) I am excited to go back soon and am crossing my fingers for a more pleasant server. Pleasant service = pleasant dining experience. Minus 1 star only.
(4)
Angella H.

El Gaucho - how I love thee.... I love steak...I don't just love steak - I love love steak. LOVE LOVE steak. And I'm the adventurous type that wants to try it all out to see what it's all like. So where best to try it out but El Gaucho? And try it all out I have! I've tried the steak tar-tar.... I prefer ahi tuna tar-tar. I tried black and blue and I'll stick with medium rare, thank you. And I've tried many different cuts and I'm still working on trying them all out. So far I think I like that flaming sword thingy. Not only is it a good show, but it's darn good meat!! Their sides are also very good - especially the corn! Although the macaroni and cheese is just ok. Oh! appetizers are alright. I'm actually very picky with these and just stick with the oysters (which quite often leave me wanting). One of the best atributes of El Gaucho is the ambiance and it's refreshing lack of pomps. I can go in a nice pair of jeans and a nice sweater and feel appropriately dressed, as opposed to some places. It is very nice to be comfortable while eating your dinner! All in all it's a lovely dining experience when you want to go out for a nice steak dinner.
(5)
Susan G.

The service was great and the food wonderful. We went for the Mac n cheese and although it wasn't the best in town, it was a contender. The Caesar salad did make the No. 1 list based on my friend's evaluation including the made at your table part!
(4)
Stephanie E.

Came in with my family on a Friday around 5:30 to catch the last part of Happy Hour... This place is HUGE! We wanted to sit outside as the weather was amazing, but all of the tables were taken. We sat inside near the bar instead. Drink: Gin & Tonic - I didn't order anything fancy, but the bartender had a good pour! I asked for a cucumber instead of a lime which they did no problem! Food: Crispy Proscuitto & Fig Flatbread - It was pretty good! Nothing out of the ordinary, but a great thing to split between 4 people. Not one of Bellevue's best Happy Hours... which they need to work on, because Bellevue is ALL ABOUT Happy Hour now...
(3)
Kenny V.

Great place! Came by for dinner, started the night off with crab cakes, tenderloin diablo, and 'gaucho bread' (delicious!). The filet mignon was pretty good, but not spectacular. Basic fixings (mashed potatoes, asparagus) didn't seem up to par with the rest of the restaurant, very meh. The Met gets the nod for taste. However, atmosphere and service is where El Gaucho truly shines. I'd much rather spend an evening here than at many of the other steakhouses, and the staff was spot on.
(5)
John H.

I've been here many many times and I've generally been satisfied. We went yesterday for lunch and ordered the filet mignon which is usually great but this time was the worst one I've ever had anywhere. It was overcooked, burned and the funny pars it that came cold. The waiter offered to replace our dish but I was in a supper rush to go to airport and had no time. It's a shame for a place like this to offer the worst filet ever!!! I know I'll go back once more but management should take notice here.
(1)
Angeli S.

When we went to El Gaucho it was not great. We sat there for over five minutes before anyone made it over to greet us. After we got our Steak sandwich it was under cooked and cold. Not our best experience here. Although it is not like that every time it will probably be our last time going. I was disappointed in the service and the food. For the price it's not worth it.
(2)
Jeremy M.

THE BIG CONS: What should have been a solid 5 star review ended up dropping down to a two star. Why? First off, we made reservations for 5 for my friends birthday at 7:30. Upon arriving the hostess informed us the wait for would 10-15 minutes because they need to get some tables cleared up. 12 minutes has past and I check on the status of our table and the same hostess then tells me the wait for be still another 10 minutes, but leaning closer to 1/2 hour?! WTF?! Are you serious?! Ok? I do understand that you're busy, but come on now?! Finally, after 1 hours and 23 minutes we were seated at a four top table and they pulled a chair to the end even though there were bigger tables available we still got a small table! To make things even worse, El Gaucho actually validate parking but due to the delay of us getting seated we were charged for our parking too! The GOODS: Our waiter was very attentative, the sommelier(I wish I knew his name) was awesome and always very helpful in every way possible, and that's about it. Oh yeah they gave me a free appetizer to make up for the delay of our dinner. Uhhh? No? That completely ruined our evening events. Probably my last time here, it seems to me that Bellevue establishments are keen on discriminating against my business. Maybe it's just me? Nah........I'm the most lovable guy
(2)
Djem T.

Great steakhouse, atmosphere screams $$$ and the food reinforces it. Filet Mignon Gaucho Style Medium Rare! Literally melted in my mouth. Of course, when you're dining with a group and you aren't paying the bill it tastes even better.
(4)
Chris W.

My review is just about the happy hour (haven't been to the Bellevue location for dinner). Great drinks/wine and excellent HH food at great prices. Friendly wait staff, nice seating, and entertaining people watching (observe all of the interesting folks from Microsoft come down for happy hour from the floors above). The location is a bit odd, but don't let that stand in your way. This is a great place to get an evening started or chill after work. Huge wine selection in general, and the HH wines are darn good 'bang for the buck'.
(4)
Ryan B.

When you spend $200 on a dinner, you'd expect it to be a solid 5 stars, no questions asked. This wasn't the case, but it was oh so very close. We were seated in the main dining area to the accompaniment of a live piano. We ordered our drinks: A Maritime IPA for me, and a red wine blend for the lady at the waiter's recommendation (a fantastic recommendation by him too). The bread was near perfect, and was hard to not fill up on it before our tableside Casar salad came out. The incredible salad was made tableside from scratch by our waiter. Each ingredient for the dressing added separately and explained to us what each part did. The dressing was divine, but the overall salad experience was hurt a bit by there being far too much thick stem material from the greens. I ordered the 8oz Fillet Mignon, the lady went for the Ostrich steak. Both were fantastic, but I would have preferred the Ostrich over the Fillet. The Fillet was a 9/10... And I have had 10s in my life. It just was missing that intangible "something" that made it perfect. The Ostrich steak was a 10. For sides, we went for the macaroni & cheese, and a dish of southwest scalloped potatoes. Both were good, though I wouldn't say phenomenal. The mac & cheese was far too rich to accompany such a rich steak. Our waiter agreed with my comment on this, so it would have been nice for him to mention that when we ordered. I took two bites of it, and boxed up the rest for home. The southwest potatoes were well balanced on spices, and a much better complement to the steak. Dessert... Ah yes the dessert. The Bananas Foster was perfection! Made tableside with a caramel topping from scratch, it's not only one of the most tasty desserts I've ever had, it was also an experience in itself to watch it come together. There's lots of fire involved... So order it if you're in to that kind of thing! Our biggest problem came when we got the check, and let this be a warning to others: The menu can be deceiving on a few items. If an item is marked "XXXX for 2: $12." the real total is $24. We ordered our "Salad for 2" thinking the $12 price was for the whole package deal... But it is in fact, per plate. There are several offerings on the menu with this type of pricing, many exceeding the $130+ marks. So be careful before you unknowingly rack up a bill far above what you're expecting. Luckily we just made this mistake with our salad and dessert. But other than that one fluke, and there being a few food items that missed the perfection mark, this is an overall fantastic experience. Service was world class, ambience was as it should be for such an establishment, and the food was some of the best money can buy. I recommend experiencing it at least once.
(4)
bradley j.

I love this place. It's classy and understated. The pianist takes requests. The steaks were delicious. Last time I went there, I left my credit card on the table. Fast forward in time five minutes (I still hadn't realized I didn't have my credit card on me anymore), I was pulling out of the parking garage and my server was waiting there for me. She gave me my card back with a smile. I was floored. What kind of place does that?? Five stars.
(5)
Masanori T.

Ever since I moved here from Chicago, it's been a disappointing journey here in Seattle looking for a steakhouse that truly exceeds my expectations. Daniel's was OK, Ruth's Chris isn't bad either, and I'm not sure why I never did try El Gaucho's until recently, which has prompted me to write this review. The only location I've tried so far is the downtown Bellevue one, so I can't really speak for the other one in downtown Seattle (on 1st Ave), but this is a very classy, proper steak house with very appropriate mood lighting, piano bar area, and a menu that basically showcases their steaks as the only thing customers should pay most of their attention to. I did get a couple of side dishes & shared them with my dinner companion, and both the mushroom risotto & asparagus were very well preprared, but the steak is really amazing. On my first visit, I had their New York, and the following visit I tried their French Rib Chop on our server's recommondation. Both super flavorful, cooked to perfection, and it dispelled my belief that there's no good steak house in Seattle. On a side note; this place can be a bit pricy but that would never make me hesitate as you get what you pay for at tru steak houses. Also, this is a PRIME card restaurant, so that can't hurt either if you're a member.
(5)
Alice C.

This is a review of their bar during late nights which really conflicts with the other reviews. I have been to the bar twice for late night, for snacks, dessert, and drinks. The two times I have been there, which is around 10pm or so, the entire restaurant was nearly empty. The restaurant is huge and beatiful but being that the space is empty gives it well, an empty and uncomfortable, pretentious atmosphere. The dessert is just ok. The banana foster flambe is great for entertainment, but tastes just like any other banana foster flambe. The piano player though is great. Since I am not a meat eater, I probably will not be experiencing their dining room fares anytime soon.
(2)
J H.

Very good steak with excellent service.
(4)
Jason R.

Took my girl here for Valentine's Day and I was not disappointed. They had a special drink menu and a rose for our table =). We sat upstairs in the private dining room, where we could hear the piano playing in the background. Very niiice. Drinks were good, I tried their mango bubbly and the ghost 413 blend red. The ghost tasted excellent, just the right amount of boldness I was looking for with my steak. Before I get to the main course, the appetizers we picked were the french onion soup and the tomato w/ mozzarella. They tasted pretty good, but the complementary garlic bread was even more awesome! The filet mignon and the steak el gaucho were cook perfectly (medium rare) with the lobster and asparagus providing a wonderful complement. On the side we ordered the mushroom risotto and the sauteed spinach. Our main complaint was the spinach was doused in lemon juice that made it incredibly sour. We told our server and she immediately took it back and had the kitchen cook us another less the lemon. For dessert had to try the bananas foster. It tasted great initially, but after the butter/brown sugar/liquor caramel mixture got cold it was incredibly hard to eat. I ended up eating just the banana and ice cream after a little bit. Overall, I had a very great time and experience. The price was high, but that's what I was expecting. The little stumbles along the way were no biggie for me as well. Good for special occasions, otherwise I'd be here for their hh.
(4)
Todd H.

We obtained a gift certificate for Christmas for $150 for El Gaucho. We did not want to go on Valentines Day (2014) so we went the day after (Saturday). We were sat at 6:30pm and ordered drinks. We were upstairs and the table was fine. I ordered the New York ($72!!) and my wife had a filet. We started with the table side salad of Ceaser Salad and the waiter forgot my anchovies. I ordered another martini; for which I waited 15 minutes for...and they were baby sized. The steak came and my wife tasted mine and obtained a piece of gristle. The steak was comparable to one I could buy at a grocery store; nothing special. After dinner we ordered bananas foster which was good. The bill came out to $305 and those little martinis were $17 each (not even premium vodka, just Stoli)! With the tip; we used our $150 gift certificate; used another $220 of our own money. Daniels blew this place away with service, and steak. I will never go again and should have had just appetizers and drinks at the bar. Way overpriced!!
(1)
Laura L.

We visited here for my fiance's 36th birthday desert. I cooked him a meal at home (Panchito wrapped chicken tenders over brie mac and cheese with steamed broccoli!). We then went to El Gaucho and had the bananas foster and a glass of reisling each. We had wonderful food and wine - plus the special tableside show with the bananas foster. I have to say, I am beginning to recognize people here- I knew our maitre d' from the Seattle restaurant. I absolutely love the deserts here and the service we usually get. There is nothing like the service you come to typically expect from El Gaucho at all locations. That being said, I was surprised to find service was slow this eve - we didn't get any menus until we'd been there about 15 minutes or more. It was a Sunday night around 9:00 pm, and the place was not crowded in the least. Also, I have to say that the Bellevue location is strikingly lacking in art- the many walls and pillars are a strange flesh color, and no art or visual interest breaks up the bleakness. All things considered though, we are still thinking of having the bridesmaid's tea here next spring!!
(4)
Albert L.

It's definitely the best New York Strip I've ever had. Just wonderful. Very good service, very good atmosphere. Very delicious house bread ! Had seafood fettuccine and got a generous portion of various seafood. Only minus is their onion soup, way too salty, can't really taste the sweetness.
(5)
Barak R.

[Update: The manager of El Gaucho sent a very nice note, and invited me to return as his guest. That tells me a great deal right of the bat what they are committed to. I'll update again when I've had another meal there.] I unexpectedly found myself at El Gaucho with a few friends this evening for happy hour. I came in with no expectations (really, the original plan was to grab some pizza somewhere). A bold friend looked around at the empty restaurant and asked if we could sit at a table instead of at the bar. After checking with the manager, the hostess sat us at a table, but it seemed that it was a forced graciousness rather than any sort of "welcome honored guests who've never been here, of course we can make this easy thing work for you." I was a little put off by that, but not a big deal. We had a very friendly waitress, but like others said, the service was confusing and sporadic. I'm not even sure how to describe why it was confusing--it seemed like I was way too often aware of the service, and that something usually seemed off. We had some excellent appetizers, including the flatbread and wicked shrimp. My friends ordered tuna tartar and the steak sandwiches (both of which I tried and both were excellent). The fries were decent, but nothing special at all. They came with ketchup and two dipping sauces, one of which was quite tasty, the other bland (I don't recall what they were). Here's where things start to go downhill: I ordered a vary tasty sounding burger--1/2 pound of what I assumed would be high-quality beef with bacon, cheese, some sort of special secret sauce. I shared a piece with a friend, and took a bite. There was something very off about the burger--my friend thought the meat had been sitting around a few days too many. The last great burger I had was at Jak's in Issaquah, and that tasted fantastic. This one tasted like, expensive old McDonalds? I told the waitress, who was very nice about and helped me choose a couple of other small menu items that added up to just enough food (after the appetizers I was feeling pretty full anyway). The replacements were tasty but unspectacular. Then the bill came. My friends had two El Diablo gift cards (that's what apparently started this adventure in the first place) and I put my share on my credit card. Things got all goofed up in the billing, and seemed to take a while to straighten out--it was an honest mistake by a friendly, and fairly new, waitress, but again I had the sense of confused and sporadic service. Maybe I'm asking too much, but at a restaurant like this, when I send back a plate with the complaint essentially that the meat tastes old and unpleasant, I would expect some sort of gesture other than simply swapping out the dishes. I very rarely send anything back, but had they comped one or both of the small plates I chose, or offered a complementary dessert of coffee, that would have gone a long way to moving this from 2 stars to 3 or even 4. Will I go again? I could see going to the one in Seattle (I'll check the reviews) but there are far too many reviews consistent with mine about the Bellevue location for me to want to come back here.
(2)
Craig F.

You know a restaurant means business and wants to keep their customers happy. I received a terrific response to my review from the General Manager at the Bellevue El Gaucho. He was genuinely interested in why I did not think they were the best. I really appreciate someone who takes the time and interest into improving their product and this was definitely one of those occasions. So we entrusted a special occasion to El Gaucho in Bellevue, it was our 20th anniversary and I wanted it to be the place and they came through like true professionals. We had a slightly later dinner reservations since this was our second stop of the evening. They did not know who we were and that we were coming back again and we were treated like royalty. We ate for the next two hours, absolutely enjoying ourselves and when I looked up, everyone was gone. We were the last ones in the dining room. In true professional spirit, no one was trying to rush us out of the dining room but instead asking us for our dessert order. My hat is off to the restaurant and their staff for making our special day a little bit better. Not that last time was bad, just not the best and this time all was good. The only bummer was that I had parked in a different garage across the way on accident and that garage closed at 10:00PM. As luck would have it we found a security guard who was nice enough to let us in to get our car.
(5)
David N.

El Gaucho is awesome. It's much like the business oriented fancy steak houses of the business districts of Manhattan - if you like that sort of thing. (we just moved to Seattle from Manhattan). The steaks were awesome, aged well, rich and tasty. I didn't get a chance to see the wine selection as a friend was ordering. He had a private wine locker there. Basically, I've been to steak houses all over the world and El Gaucho was definitely over the top in serve and quality. However, I have never seen prices so high except in London. Even the best New York steak houses are not so expensive. The place is large, corporate, great service and and high quality. However, it is not value for money. You are getting high quality and paying too much for it. Just like 3-stars says: it's a-ok. I wouldn't bring my wife there for a romantic dinner but I'd definitely bring my best customer.
(3)
Ryan B.

There are restaurants and there are Restaurants. El Gaucho Bellevue falls into the latter category. From the moment you walk in, the place exudes classic luxury, like the kind of fine dining your grandparents may have enjoyed in their heyday. Yet, it doesn't feel the least bit old-fashioned. El Gaucho has top-notch chefs and stellar service. I mean STELLAR service. But for all of that, the food is clearly the star. For El Gaucho, that means nothing but the best. Many local coffee shops in Seattle visit the farms where their coffee beans are grown; have a relationship with the farmers that till the land. So it's only appropriate that El Gaucho Bellevue has the same type of relationship with the farmers that supply their beef. One bite into any of their amazing steaks tells you that this a different type of meat altogether. Classifying other beef and this into the same category is like equating grape juice and wine. No this something else altogether...beef that has so much flavor and is so delicate in your mouth, you wonder if it's from a different animal. Thank you El Gaucho for several wonderful experiences and teaching me that there is still so much I have to learn about food I thought I already knew.
(5)
Jocelyn M.

this review is based solely off the bread pudding and apple tart my friend was raving about the bread pudding, so we had to come and get it. his regular waitress was at our table in a jiffy and alas the bread pudding arrived. it was exactly what i imagined in the romantic low light setting across the entire restaurant. my friend and i are not romantic, LOL so it did nothing for us, but i am sure the other people appreciated it. anyways, the bread pudding was moist and creamy, while the apple tart was tangy and firm. it was definitely yummy and will have to learn how to make it. seemed to be a very upscale type restaurant, and we did receive some raised eyebrows from the elder crowd around us, but it was what it was. the bill got paid and we got out unscatched, LOL. PS i dont know if there is a dress code officially, but im guessin not since nobody stopped us with our t shirts and jeans. although i did feel out of place, so maybe dressing up a little bit?
(4)
TM H.

Based on a negative review for the service a few weeks back, I was contacted by the manager.... we discussed the experience and we came back for another try. The food was great, as always--and the service was solid. We had a different server who was attentive and polite. Bravo to the manager for addressing the sub-par service and to the wait staff who are on par with a '5-star' location. That being said, the server from last time didn't leave our last encounter unaddressed.... :) dine wisely.
(4)
Rose m.

El G is our favorite nice restaurant in Bellevue. The service is top notch. The waiters can describe in detail how each menu item is prepared. The bartender mixes a mean cocktail. All seem to be enjoying thier jobs and having a fun. The food is pricey but very good. The steaks are melt in your mouth yummy! Save room for dessert: the bannana bread pudding is amazing.
(4)
Aaron F.

I've eaten at quite a few stakehouses and this was by far the best. The dining room is new and beautiful. I made a reservation 3 weeks in advance for a 1-year anniversary, and we were seated in an elevated VIP section of booths. Our two-person booth was very comfortable, arranged at an angle so there we were not accross the table from each other. The steaks could not be beat. The caesar salad, made from scratch in front of us, was perfect. The seared scallops were probably the best I've had. Best of all: if you're celebrating a special occasion, you'll be surprised with: 1) A cheese plate 2) A Fruit plate 3) Bananas foster, cooked in front of you This was extremely generous and unexpected! The staff was outstanding and responded to my girlfriend's lactose intolerance very well. When we turned down the free bananas foster because she could not eat it, they would not have it, and showed up 10 minutes later with bing cherries - which they warmed in alcohol - and sorbet. Unforgettable. Just be ready to be full - very full. Enjoy!
(5)
Raza M.

Food, serivice, ambience. You name it, everything is exceptional. Definately a place where I would love to go with friends or business associates and sit for a while. In my case, I just picked it at the wrong time, as I was looking for a quick casual meal before leaving for Vancouver. I didn't' mind the $70 I paid (include tip but no drinks) but I didn't really get a chance to enjoy the El Gaucho experince. Would love to try it again though.
(4)
Alisha R.

Amazing service and the food is flawless. I ordered a steak and it was perfect and melted in my mouth. They have a nice selection of wine. You're treated like royalty!
(5)
Matt t.

My wife and I really enjoy El Gaucho in Bellevue. David is the General Manager and you are sure to never come by a more jovial and delightful character. David and his team are terrific at entertaining with charismatic banter and excellent service, If you are serious about steakhouses look no further than the Chateaubriand for two and the table-side Caesar Salad.
(5)
Irwan N.

Great ambiance, always excited to dine at El Gaucho. Our server is very friendly and comical. Normally we are very satisfied with the food. But last our steaks - New York medium and El Gaucho steak medium rare was burnt on the outside, making it hard and chewy. Loved their scallops! Better luck next time for us.
(3)
James S.

We had a really great waitress that provided very attentive service. It was nice because she magically appeared tableside when we needed her and wasn't the slightest bit overbearing. The food was delicious--as always. We each had the filet mignon (perfectly cooked and melted in our mouths and paired wonderfully with the Stag's Leap petite syrah we chose!) The selected sides were great: the corn, spinach, and mac 'n cheese all hit the spot. The only snafu came when we ordered Cafe Diablo for our dessert. The tableside presentation is an absolute treat. Unfortunately it didn't taste as good as it had in the past. I was discouraged as the preparer tasted prior to serving, made an adjustment, and the served. It didn't hit the spot and required some sugar to perfect the blend--something never needed in the past. I asked our server to sample and give us her interpretation as I've had the treat many times in the past and this was a definite deviation. After she sampled she mentioned that it could have been prepared differently and then got a second opinion from a co-worker. Her advice was to request that Steve be the one to prepare in the future as he's the in-house pro. All in all, it was a great experience. We will definitely be back. Shoud you have an experience at the restaurant that is less than stellar, be sure to bring it to their attention as they are very keen on making it right and making sure your dining experience is enjoyable and extraordinary.
(4)
Jessica C.

Pros: Good food (love the table-side caesar and banana foster) Good steaks (I usually get the filet and my husband gets the rib-eye) Great service! My last experience in the Bellevue El Gaucho was amazing. The wait staff was prompt and quick and the manager himself, David, made our salad table side. To me, it's always a good sign when management is actually out on the floor working, it raises the expectations of the rest of the staff in a way. They came back and checked on us over and over to make sure things were going well. There's good food and service and then there's good food and great service that makes dinning an actual experience. Cons: Can't think of one. I read other reviews of this place and here's a suggestion for some folks out there- don't go to a place known for steaks and order seafood.
(5)
Ninette C.

Umm this is an awesome lunch place. First of all, I don't even eat steak, but I still love this place. When I walked in, I was very impressed by the decor of the place. The service is top-notch. This place is huge and perfect for a private party! They have a lot of nice private rooms. El Gaucho is usually very pricy for dinner, but for lunch, its affordable. Don't get me wrong...this isn't a $5 foot-long sub, but you can get awesome food for $15-20. I ordered the soup of the day (Carrot-ginger soup with coconut milk) and the crab sandwich. It was pretty much amazing and they have a lot of options to mix and match. Oh you can also people-watch to see some more well-known Seattle/Eastside residents here! haha. I didn't see a lot for dinner for me, but I will definitely come back for lunch!
(5)
Pinkpeonies Y.

Looved everything about dinner! El guacho is one of our go to places for steak so for the husband's birthday we figured why not? Starting from booking the private room with whitney to service and the meal- everything was fabulous! The server (too bad I forgot his name!) was wonderful and attentive. He did everything right and made the tableside Caesar salad the best I ever had there! He was also so good with our 1 yr old. It helped we were in one of the private rooms. Baby could run around and didn't bother anyone. Whitney hooked up us with the destiny ridge room and it was wonderful and classy! Thanks el guacho for helping hubs birthday a memorable one! Only thing was they charged me for a cake cutting fee when I was told there wouldn't be an extra charge. But even so we had a wonderful dinner!
(5)
Anna S.

For the longest time I have been wanting to try this place out - for every one that raves about it, it must be that good! Overall, I was pleased. My husband and I deceided to try out the late night happy hour on a Monday night. There was maybe 3 other couples in the lounge area at the time, and for the amount of servers in the lounge area, I would've expected a little more TLC. We tried several of their small items and WOW, so good! Everything we had was phenomenal and I was suprised how decent their happy hour prices were. My only issue was when my husband finished his martini, our server asked if he was done, which he was, and took the glass...did not ask if he wanted another, felt almost like we could only have one drink each. We had to wave him down and ask. If that is the only issue, I'd say they did a pretty darn good job. We stayed a little past closing to finish our food -- did not feel rushed what so ever to leave. Over all, food was bomb - prices too good to pass up - service, not the best, but hey - maybe it seemed off because it was late (?)
(4)
Nikita B.

well i've moved to seattle and once again VERY impressed... Went for my birthday in October and was seated right by the piano and had a long stem rose waiting for me and a birthday card signed by the staff! SO sweet..... Plus you just can't beat their 50$ gift for birthdays! I had the most incredible meal...I don't even remember what I ate I know it had steak in it but wow just.... everything their is phenomenal... My boyfriend and I talk about El Guacho for MONTHS after can't wait to go again... think we're gonna make reservations soon!
(5)
Melissa F.

This is a great place for special occasions. Elegant and clean design, with great lighting: not too bright or too dimmed. The tables are far away enough and the sound is just right. You know how you can sit in a place and it just feels extra loud and you can't hear your companions? There was even live music: a piano player near the entrance - the music was actually pretty delightful and was great for the atmosphere. Service was amazing. Seriously amazing. Our waitress was SO nice and cheerful and made great menu and wine suggestions. I actually ordered a glass of wine I didn't like very much and she swapped it without a second thought. I felt bad - I never like being THAT person, but it was no issues at all. I ordered a filet mignon topped with roasted garlic and onion in a special that came with 3 jumbo prawns. Delicious! My companion had the Steak El Gaucho that came with a little lobster and some asparagus. We shared a roasted corn side, which was really tasty! My complaints: Why no imported wine available by the glass? Why was there tendon in my filet? Why didn't I have room to eat more?? Dessert is available to order, but who honestly has the room? There's also a fruit and nut platter they bring that comes with whole fruits and assorted nuts, as well as some cheese, melba toast, and some dates. The fruits are really well-selected and that might have been the best pear I've ever eaten. The server came by at the end again and brought us a slice of cheesecake to take home with us. Again, we had no room. Terrible pity. Great service and dinner really well-done. Bring a big appetite and a designated driver. Lol..
(4)
Dale F.

Good food, fine service, high price. We used to go here regularly but now we go to other steak houses in Bellevue. El Gaucho just feels dated and stuffy, so we don't go here regularly anymore.
(4)
Max K.

This review has been a long time coming. When asked for a list of the top Steak places in all of greater Seattle, El Gaucho tops this list. Here's why: The restaurants (both Bellevue and downtown) are beautiful, flowing somewhat retro 60's style with giant plush booths. The level of personal attention and focus on the details is top notch - the server treats you like a personal friend for the evening, yet is professional, knowledgeable and prompt. Every lady is escorted to the ladies room. An open charcoal grill serves as the focal point, where chefs put on a floor show for diners each night. And El Gaucho has a theater-like ambiance; making each guest the center of attention and making them feel like a star. Most importantly - the meat service, quality and prep is, hands down, the apogee; the pinnacle. The baseball cut sirloin rivals any filet in tenderness. The chateaubriand, cut tableside, is to die for. And the sides are all excellent and unique. The wine list is unparalleled in terms of local vintages. Really, one of the best selections of Washington (Columbia Valley) Cabernets and Bordeaux that I have ever seen anywhere. The list is a bit light on French varietals, but those that they do have are excellent. If you are in Seattle, and a steak or meat freak like I am, you owe it to yourself to check out El Gaucho.
(5)
T B.

Went back to Bellevue El Gaucho for my birthday this year, and once again everything was perfect. Well, one thing wasn't, but they made it right (I ordered a martini made with a grape vodka and I thought it tasted like gasoline so they whisked it away and brought me another made with a more conventional spirit).
(5)
Vanessa H.

Lunch Ever had a day that everything went right? This was one of them! Parking was great, and free with validated parking. It's clean,quiet and safe. Elevator went right to el gaucho and was easy to find. I was met at the door by a nice gal who looked up my reservation just to tell me oh I saved you a nice seat just for you. For some reason I thought this place was going to be decorated south western but it wasent at all. What a relief, it was classy clean and inviting. I had the steak salad , it was amazing. The steak could have been hotter however that's hard when it's put on cold lettuce. Service was very good, he kept my class filled and was polite. It is this easy folks great food, service, atmosphere and keep on top of your tables. Why don't other places get it? Is that too hard to do? I'm going to make a habit out of this on my shopping days in Bellevue. The price for lunch was very reasonable. Only suggestion : the silks in the middle of the room is very poorly done. I have been around the flower business for 33 years mom is a distinguished AiIFD designer. I would suggest fresh. If done right it would be the cherry on top for this wonderful resturant.
(5)
Some D.

The staff was superb and I will likely come back again. Good food (not great) but maybe I came with too high of expectations. Nothing was bad or done poorly, just felt like it wasn't special. The inside is a bit weird, the ceiling is so tall you feel like you're in a foyer of a hotel but they have this giant hanging mirror behind the bar that makes it unique. I didn't sit at the bar but that looked like it would be great for an after-work cocktail with friends. It had a nice vibe and huge windows to catch the view of the square and relax after work.
(4)
Dan P.

i came here for happy hour with a few friends. it was pretty empty and quiet. the service was great. our server was Nina (i'm not sure if that's her name but that's what it said on our receipt). she was also pretty hot...:) i had the shrimp flat bread which was ok but the cheese was a little too baked on and there wasn't much shrimp. our server said it was her favorite. the fries were very good and came with 3 dipping sauces. i had their house red wine and it was decent. we also shared their chocolate mousse dessert with caramel on top and it was pretty good. it came with a scoop of ice cream. since it was happy hours, the prices were good and well worth it.
(4)
Mae L.

Came here on a Tuesday night (2/5/13) with my mom and sisters for happy hour and was kindly greeted by a friendly staff. Devoured the crab cakes, Ahi, cheese platter, a freshly made salad that was prepared table side AND the best part was the cherries jubilee that was flambeed table side! What was even more surprising was how Steve (one of the managers) actually was The One who made us our mouth-watering cherries jubilee served over vanilla bean ice cream! He rocked, our server Nicole (I think that was her name) was awesome and we all had a great time!
(5)
Krista N.

This is for the happy hour only. Thank heavens this place offers happy hour because I can't justify spending that much money on steak. I ordered the steak sammie with aus jus. I got it medium rare, and that's exactly how it came out. It had no fries, or side which was unfortunate. My piece had fat in it, prob because I got the $12 happy hour special, and not one the $85 normal steaks they sell. Regardless, the fat shouldn't have been there, and there could have been a little more flavor to the beef. However, overall the steak was tender and good quality. Yum, yum. The bread was yummy and fresh....The sandwich was good at the restaurant, but I made it better when I re-heated the-other-half the next day, and added a little fresh melted mozz and sauteed peppers. My grandma had the cheese plate & LOVED it. Good selection with a nice blue cheese, gouda and cheddar. It also comes with almonds, crackers and a delicious grape jam-like reduction. The plate went really nice together, and for $8, what a deal. There was Deschutes beer on tap, and live piano music. My grandma and I spent almost 2 hrs here and didn't feel rushed. The servers were also really nice. I'll def come again for Sunday night from 5pm-close happy hour, and live piano music!
(4)
RONALD W.

I think this may be even better than the downtown Seattle location. Definitely a more contemporary environment with big windows. I had the Chateaubriand for two tonight which was perfectly prepared med-rare and served with asparagus, baked potato, mushrooms, and tomato with cheese. Given that normal entrees are served without sides, this is actually the best bargain at the El Gaucho's, I believe. A fruit/nut plate with Roquefort cheese wedge came on the house as it did last I was downtown. Service was quite slow. Free self-service parking was plentiful and valet parking available. All in all a first class meat eating experience. Far better than my last visits to the Metropolitan Grill and Daniels despite the Prime and Wagyu beef served there should have been better cuts of meat compared to the 24 day Angus at El Gaucho. UPDATE: I received a $50 gift card in the mail for joining the mailing list by filling out the card included with the bill at the restaurant.
(4)
Al C.

Always eat too much here. Outstanding service, wine, apps, and steaks. Had the rib-eye, medium rare. Absolutely amazing. Escargot is tasty though a little weird. My only complaint is the amount of fruit flies. It's a lot. +1 or so. You can't go wrong with El Gaucho -- highly recommend.
(4)
Brandon M.

Best steakhouse ever. I could probably write a novel on all the things I love about this place but I'll keep it short. They have the best steak I've ever had (and being from the Midwest I've had a lot of good steak) - they don't slather it in butter or make a big deal out of cutting it open to show it's cooked properly (they just know it will be). The wait staff is very attentive, and while they're all wearing tuxes there doesn't appear to be a dress code - I've seen people wearing suits and evening dresses at one table, and next to them a guy wearing a t-shirt and cargo shorts. The sides are great - the mushroom risotto is particularly excellent. One warning - it's kind of overkill to order dessert, as after dinner they bring outa plate of fruit and cheese to munch on. it is pricey, and it appears you can no longer get the gift certificates at Costco, but it's still very much worth it.
(5)
Molly F.

My husband took me to this place for my birthday after hearing raves about the restaurant from his colleagues. I consider ourselves to be "foodies" and we really enjoy good quality of food even if that means we have to fork out few benjamin's. We travel to big cities and dine out at famous restuarnts and I have to say, my husband made a big mistake by listening to his colleagues. True, everyone has different standards when it comes to "good food" but I seriously question the people who have rated this restaurant 5 stars. when we first walked in, i thought the decor wasn't so bad... but this by any means a high-class restauarnt because there were some people with in their t-shirt & jeans (with sneakers!) and the table next to us had 2 toddlers. I have children myself so I havce nothing against these little cute creatures but I do not like it when they run around my table when I'm trying to enjoy my birthday dinner. It took us more than 15 minutes to place our order (the restuarnt wasn't even 1/2 full), which is fine because we weren't in a rush or anything but we did eat a whole basketful of bread and drink almost full bottle of wine at this point. Per the waiter's recommendfation, we ordered ahi tuna tartare, dungeness crab cakes & crab cocktail for appetizers (can you tell we were hungry?). They were generous with crab in crab cakes but the tuna tartare lacked in flavor. Then we waited 25 minutes for our steaks (surf & turf for hubby and the ribeye for me) and I have to say, the seaks were just bleh, nothing special. In Chicago or New York, you know what you're getting if you're spending $400 on dinner. My experience at El Gaucho sure was not worth $400...not even $200.
(2)
George C.

Left El Gaucho 2 hours ago and I'm still stuffed! The happy hour is great! Make a reservation around 6 and arrive early for a few drinks. $5 wells! I started with the french onion soup and it was AWESOME! Followed it up with a Steak El Gaucho covered with roquefort sauce. It was cooked nicely and hit the spot. I also ordered a side of really tasty mashed potatoes and split them with my wife. Our server was on top of his game and really nice. The rest of the staff did a nice job filling our water and clearing tables. Solid service overall. El Gaucho is great. I can't afford to eat dinner here all of the time but it's a great place to splurge or catch happy hour.
(5)
Karen H.

I had never been here before and was impressed with the excellent food and service. What a wonderful restaurant to add to our selection of favorite places. And they've got the best Bananas Foster in Seattle! I will definitely return!
(5)
Tricia S.

Visited El Gaucho with my hubby to celebrate this birthday and had an AMAZING time. I indicated on my reservation that we were celebrating a special occasion and they had a Birthday Card signed by the staff ready on our table when we sat down. Our waiter was amazing and made sure our table was fully stocked, even though it was his first day on his own (shows that their training program is excellent). The food was delicious, every morsel of it. The steak melts in your mouth; the risotto was earthy and delicious, the table-side baked potato was customized to what we wanted and SUPER delicious. Our bill was pretty high for 2 of us and I thought we'd not visit again just for that fact but came to realize that each bite was more than worth what we paid and we will definitely be going back for more.
(5)
Helen C.

5 stars for an excellent all night happy hour on Sunday nights and really top-notch service. After countless happy hour restaurants that tell us to scram when we bring our baby (because she totally looks close to 21!) - El Gaucho wins for letting us sit near the lounge and order off the happy hour menu. The food was top notch and delicious: * Steak sandwich - yum yum YUM. * Wicked Shrimp - muy caliente!! * Gaucho Fries - plentiful and one of the sauces packs a great kick * Pulled Pork Slides - smelled like southern BBQ We couldn't have asked for better service. The steak sandwich came cut in halves so we could share it. The waitstaff were super attentive and kept asking how we could make the baby more comfortable. Water and wine was filled. No complaints at all. Most importantly - for such a nice, expensive establishment - there was NO attitude and no dirty looks for wanting to eat off the happy hour menu in the bar. Don't hesitate if you're looking for great food - run to El Gaucho.
(5)
Camilla M.

I have been going to El Gaucho for years! I live in Federal Way so my family and friends and I have been frequenting El Gaucho in Tacoma for birthdays, special occasions, happy hour, business meetings, and everything else for at least 7 years now. It is our absolute favorite restaurant - the food, the atmosphere, and the service are impeccable and trump any other place in the entire state! James, the manager, and his team are unbeatable! The Seattle El Gaucho is also fabulous. However, the Bellevue location is another story. I have been there at least half a dozen times and almost every time it has been disappointing. The staff is not as cordial, friendly and accommodating as the one in Tacoma. One particular time, the waitress was just downright rude when I wanted to order "steamed clams" which is a regular on the Tacoma location menu, but I didn't see it on the menu in Bellevue so I asked her and she says - "this isn't tacoma, we don't have that here and never have" - with such a negative tone. (She must have been new b/c in the past, Bellevue did have it on the menu, maybe just seasonally). Anyway, my gf and I were shocked. She didn't even suggest anything else in place of the clams. So we just ordered simple dessert to get out of there quicker. El Gaucho is known not just for its food but the dining experience as a whole - and the staff in Bellevue needs to be schooled on that. Now every time I am in Bellevue, which is at least twice a week, we choose to go to Daniel's Broiler, Ruth's Chris, Joey's, etc so long as it's not Gaucho. So if this is an important dinner for you and the service is just as important as the food - maybe reconsider going here and try the Tacoma location instead if you're down south!
(3)
Tiger C.

Countless memories at this spot: the best deal-making spot in all the land. The atmosphere is unworldly, spacious, vibrant, brilliant, and epic. Happy hour is awesome and would put El Gaucho and John Howie as tied at the number 1 spot in Bellevue. Kara is fantastic, always makes the experience that much better. This is the place where you will close a deal, think of the best creative idea, or relax away from the rainy atmosphere. The scenery is always awesome here, sure you get many Microsoft techies, but you can tell the diverse crowd here will always bring something unique. Best food picks: the burger during hh is solid, get it every time, bacon is the best part. Shrimp is fantastic, very unique flavors. Fries are epic, and the flatbreads hit the spot as well. All I can say is: hit this spot as much as possible.
(5)
Yekta A.

Just came home from a lovely Valentine's Day dinner with my boyfriend. I have to say I love a good steak and this place was SUPERB! Sure it's a bit expensive, but your paying for amazing service and food! Well just be prepared, the moment you enter there are tons of staff greeting you and asking to take your coat and how your night is going----isn't that nice though? I say so! So.....for starters we ordered the caesar salad, very cool I must say----they prepare it at your table, if you don't like dijon or a lot of cheese say so at the get to, because I don't like dijon and there was a little too much of it for me in the salad but my boyfriend loved it and I have to say that it tasted super fresh! I ordered the 8 oz filet mignon, it comes with tuna tartar and asparagus--our nice waitress Summer told me about it and I should have said no to it since I'm not such a tuna fan, but no worries I just took it off---the filet mignon was fantastic and juicy and melted in your mouth like no other m&m I have ever tasted! Still not as phenomenal as Six Seven inside The Edgewater ( yelp.com/biz/six-seven-râ€¦ ) but it was almost as good! My boyfriend ordered the Shish Kabob Lamb, he loved it---they bring it out on fire and the guy who brings it is wearing this cool glove meant for holding eagles, lol !!!! Just makes me want to order it to see the fire show all over again! So all in all, we would definitely go back because of the cleanliness, terrific service, wonderful food and superb ambiance! Park in the garage and get validated for free parking, they also offer valet
(5)
Elisabeth H.

Sat Jan 4 party of 10 for retirement dinner. 4 of the steaks were over done , however the swordfish was good . Service went down- hill after 8:00 . Seating time was 7: 00 pm. Side dishes to share were barely enough for 2 people . I am still waiting to find the lobster in the lobster mashed potato dish ! I had to wave down our waiter to get a cocktail . Empty beverage glasses were not taken away in a timely fashion. The bill must have come to close to $ 1,000 ! Without the tip ! If it hadn't been a party for my husband , I definitely would have complained . Shame on you El Gaucho staff ! The dinner was paid for by hard working people who expected stellar service and only got mediocrity . Nobody at the table will return to this Bellevue location . EH , Newcastle
(2)
Maria N.

I was rather unimpressed with this place during lunch, but happy hour is awesome! Starting from great drinks and all the way to food, this is now one of my favorite happy hour spots in Bellevue. That said - the jury is still out on dinner there.
(5)
Ashley S.

Dark, quiet and relaxing environment. The food is superb! Great choice for a special night out or fun occasion.
(5)
Gene D.

Well, ok. The art and mirrorwork is up now, some new touches in private dining rooms upstairs have rounded out the atmosphere, and whenever open I'll be at the bar upstairs, after dinner perhaps. Why is the tenderloin suddenly excellent? Yelp events aren't supposed to be THAT good. But it was. The Staff? Still sexy. perfect.
(5)
Lisa E. L.

This is the place my husband proposed to me in 2011. Rose peddles on the table, awesome service, incredibly tasting foods and wine, and then I found a big sparkling ring on top of my cream brÃ»lÃ©e!! I said yes!!
(5)
Joe J.

This place really deserves 4.5 stars, but I don't have that option. Look the food is amazing, between Gaucho's and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse...they both have a kick azz combo for food and drinks...The main difference between the two in my opinion is that parking is easier at Gaucho's as they validate for 5 hours...Ruth's Chris you have to park in the mall parking lot for the most part...If I want to save a few bucks...you get much more bang for your buck at Ruth's Chris vs. Gaucho's...food is totally different in my opinion. * Burger is off the charts good * Fries were excellent...but my favorite thing at Happy Hour at El Gaucho's is the pulled pork Sliders...so awesome! * Drinks are strong at Gaucho's as well. Good stuff
(4)
Marc S.

Excellent food, always wonderful service, what more do you want? It is a fantastic steak place, and I've never had a meal even be "ok". Food has always been great. Their prices have gone up quite a bit in the past few years - far more than it would seem inflation or other factors would account for. What used to be a rare kind of spendy night out has become a once a year treat due to how expensive it's gotten. Hence the dock of one star. The food is good, but given all the other amazing restaurants in the area, the quality doesn't quite justify the very high prices at this point. For your best bet, hit happy hour. You can get a nice mix of foods and not break the bank. Save dinner for a super special occasion, unless money really is not something that you have to worry about.
(4)
Lisa T.

One year later, my husband and I went back to the Bellevue El Gaucho to celebrate our anniversary. We hit up the happy hour on Sunday night and UNlike last year - this year did not go as well. The food and the prices are similar - a great happy hour value. We love the tenderloin diablo. And we tried the polenta fries which were absolutely delicious. The fig and prosciutto flatbread was only ok - it definitely needed more fig - I felt like I was fighting to find that delicious fig flavor. Unfortunately, the service during late night happy hour was very inconsistent. It was not that busy in the bar area when we arrived, yet we waited for at least 10 minutes before even being served water. Our server, as friendly as he tried to be, was very spastic. He was forgetting our order, forgetting to bring us napkins and utensils, and we felt rushed in ordering and paying our bill. He brought our final bill before even asking if we were done. I had been considering ordering dessert, but decided it was time to go since he made it that apparent. He asked us at least three times what type of flatbread we ordered - and we told him. Yet, what came out was the wrong one - which we sent back and waited a good 10 minutes for the correct one to come out (by that time we had considered just cancelling the order since we were done with our other food). He let us know about the new loyalty program El Gaucho has started - the Reveler card. But of course, he told us after we paid our bill - when in hindslight, it would have been much easier to let us know about the program earlier on so we could have easily attributed our night's bill towards our new account. Overall, we felt that we were getting worse service, simply because we were there for happy hour and not in the regular dining room. We felt rushed and forced to repeat many of our requests (more water, napkins, etc). It was not the service we would expect from this restaurant, especially considering it was not a busy night where we might understand having to settle for less than stellar service. We definitely left disappointed and ended up going to a nearby restaurant to eat the dessert we were hoping to have at El Gaucho.
(2)
Paul L.

Cannot combine Prime with Costco gift card Even though there is no mention on the Costco card, you cannot use the Prime buy one get one AND the Costco gift card ($80 for $100 card, a 20% discount) Mildly disappointed
(3)
Tom C.

Wow - this place is awesome. I had heard about the location in Seattle, but when I was recently offered to go, Bellevue was the closer location. The entire experience was great - had a few drinks and decided to just eat at the bar instead of moving to a table. The house bread is just too good! Also had the spicy shrimp appetizer - wow, what a great spicy sauce, incredible flavor. I am bit ashamed to admit that since I was taking advantage of someone elses pushed generosity, I ordered the filet for two... it was shared though. It is perhaps the best filet I have had - just a great flavorful, tender piece of meat. Definitely a great place for a night out. I will return!
(5)
Sarah K.

Took my boyfriend here for his birthday in October - we had a great time! The entire dining experience is amazing. Caesar salad made tableside, crabcakes (soooo good) and the main course - the bone-in steak. He says it's the best steak he's ever had! We finished off our meal with a cup of coffee and the complimentary fruit, nut and cheese platter. Thank you for a perfect night, El Gaucho!
(5)
Josh B.

I have had some good experiences at El Gaucho, and some bad ones. I will give it another try. The ambiance downtown is great.
(3)
Rebecca L.

love. how do i love thee, let me count the ways. i love thee from the depth and breathe my hands can reach, for those delicious appetites. thy perfectly cooked steak as there is nothing but perfect grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's most hungered need, by sun or candlelight. i love thee freely, as i consume with thought. i love thee purely, as i turn to praise. i love thee with a passion that was obviously put, into the dishes that revert me back to my childhood faith. i love thee with a love i seemed to lose with my senses gone... i love thee with the breath i breathe, smiles, and all my cash. and if God choose, i shall but love thee better after debt.
(5)
erik s.

Had private dining and the food was not as good as if you go on your own. But they still have one of the best services, and the free fruits and nuts at the end. I will use my GC I got from Costco soon.
(4)
John M.

Excellent staff, excellent food. We had a visitor from out of town with a restricted diet. Everyone was very accommodating without being over the top. It was a wonderful experience. We've eater here several times and always had an excellent experience.
(5)
Mike S.

The best steak in the PNW I'm a steak guy and have tried all the big names up here - Howie, Ruth's Chris, Jak's, etc - Gaucho is the best, bar-none. There isn't much else to share that hasn't already been raved about here. The atmosphere, the service, everything - just amazing. If I could afford it, I would eat here far more often.
(5)
Stacey P.

I wanted to try el Gaucho Bellevue because I am such a fan of the one in Seattle I wanted to see how it compared. The food is just as marvelous. I was pleased to find the same excellent quality that I had come to expect from el Gaucho. Their food is marvelous, their steaks are always perfectly cooked, and their service is fantastic. I can't say I love this place as much as the one in Seattle. I could see having happy hour here or bringing a group here. There's more elegance in the one in Seattle, where the one in Bellevue is posh, but it has the same color scheme that so many other Bellevue restaurants have. I am happy to say this is a great el Gaucho location, but I think I will be sticking to the one in Seattle.
(4)
natalie n.

I can't really give a bad review to this restaurant since my now-fiance chose this as the dinner to bribe me with before proposing to me! We've been doing a slow yet steady tour of the steakhouses here, and each definitely has their own distinct personality (and all were great experiences for us). While the Metropolitan Grill feels more old school and classic, and John Howie as a bit more modern and yuppie, El Gaucho distinguishes itself with its own brand of swank: lush dark interiors, jazz pianists, and theatric flaming skewers of beef. Some highlights: * The beef! Of course! :) * Root beer float spiked with Kahlua (why did I never think of that?) * Cookies left in our car by the valet. An extra sweet detail. I do think the El Gaucho location in Seattle has a somewhat more fun personality, but Bellevue is a lot more convenient for us.
(5)
Miona H.

I really don't know what to say except that if you go to El Gaucho, go to the Seattle location. If you want to go to a steakhouse on the east side in Bellevue, go to Daniel's Broiler or John Howie (mmm, bacon!). The service was great from everyone except for our waiter who acted like Chris Tucker in Fifth Element. Every time he asked us a question, we gave one or two word responses (a la Bruce Willis) because we were overwhelmed by the "bath-salty high" way he acted. Some of it was personality clashing (I'll be honest there), but some of it was just offensive! The waiter wanted me to wrap my arm around his as he escorted me to the restroom and I just flat out said, "no thanks, I'm fine!" It didn't help our waiter's cred much since before that, we overheard him joke to a lady at the table next to us, "I'll head to your place for dessert later." The humor was not working .... .... .... also, El Gaucho doesn't appear to know good beer with Blue Moon and Manny's on tap -- wut? Srsly? Where's the Mac and Jack's?! Food-wise -- I think John Howie wins out in flavor. Value-wise -- Daniel's Broiler.
(2)
Annie T.

It was an amazing dinner! I came here with my bf one night simply because we thought that we hadn't eat out nicely in a while. The waiter was a bit surprised when we said that it wasnt a birthday or anniversary. For appetizer we got the clams. It was good, didnt stand out or anything but wasn't bad either. The tableside Caesar was absolutely amazing. I really like the fact that the servers also has to cook in front of the customers. Next time I would ask for dressing on the side thought, it was a bit heavy Now comes the steak. I ordered the petit with bernaise crab sauce and asparagus and it was cooked perfectly. The petit portion is just right for me because I'm not a big steak eater. I forgot what my bf got but he thought it was great too. His had a giant portabella mushroom on top that I stole from his plate. The dessert was my favorite part. They give you complimentary the fruit and cheese plate which I really enjoyed. Mostly the fruit though because I can't eat the aged cheese. We also ordered the banana foster and it was another table side show. Best dessert I've ever had. Total bill came to $270 including tax/tip. I will definitely be back sometime, this is one amazing restaurant!
(5)
Angela W.

First of all let me say that I have not been to an El Gaucho in over 11 years! I had ONE experience in Seattle 11 years ago and it was so bad I swore I would never return. And then tonite a friend was having a b-day and invited me along.. to the El Gaucho in Bellevue. Well tonite was really not much better than 11 years ago. First of all they make you PAY to Valet your car. That is ridiculous! They have the MOST expensive menu for ANY steak place on the east and west side, including, Morton's, John Howie, Daniels and even Del Frisco's or Sullivan's. etc. The service was fine in the beginning but got really SLOW toward the end of the evening. My husband ordered the Steak El Gaucho, which mind you is 56.00 and he had to send it back because it was not cooked properly. Not even close! He ordered medium rare and he got char broiled up to a tiny little dot in the middle that was raw! AND THEN everyone else at the table had finished their meals before my poor husband even got another steak. And the corking fee is astronomical!! Yet they don't have decent wine at a decent price they have mediocre wine and prices I would never pay! Esp since I live in WA state and we have some of the top wines around. Why would I pay 100.00 for a bottle of red table wine when I can get the same GREAT wine at Total Wine for 5.00! The cheesy garlic bread at the table was good but it was COLD! I ordered the medallion fillet Oscar and it was So-So. The meat was dry and bland and the sauce had no taste to it what-so-ever. The crab was dry and the Asparagus over cooked. The dessert menu is ridiculously expensive. The place was packed with customers, but there were an awful lot of staff standing around doing nothing while we waited and waited for things to come and for our waiter to even ask how we were. That is about it. I have given it TWO tries in 11 years and both times the experience was bad. I much prefer John Howie, their steaks are FAR superior, their service is top notch and though its a nice place its not over the top expensive. If you are into hoity toity ambiance and want to spend your hard earned money on bad steak and slow service than this is YOUR place. The only positive was the nice little old lady playing the piano. We loved her!!!
(2)
Matt V.

Excellent food and cocktails. I wish I had room for dessert.
(5)
Jill J.

lets get something straight....I love my steak. I have been to nearly every steak restaurant in Seattle and Bellevue and El Gaucho is by far my favorite. I did try to fight this for some time, trying to find an alternative that felt more.....small and intimate....but I keep coming back to good old Gaucho's.....The baseball cut steak is phenomenal....like bleu cheese? DONT HOLD BACK. let me tell you folks, this MAKES the steak.....so so good. Obviously if you're looking at review for this place, you're willing to drop some cash, and that you will, but it will be worth it. I believe the sides that I had were the spicy shrimp and the asparagus....both were amazing and perfectly cooked. El Gauchos really has their flavor down. The staff is always really attentive, yet not overly attentive....a fine line at a nice restaurant. Once you are done with your meal and your dessert....you think its over...but no.....then they come out with....THE FRUIT/CHEESE/NUT PLATE. Oh sweet heaven, this sealed the deal for me. on the house of course. El Gaucho, how did you know this was the way to my heart? Come here. you wont be disappointed. I should also mention, they have an awesome happy hour. During the summer, you can also sit out on their deck while you partake in after work cocktails and appetizers. PS, I have worn nice jeans and a nice shirt/heels every time I have come here and been totally fine, dress code wise.
(5)
Tyler C.

My boyfriend and I went to el gaucho last night as a late valentines celebration. We decided to have dinner at the bar and Chris, our bartender, took amazing care of us. The blueberry mojitos are to die for! Throughout the evening he seemed to have his work cut out for him, constantly hustling. However, he still made us feel like we were his only guests in the entire restaurant, making the extra effort to converse with us and make us feel welcomed despite being extremely busy. This was our first time in, so we weren't sure what to order. His knowledge of the menu was very impressive so we decided to take his advice and order the crab cakes. Needless to say they were probably the best crab cakes I've ever had, but that doesn't even compare to our steaks! They were cooked to perfection (which I don't say often because I'm very picky) and they both had just the right amount of seasonings. I am so happy we tried this place because on a busy weekend like this, it would have been easy to have been overlooked by the staff, being that we just sat at the bar, but we were made to feel as though we were the most important guests there! Because of that we will definitely be back for more than just special occasions
(5)
Andy A.

Expensive but very good food ....the Caesar salad is the BEST.
(5)
David Y.

We went here for a private dinner after our wedding in March 2012 with our parents. We were able to book the wine cellar room and whole experience was simply amazing. There was no extra change to book the room simply a minimum amount we had to spend (not hard to do at El Gaucho). The staff were super helpful and friendly. The food was beyond spectacular, highly recommend getting the table side Caesar salad and the bananas foster. I don't think you can go wrong with any of their steaks we all tried different entrees and everyone loved theirs. My mother and father in law are still raving about this meal almost 6 months later which is why I remembered to write this review :)
(5)
Liz M.

I've been here twice - the first time was a company Christmas lunch, where we were able to reserve a small private room. The service was outstanding, as we had a specifically assigned waiter who had backup to assist. It's a steakhouse, but I'm not a big steak eater so I actually went with a hamburger that was quite good. Their hot buttered rum was fantastic, and perfect for a cold winter's day. Dessert was served with a flair (and a flambe!) tableside, and all in all it was one of the best Christmas luncheons I experienced. My more recent visit was on a warm summer day, so we sat outside on the patio which was pleasant, although you do get a bit of noise from pedestrian and auto traffic, and airplanes overhead. I ordered the chicken sandwich with a cup of seafood chowder, both of which were tasty and very filling. I couldn't finish my sandwich and with no refrigeration available for the leftovers, had to sadly throw it away. Service was busy, but did a fairly good job of staying on top of things. Prices are high, as you might expect for an upscale steakhouse., but that makes it an excellent place for a nice date or a celebration.
(4)
Elizabeth L.

Best service in town. Great food, spectacular service. Get the tableside Caesar salad. Definitely pricey.
(5)
Kay C.

Finally tried this place - I came here after a few weeks in India where I couldn't really eat beef so I was craving a big steak when I came back. The good - filet mignon, bread, happy hour shrimp and prosciutto flat bread, and a nice ambiance w/ outdoor seating The not so good - peppercorn steak had WAY too much peppercorn - so much it overpowered the taste of the steak So so - the asparagus Overall, would come back for HH, and maybe steak, but there are other better steakhouses in the area too...
(4)
Sequoya L.

I wanted to take the time to write about our experience working with El Gaucho for a very important dinner with clients. First off, working with the staff and management is amazing. Whitney in private dining was very responsive and worked very hard to meet our needs. The manager that evening was able to make some last minute, very major changes to our party without complaint or issue. The flexibility and ease we experienced was outstanding. As for the dinner itself, it was fantastic. Everyone in our party was raving over the food, drinks and service. We will definitely be booking more dining events with El Gaucho.
(5)
Jon G.

Our date night last night was terrific thanks to the great meal and staff at El Goucho. It began when we finished at the home show two hours before our reservations. The hostess graciously accommodated us saying that it was no problem at all. The steaks were perfect along with sides and appetizers. A special shout out goes to Dominic, our waiter, for the great recommendations and insuring that our night out was perfect.
(5)
Denise M.

El Gaucho's costs a pretty penny, but the service and food is well worth it. My boyfriend brought me there for my birthday this summer and I totally loved it. Dinner was slated for 7pm, and surprisingly it was not crowded, and we were able to have a very intimate dinner. Our waiter was pretty fantastic. Service was quick and he was very attentive to our needs. I started off with the 1/2 dozen Northwest Oysters, it was cooked perfectly, oysters are usually hit or miss, by being under or over cooked. I had a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc to accompany. For dinner I went with the Filet Mignon Medallions Oscar, it was cooked perfectly medium rare topped with crab and bÃ©arnaise. I cannot explain how good my food was, I know there are a lot of steakhouses, but I have to say this one has won me over.
(5)
David R.

Okay, can I just say that this dinner ended up being a fabulous "event"? We knew going in that El Gaucho is a stalwart of Seattle dining, but didn't expect the pairing of excellent fare with superb, FRIENDLY service...really...genuinely friendly service. Whether from the valet, hostess, busboy, or server, the service was extraordinarily nice. It was a winning combination that we didn't expect and "made" our evening. Now, on to food...for starters, the spicy shrimp appetizer was amazing. Take the bread and lick the plate, amazing. Would order again in a heartbeat. Tender, non-tiger-shrimp (these were from Mexico) perfectly done; served hot. Highly recommend. Table side Caesar was fantastic. Plenty for two and yummy. French onion soup was as good as could be expected. If I have any negative to say, it would be that it was still "too cheesy" in spite of ordering it "light on cheese". And, a bit too salty to really enjoy. If you love salt and cheese, this ones for you! Ordered 8oz filet mignons, one with peppercorn sauce and the other "El Gaucho style" with lobster medallions. Done to perfection. Ordered with SW Scalloped Potatoes. These were only "okay". Probably due the fact that we were getting pretty full. Loved that they delivered a fresh fruit and cheese plate (abundant) for free before selling dessert. Very refreshing after our meal. Still managed to enjoy their cranberry-orange sorbet with decaf coffee (Starbucks), though. Icing on the cake? Our car was waiting for us by the front door...must've been told we were close to leaving...with fresh cookies waiting for us inside. What is not to love? Management has it figured out...lovely, pleasant, FRIENDLY service (service that truly says, "I appreciate your business") paired with excellent fare. Way to go Bellevue El Gaucho!
(5)
Nelson Y.

I've been to El Gaucho Bellevue several times- for Happy Hour and for formal dinners. This place is a wonderful gem in Bellevue but the atmosphere is somewhat "diluted" compared to the mystique and nostalgia of the Seattle location. On the happy hour menu, you can't go wrong with the burger that ends up being less than $8. I'm not a real fan of the way they prepare their steaks, and that's just me-- I prefer my steaks broiled and not grilled. Nonetheless, their filet mignon is great, but their baseball-sirloin steak is not too bad, not amazing. I still love the atmosphere, and Sunday night is a great place to just hang out and grab a beer and burger. Service is impeccable, can't say enough. David and Steve will answer every request.
(4)
Sean C.

Get caught cheating on your significant other on your anniversary which you forgot? El Gaucho is there for you (unless anyone besides the other wo/man is a vegetarian.) This is more of a concept and an experience than a restaurant, with amenities like: - old-style highly professional yet unpretentious service - decor for the highest maintenance or the celebration of closing a million dollar deal - a venue in Puget Sound where the skinny jeans crowd will truly feel under-dressed - tableside service on steak, seafood and desserts forged in flame - waiters walking the women arm-in-arm to the restroom As a patron of El Gaucho, you are buying into a distant place and time. The buy-in is not cheap. My parents periodically go for this sort of splurge while traveling, so we ended up here on a Friday night. The economic reality has clearly taken a toll, as despite not being able to get a reservation for our original choice of 8:00 a week in advance, the hall (room isn't doing it justice) was flush with empty tables. The procession of courses included: - El Gaucho bread (gratis): Don't fill up on garlic except as a budget control measure. - Tuna Tartare ($13): Mixed with poblano atop crostini, excellent texture and flavor. - Chateaubriand and Lobster Tail for Two ($125): Including stealth sides (baked potato, a mutant roma tomato with cheese and asparagus), the meat was perfectly tender. - Fruit, Nuts and Cheese (gratis): Budget control, grandeur and shelling labor only. - Cherries Jubilee ($9/person): A strong yet sweet (like the best women) conclusion flambeed tableside in currant, brandy, triple sec + orange liquor sauce over ice cream. Two competing thoughts engaged in a rodeo dance as we were leaving: (1) This is overall one of the best dining experiences I have had in recent memory. (2) I could do Mashiko mini-omakase (with sake) three times for the same cost. El Gaucho is among the best dining in Puget Sound, to be deployed only on the most special of occasions or to attempt to compensate for the largest of transgressions.
(4)
Gary F.

The family hosted my birthday party in one of the private rooms and it was absolutely top notch start to finish, except that it marked my getting another year older.
(5)
Katie A.

I still have yet to dine at the Seattle location (and I call myself a Seattleite?!?), but I did get the chance to try out the Bellevue location a few weeks ago for lunch, and man Oh, man... it is spectacular! The space is incredible and tough to describe. There is so much luxury going on here, it's kind of like, "if you could dine at Cartier, it'd be just like this." From the handmade Italian patent leather bolsters, to the massive mirror that hangs above the bar (I'm told it's the largest mirror in the world), everything here screams 'top notch' . That includes the food and the service too, btw. I had the Steak salad and the El Gaucho bread. You better believe that that steak was aged to perfection- 28 days, dry aged to be exact- they are the only steakhouse in the state to take these measures to ensure the most perfectly tender, tasty bit of heaven... and you better believe that it is. The El Gaucho bread is essentially cheese bread, but it was probably the best GD cheese bread I've ever had. Perfectly toasted with a medley of garlic and parm- it was the perfect way to start the meal. The service here is absolutely stellar as well and the staff is everything you'd want and expect in a high end restaurant like this. I hear that their happy hour is stellar but I'm actually quite looking forward to having dinner here in the near future. I saw bananas foster on the menu and I hear that they do it best...
(5)
Lor B.

Another review for HH experience - since I was scoping out new spots on the eastside... (Didn't have any grub here on this visit - just some glasses of vino.. but this is a staple for seattle in general and food is always amazing - I wish I had time for the table side caesar..) This review is for experience... For you Gaucho lovers - this location is definitely "un Gaucho like". It has a modern and open feel - seems to be a layout that fosters the "see and be scene" experience. I'm partial to the OG restaurant downtown that is old world, classic and intimate. Noticed some old servers from the downtown location - nice to see consistency.. Asked if they would consider cigars on the large patio - as I really miss their cigar parties - but this is unlikely. Overall: I'd come back to this location for a nice dinner with friends but would likely head to Seattle if I was looking for more of a romantic night out...
(4)
Maria K.

A great happy hour spot in Bellevue! They have some great drink options, good service and inexpensive food. I loved the mac bites ($5) and at $7 the shrimp cocktail is a must! I miss the summer days when you could sit outside and enjoy a post-work drink and bite, but the live piano music that starts at 6 inside isn't half bad at all and just starts to make up for the lack of sunshine.
(4)
Jon G.

Won't be back. They don't accept the Prime card any more. $120 is way too much for 3 people. And we only ordered two meals and no drinks! Kabob was tasteless. There's a reason they call it baseball steak. Because they use the same leather to make baseballs. I would have been better off microwaving a $7 steak from QFC. Seafood salad was slimey. Bread is still awful. The only thing I could do on the way home is think about home many meals I could have eaten instead of that....3 times at PF Changs. Subway would have been better and I HATE Subway
(1)
Keira D.

I came here for lunch so it was a bit less expensive. The french onion soup was to die for...I swear I haven't even had a better french onion soup in France! The drinks are strong, which means: all it takes is one! The sirloin with the peppercorn demi glaaaaaaze...ugh! Delicious! The ambiance is super lovely and the staff is friendly. What can I say that was bad? Nothing really. I can't really complain about the prices as you know what you're getting, and the food is top notch.
(4)
Carolina R.

everything is amazing. love this place.
(5)
Bill W.

The surprising thing about El Gaucho for me was that it was not even half the tables were occupied on a Friday night. It's not the sort of place that I can frequent, given the price tag. But based on the demographics of Bellevue these days, I'd expected it to be somewhat full. What was not surprising was the quality of the food, drink, and service. Since the company was footing the bill, we completely forgot about the cost and relished every morsel. All the cocktails looked smooth and delicious. I was thwarted in obtaining my first choice, a selection off the apparently outdated on-line bar menu (oops!). But my second choice, call the Clockwork Orange, was very tasty (and pricy, $14!). Plates of crunchy, cheesy, yummy toast preceded the appetizers. With a large group, we sampled oysters, crab cakes, and 'Wicked Shrimp'. Everything was consumed and enjoyed. Gaucho Salads with shrimp and Roquefort dressing came next and were satisfying, if not spectacular. I had the 18oz Frenched Rib Chop steak, done 'Gaucho style' with lobster medallions and asparagus spears. Cooked to medium, it was perfectly cooked to a tender, juicy pink without being sloppily runny. Several plates of potato sides were distributed to the table, so I also enjoyed bites of scalloped, mashed, and lobster mashed spuds. All were delicious. That's a large steak, what I didn't eat was discreetly boxed and returned in a bag for the trip home. She isn't a big steak eater, but her Chicken Oscar was nicely done and also provided plenty of leftovers. While we waited for desserts, everyone enjoyed nibbling at the fruit and nut bowls and dishes of cheese and dates. Thankfully, someone in our party ordered one of the flambÃ© desserts, allowing us to see that show. I had the Apple Tart a la Mode, which could have benefited from more cinnamon, but was still very good. She had the Chocolate Bourbon Cake, which was oddly tiny, but still delicious. All in all, it was a very pleasant evening. The service was impeccable. The piano player's choices were entertaining. The only detraction, other than the lack of population in the dining room, was that the lighting is much too dim.
(5)
Chukki S.

Service we had was pretty bad. Took forever to get our drinks after we ordered. Not as cool as the El Gaucho in Seattle in my opinion.
(3)
Blake P.

I'll be forward, I don't eat steak (or any red meat for that matter) so my review isn't based on the steaks. I had the scallop dish personally, other people had the steaks. Food was good and the other people at my table seemed to really enjoy their dishes. Good would be enough for me except that my dish cost nearly $40 and I've had comparable for half the cost. The mashed potatoes and the bread were really good though. Atmosphere was nice and special feeling, service was attentive and a good time was had but that just doesn't make up for the cost difference in my mind, but my dining companions would likely disagree with me. Again, good time, just not really worth the cost to me personally, especially when tax and tip get tacked on (~$50), but you may disagree if you have the steak. Next time I'd try the bar menu.
(3)
R. C.

Had been to the Belltown location for snacks and drinks and really enjoyed the atmosphere. Yes it was dark, but it clearly strove for elegance and was/is one of the few places in Seattle where you can actually dress like an urbane adult. My problem with the Bellevue location is primarily the ambiance--it was more like a mid-level chain restaurant, though the service was fantastic. Definitely a more typical Seattle vibe in terms of general informality. The food was good, one of the better prepared steaks I've ever had; but overall there wasn't anything unique or distinct about the food. Again, great steak but no better than at any other really good steakhouse; great cocktails, but Seattle is full of great cocktails. As someone who dines out a lot and even travels to do so, this El Gaucho doesn't stand out in any way. Its pretty good but for what it claims to be it falls short in terms of originality. 2 1/2 starts...or maybe 2 3/4.
(2)
Darryl H.

Great food. make sure someone else is paying!
(5)
Best Of Y.

The service was absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!! Are server Janor wowed us with his vast knowledge of wine. The steak was the best I've ever had in Seattle, a little pricey but definitely worth it. It only took one visit for me to realize I could soon see myself as a regular here. The atmosphere made me feel at home the second I walked through the door.
(5)
Jonas J.

Wayyyyyy overrated. Food was meh. The wait time from appetizers to steak was 40minutes! This was on a Friday night. Just disorganized and way overrated. Not any better than Ruth's Chris. Oh, I almost forgot, grossly overpriced. Avoid unless you like paying a lot for mediocrity.
(2)
Tracey W.

the only reason I gave this place two stars is due to the great service. The food was bad especially for the price. We went here for a work dinner and I had the mixed salad, the 12 oz Sirloin steak and cheese cake. NONE of these items were good. We were given the choice of how we wanted our steaks to be cooked and it was Medium rare to medium. I asked if I could get it more rare and the server said, he would ask and that it would probably be more rare. It came back Medium- not even medium rare.. really!!. No taste either. Thank goodness I wasn't paying for this, because it was less tasty than a steak at Outback Steakhouse. What a joke, The salad was merely lettuce with balsamic vinegarette that was worse than the one we have at the work cafeteria. The cheese cake crust was made with oatmeal and was disgusting. The bread was good. My co-workers also had their steak over done... really for the price they charge one would think they would make it correct or at least close. Too bad because the servers were so great. I will NEVER go here again. Oh, the red wine we all thought was bad too. Don't go here. My coworker gave me his left over steak so I could take it home to my dogs.
(2)
Rob F.

Absolute 5 star all around. The food is excellent! The waiters/waitresses are even better! A little more expensive however you get what you pay for!
(5)
Jessi S.

Beats Daniel's. Best steak ever of my life. Melts in your mouth, orgasmic. (Opt in for the au jus to top your steak). Their "sides" are really like "entrees". I recommend splitting rather than each ordering your own unless you really cannot agree. The service is amazing, and I will be going again for sure. Salads are made in front of you on a little cart. Baked potato whipped in front of you, smoothered in cheese sauce if you'd like and other delightful toppings. Definitely order the HUGE baked potato "side" ( I mean entree). PS. Parking was a pain because it was hard to find, plan accordingly with extra time, especially if its raining. It will save you a headache :-)
(5)
John M.

One of the best steak salads I have had. The salad is good enough to have me coming back regularly. Staff isn't too attentive. On occasion they forget to fill your glass or offer you fresh ground pepper. On such occasions I suggest serving yourself. You will get prompt service that way and a whole lot of embarrassment by the staff.
(4)
Jason S.

3 drinks and an app - $55.
(2)
Lisa B.

We went here last year for our anniversary, so I'm a bit slow to review. So many, so little time! El Gaucho is a great, upscale restaurant, but its true... You can find a great steak for cheaper around Seattle. You may give up a little in ambiance and being pampered, which I appreciate, but just sayin'. It all depends on what you're after. They treated us wonderfully, remember our special day and gave us a free tableside Bananas Foster. It was AWESOME! Just watching him make it and then the taste was superb. Best part of the whole meal. The drinks were pretty and we had a great time. We ate pretty late, so it wasn't very busy. I would go again, but after going to the many other great restaurants around Seattle and Bellevue first!
(4)
Angela P.

Nom nom nom. El Gaucho is a perfect place to get your steak on. I am looking forward to trying out their happy hour as I have heard many great things from my fellow El Gaucho lovers. The steaks are cooked perfectly, the crab cakes were delicious and don't get me started on those mashed potatoes or green beans!! Our server was delightful and very helpful with picking out selections from the menu. They also have a great wine list!! The location is a bit odd in Bellevue, but I think that it doesn't hurt them at all because the food and service speak for themselves! I'm going again soon and am thinking about getting that flamin' stick I saw last time!!!
(4)
H R.

No more Prime Card for a while now :( Well, go for the CostCo gift cards (an instant 20% discount) when they are available. I have been back recently: they dropped the Alaska-dessert, bummer. But the steaks are still as yummy as ever! Service was again top notch, the piano lady is still playing strong and everything is still 5 stars. They do have nice group facilities for different group sizes, we recently had a corp event there and that played out very nicely!
(5)
William C.

I eat here a lot for lunch. The burger and the Clubhouse sandwich should not be overlooked. It usually amazes me how fast this place can be when I am in a hurry. Dinner here is excellent, or they put it right. Just as it should be in this class of restaurant. Great experience.
(4)
Christopher E.

We went back to El Gaucho Bellevue last night to do our anniversary weekend over again. El Gaucho's car service picked us up at the hotel which was great. We were sat as soon as we arrived. The entire staff was exceptional but I would ask for Jamal by name. He gave us the best service we have ever had at any restaurant. We received better than 5 star service. The steak just melted in your mouth and was the best I ever had. All the food was exceptional. This was the best anniversary dinner we have had in 12 years. Thank you El Gaucho Bellevue and all of your staff for giving us an evening we will never forget!
(5)
Curt N.

I've been fortunate enough to go to El Gaucho in Bellevue twice in the last couple of months. Both times everything was absolutely fantastic! All the food was amazing, super delicious and well prepared. Some of our items were the steak diablo and scallop appetizers, filet's, rack of lamb, steak sampler, and creme brulee. The servers are professional and attentive but not snobby. The wine list is on the expensive side but we found some excellent wines at good values. That includes some wonderful ones by the glass. This really is as good as it gets when you are ready for that special occasion or event. I highly recommend El Gaucho Bellevue.
(5)
Mimi L.

This is probably my favorite high end restaurant! My boyfriend and I go here once in a while when we're in the mood for really good food and really good service. The last time we came here was for our 1 year anniversary and they even offered us a complimentary dessert of our choice, which ended up being cherries jubilee and it was delicious! I've been to both the Seattle and Bellevue locations, but I prefer Bellevue because of the nice view and great service. One time, we forgot our ID's in the car and they even offered to have valet go get it for us so that we wouldn't have to get out of our seats. The steak here is delicious... I usually get the filet mignon and my boyfriend gets the flaming sword which is pretty good as well. I have also tried the ostrich filet and it was good, but I think I prefer the filet mignon. I have also tried some of their fish... the sea bass is absolutely amazing, I was actually disappointed when I went back the next time because they didn't have it anymore so I got the halibut instead and it was a disappointment. Some of the side dishes are really good as well, our all time favorite is the corn... I don't know how they make corn sooo good but it really is! The garlic bread they give you is also to die for! It is soo good, I seriously think I could live off of it... and they keep coming back with more so sometimes I get full off the garlic bread before my entree comes! They also give you a huge complimentary fruit tray and cheese for dessert everytime you go. I like the fruit tray, but I can't eat the cheese... maybe that's just me though because I don't like blue cheese. So overall, this is definitely a restaurant I would choose for a special occasion, but it is extremely pricey to go on a regular basis. If you have a Microsoft Prime or Passport card, you can get buy one get one free on the entrees which ends up saving a LOT of money!
(5)
Nicolas S.

meet lovers will hate me, but last time I went into El Gaucho I ad an Onion soup. let me tell you it was the greatest soup I have ever had no question about it. I was not able to eat anything else after that because it was so great and such a generous serving.
(5)
Bryce B.

Old style steakhouse charm and service in an expansive and luxurious space, El Gaucho focuses on the customer in a way that is lost on many restaurants. Food-wise, though while good, falls behind both John Howie and Daniel's. Don't get me wrong, you will definitely get an excellent meal and a quality piece of beef at El Gaucho. I just think there are stronger options while in the greater Seattle area.
(4)
JaÃ¨ D.

I have never been here before and this is my new fave! I had the table side for two it was amazing! My steak was cooked perfectly the homemade steak sauce they make is to die for. The veggies were fresh and the dessert was the topper! I highly recommend this place. The only thing that was a bit concerning was the service. We waited so long for our food and our waiter was not attentive. Our total dining experience was a total of 4.5hrs.
(5)
Angela N.

Love the food, drinks and staff! I have been to both the Bellevue location (as it was right across from where i worked) and the Tacoma location. I have never been disappointed by anything i ordered, the service was always top notch and the ambiance was great too. Recommendations: Steak Sandwich, The Cowboy flatbread, Pear Brie Truffle & Arugula flatbread and El Gaucho Burger. Side note: El Gaucho has gluten-free and dairy free options on their menu.
(5)
John B.

One of my favorite places to celebrate with friends, top noch great service and great food
(5)
Juyoung L.

This place has the most amazing service, just fabulous... Makes you want to talk with them forever and makes you feel soo comfortable. I went here about two years ago and had I think a 5 course meal or something. The steak melts in your mouth, the food is very delicious, everything we ordered was up to our expectations. They even had a flame performance which was fun to watch while we were eating.
(5)
Donna H.

The host showed us to our table promptly and was glad to have a nice table in the corner on the main floor. Our server was nice and have seen him around on other occasions when I've dined here. My husband ordered the clam chowder and duet special (new york and filet mignon). I ordered the french onion soup, french rib chop and shared two sides, roasted sweet corn and baked potato. We loved the garlic bread that came steaming hot to our table. The soups were also great but the clam chowder still did not beat our favorite chowder place in San Diego. The steaks were a huge letdown. This is a steak restaurant with expensive meat so I expect better cuts than what I ended up eating. My rib chop had lots of chewy pieces, not succulent marbled pieces of fat in between the actual meat. It was chewy to the extent my jaw was getting tired of chewing! I have never experienced anything of this quality at a fine dining restaurant in my life. The sides were the best part of our meal and it shouldn't be! My husband and I both thought the steaks were under seasoned. I'm not sure if the normal chef was on vacation but I don't think I'll be back for steaks next time. We were too full to eat any dessert which I normally love. Sad that this place has gone downhill because my favorite steak restaurant in Bellevue is hands down, John Howie. Since we skipped dessert they did bring a platter of fruit, nuts, crackers and cheese. I ate some grapes and my husband thought the cheese was good. Can I also mention it's weird that if you self park you have to go to the host desk to ask to get it the parking card validated but somehow if you get valet the wait staff can help you? It shouldn't be hard for the wait staff to do it all.
(2)
Jeff A.

Some people from work and I came here one evening for drinks and appetizers. I had the chance to eat some pulled pork sliders and fried calamari and they were both spectacular. The beer menu was pretty good, too. They had quite a variety of craft brews to try. Additionally, the waiter seemed to be fairly knowledgeable about their beer offerings, which was great for people who weren't as decisive as me. I didn't have the chance to eat dinner here, but I will definitely be back!
(5)
DAVID L.

Celebrated my birthday here yesterday. Douglas waited on us and Manny did an unbelievable job on the Banana Fosters. My wife and I have pretty much made it a ritual to attend here on our Birthday's and Anniversary mainly, but this has been both our favorite restaurant since she moved in 03 and I moved to WA in 2007. 5 Star all the way.
(5)
Katalina M.

Steak was delicious!!. Service was excellent. I'd recommend skipping the showy fiery desserts they make Ã la table. A wonderful presentation, but not quite worth the money. Ambiance and piano are lovely. Please wear proper attire-it's called having good manners. Highly recommend.
(5)
Tuan N.

Located in the Microsoft building, the restaurant is a grand establishment that can seat many guests. Pianist stays playing around 6pm. I'm a sucker for good food and piano, so this place hits the spot. Onion rings: perfectly cooked. Loved them. Burger: juicy and comes with bacon. Yum. Fries are also cooked perfectly. Ate them all. Caesar salad: made to order. Very good, but it's meant for two and can be pricy.
(4)
Mac P.

I love the caesar salad at El Gaucho about as much as I love anything on earth. The Bellevue location is certainly a more modern and upscale version of the El Gaucho family. Decent service, as always very pricey food, and a lively place to enjoy a steak.
(4)
Jason S.

DO NOT WEAR A HAT! golf hat = no service ball cap = no service toque (for you canadians) = no service Leave your hat in your car. It will adversely affect their ability to bring you sustenance. At their Seattle location, I get it. It's swanky, has that upper end feel to it. The Bellevue location is nothing special, bunch of windows and tables, the same ol same ol. I digress, onto the food: The Lose no hats (ya, i'm butt hurt about the hat thing) the fish (seriously though, get steak at a steak house, this was my wife's own doing) the price is so:so the apps are not noteworthy, pig out on item #1 in the win, below The Win The garlic bread before dinner. _awesome_. Don't bother with an appetizer, get another round of bread! THE FLAMING SWORD!!! Oh man, get the beef tenderloin sword. It is spectacular and very well priced. Eat it quickly though, the yum declines as it gets cooler. Fruit plate at the end is delicious. Honestly, if it weren't for the hat thing, I would probably have never made it to John Howie for a steak. So I guess that was a blessing in disguise as J.H.'s Delmonico destroys any cut of beef you can get at El Gaucho.
(4)
Chrystina S.

The restaurant is beautifully decorated, with a grand piano in the center of the room, elegant long bar and dim lighting. It would be very romantic for a date or a nice celebration. I came here with my family on a nice summer night and chose to dine outside in the patio. We chose this restaurant over Daniel's Broiler, and am glad we did. The food was delicious and service was excellent. Our party ordered a good portion of the menu, there were so many good choices to choose from. To start, we had the tuna tartar and artichoke dip. The tartar was fresh and flavorful, it was a good portion size too. Artichoke dip was served with a few pieces of toasted pita bread, it was rich and creamy and had actual chucks of artichoke. Drinks were flowing and dinner was served promptly, prob because it was a Monday and it wasn't too busy. For dinner, I ordered from the special menu and got the Grass Fed Filet. It was topped with a blue cheese crumble, not my favorite, but I just removed it and the steak was cooked perfectly to my liking. My husband had the Surf and Turf, steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. He said the lobster was juicy but small. The parents ordered the special fish of the season, Halibut. My brother in law had the New York Steak and he couldn't stop raving how juicy and tender the steak tasted. He devoured it along with the 5 shareable sides we ordered. Lobster Mash was not my favorite, it was a bit on the liquidy side, I prefer my mash with a bit more consistency and it didn't have enough lobster. Crispy brussel sprouts and scalloped potatoes was super delicious. I would order that alone and be happy. We were so full from dinner and all the drinks, we opted out of dessert. But the restaurant offered a complimentary cheese, nut and fruit platter to clean our palette. I would definitely come back.
(4)
Jonah K.

Came here for a private event that we hosted. They have a very nice private room. Excellent service overall. The food was good here for a chain. They did a nice job, good for events!
(4)
Bao-Yen T.

My friend's birthday dinner of 25 guests took placed on March 14, 2015 in the Pepper Bridge private dining room. Sad to say, the experience was disappointing. I'll begin with the pros since it is shorter... PROS: Ambiance: Very classic atmosphere. Low lights, romantic and formal settings for each table. Excellent for special occasions. Food: We were started off with cheesy garlic bread. The bread was good but I wish it would have been toasted. Our meals included garlic mashed potato and asparagus. The mashed potatoes were delicious, melts in your mouth with tons of garlic butter. The asparagus were a bit overcooked. My husband ordered the French Rib Chop (medium-rare). He very much enjoyed his meal. He stated that his steak was cooked perfect, seasoned very well with the right amount of marbling. We were given complimentary fruit, nut and cheese platters which were satisfying. Desert included a small slice of traditional cheesecake with strawberry coulis and chocolate ganache. The two difference taste buds from both the deserts balanced harmoniously. CONS: Food: I had the French onion soup as a starter. The broth was tasty, however, after the first few bites the bread had soaked up all the broth. I ordered the 8 oz filet. It was cooked nicely but lacked in flavor. A1 sauce had to be used (which I never use at high end steak restaurants). Maybe it was a hit or miss in big parties. Communication: A contract was given since we were a large party. Small selection of steaks were pre-selected by my friend. Of course that's understandable serving a large group. When we had arrived, the pre-selected menu was placed on each place setting. Two starter salads, four steak selections, one seafood selection and two deserts (mentioned earlier) were listed on the menu. Everyone (including the guest of honor who had been on contact with the restaurant) were confused on if the salads and deserts came with the meal. We had asked but none of the servers seemed to be 100% positive as well. Prices were also not stated on our menu. To find that out, we had to ask for a restaurant menu. Even so, my friend had shown me the contract and the prices were slightly a little higher than the restaurant's. Again, that was understandable as well. My friend pulled up the contract from his phone and passed it around to each person. This part could have been avoided. Service: This is the main reason I am rating this 2 stars. The food itself was about 3.5. The overall was between 1-2 stars but since we had a large party, I am giving them the benefit of a doubt. Most of the waiters were pleasant but our main waiter was HORRIBLE (yes, capital letters). I cannot emphasize how inattentive, unprofessional and unfriendly he was. I never got around to asking his name knowing that I would be wanting to speak with the manager after dinner service. From the beginning, he never smiled or greeted us. When placing our food orders, some of the guests asked him about the prices, he paused for a few seconds, stared blankly at the guests and then pulled out a piece of paper with all the prices written on them. He looked rather annoyed that he had to repeat his answer more than once. Once changing out our plates and flatware he had inattentively grazed one of the guests' ear with a fork. I don't know if he was aware of this action but he did not apologize. Upon serving the coffee, he had spilled cream on the table and it had splattered on two of the seats. The two sitting on those seats had left to use the restroom and one of them came back as our waiter was in the middle of cleaning the tables. As he sat on the seat, cream got on part of his pants and all over this hands. He mentioned that to our waiter and he careless said nothing. He just continued cleaning the area and walked away. No apology. I understand that accidents do happened and sometimes we have no control over things. However, given the circumstances, I felt like he should have at least warned the guest or apologized. A couple of us spoke to the manager that night and explained our experiences with our waiter. The manager nodded his head and basically just said "okay" to every statement we made. He said he would put what we had told him "in the notes". His tone of voice seemed like he didn't believe what had happened. Then he exclaimed that he asked the guest of honor if everything was good and that my friend stated that everything was excellent. The birthday boy was attending to all his guests so he did not experience the service as much as we did. I felt like nothing got resolved and we were being thrown with "well he told me this, he told me that". I don't know if it would have had a better experience with a smaller group. I don't know if I would want to give this place a second chance after the manager's lack of response to our experience.
(2)
Larry G.

This is one of my favorite steak restaurants around. When clients come to visit, this is the place to go. Awesome appetizers, steaks, lobster, and desserts. The atmosphere is a bit dark, so don't wear your sunglasses. The employees wear outdated uniforms that don't look very comfortable. Don't let these things stop you from having an awesome time and some amazing food. I have figured out how to do Banana Fosters at home now.
(5)
Finessa S.

Went during lunch. Excellent food...wicked shrimp live up to their name definitely spicy! Crab cakes were phenomenal. Mostly crab very little filling. The halibut was like butta and the carmelized succotash was amazing. When the sides are good, you know your in for a treat. Tried my fiance's rib chop, excellent tenderness and flavor. The mac n cheese was great. The coastal cheddar has a nice bite but not overpowering. Not sure how but we created room for dessert. The bread pudding was delightful and so was the apple tart. Shout out to Jeffery who was attentive and personable as a waiter. Recommend requesting him or Adriane during lunch. By the way try vivreau water, its like "drinking from a glacier".
(5)
Tami M.

I've enjoyed this El Gaucho every visit. The lunch menu is superb. Ate at the bar and the level of service was outstanding. Great atmosphere. Had dinner here with BF, and found it to be very romantic.
(5)
Gary W.

Our first time having dinner here. Had lunch there once, and enjoyed it. We were celebrating tonight's, and wanted to have a really great experience. It was so-so. We got off to a bad start. We sat down, someone rushed over a basket of break and 2 glasses of water, and then we sat and waited. And waited. And waited. I called someone over and asked if he could find a waiter for us. "the captain" came over and explained that our waiter had a table that requested him specifically, so he was busy. Really good excuse. He took our drink order, and then brought us the wrong drinks. After that the service was better, but not great. Definitely the service was not as good as it should've been in a nice restaurant like this. We waited a lot for everything. Our waiter was incredibly nice and efficient.....but he seemed to spend a long time chatting with his "special request" table, and the rest of us just had to wait. We asked for more bread twice, and never got it. The food was good......crab cocktail and escargot for starts, both were tasty. The crab cocktail was especially good. Had a salad, which was okay. We each had the rib chop.....it was quite good,mom the bone, good flavor, cooked perfectly. Creme brÃ»lÃ©e for dessert was tasty. Overall, the food was nice. Definitely tasted good. The bill was over $400 for the two of us, though, and it definitely wasn't that good. (We each had a cocktail, and we had one bottle of wine.) good, but not $400 good. So overall, I guess it was "meh." The Bellevue location is definitely not very pretty, and no view of any sort, so the ambience is bleak
(3)
David D.

This is a pretty decent steakhouse for the area. I would not classify the quality of the steaks with the upscale places just as john Howie, Ruth Chris, Capital Grille, etc. The prices are rather high, and their product is good. I ordered the bone-in NY and had the lobster add-on. The price was rather steep with what was delivered. They cook their steaks slightly under what you order, so be prepared to order above what you want. Luckily I ordered in that such fashion, asking for a medium rare steak more on the rare side, and it was submitted as medium rare. I would say it was more rare. The char on the steak was good, and there was an even cook throughout the steak. My cocktail of choice was the Barrel Aged Margarita El Jefe. This was a very delightful drink, "eposado tequila aged with grand marnier, orange bitters, cointreau, muddled with cilantro, cucumber, lime sour, salt, chile powder spicy upon request." I ordered this spicy and it was great. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and would suggest it to those who like a light and refreshing drink. The spiciness was not overwhelming, but it was spicy so those who do not enjoy spice I would order this traditional. For sides, I had the spinach, mac n cheese, and risotto. Pending on how much steak you eat, I would say the sides are shareable for 2-4 people. Most steaks are between 9oz - 18oz, so the big steak eaters would probably be able to share a side between 2. All the sides were good, nothing stood out or was exceptional. For dessert I ordered the Bourbon Chocolate Cake. This was the highlight of the meal, and was suggested by the waiter. I would definitely suggest this dessert. Slightly warm and moist chocolate cake, covered with caramelized pecans, a scoop of ice cream, and a drizzle of caramel. This dessert deserves 5 stars.
(4)
LB D.

Nice and laid back. Came in for Happy hour. Friendly staff and nice ambience. Interesting facts: ~No salt or pepper at the table ~Great ambiance
(3)
Olavo L.

This is a great steak house! They have many options for meat and they also have a vegetarian menu. The service is very good and the piano is fantastic. If you're onto cigars they also have some after a good meal.
(4)
Wen W.

Like the location in Seattle, the service and dining experience were wonderful as the staff catered to every need of yours. I surely enjoyed the Bellevue location more for the view. The Seattle location feels claustrophobic sometimes because it has no windows. The Bellevue location has glass doors for you to be able to look outside to night time Bellevue while you eat.
(5)
Anne M.

My husband and I have used any special occasion we can as an excuse to visit El Gaucho! I'm a sucker for any chowder when I dine out, and so this is my default go to Appetizer... it is just so yummy, always served at the perfect temperature. There cheesy bread (served complimentary) is also a bit to addictive. When I'm in more of a mood of ordering my steak medium-well, they always offer to "butterfly" my steak, so that it doesn't dry out and it's perfect. The side of corn is officially the best I've ever eaten, we even tried to mimic the taste at home in some of our own cooking. It's a great spot for any occasion, but of course if you are going a la carte, then it will be expensive, but it's totally worth it. Also, try some of their cocktails... I've ordered off the menu a few times, and they've given me a cocktail to suit my tastes which I really appreciate.
(5)
Tessa P.

The Sunday Prime Rib is ahhhhsome. I unexpectedly celebrated my Birthday here with my Family as it was a surprise. Great Surprise ! Great Prime Rib/Crab Cakes/Drinks/desert...and service. Thank you.
(4)
Simon G.

Nice atmosphere and Decent food but not worth the exorbitant price. Watch out for the $32 glass of wine. I didn't check the price when I asked and I was shocked. Unfortunately Gauchos has just reinforced my opinion that all Bellevue steakhouses are mediocre and overpriced.
(3)
Kiran Isaac A.

Go there for lunch and try the steak sandwich (aka Grilled Medallions of Tenderloin Sandwich) - best meal you can get for $22. If your order the Cherry Jubliee or Banana Foster, they will prepare it table side for you it.
(5)
Mike M.

Great service. Classy and good food. Such a relief from other restaurants (cantinetta) where the service is bad. Amanda is a great server in the bar. Very attentive with just the proper timing. A lost art, but not at el gaucho.
(5)
Nicole T.

We wanted to like this place however I am pretty sure the crab cakes and ahi tuna were frozen. Our food arrived luke warm and the ahi Tuna was 2 separate pieces one over cooked well done and the other medium. We sent that back since it wasn't cooked right and cold. They brought another huge piece cooked perfectly but it was bland and frozen tasting. We told our waitress and they took the meals off the bill. We also ordered Brussel sprouts that were burnt. They remade them and it was the same burnt. For these prices I would expect perfect food. Will never be returning here.
(1)
Denise L.

I love coming here for happy hour. Though still a little pricy, nothing beats the service. Some places (like John Howie) only allow happy hour when you're seated in the bar area. When my friend and I arrived and there was nowhere to sit in the bar, they immediately knew we were here for happy hour and took us to the regular dining area and assured us that we would be served as happy hour. That was super nice of them! Service here is always amazing. Also, the mini desserts are awesome. I'm also judging on a regular meal here. I came here for dinner and they dim the lights to almost nothing. You are given a pen light to read the menu, which is pretty cool to some people, but I personally just wished they would turn the lights up a bit. You can barely see your guests' faces! Anyways, the food is great. Steak dinners are always awesome. Again, the waiters and waitresses here are delightful. Other misc things: -Underground garage parking is a bit difficult to find so, look for the little grey sign that indicates El Gaucho parking. It's free validated! -There's live piano music which I really appreciate. It was always an older lady playing when I've gone and she sometimes plays Disney music! SCORE. -The restaurant is huge. I like how you can see the entire restaurant from every seat. Incredibly high ceilings since there's an upstairs, too. -I like their El Gaucho themed matches, toothpicks, and mints at the front :)
(4)
Dalila Z.

An amazing steakhouse. The filet mignon with the truffle butter was...indescribable. I had it with a side of shiitake risotto... so many (complementary) flavors! The banana foster was a show in itself. Sugary sweet and thick sauce with caramelized bananas. But save room for the complimentary fruit, nut and cheese platters afterwards. I love the high vaulted ceilings, and the live piano. A lovely place for a special occasion.
(5)
Mark M.

Ok... Larry can add BACON to the bananas foster now! Call ahead to make sure he is there and to let them know you want bacon in the dessert. Larry needs it specially made ahead of time. We love you Larry!!! Thank you for another incredible dining experience!
(5)
Trish J.

Terrible in every way. I waited a few weeks before posting a review to make sure I was not posting on emotional - so here it goes. Restaurant was aware we were the for a special occasion. The two of us don't share the same taste so we often order something for each of us. From ordering our spirits the reaction from the server's face was surprised I'd order a bottle of something special for myself, even though I'd cork it to bring the rest home. The waiter made 6 comments throughout the meal of the amount of food we ordered. From ordering the appetizers, receiving the appetizers, ordering dinner, receiving dinner, asking if we wanted deserts and afterwards. Forgetful staff - the waiter said initially we were to receive a plate of nuts and cheese upon seating and we did not. Wanted to know if I wanted it now (at the end of our dinner). I told him with all his comments about what we ordered? He offered to pack it to go and I agreed. I looked at the package the next day and there were no nuts, the fruit was bruised with black marks. I find better quality at any grocery story. I ordered steak tips for appetizers and the sauce was bland (was to be spicy.) Had a few pieces and doggie bagged the rest. Ordered the smallest portion of the steak meal and shared mashed potatoes and corn. The side dishes were shared and we took home some. The man I was with had two seafood appetizers and ordered the smallest steak meal. We both agreed the steak was bland. The Keg, Daniels, John Howies and many more are much better (even home cooked). The staff should NEVER comment to a guest of the amount of food they order. We are there for an occasion and wanted to try a few different items. That's why they have "take home containers" - The staff should be promoting their meals. TOP IT OFF - Upon leaving when I'm holding my 86 yr old dad's arm as we approach the door to leave, the restaurant was very quiet, no guest at the lobby. My dad is holding my arm for support and his cane in the other hand, I'm holding my dad's arm to provide him support, my to-go bags and my purse in the other arm. The man at the front desk talked and talked to us ask we walked down the aisle, He never came from behind his podium to open the door for us. Really - can't step away 10 feet to help the elderly and guest who spent over $500?? That shows a lot.
(1)
Cory C.

Absolutely amazing! We went here for New Years Eve and ordered Caesar salads and Chateaubriand for two carved table-side. The entire evening was flawless. From the open and very swank setting, incredible live music, and impeccable service, this was the best meal/dining experience I've ever had, hands down (updating my last meal on earth now).
(5)
Bert H.

Amazing food, friendly staff, wonderful live music, and a beautiful setting. I look forward to going back to have a regular dinner there one evening after experiencing what they do for private events. They really rolled out the red carpet for Yelp and put on an amazing spread for us. The bartenders were quick and friendly, the waiters quietly efficient, and the guy running the Banana Foster table was fun to watch and talk to. I will certainly be coming back to see if their individual service is as good as their event service!
(4)
Aaron E.

Seeing as I'm in the middle of nowhere Bellevue (Factoria area) The Keg is typically as fancy as I have for lunch. Today, however, was another story and El Gaucho was my lunch destination. Sweeeeeeeeet. Despite being at this location before, parking is tricky and since they seem to change where the parking entrance is every other week I did have some problems finding the lot. No valet for lunch, but I'm not that lazy so no worries =) The restaurant is very luxurious without being pretentious. Very dark, soothing colors with some touches of bling here and there and a ginormous mirror. I'm used to seeing mirrors behind bars, but this mirror was truly epic. The hostess was very friendly and welcoming and we were quickly ushered to a seat. I had checked out the menu beforehand and knew exactly what I wanted. The Steak Salad. Even though they have an amazing wine list and great cocktails, I just stuck with a Sparkling Mint Limeade which came out refreshing, crisp, fizzy, slightly sweet and tart. I'm sure I could drink this by the gallon in the summer.... even sans alcohol of any kind it rivaled any mojito. An order of garlic cheese bread also came out and it was crispy, garlicky and cheesy. Just how I like. The rest of the food came out very quickly. My steak salad was cooked perfectly (medium-rare) and even though it was the tenderloin, it was just as good as a fillet. I love the beef here... always seasoned perfectly, juicy and tender. The greens of the salad were all fresh and crisp and were coated in the perfect amount of a balsamic dressing. The tomatoes were on the under-ripe side, but I'm not a huge fan of them in general. There were also some amazing, caramelized onions and some thick slices of portabello mushrooms, both of which were grilled perfectly. In all honesty I'm not the biggest fan of portabello mushrooms but they lacked the chewy, blah consistency I'm so used to. Epic win on the mushrooms. There only appeared to be two servers, a bartender and a bus boy so service wasn't the typical, legendary style it usually is. It wasn't bad service, it just wasn't attentive and no one besides the hostess seemed to be especially welcoming or friendly. I won't hold it past them, though. All in all, it was one of the best work lunches I've ever had. The food was spectacular and actually extremely reasonably priced. It wasn't necessarily cheap, but compared to dinner prices, it was a steal. I'm a believer that everyone should go to El Gaucho and while dinner pricing may prohibit some, lunch (and Happy Hour) is much more reasonable and you still get to experience what I consider to be the best steak in Seattle.
(5)
Kay O.

I absolutely love the hamburgers here! The rest of the food is good, too. We come Sunday night usually and sit at the bar. Good service, good wine recommendations. They have a great pianist that really helps set a nice environment. In the summer, they have a wonderful outdoor area that isn't next to any roads.
(5)
Kim S.

Waiters with bow ties, very posh digs here. Be sure to make a reservation, we did and we still had to wait for more than 30 minutes. Not impressed with the hostess. BUT, our server was FANTASTIC! We loved the table-side service they offered for some of their items. For instance, you can have a flaming skewer of beef or lamb, a hand-fluffed baked potato or a freshly prepare Caesar salad--all made on a cart that your server wheels up next to your table. Overall, the food was good, but nothing out of the ordinary. The high costs for the meal must be attributed to the food prep performance art.
(3)
Mandie C.

My husband and I went to El Gaucho last weekend after reading some of the reviews on here. It was hard to find since the Bellevue location has been under construction forever, however the construction workers pointed the way. The valet attendants parked our car and we headed inside. The restaurant itself is quite nice. Fairly modern with piano music playing in the background. After being seated for a few moments I did make a comment about how the lighting in the restaurant was rather dark. I think they would have a better atmosphere with just a bit more light on the tables. (This would also make the menus easier to read). The staff was very friendly and attentive. The waitress was able to help us select some wine to go with our meal by asking us what we liked in a wine and bringing out 3 different samples to try. For dinner we had the diver sea scallops, I had a fillet Mignon, my husband went with the Fillet and Lobster Tail our sides were the gaucho style baked potato and asparagus. Steaks were cooked perfectly I thought they could've done better on the lobster... It seemed a bit chewy... A lot of the food here is served table side and I really enjoyed watching the servers bring the flaming swords to the tables. After dinner we were brought a bowl of fruits and nuts and aged cheese along with candied dates to help finish our bottle of wine. I thought this was a nice touch. The price was very spendy. Our dinner was 300 dollars after all said and done so I definitely won't be going back unless I have something big to celebrate but the food was pretty tasty. 2 stars taken away for the price, chewy lobster and overly dark lighting at the tables.
(3)
Karen H.

Chateau Briand. Nuff said, this place is a amazing...
(5)
Jared S.

A good option for a few drinks (especially between bus transfers!) or a large hunk o' meat. The staff are very well trained, being just attentive enough without seeming overbearing. Drinks refilled at just the right time, food arrived and described exactly when and how it should. 5 stars for service. Haven't had a bad bite yet. Nothing exactly memorable, but nothing unpleasant either. Meat at the doneness you request is always a plus. Happy hour menu is both inexpensive and tasty. 4 stars for the grub. Drinks can be a bit harder to pin down in terms of rating. Good wine list and appropriate matching suggestions for dinner. At the bar it can sometimes be a bit difficult to get, say, a martini the way you want it (ordered it dry with an olive, got it craaaaazy dirty on more than one occasion... yech). SO, 2-3 stars for the drinks, leaning towards the higher, if more for the fact that the problems aren't so prohibitive that I don't keep coming back for a quick drink to toss back while I'm waiting for the bus.
(4)
Stephanie K.

their serves is really good. food is okay~pretty good. their house bread is oh so yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love how they serve a fruit plate at the end of our meal, theres also blue cheese with crackers. it taste so good that i will force myself eat 3/4 of it even when im super full. we even got a $25 form them, cant wait to go back again.
(4)
Vickie D.

You Finicky Foo Foo City Carnivores will enjoy this Steakhouse! I Love a great Steakhouse and know one when I am IN one. This posh place is brand new: You are welcomed by an extremely formal wearing staff (Think Tuxedos for Servers), classical live piano bar, beautiful full bar to mingle in, and a Large dining area on the lower floor. There is private seating and dining rooms for private parties on the upper level.Great for your intimate date, business dinners, and for the fancy schmancy....A tad stuffy, if you will. Think swanky martini bar, cigar smoking, steakhouse without the cigars. Here the 2nd time around on business: It was only natural to order most everything on the menu. My recommendations... Escargot: Mmmm, lots of butter and garlic! The seafood tower: Pass. Hard to crack crab and lobster elegantly. Tuna tartare: Typical, delicious with horseradish and tea crackers. Casar salad/ Gaucho salad have fresh WHOLE chunks of lobster and crabs? Main entree: PRIME Chop: Nice and Fatty and buttery! A Real mans steak, BIG with the bone-in. Probably feed a small family! Not very ladylike, whoops! Filet: Smaller,leaner...it's very petite looking. More ladylike... ;) Everything else included ribs, venison, and fish which I thought was Too dry, lean, and boring. They also have flaming steaks which is like a show but no one was really watching...AWKWARD for the server! Expect a good night here... Not the BEST service though. For a party of 8 in the upstairs private dining area. HORRIBLE! We had 3 servers that were kind of just tailing each other unsure of what to do, uncomfortable, major disarray for a smooth dinner....Extremely long wait for entrees and major gaps in between between beg. to end, 4 hours. * I had to get up to find the server to get the bill because I couldn't see him or find him hardly ever. Apparently, maybe the other 2 servers were not allowed to speak?!! They follow him around too. *The garlic bread is To Die! is it not okay to finish a bread basket by yourself???! **How am I suppose to know Burnt cream is the same as Creme Brulee??! Now you know.
(4)
Natalie W.

I have had wonderful service before, but El Gaucho should hold classes for the rest of the restaurant industry and do them a great service. Our experience in the restaurant began with a attentive valet and held open doors(with a smile*), and ended with chilled bottled water being handed to us as we climbed back into our vehicle. I have never spent time in a restaurant before were I felt more welcome. In addition to the staff and wonderfully kind general manager, the interior is well designed and creates an environment of class and elegance- and almost a little sexy and grand. It is definitely a place to bring guests or have a meal of importance. The windows lining in the restaurant provide the city atmosphere feel and a great glow of lights as the sky turns to night. The food I sampled was well prepared and the specialties really worth the trip to Bellevue. I was very impressed. The meats especially were the quality that makes you believe that some restaurants really posses pride in what they offer their clientele. little FYI's- * At present the parking lot under the restaurant is limited- save yourself the hassle and use valet- it is well worth it * The space is wonderful, but the building it is in is so new that the other tenants are not very present yet- as you walk in it can seem stark and bare, but once you get to the restaurant you will not remember that *They have a wonderful Happy Hour with food and drink specials from 3-6... I fully plan on taking advantage of this in order to make return trips
(5)
Steve G.

I am a big fan of the Bellevue El Gaucho. Food is great - you pay a premium to get it, but it is absolutely worth every penny they charge for it. The meals are perfectly prepared and every bite is a true delight. Their lunch menu is wonderful. I haven't yet tried everything from it, but I am certain I will before the year is out = ) The atmosphere is very upscale business. The staff knows how to take care of their patrons - they really do go out of their way to take care of you. Great bar and wine selection. Their bartenders know how to make a decent Manhattan, which is my cocktail of choice. If you are looking for a place to treat yourself, your significant other, friends, or colleagues, take them here. You will not be disappointed. cheers...Steve
(5)
Sam B.

A meal at El Gaucho's is experiential dining. Waitstaff delivers a formal service with an unpretentious air. A guest focused service attitude is what separates El Gaucho's from others in this category and this ethic pervades every aspect of the restaurant and beyond - I'll explain... In Bellevue, we parked in the garage which despite being plastered in signage directing people to the restaurant remains a tad obtuse. A security guard as it so happens was walking through the garage and accurately identified the confusion on our faces and ushered us to the correct door - which had he done nothing more I would have thought it was a nice gesture. Instead he also called the elevator for us, reminded us which floor we parked on, accompanied us on the elevator as our operator and further ushered us to the restaurant! Now imagine the same service ethic employed as we enjoyed a flaming Penne Cove oysters, Bruchette with tenderloin and portabello mushrooms topped off with wine and an Apple tarte a la mode. Awesome. El Gaucho's doesn't have a dress code demonstrated by a couple seated after us with a young fellow wearing cargo shorts. However, no one could discern if they received any different treatment from the software celebrities seated one section away from us; further testament to the quality of service here. However, because the service is phenomenal and the decor is decidedly elegant and out of respect for your waitstaff and fellow patrons... I'm not saying you should wear a jacket, although it would be fitting, but I suggest dressing commensurately with the environs. Not because you have to, rather because El Gaucho's is worthy of it.
(5)
Jeff M.

Everything was outstanding. From the service, to the food to the timing of the meal. Very nice and airy atmosphere. I had the peppercorn steak which was a very large piece of beef done perfectly well. My associate had an equally enjoyable steak which we both enjoyed very much. We ordered the cherries jubilee for dessert and that was simply the topper. Never have seen a dessert created down to a science. Gl Gaucho knows steak, and they know service. Worth the money for this place!
(5)
Bonnie B.

Delicious food, great service. The crab cocktail was huge, the steaks cooked to perfection, and the cherry jubilee a delight. Absolutely worth the price.
(5)
Amie S.

Minus one star ONLY for the prices ($15-$20 for lunch? YIKES). My co-worker and I decided to take a lunch break, which is believe me, RARE for us (actually leave our desks for lunch? what what?), and check out the new El Gaucho since we hadn't yet ventured over there. Our first impression: Fan-ceee. And ridiculously huge. I don't know what they were thinking, but I feel like half of Bell Square could fit in there. But, I digress. The food was deliciously perfect - I chose the "slow cooked" special, which happened to be tacos with pulled-pork and guac and they were AMAZING. I didn't really mind the $14 price tag...or the $12 one for my Mojito, as the thrill of having booze during my lunch hour added an extra high to my already strong pour of rum. My friend had the fish & chips and a margarita, which he declared as equally delicious, and we vowed to return after our next paycheck. :) It's not like I could go here every day for a lunch break, but it's nice to have another restaurant option near work that isn't Thai or Soup, and that has a nice atmosphere. Oh yeah - the bar's also a pretty good size, so I'm trying to organize a Team Happy Hour as we speak!
(4)
James E.

Yes, a veg*n is giving four stars to a steakhouse. For those of you religious folk in the house, The Rapture is indeed upon us. Fetch my Jesus wig. If you love a good steak but your significant other is veg*n, El Gaucho has a mushroom risotto made without consommÃ© or chicken stock. If your significant other doesn't appreciate mushrooms, you need to find another significant other. There, I've solved all your dining problems. The staff is attentive and only there when you need them. I dare say your server would recite the evening's specials whilst you got in a grope and not even so much as bat an eyelash. Please don't grope the waitstaff, I'm just trying to make a point of superior service. Parking is available below the restaurant but the lot fills quickly--especially when entitled owners of a Mercedes-Benz park in two spaces. I suggest valet parking, you're already paying for an experience so why not go all the way? I ask you. This is my only concern for the restaurant, that and its lack of signage. If not for a cluster of lovely red balloons - courtesy of Yelp and Katie S. - we never would've located the steakhouse. Order the Bananas Foster, that dessert is a motherfucker. Believe.
(4)
Doctor S.

Ok, I'm not one to give flowery-glowing 5 star reviews to everywhere I eat just because a waitress winked at me, or the service was fast. I really think 5 stars should be...like a perfect 10 woman (or man...for the ladies)--dynamite in every phase--looks, personality plus, etc... So with that in mind, I've rated El Gaucho a 4 -- with 1 caveat -- this is for their happy hour. With the economy in shambles, who can truly afford to dine at an upscale restaurant regularly? Instead, because of my topsy turvey schedule, I am awarded the benefit of being able to frequent a lot of happy hours, and I found El Gaucho's happy hour to be great. You could literally get their prime burger for like ~$7 and be satisfied (includes big steak fries). Their other appetizers were also of high quality. We ended up 'over-ordering', and ended up spending ~$80 for 2 people including 2 glasses of merlot, but the next time, we'll be more exclusive with our ordering. In general, I found all of their appetizers to be of very high quality--if not perhaps $1 to $2 'over-priced'. A touch better than Ruth Chris' happy hour, and quite different than Seastar's (much less seafood fare, more beef-based).
(4)
David W.

I think they said they'd been open for 5 weeks when we went for dinner on a Thursday night at about 7.30. I had the French Onion Soup followed by an 8oz Filet Mignon. The soup was overly packed with onions and a little too rich. The steak was fine, perhaps a little over rare - I'm not a huge fan of the charcoal style grill they use on their steaks here and much prefer Daniels broiled style. The charcoal flavour was a little over powering for my tastes. The location of the place is a little odd - I think the whole complex is new and seems largely empty. When you walk in it really feels like you're walking into an office block lobby, then you walk through a small door into El Gaucho and it opens into a huge high ceiling restaurant that looks pretty cool - but the entrance through the office lobby does not scream luxury. The wait staff did an ok job, but seemed a little disorganised. The complimentary cheesy garlic bread to start is nice and the complimentary cheese, biscuits, fruit and cracking nuts after your EntrÃ©e was also a nice touch. Although in our case did them out of a dessert order! One of El Gaucho's "things" is their Flaming Swords. They spit roast some meat on a sword and then bring the sword to your table and pour lit liquor over it at your table to create a flambÃ© type effect. Looks impressive, but our waiter revealed it's just for show and adds no flavour to the meat. This kinda summed up El Gaucho - lots of fancy ideas aimed to make the place feel exclusive and luxurious whilst taking their eye of the ball on the most important thing about a Steak House - amazing steak. Which it wasn't. Daniels is still the best in Seattle IMO.
(3)
Tialen K.

Fantastic tableside ceasar salad, really good risotto. The steaks themselves are definetly good, but they just don't blow me away, and for the price, they should. Overall, definetly a place to checkout.
(4)
Kim N.

I've been here on several occasions for lunch and happy hour, so I can't speak to dinner service. The table service has been great each time I've been here. They're never very packed at lunch and it's easy to get seated without a reservation. The food is what you would expect for a steakhouse, hearty salads, seafood and meat (though not quite as tasty as The Met ... this is just for the Bellevue locale though ... I've heard nothing but good things about Seattle). And now the bar service (and a big contributor for the low stars). The service and food during happy hour is decent. The last time I was there, I ordered a cocktail. The bartender lectured me on ordering the drink incorrectly and I finally just ask him to pour the ingredients I gave (there were only three). Awhile later, he returned to apologize to say that he was wrong and was confused about the drink I ordered. He blamed it on "girlie drinks". The drink I had was terrible and in the end he didn't even bother to comp it. In the end, I didn't bother sending it back and haven't been back. ** UPDATE ** The general manager sent me a very nice note apologizing for the poor service I talked about here and a gift card urging me to give them another try. Great example of customer service that I'd always been told they are known for. I visited this location again and had stellar customer service and tasty food as well for lunch.
(4)
Erin K.

So, we went here for lunch today, because it came highly recommended to us. Well, my first impression wasn't very good. The hostess that sat us had quite an attitude. One of the ladies in our party has a highly sensitive nose and where they were planning to seat us there was an odor...now my nose isn't as sensitive but I could definitely tell there was something. So, we asked to be moved to another table...mind you when we arrived there were only 3 other tables occupied. She continued to press us that we were smelling the kitchen and the seafood that was being prepared there. We told her we know what seafood smells like being prepared since we have all prepared some type of seafood in our homes. She acted like we were making it up when a third member in our party agreed that there was an odor and it definitely wasn't seafood. (It was like a rag that was left out in the dark all wet and started to smell or an airport bathroom.) We finally pressed to be seated some place else since the whole restaurant was empty. She finally conceded. Outside of that...the service was great. Food was good and what the waiter recommended on the menu was great. The Banana Bread Pudding is to die for!!! If it weren't for the hostess who sat us and her attitude...I would have probably gave El Gaucho 4-stars, but I just couldn't based on the pretentious hostess that instead of service she would rather be right!! What has happened to customer service these days...??
(3)
Lisa L.

I love going to El Gaucho in Bellevue for happy hour and on Sundays you get to hear Primo Kim play the piano - one of the best nights to hang. Great food, great music and if you're luck Primo will draw your picture - he's an amazing artist!
(4)
Kelsie T.

Really 2 stars for my steak entree. Went there for lunch on the 7th with my boyfriend. Since we both love the Belltown location, we wanted to make sure the steaks tasted the same and was of the same quality. We both ordered the filet, and both were VERY seasoned with pepper, and was cooked medium-medium rare (we asked for medium rare). The au jus that they serve with the steak couldn't make up for the pepper-flavor. The asparagus that came with the steak was cooked (at least for me), but had no flavor. My boyfriend only had one asparagus, and it was straight-up raw. The french fries were a bit of an odd touch (makes sense since it was lunch, but still a bit bizarre) and my boyfriend tried to get rid of the taste of raw asparagus with them. No seasoning on them, very plain. Service was good. The server was consistent on refilling our waters and making sure we were taken care of. The crab cakes were delicious, just like the Belltown location, and I love the chocolate ganache ($3 on their fresh sheet vs. $8 any other time). These factors upped my rating to 3 stars I will go back there to try their happy hour and possibly dinner before I make any final recommendations. For now, don't order steaks for lunch if you're expecting the same taste and quality as the El Gaucho in Belltown.
(3)
Elena S.

We often go to Bellevue location. I have to say that I really love this place and come here when I need to fully unwind and relax and when I have to make sure that service, food and environment will be stellar. I feel like these guys got it right in terms of food - menu and presentation - and great service. I love the fact that I don't need to deal with parking hassles, service nonsense or menu that is heavy on either meat or fish. Everything is done in the right balance with certain ease that only places and people who know what the heck they are doing can achieve effortlessly. My favorites are - escargots with garlic bread, seafood cocktail (those dungeness crab claw meat is just mouthwatering), steaks, Chinook salmon with truffle butter (to die for, especially when fresh salmon season starts), lobster mashed potatoes and lobster ( oh.my .god) and some kind of big African shrimp that looks like mini lobster and tastes amazing (not sure if they still have this on the menu). If you want to go all out, a King Crab merus portion - the juiciest, biggest and sweetest part of crab leg - is food fit for gods. For lunch I always order Warm Seafood Salad and that makes my day so great. That stuff is delicious, with large chunks of salmon, halibut, dungeness crab and small shrimp doused in house-made sauce and poured over crisp lettuce and generously sprinkled with cheese. I was kind of addicted to this salad for a while. Oh man, makes me hungry just writing this review! And for dessert - it is Cherry Jubilee ice cream - always. Tangy and sweet and a little bitter cherries spiked with alcohol and poured on top of that ridiculously rich and crazy good Olympic ice cream. The dinner ends with complimentary fruit and nut plate presented in gorgeous heavy "hotel" silver - what else can one wish for?! Great job, El Gaucho Bellevue, just keep it up.
(5)
Veruca S.

Mmmmm... lobster mashed with a glass of Veuve Cliquot... It's so great to relax in the bar listening to the piano play...cool interior design. Also a hit is their burger! Wow!
(5)
Yan Z.

I haven't had a dinner here yet, but I will-- soon. Especially since it's listed as a prime card restaurant! Review for happy hour. Consistently terrific service, though happy hour can get very crowded, so it's best to get there early (definitely before 5). Very "ladies who lunch" and power broker crowd, so it's amusing to people-watch. AMAZING(LY TENDER) steak sandwich at a great price-- drooling just thinking about the steak+sauce now. Tomato and mozzarella was decent, with big chunks of tomato and mozzarella in a nice balsamic vinegar dressing. Mushroom flatbread was exceptionally delicious-- crispy and chewy and well seasoned, esp. for $5, but does not reheat well. The tenderloin diablo, or whatever it's called, was the only thing that didn't float my fancy, as I found the sauce to be a tad too weirdly sweet for me.
(4)
Dave C.

Just had dinner at El Gaucho's new Bellevue location. Service was great. We got there early so we started with happy hour in the bar area. The hostess was very prompt at asking us if we could wait for a table, as we were about to leave and come back, within 5 minutes a table openned up and the hostess seated us and cleared the table. Dinner was great. We all had steak, afterall that is why you go to El Gaucho. Perfectly seasoned and cooked. Our server was very attentive and personable and the rest of the serving staff was very polite and prompt. Expensive, Yes. But you expect it coming here. Overall, Quality; Service and Ambiance was great. We'll be back.
(4)
Kyla C.

Went here for lunch for a co-workers birthday and gotta say, it was damn good! The lunch menu is way more affordable than the dinner menu and just as tasty. We had some appetizers for the table (prawns, fresh crab and some beef tenderloin bites, all good) and the free bread they give you has cheese in the middle, yum! I got the seafood chowder which was packed with loads of crab and clams and salmon, really tasty, and half of the crab melt which was rich and delicious. I'm glad I only got the half though because that was plenty! The burnt cream for dessert has a nice crunchy layer on the top and the consistency was velvety and smooth. Overall I was very pleased with the whole meal and will be returning for dinner hopefully soon!
(5)
Paul I.

This place baffles me. The prices and the fancy attire of the wait and bus staff suggest that the place will work hard to take my money from me, but the service is so reliably atrocious that it seems as if they just don't want my money. Note: My reviews encompass happy hour visits. I don't think I'll EVER want to go here for voluntarily for a real meal because of my happy hour experiences. My first visit I learned that I needed to "double fist" in order to ever have a drink, because I'd be done with a drink and a half before the server would come by to ask for another. My second visit I hoped that the crap service was just an anomaly (since my first visit was right after they opened, I gave them the benefit of the doubt that they just needed to work out a few kinks). I ordered just one drink. I would have ordered my food then too, but the guy ran away so I didn't have the chance. 5-10 minutes later my real server came by to confirm my drink order (a Manny's). 6 minutes after that, I noticed a Manny's waiting at the bar for someone to pick up. I jokingly pointed to it saying it was probably mine. After staring at that cold Manny's sitting on the bar for 4 minutes, I decided to go get it myself. I asked the bartender if the Manny's was for my table. He said yes. I took it. What sort of twisted self service place is this? Nothing like waiting half an hour so I can go to the bar and pick up the drink that the server ordered for me. I suppose they didn't want to get their fancy suit crumpled. The food came a minute or two later and my burger was messy, but delicious. Fat tastes good, and the bottom bun was soaked through in grease and a little crispy. Tasted good, but will probably kill me. When I was about halfway through with my burger, the server and buser came by to clear the table (because clearly I was done.... wait... I was still eating) as if they wanted us out of there so they could seat someone else. Makes no sense since they had plenty of empty tables. All in all, I paid $24 (after $0.50 tip) to chase after servers, and then serve myself. If you like paying a lot of money for people to show complete disinterest in serving you, this place is awesome. If that's not your idea of fun, go somewhere else.
(1)
Yvette B.

When El Gaucho in Tacoma is 10x better, you know there's something wrong. We had a reservation and the table still wasn't available at that time. Took 1 hour to get our main course. I was buzzed from the shitty pomitini's the bartender made by the time i got my food. My filet mignon was overcooked, it was suppose to have been medium rare. We asked for one desert, bananas foster and got two. They gave us the dessert for free after the gentleman who made it asked how our dinner was. It was New Year's and didn't want to ruin my night, so I left it at that. But here is my review, I will never go to the El Gaucho in Bellevue again. I recommend if you want good service and food, try downtown Tacoma's El Gaucho!
(2)
Thach N.

El Gaucho has great service, food is very well prepared. The Warm Seafood Salad was really good, big portions.
(4)
Casey P.

Came for lunch on a sunny Friday afternoon. No problem getting a seat on the patio. Menu had several interesting options, I went with a seafood based salad that was excellent. All very fresh and clean. Peach syrup ice tea was amazing. Watch out though, if you try the syrup separate you may end up skipping the tea and just having the syrup! Service was very courteous if a little slow. Being so nice out, I could hardly complain. Worth every dollar!
(5)
Meg V.

happy hour is the way to go. el gaucho is in the lobby of my work building (which is weird! like working at a hotel!) and i've been idly dreaming of saving up for a couple weeks to have a nice 150-dollar evening with the boyfriend there. then, on a whim today, i was like, wait, happy hour? i will check. they have one, and it starts at 1pm! off we went for lunchtimes. the selection isn't huge, but the stuff on it is half-price, which is, like, a big deal for a happy hour menu. so basically, everything that's usually insanely, prohibitively expensive is normal-priced for five hours every weekday. we ordered five or six items, and they ranged from OK to very good. awesomemost was the bacon burger with english cheddar--seven bucks! red robin charges more than that!--which we ordered medium rare. hell yes. second place was actually the quotidian-seeming "gaucho bread," with butter/garlic/parmesan, nice and brown-braised. we gobbled that shit up with a priority. the "wicked shrimp" was really good as well. you get three big-ass prawns; they're not as spicy as the menu's description ("hot!") implied. we protested when the waiter tried to take our dish of just sauce away because we were dunking everything possible in it. (sorry, i'm compelled to put these dumb item names in quotes for some reason. they're making me self-conscious. i didn't make these up, OK.) the asparagus with prosciutto butter was ordered for WTF reasons and was boring but fine, and we ate it anyways. the olive medley fulfilled our expectations of what a medley of olives should be. we ordered too much food and it came to $33 with a pyramid hefeweizen--we could have probably spent $20 and been full. service was excellent and i want one of those jackets with the loopy insgnia on the sleeves. we're looking forward to trying the rest of the happy hour menu, especially the steak sandwich. two middle-aged ladies in floral sundresses sitting next to us had one apiece, and i coveted them. best of all, though, was the feeling that we were getting away with something! half-price food at one of the priciest places in town! scandal! interlopers!
(4)
Danielle C.

I was at El Gaucho earlier this week for their "Taste & Tweet" event, and we had the opportunity to sample the new lunch menu. A four cocktail lunch definitely had us tweeting and socializing, and the gracious staff brough 4 dishes that were amazing: * Roasted Tomato Flatbread "All cheese is all good!" * Hearts of Palm Seafood Salad (goes by a different name) * El Gaucho Burger (mmmmm! the bacon is magnificent) * Certified Angus Beef sandwich (less is more, perfectly tender) We were educated on the finer points of restaurant management and learned to appreciate the though and effort that goes into planning a menu, choosing a location, and so much more. I was excited to hear that El Gaucho Bellevue will be opening their patio in a couple of weeks. I can't wait to go back with my girls and order a round of Bartender Ritas (they look like Cosmos but have a bit more punch). We also had the unique opportunity to take a tour of the kitche, hosted by David Scherling - the GM of the Bellevue location. Watch here: qik.com/video/2193047
(4)
Kristin B.

Best steak we've had in the Seattle area!!!! Awesome Wine to choose from!!!!! Lobster Mash is mouth watering. Yum, Yum, Yum. oh....the steak diablo sauce is so good I sometimes order that as my entree. I wish they were open for lunch on weekends as I'd have more fun shopping at the mall if I could have diablo and a glass of wine before. :)
(5)
Trish M.

Try the filet medallions oscar with the tableside caesar salad and a side of the lobster mashed potatoes! Great food!
(5)
JoÃ£o P.

Nice steaks though for the price paid I was expecting a little more. The table service is great. The environment is very good as well. Good place to lunch and chill out with friends.
(4)
Bruce F.

I was here for a luncheon and expected good things. I has a Filet Mignon which was not tender and slightly overcooked. It was topped with a large shitake mushrrom which as a nice touch but the mushroom was only luke warm. Salad was mediorce but dessert (choclate ganoche with banana bread pudding) was very good. Overall I prefer Ruth's Chris or Mortons and if you are Local try JaK's. The atmosphere at the Bellevue location was nice for business but not for an intimate dining experience.
(3)
Capt k.

Resturant opened for business yesterday. Glad to see another great steak house open business on eastside.
(5)
Violet D.

Had a fabulous family dinner here. There were 6 of us for dinner on a Wednesday night. We brought in two nice bottles of vino and our server was beyond gracious and attentive to our family even suggesting a great third wine for the non red drinkers, The filet medallions were cooked perfectly and the lobster Bearnaise was to DIE for. We had the banannas foster which was not only a treat to the eyes, but also for the mouth as well. Would love to try their happy hour and see if the service is fabulous then as well.
(3)
Miguel L.

Really nice place. Little expensive but really good environment and food.
(5)
Steven E.

I love the swarm of black coat servers; they are great. The ambiance is awful corporate with little warmth. The piano playing reminds me of nordstroms. The drinks are eh. The food at happy hour is meh. There are other places that are less and better. I would suggest Daniel's. The countdown to the end of this I predict to be.... Jan 2011
(1)
Matt Y.

My friend Chet recommended this restaurant as a great place to have a steak, so I was excited to finally try it out. Tonight I made my way to Bellevue to try it out; she had already been there but this was my first time. Any time I am checking out a steak, I immediately compare it to Ruth's Chris; my ultimate steakhouse. I've never had a bite of their steak that didn't make me weak in the knees, and I've yet to find a steak that exceeds it, let alone compares. El Gaucho might be the most complete steakhouse I've ever experienced. From their wine to their service to the main course, I can't even find a nitpicky reason not to grant this place the title of the best steakhouse I've ever been to. Their house Malbec was incredible, and at the happy hour price of $6 a glass (honored well past the 6pm cutoff time), we were able to drink more than a bottle's worth for half the bottle's price. For appetizers, we had the French Onion soup (this is how it's supposed to taste, pretenders), and I ordered the steamed clams. Five minutes later the manager came out to tell me that the clams were bad; they were filled with sand, and he apologized, and recommended I choose something else. Incredible service; they could have just stuck me with the lousy batch. I instead picked the crab salad, which was excellent. Our waitress Josie was perhaps one of the most genuine, personable, yet professional servers I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. She was honest in her advice on what type of steak to order, and her recommendation ultimately proved to be the highlight of the night: the 12oz filet. When I say this steak was two inches thick, I am not exaggerating. Topped with a portabella mushroom, this was perhaps the best flavored meat I've ever tasted. Whereas lately, restaurants have been overcooking their meat, El Gaucho still respects the Rare/MedRare patrons; their steaks are cooked to order. Perfectly charcoaled on the outside, and warm and pink on the inside, this steak lived up to the hype. At 6pm, we heard the sounds of a piano playing, and to our right was a grand piano being played with old classics; Linus and Lucy, Sinatra and others. A nice touch to an already classy joint. I will be coming back, as soon as economically possible. This place lives in the same stratosphere as the other "great" steakhouses, but actually delivers the goods.
(5)
Sophia S.

I'm giving the 4 stars for the service. The service was phenomenal, definitely one of the best in the area next to Canlis. They were attentive without crossing the line into overbearing. Everything they did was subtle so as to not disturb our conversation. We hardly noticed that they had done things like refilled the water or brought extra spoons and knives until after they had already left the table. The service was perfect. The food however, meah..., I've had better, I've had worse. Between 2 of us we ordered French onion soup, crab cakes, steak el gaucho, filet mignon, mac 'n cheese, and mushroom risotto. Everything was soooo salty, not quite inedible salty, but it was getting close. I eat out pretty often and I grew up with lots of chinese food so I assume my salt tolerance is pretty high, however I found myself trying to scrape the salt crust off of the steak (that didn't work). We also got the complimentary cheese, fruit and nut tray, and free bananas foster since it was my birthday. We were way too full at this point to enjoy it; however all the free stuff was great and made the high price tag seem a little more worth it.
(4)
Linda M.

Dine here and you will not be disappointed. I've been here several times for both happy hour and dinner. For my happy hour visits, I have tried just about everything on the menu. While all the items are good, I absolutely recommend the sirloin burger, wicked shrimp (has a kick but not quite as spicy as they make it seem) and any of the flatbreads. For dinner, you need to order a steak. You can't go to a steakhouse and not order a steak. The filet mignon melts in your mouth, steak el gaucho is good (love the sauce) although not as tender as the filet mignon and the porterhouse chop is so flavorful not to mention enormous. All of these cuts are very flavorful and cooked perfectly the way you want. I like my steaks cooked medium or medium-rare. My favorite side is the baked potato, its so fluffy and delicious! Your waiter will fluff the potato for you at your table. For some reason it always tastes better when someone fluffs it for you. If you're not already stuffed from their amazing food, go ahead and order the bananas foster for dessert. Your waiter will roll out a little table to you and flambe the bananas in rum and brown sugar and serve to you over creamy vanilla ice cream. It is to die for! I'm sure the other desserts are good to but I haven't tried them because I love the bananas foster too much to try anything else! The beautiful atmosphere, top notch service and wonderful food will keep me coming back.
(5)
Mike H.

El Gaucho is by far my favorite restaurant in the Pacific Northwest. The ambiance is classy without being stuffy. It feels airy due to the huge windows at one end of the establishment. It is a large restaurant but doesn't feel industrial by any means. The entire staff is professional and very customer service oriented. From the Valet Attendants at the front entrance to the front desk staff, waiters, management etc., all are wonderful. They remember who you are if you are a repeat customer and always make me feel like I am coming home. The food is superb. Steak is their specialty but I have had seafood there as well and everything is always cooked to perfection. I have been there when it has been extremely crowded to when it was very light and either way, the food has always been excellent. They make a mean Caesar Salad and Bananas Foster to boot! I have had many business and personal dinners there and can truthfully say that I have never had bad service or a bad meal. If you want a quality dining experience, try El Gaucho. It will not disappoint.
(5)
James K.

Don't forget, although it's very tasty, you don't have to order it El Gaucho style as the ju that comes with every steak is great as well!
(4)
Carl S.

During the holidays, a group of co-workers journeyed there for lunch. The appetizers were top-notch. I'm glad I didn't order an actual meal, though (I had an afternoon meeting and knew I would be cutting it close), because we were still waiting for the food an hour in. The decor and ambiance are wonderful, well thought out.
(4)
Frank L.

Five stars for food - but I have to knock a star off because this place is not for the those with a light wallet (unless you carry an AmEx black) I read an article in the Alaska Airlines magazine that explained El Gaucho's orders certified angus beef from a cattle farm in Illinois. The cows are hand selected by the farm's owner, John Tarpoff. Just thought I'd share that with everyone. Here's a item by item review of our order (two guys and a gal. The gal only had a salad and shared our side dishes): House salad: mixed greens and some shrimp with the roqueford sauce on the side - very fresh shrimp. 3 stars because it was a bit plain Half-dozen oysters (appetizer) - fresh, plump, flavorful and clean. 4 stars Peppercorn New York Strip - a little too much of the peppercorn sauce, but still good. 4 stars (my friend's steak) Porterhouse - wow. The filet is incredible. Most tender filet mignon I have ever put in my mouth. Often times filet can be chewy, but this melted in my mouth. Fantastically prepared. The new york strip couldn't compare with the filet after that supple first bite, but it held it's own with perfect taste and great texture to the beef. Lobster mashed potatoes - only so-so. Imagine extremely fluffy mashed potatoes with bits of lobster thrown in. Great in theory, not so good in practice. Not bad, but not worth $22. Mac and cheese - not your kraft mac and cheese. Rotini noodles in a white cheese sauce. great side dish. five stars Mixed green salad with apples and almonds - very good with a house vinagrette. (my girlfriend's dish) After your meal, we were given a nice fruit and nut tray with some roqueford cheese, crackers and dates. The fruit was a delightful touch to close the meal. The service is professional and top-notch. All of the wait staff are dressed in black ties.The decor and ambiance are perfect for a small group of four, or for an intimate setting for two. (they have "angled" booths where you sit at an angle facing your dining parter). The attire is casual, it ranged from folks in suits to us in jeans. All in all, a wonderful dining experience. (FYI, Costo sells $100 giftcards to El Gaucho for $80.) Who experiences El Gaucho: 1. People who can afford the $62 porterhouse. This is a pricey joint 2. People who want a GREAT steak. Go with the Filet Mignon 3. People who looking for a great evening at a classy upscale restaurant. Who misses out on the experience at El Gaucho: 1. Folks who live paycheck to paycheck 2. Non-steak eaters - this place is best for steak.
(4)
Tonya N.

I just went here for HH so i cant say how dinner here is... but it was good. Ordered the mac n cheese bite, flat breads, fries, 410 burger and beers. I'd say everything we order was tasty with the exception of the fries. For a steakhouse, im surprised their fries are so basic. I think they give 3 sauces to cover up the quality of the fries themself. The dishes came out quickly but in some way felt like fast food. The quality is obviously much better but it just seemed like it wasnt alot of effort to prepare it... Probably bc its very busy there and they need to get the food out for the masses quick. But for HH its not bad at all, definitely nice bar, very well lit open air feel that over looks an office park. Feels like a hotel/office building restaurant for sure.
(3)
HN G.

We've eaten previously at the Seattle location and enjoyed our meal and the ambiance. The Bellevue location, on the other hand is loud. My primary complaint reflected in the three stars is that the restaurant is too dark! We could barely read the menus while there was still some daylight coming in. By the time the meal started arriving I couldn't see the lettuce to know if it was green or brown. I couldn't tell what color the sauces were other than light and dark. I couldn't see my steak to know if it was done properly (taste and temperature told on that). I moved the table lamp multiple times, removed the shade, and decided it really wasn't capable of throwing any significant light. We were offered a flashlight to view doneness, not really a solution. Overall this profoundly impacted my ability to enjoy the meal. Report on the fod - our baseball sirloins were well prepared (rare and med-rare) and we were warned that while there was a roquefort cheese on top it was on a pool of pepper sauce. The two sauces were unnecessary, for us, and if there's a next time I'd ask to only have the roquefort. Tableside ceasar is a good, if on the edge of garlic sharpness, way to start although at $12 per serving it's really steep. Chocolate boubon cake delicious for my partner while I enjoyed the nuts. I commented to both our waiter, very nice, and another who might have been a manager, about the darkness. He said they do have tables with more light for a future visit. (I noticed tables on the outside against the glass had an additional light.) I may consider a future visit if I can have an outside table or for lunch.
(3)
Ly P.

Great place!! I really liked the layout of the place, great ambiance. The food was great too.
(4)
Nick C.

Easy 5 stars. This is *the* steakhouse in Bellevue now. Sorry Daniels. Food is excellent. Tasted even better than the Seattle location. Steaks were cooked perfectly, juicy, fully of flavor. The au jus topping is insane. Even the shareable sides were works of art. Just order the simplest thing on the menu: mashed potatoes. So good you'll slap your mama. The ambiance is different from the Seattle location. This place feels a bit more open and brighter. There's no band, just a single piano that fills the room with music. If you want a more cozy feel, you have to wait until around 9pm when they dim the lights. It's pricey, but not too bad relative to other restaurants in this class. And somehow, even though microsoft owns the building, they do not take the prime card at this location. Oh well. Update: Correction, they DO in fact take the prime card here. 6 stars?
(5)
jack g.

I have been here 3 times for happy hour. The first time there was only one other person in there which was kinda wierd. I had the steak sandwich. It is open faced. On top of a pool of olive oil is a really hard bread then the yummy steak on top. The bread was so hard my hand hurt after cutting through it using all my energy. The next time the bar was packed. I was with a buddy and we both got the burg. No big deal. The last time I got the Diablo. It's steak tips in an herbed cream sauce. It was fabulous. I had the Caprese also. What a great combo. I will be back.
(3)
Jason R.

Good, not great. Considering the high price of the food, and the fact that it is only good, I wouldn't recommend. There are better in Seattle/Bellevue. My opinion of the food was heavily impacted by the quality of service, which was dreck.
(2)
TM K.

We head to Gaucho's a couple of times a year for celebratory dinner's and occassionaly drinks. I always leave a satisfied customer and quite full. I know I shouldn't get the same thing everytime but I cannot resist ordering the Steak El Gaucho. The steak always comes out perfectly cooked and usually is large enough for me to take the last few bites home for a midnight snack or steak sandwich the next day. On our last visit there it took a tad bit longer for our server to come by and greet us but it was a busy friday night and the manager made sure to stop by and tend to our drink orders. I like the shareable sides, my wife and I usually like to share the same thing so it makes things much easier. I realize I'm younger and obviously not a regular patron of this establishment but they always treat me as though I'm a weekly visitor expecting nothing but the best. I can't wait for the next celebration!
(5)
Sharon B.

One of the classiest meals I've ever had. They know how to treat guests from the moment you walk in the door until you waddle out three hours later. There is something truly awe-inspiring about dining at such a classic establishment. The Bellevue location is much brighter (actually has windows) and modern than the original in Seattle but still has the same feel. My hubby and I dressed up for dinner (i.e. not our everyday jeans, tees and flip-flops) and am really glad we did; though there were people dressed super casually. There aren't many places where you actually want to get out your nice clothes for, this is one of them. We indulged in the 57th Anniversary prefix menu and added a 1/2 dozen oysters. LEGENDARY. The sommilier, Jason Lock , recommended a fabulous wine. Really, can't gush enough about this place. A wonderful place for special occasions, celebrations or when trying to impress clients.
(5)
Denise E.

Despite a very negative experience at the Seattle El Gaucho, I was anxious to check out the new location in Bellevue. My first impression of the restaurant was impressive. I was literally in awe; it's GORGEOUS! It is huge and there doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the place. Not to mention they have different options for private dining and will have outdoor seating in the summer. I was there for lunch and it was good. I was much more impressed with the atmosphere. The staff and ambiance is what I will keep going back.
(4)
Lesa W.

I don't eat at steak houses that often and was exited to have dinner here. Once you find the place (the location is office building-esqe) the actual restaurant is beautifully done - unfortunately I can't say the same for my steak. The best part of the meal was the garlic bread - others in my group were equally underwhelmed. Possibly an off night at a core Seattle establishment, but this would not be my first choice for steak in the area.
(3)
Suzanne H.

I went to El Gaucho for dinner with my husband last night to celebrate our anniversary. We had a fantastic table and the meal overall was very good. We had an appetizer and entree- filets were very tender and we loved the corn. What was disappointing was when we ordered the dessert, baked alaska, the waiter should have advised us to order the small. My husband is a sweet tooth and ordered the large ($50) and I have to say it tasted no better than a stale Baskin Robbins ice cream cake and was way too much for us to eat, especially after everything we ate prior. We ended up leaving almost all of it and like we had wasted $50. It ended, what began as a nice dinner, on a poor note.
(3)
Pierre G.

Loved a couple dishes here: - Steak Sandwich $12: an 8oz piece of top sirloin [which was substantial], served on a grilled open-face baguette, and a great green chimichurri sauce - the steak dish to have if you don't have $50 to blow... 3 Flatbreads: both large-enough portions & only $6 each at Happy Hour: - Rock Shrimp & Goat Cheese Flat Bread $6: with red pepper pesto [the dominant flavor] & spinach; the rock shrimp tend to be obscured in the pesto, but they are fresh; I suggest eating them separately with your fork - Wild Mushroom Marsala [Crunchy & Oily & salty = flavorful] - Fire Roasted Peppers [cheesy, peppery comfort food] Tomato Mozzarella Basil Salad: $5 during Happy Hour - 3 pieces, healthy & well-executed [add fresh ground pepper] Wicked Shrimp: $8.50 during Happy Hour - served in a spicy almost Cajun-like sauce - perfect for sopping up with garlic bread On the downside, the French Onion Soup arrived lukewarm [a sin] & the broth was not distinctive; I'd avoid this dish... For Merlot lovers: the 14 Hands Merlot is available as a glass pour [$8] & is smooth as silk & food-friendly... [Note: I see the 2007 retails for around $12 a bottle!] As noted elsewhere: The room tends to be cavernous & loud [not exactly romantic] & dark; The piano can be a bit loud if you sit at the bar The bathrooms are up a long flight of stairs; One must lean over the bar to eat soup properly [not a crime] Also parking is validated for 3 hours only at City Center - so watch the clock! I had to pay a $7 surcharge [an annoyance for an already expensive meal!] Service is professional, attentive, cheerful, engaging...
(4)
Jessica D.

Valentine's Day. Slow valet, obvious lack of rhythm the service. If you dig large portions of steak and don't mind paying the even larger price it will suit you just fine. The space is new, so the decor is quite nice... just don't expect anything better than the original in Belltown.
(3)
Tammie P.

Came here in May of 2008. There was live jazz music, which is always a nice touch when enjoying a meal. The Caesar salad was delicious - it is prepared table-side. The filet mignon was excellent - a bit crispy on the outside, but very tender on the inside. Service was great!
(4)
Jennifer K.

This review is based solely upon their Happy Hour: Well folks, I am writing my update to my original review because I have now gone and had the chance to try their Happy Hour. It was more like Angry Hour though. Let me explain... I don't get to go out all that often for Happy Hour any more, but, it is my favorite time to go out. Cheap eats, cheap drinks, great restaurants & good company to enjoy it with. Having a baby now to tend to makes getting out difficult, to say the least, so I relish those times I get to enjoy some me time. It sucks when I am let down, especially by a highly esteemed establishment such as El Gaucho that I had such high expectations for. After my last review, I was super stoked to have the opportunity to try such a 'classy' restaurant. After reading all of my fellow Yelper's reviews, it sounded as though I should expect nothing but the best. Plus, receiving $25 complimentary gift cards definitely swayed my opinion of them before I had even tried them. Lesson learned: Don't set expectations so high - you're bound to be disappointed. But, we all have heard that before in life, right? It was fairly hopping when I went. Not as busy as I had expected though. When I sat down with my friend, it took a bit longer than anticipated to put in a drink order. The bartender that did finally take my order didn't put on a smile or anything. Ok, that is fine. He may have just been having a bad day or something. A while later, my friend indicted that we wanted to order some food to aforementioned bartender, and kind of asked the bartender's opinion. He seemed irritated and that we were inconveniencing him. Fine. Guess you're just a bartender that doesn't 'do' service with a smile. You're in the wrong profession then, buddy. The service industry is all about being able to put on a smile, even though you don't feel like it. Maybe he needed a break, maybe he was just a jerk, maybe he was just full of himself because he works at an 'upscale' restaurant. Whatever it was, his rude a'tude didn't sit right with me and rubbed me the wrong way. To top it off, he was completely inattentive as far as our drinks were concerned, another thing that was quite irritating. If I am at Happy Hour to get 'happy', keep that drink filled & keep an eye on your customers! My friend ordered the 410 Burger & I ordered the Mac N' Coastal Cheddar Cheese. The burger was good, not great & the Mac & Cheese was pretty good too. Although, I think the bartender's inattentiveness & crappy attitude ruined the whole experience for me. We got a different bartender a bit later and he was inattentive as well, but a bit more attentive than bartender #1. Guess it's just a common theme with the bartenders when you sit at the rail. One cool thing though - When I asked where the restroom was, I was actually escorted up to it by a very nice gentleman. He was the saving grace for my Gaucho experience. He didn't make me feel like I was a nuisance or incoveniencing him and he escorted me with a SMILE - go figure. A guy that can 'do' service with a smile or at least can fake it enough to be beliveable. I do think though that he was genuine. It just felt that way. I still have my $25 complimentary gift card and am almost contemplating just giving it to someone else. Do I give it another go another time, or just bag it? My experience tonight left me with a bad taste in my mouth & a less than stellar impression of the establishment. Disappointed, to say the least.
(2)
Tristan D.

I LOVE a good steak; my wife and I had become (pseudo) regulars at Daniel's over the last couple of years - then a good friend suggested we try the new Eastside location of El Gaucho. Short version: Daniel's has been displaced - this is now our favorite steakhouse in Seattle. The ambience in this location is _much_ better than the Belltown location in my opinion - the glass facade makes it feel nice & open (I'm not a huge fan of the leather booth, smoky thing). The waitstaff is also super attentive, as you'd expect - the second time we were here, we had to wait 5 minutes for bread and got a free appetizer, entirely unprompted! Now, the food - yum. Perfectly done steaks, every time, and incredible sides - if I had to recommend one thing, the jalapeÃ±o corn. It went from a special to a fixture on the menu, and for good reason. Add to that the free platter of fruit and nuts after dinner + a set of flambeed desserts - we've tried both the cherries jubilee and the bananas foster and both were worth it (even beyond the show). Not cheap, but definitely worth it - you'll leave full and happy.
(5)
M M.

I've been here a few times, once for a casual work lunch, and another on a birthday dinner. Overall, I was quite impressed with the service. I think they train their wait staff to be especially polite and encourage them to kiss-ass whenever possible. Of course, that probably helps when it comes time to tip, but I've never had a bad experience here yet. The general fanfare of flaming tenderloin and table-side prep is interesting, though personally, I'd rather save the bucks and spend it on real entertainment at a club/show, etc. Food was above average, though consistency can vary depending on when you come. Prices can be expensive, especially if you get any sort of alcohol. I don't think I'd go back for a while, since it still seems somewhat ordinary compared to other restaurants in the Seattle area. I've just gotten a bit lazy with driving to the west-side since all of these places are in my backyard.
(4)
A A.

We took our son for his 18th birthday to El Gaucho. We were greeted by courteous and friendly staff who acknowledged our son's birthday and sat us at a fabulous table. Our waiter was wonderful and helpful in advising our son on the best steak for him. Our son chose the New York steak, which was flavorful, tender and cooked to perfection. My husband and I shared the Chateaubriand, which is carved table side. It was very flavorful and cooked perfectly. We had a wonderful dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. The music was non-intrusive, the lighting perfect and all of the staff exceptionally friendly and helpful. It is so refreshing to dine at a restaurant where the staff genuinely appreciate your business. We don't go to expensive restaurants on a regular basis, but when we do, this place is on the top of our list.
(5)
Donald B.

This is only a bar review, not restaurant. So in I walk, sit at the bar, an order a smoky martini. I got a phone call at the same time so I got distracted and never watched what the bartender was doing. Got my drink, clearly not a smoky martini. Tastes like just vermouth, no gin. So I'm thinking that its a vodka martini but I'm not in the mood to challenge. So I settle up and yes, it's a Ketel martini. I'm a bar snob, but I expected better from a restaurant with this reputation. Martini means gin. If your going to do it with vodka at least ask me. Not to mention just ignoring the smoky part. $13.50 with tax. Their menu cocktails btw are mostly $14, and $16. A sub-par experience at top $.
(2)
Konrad H.

Not the best steak ever but the best restaurant steak in Washington I've eaten. Not up to the standards of the best in NYC. Better than Ruth's Chris or Daniel's Broiler. Had the baseball bias cut Sirloin. 28 Day dry aged Angus, tender and delicious served with a marinated mushroom cap that was to die for. The seared scallops were perfection. The asparagus was cooked perfectly but they trimmed it with a knife and not after snapping it, which resulted in some woodiness. The wine list was not a book. At this price point and with a wine library that was a surprise. The best selection was PNW wines but the selection was wanting. Very poor South American wine selection for "El Gaucho". One needs a wine steward as they deliberately leave off the varietals. Had the Molly Dooker Shiraz from South Wales big jammy Red and excellent. The coffee was good restaurant coffee but not near the best the Seattle area has to offer and no raw sugar in the selection of sweeteners. Yes I'm a picky bitch but at these prices I get to be.
(4)
k e.

Located in the lobby of one of Microsoft's newer building, the restaurant has high ceilings and overlooks a courtyard with plenty of trees lit up at night. Service was excellent on the Monday night I went for a friend's birthday. We ordered a side of mashed potatoes and they really took the term "mashed" to an entirely whole new level--it was quite watery! We never brought up the watery mashed dish, but at the end, we were given a complimentary cheese, olive and fruit tray which was quite nice.
(5)
Kristy S.

Terrible service for $350. My steak was tough and over cooked. They don't serve "Prime",it's USDA. I would have brought my A-1 if I would have known. Don't waste your money. There are much better steak houses in Seattle.
(1)
Maggie Y.

The ambiance is excellent. The restaurant is very beautiful. I love its live piano too! The service is beyond expectation. They mixed the salad in front of our table. However, the food taste just ok comparing to other high end restaurants in the area. It's quite pricey.
(3)
Anthony D.

Had a simple business lunch....maybe that doesn't give me the right to write a review but i'm going to anyway. Cesear salad was very basic. Nothing to write home about. French Onion Soup had a good broth but they baked on about twice as much cheese as it needed. I'm giving the place three stars because to me, the whole trendy, expensive, over-the-top steakhouse thing is so not worth it. Coming from New York these places were all over the place and were more for bragging rights than a quality dining experience. If you don't mind paying $200 for a dinner you could get elsewhere for $100, then hit this place up. Giving the state of the economy I don't see this place doing very well in Bellevue. If this were 2007 maybe, but not in '09. p.s. I haven't been to the original yet, but have heard the place is legendary. I was getting the impression this version is far from the original. Case in point, if you've ever been to Las Vegas I'm sure you've been to at least one of these copycat places, and they rarely live up to the originals.
(3)
fran m.

I love the El Gaucho in Seattle, and have had many great evenings there. the El Gaucho in Bellevue is new and a very different vibe. Its a more open atrium setting and is louder. I don't know if this was an off-night, but I found service inattentive and marginal. Food was ok. For the prices, it should have been excellent. the experience was disappointing. I spoke to the manager, and she immediately comp one of our entrees (ribs tasted like they had been reheated; dry, chewy, yuck. my sister said she'd had better at the Keg), and comp'd a couple of desserts. I really appreciated her effort to improve our experience. She also asked "what else can we do" - which is a great way to turn things around. Yet, when going to a premier restaurant, I'm not looking for a discount or "free" dish. If I don't want to spend money, I'll stay home. We were out celebrating a family birthday. I was looking forward to a delicious meal in beautiful, comfortable surroundings, with great service; the meal I would have had at the Seattle El Gaucho. net-net: I have no plans to return. I like that parking is comp'd for the first three hours. if you are looking for an upscale dining experience in Bellevue, in this price range, there has got to be better options.
(3)
dj s.

To summarize, this place does not meet taste expectations - food is just ok and mixed drinks are awful. Out of 8 people in our party no one liked their drinks (from martinis to you-name-it). No excitement over the food.
(1)
Christina F.

hmm....I think they are still ironing out the rough edges...service is GREAT....but burned bread and alternating raw meat and charcoal filet brought the experience DOWN.....kudos though to the staff for all the efforts to make it right...i will give them another shot oh and gordon ramsay would fall over dead at the flaming brochettes
(3)
Rick E.

I am a fan of the food, though I think Daniel's makes a better steak. The decor is very corporate and doesn't feel very "steak house." What really chapped a group of us is how much they charge for a Grey Goose Martini. $17!!! WTF? That is a lot more expensive than anyone in the area. I can go a block and drop $4 in price. A few more blocks and I drop to $10. It's a nice place, but it's not THAT nice. I think for drinks, we will be finding another spot until prices sink back to earth.
(3)
Kristin L.

Today my brother and I took my parents to El Gaucho to celebrate their 37th wedding anniversary. They had never been to El Gaucho, and we were all VERY impressed with our lunch, and service! Jacob was our server and he was informative, and attentive! Everyone we encountered had a smile on their face from walking in the door, to leaving! I especially liked how the lady at the from desk ask how everything was as we were heading out. It truly felt like they genuinely cared that our parents first el gaucho experience was a good one. Our meals were delicious as well! My mother and I split the crab melt, and that was plenty! Jacob truly made the el gaucho experience for our family. We WILL be back, and refer our friends! Perhaps try their 2pm-6pm happy hour next time? I think so!
(5)
Tami F.

Been here many times and every time, the service and food continue to be excellent. I will mention that they can improve on the valet service. I don't use their valet anymore because too many times it has been more of a hassle than just parking myself, which completely misses the point. So, just park in the garage and go in for a wonderful dinner with great ambiance!
(4)
Pamela N.

I love the Seattle El Gaucho and have enjoyed the food in the past. However, I just went to the new Bellevue location and was so disappointed!!! The service was HORRIBLE!!! The server was snobby and ran away from our table as quickly as she could. I wound up yelling my drink order to her back just trying to get anything, and it was terribly slow despite the bar being mostly empty. The food was good, although "diablo" didn't have a spicy taste and the scallops were blah. On the other hand, the prawns had a great spicy flavor to them and the flatbread was great! I think El Gaucho is going to have trouble staying in business with baaad service because there are too many other great restaurants around to have to put up with it!
(2)
Gary B.

OK, I have to say it. El Gouge OH!! Pricey, and really too much fuss. Nice people though. food was good, so maybe I am being a little hard.
(2)
Ben J.

Nice atmosphere, live piano music, I showed up in jeans and a button shirt. Other guests had on nicer clothes. Gaucho didnt care. Upscale atmosphere. Promptly seated (we had reservations) and the server was prompt. He knew we wanted to socialize so for the next 5 hours we had drinks, appetizers, and I ordered the filet mignon 12oz. With oscar sauce and it melted in my mouth. Post prandial coma set in quick and when I got gome I slept satisfied. Delicious.
(5)
Peggy H.

I am amazed at the angry reviews posted by a few other diners at the new El Gaucho Bellevue. To be concise--we enjoyed one of our top 5 lifetime perfect experiences in mid December at this new branch of the El Gaucho chain. Longtime fans (and Eastsiders) of the Seattle (Belltown) branch, we were excited to try the new Bellevue outpost. We did wait a few weeks for any "new restaurant" kinks to get ironed out (come on people, even the best of places are on a learning curve the first 2 weeks) and visited on Sat, 12/13. The actual restaurant is simply beautiful--the design team did a wonderful job. Elegant, not too fussy or pretentious, but tastefully luxe and chic. And thankfully for me, a bit brighter on the lighting for both menu reading and gazing than the Belltown place. Our waiter was professional--not the overly familiar, ingratiating type, but a good blend of interested, competent and warm. The sommelier and manager both also visited the table, and were equally courteous. Anything we asked for was accomodated with a smile and a quick "of course". Our two specialty drinks at the start were just superb--you could tell they were well crafted and top quality, fresh ingredients. The table side Caeser--this is in response to the obviously bitter person who crabbed about having to suffer through a "corney banter, side show" presentation--was very well made. Our waiter prepared the salad while we continued our conversation , was not obtrusive and and respected my desire for very limited anchovies (just not a fan--and yes, I can taste them in even minute quantities). The steaks were fabulous. They have now switched to all grass led and yes, I can taste this difference as well. We are such dedicated foodies that about 6 months ago we purchased a variety of steaks--of different production--dry aged, dry aged grass fed, regular old supermarket, organic, you name it. And cooked and blind tasted them. You do get what you pay for--dry aged, grass fed is what the cow is supposed to taste like. This was probably the finest steak I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying, and while not a dis on Daniels, the other El Gaucho, the Met, Canlis, or other noteworthy steakhouse across the country--this steak was perfect. Perfectly cooked, medium, flamingly hot when it arrived, and I even requested something a little extra. They have a port wine, chukar cherry demi glace usually coupled with the lamb, and as a dedicated cherry devotee, I asked for it on the side--what a marriage made in heaven. Try it--your mouth will thank you! The only thing I would add is a couple menu changes. I love sauteed wild mushrooms with a steak--not really a fan of a big old portebello --so I would love to see that option--especially in the fall and winter when there are so many local foraged wild mushrooms available at the local markets. Also--I'd love to see one or 2 interesting, non-seafood appetizers. I don't really want to start with more steak or something as heavy as ribs or french onion soup (a meal in itself) and if you aren't in the mood for something seafood, you are out of luck. Maybe a little goat cheese Napoleon, with a dried fruit sauce on the side or a bit of grilled polenta with wild mushrooms, capers, or that type of thing. Just a thought. We will make the Bellevue El Gaucho our #1 special occasion, fine dining restaurant in the greater Seattle area and hope they are wildly successful in Bellevue for decades to come.
(5)
S M.

Great Drinks, great appetizers, great steaks, great desserts. The Bone in Filet was too die for.
(5)
Brian N.

I hadn't been to this location and to El Gaucho at all in a while. The place does feel much more modern than Seattle, but when the lights are dimmed, it reminds you more of its older locations. The service was stellar as usual. Its nice to see they have a lot more bottles of wine under $50, although this dinner was on the corporate card, so I'll try those when I come back on my dime. Our apps were the diablo bites, which I think was the best thing I ate all night, and I guess I forget the other app. We had the tableside caesar, which I love the bite of the salad, but it definitely stays with you later. I ordered the Frenched Rib chop, which is a rib-eye with more of the bone left on it. It would have been used as a handle if I wasn't at dinner with co-workers. The steak was really good. I ordered it medium and it was cooked well, except for the outer inch was cooked well. I'm not sure if that had to due with the mondo bone on steak, but nevertheless, you pay $60 for a steak, it should be cooked flawlessly. Once I got through the outer edge, the steak was excellent. The risotto and scalloped potates were incredibly rich and flavorful. I forgot about the roman like plate of fruits and cheese after dinner. Their blue cheese is quite spectacular, although I only got to enjoy bits of it because I was stuffed to the gils! The next opulent dinner on the eastside, I'm gonna check out John Howie and see how it compares.
(4)
jamie d.

After dining here on a friday night i must say i had a wonderful experience overall. Walking into the bar felt very fancy and i was quite surprised how dark it was inside which was nice. the lady bartender wasn't impressive at all, after i said i'd need a sec to check out the drink menu she ignored me for about 15min. never said 'hi how are u doing". didn't attempt to strike a conversation which i thought was odd for a bartender at a joint like this. once we finally got our table we started to get more settled and enjoyed the evening very much from here on out. the service was great, our server's name was Jamal. very nice guy. he was there to offer good advice and answer questions when we needed him. out of sight when we didn't. i had the oysters, tomato salad, and the ribeye mac and cheese and asparagas. all was very good although it was soooo dark in there i couldn't tell if my steak was overcooked or not. other than that i had a wonderful time and enjoyed every part of the experience as well as being escorted to the ladies room. nice touch. hope to return soon
(4)
heather E.

our food was delicious! loved the side of hashbrowns and my steak was cooked perfectly. the bellevue location is beautiful and the service was excellent!
(4)
Jenn M.

Had a lovely holiday/birthday lunch here today. We thoroughly enjoyed the seafood salad and expertly-cooked filet. The service was amazing - Victor is the man! We were treated like queens on this special day and will definitely be back.
(5)
Claudia H.

I enjoyed a fine steak dinner last night at El Gaucho in Bellevue with my family to celebrate my brother's recent graduation. My family usually goes to Daniel's Broiler when we're looking for a good steak dinner. This time around, we wanted to try something different. Since the Microsoft Prime card works at El Gaucho, I thought why not try it? Ambiance: low lighting, live piano music, and light banter throughout the restaurant Food: hands down the best steak all of us had eaten. My husband and I shared the tableside chateuabriand, my father had the new york steak, and my brother had the peppercorn steak, all steaks were cooked exactly to our specifications. Compared to Jak's, Ruth's, Daniel's Broiler, and The Met...we all agreed the steak at El Gaucho was the best. This, however, comes with a price. Other steakhouses have good steak at better prices, but the quality and flavor isn't the same. You do pay for what you get. We also ordered the tableside caesar and it was very garlicky (just how we like it). For the sides, our chateaubriand came with asparagus, broiled tomatoes, portabella mushrooms, and a loaded baked potato...all were good. My brother and father ordered a side of asparagus and it was cooked very nicely, but nothing special. For dessert, we ordered the cheesecake and the apple tart a la mode. The cheesecake was standard, but the apple tart was absolutely delicious! Service: excellent service, the waitstaff was very attentive with our water, our wine, and our orders. No complaints. Since we were there to celebrate my brother's recent graduation, the waiter bought him a dessert, it was a nice gesture. Overall, the meal and experience was wonderful. The only downside, when we got home and looked in our doggy bag, the 3/4 baked potato and asparagus was not inside. The waiter misunderstood our request to combine leftovers into one box and only placed the steaks in the box. A little disappointing because I only touched a small portion of my sides. I recommend El Gaucho for a great steak meal. I also recommend going to Costco and getting the $100 gift cards for $80. Dinner for four came to $363 (includes a salad, steaks, a bottle of wine, and 2 desserts). I forgot to mention, the garlic cheese bread is amazing! You could eat a whole loaf...it's that good. Also, in between our dinner and dessert they provide you with a fresh fruit and nuts bowl and a platter of roquefort cheese with dates and crackers. They really take care of you here.
(5)
Rob H.

The BEST! We met our friends' last night to celebrate 2 wedding anniversaries. We've heard about El Gaucho from others and wondered how it could be better than anywhere else. It was. Everything was served with style. The food was amazing, the salads were incredible fresh. We really wanted dessert but after the fruit and cheese tray, we had to take dessert to go. Johnny was hilarious fun. We had fun watching how everyone worked as a team to make sure our experiences was crisp and personal. Treat yourself and get there!
(5)
Andrew W.

This place just does not have the ambience the downtown and Tacoma locations have. I've only had happy hours here, and the service is somewhat begrudging and the food is not as good as the other two locations. It's also oddly hard to find the entrance of the restaurant. Not bad, but should be so much better.
(2)
Simon Y.

went there for our 10yr anniversary dinner. 1st time going. The service was excellent. Manny was excellent taking care of us through the entire time i was there. the filet i had tasty and the side dishes was good as well. i compare this alot with John Howie since their price range and the type of food they serve are about the same. To me, it's about small things that they do earn my 5 stars. the Valet parking- even though it wasn't free, they put a small treat of cookies when i picked up the car.. that was thoughtful. After dinner, they put a fruit plate which i wasn't expected. everyone was attentive to us while we dine there. i am going back tomorrow for lunch and see if the service are the same.
(5)
Guy S.

Had clients in town visiting. The staff were great. We were attended to by at least 5 different people. Not pushy - but aware of our needs - re-filling wine glasses, picking up a finished plate, etc.. The Sommelier made a great recommendation. The wine list was extensive. Nice selection. Steak was great. Servings were right sized. These folks know their business!
(5)
Kate K.

I went there 2 times for happy hours.The food was ok also the service. I had calamari and flatbread both were not stand out my boyfriend had 401burger which was ok.
(3)
Tom H.

Great steakhouse. I'm a pescetarian, so less satisfied, but my cut of king salmon was pretty good-- not stellar, but correctly cooked. The lemon caper butter seems a tad unsophisticated and bland, and my friends had good steaks. Service is outstanding, as is the facility. Nothing in the menu selections jumps out and says: outstanding (save the service). It was disappointing in this way, but otherwise top food quality. Just a bit dozy, in my estimation.
(3)
Jennifer S.

Absolutely love it here. Whether we stop by for a lengthy dinner with friends or a romantic occasion, or just swing into the bar for happy hour, everything about this place makes us happy. The food has always been incredible, the service is wonderful, and the atmosphere is perfect; dimly lit, romantic, live piano music, etc. One of our favorite restaurants and the perfect place to bring out-of-town guests!
(5)
Michael K.

Had a fantastic meal at El Gaucho with business friends. The experience was only made better by the outstanding service provided by Manny Romero who treated us like old friends and special guests from the minute we walked in to the minute we left. Great evening.
(5)
Brian N.

For a couple years I worked right across the street from this joint. I can't really speak to dinner, but their lunch special - which, at the time was a $10 steak sandwich, was hands down for two years the best lunch money could buy in the area. I remember the mac n' cheese being incredible as well. The chimmichurri sauce was just spot on and the cheese bread couldn't have been better. If you EVER needed a cozy place to unwind for a lunch, or just get away from the insanity that was the office, this was the place to go. There are SO many choices in downtown Bellevue, but their lunch specials helped them stand out above the rest.
(5)
Michelle M.

I joined my best friend for dinner to celebrate her engagement and I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. The friendly hostesses paid no mind to the fact that I was a young slob, completely underdressed and the waiter was just as nice, patiently waiting on me before my friend arrived (late). The wine, caesar salad and dungeness crab cakes were all very good too! Not to mention there was a sweet moment when I walked past the pianist and she smiled at me. I wrongfully assumed my friend and I would be treated poorly since we were giggling girls who looked out of place but everyone was very warm and acted with excellence. Yes, it's pricy but you get what you pay for and the view was absolutely stunning as I faced the sunset and the shades went down. Ahhh maybe it was all the serotonin flowing through me that day but my experience from start to finish was amazing! Give it a shot.
(5)
Lei L.

If you want to spend a lot of money, get good steak, sides and get the full spoiled by the waiter experience, this is the place for you. Great service, good food. Places like this take their time serving so you will need at least 2 hours if you want to get through the dinner service unless you tell the waiter. Table side cesar salad is awesome as well as their bananas foster. Not a big fan of their mixed drinks. For what they charge, the can at least give you bigger glass for the cocktail. Otherwise, always a favorite when my husband and I want to splurge and celebrate a milestone. Their happy hour is okay. Not a big selection almost similar priced to their appetizer selection at normal price.
(5)
Magdalena C.

Only visited for the happy hour, but enjoyed it immensly. The service is excellent. The selection of appetizers is suprisingly wide, I thing we had one of each and they all were good. I also had oysters from the regular menu and was not disappointed. They were fresh and delicioius. The wines were great too and nicely priced. The happy hour wines were supprisingly good too.
(5)
Jeff S.

We recently went to El Gaucho for dinner with friends. The food was fantastic, especially the filet mignon. They have great appetizers, great drinks and large portions. We overate a little but it was definitely worth it. The service is also really good as would be expected. Even though the prices are a little high, it's worth it for the awesome food, cool ambiance and great service.
(5)
Amos Y.

Their waiters are dressed in nice formal uniforms. Great customer service, fairly conversational. The food had pretty good portions, and tasted great. Got the oven crisped chicken, which was juicy and tender. Quite delicious. Since it's a pretty fancy place, price is definitely on the higher side.
(4)
Brian W.

Fantastic place for meeting friends that work in downtown Bellevue for Happy Hour. If it's sunny outside, its great to sit on their makeshift deck/sidewalk. As I have stated in my other reviews of other El Gaucho locations, I am not a big fan of the "Angus" branding, but I don't have to worry about that in this review because all I have ever had at this location is drinks. You want a Gin Martini with Blue Cheese stuffed Olives, they've got that and they are delicious and reasonably priced at HH. The overall atmosphere is open and sunny. When the sun isn't outside it still has a unique brightness about it that I can't really remember in other Bellevue restaurants. So I would go there just for the atmosphere if I had a choice of other places in the area when I am meeting with people for drinks. Oh, I should point out that the gift cards that Costco sells aren't honored by El Gaucho during HH... Hence only 3 stars.
(3)
Diane S.

I went there recently for a company dinner, i have to say amazing service and food. If you really want a perfect nigh go here! The waitress are super knowledgeable and have great recommendations. I command the oysters and french onion soup. Amazing. Also if you really wanna show at your dinner table get a flaming sward so much fun. Also for dessert they always give you some dates, fruit and cheese after which is yummy. But if you still have room i recommend the creme brulee for desert.
(5)
Ruri L.

I don't know if I came in an off night or what, but the service was terrible and the cooks forgot how to cook steaks properly while we were here. I had a crab meat cocktail which took forever to come (I guess they were picking out the meat right then and there) and when it did, it was ridiculously cold, like straight out of the fridge and did not taste fresh. There was no inherently briney flavor to it. The cocktail sauce tasted like your standard store variety. Finally the steak came. I had their baseball cut steak requested medium rare, closer to the rare side and it came out almost completely medium. Not to mention that it was extremely salty. I would have sent it back if my girlfriend did not vehemently request that I did not and the fact that it took forever to come in the first place. Her 2 piece steak was done almost well done as well even though she requested it medium rare as well. I was extremely disappointed considering all the rave reviews I've heard about the one in Seattle but as for this one, I don't think I'll ever come to it again.
(1)
Norris B.

The Gaucho is quite the spot in Bellevue. The dining room is quite large. The staff is professional thanks in part to thei manager Steve Smith. Their Filet Mignon is sumptuous. I also enjoy how they prepare their onion soup and Caesar salad. They make a great combo for a filling and refreshing meal at lunch. If you have time to play on a Sunday or Monday evening, you should hang in the bar and listen to e Primo Kim Trio. Primo is a fabulous pianist and singer.
(4)
Anthony N.

***I had a very good and distinct steak at El Gaucho (a Prime dry-aged bone-in New York Strip), but everything else was average or below average; El Gaucho is in the same price range as Mastro's and Morton's, but I would put it below those two steakhouses*** El Gaucho in Bellevue is one of those expensive and heavy a la carte steakhouses in the mold of a Mastro's or a Morton's. I believe the original location is in Seattle. This location is in Bellevue, which has a high number of expensive fine dining spots. The decor is similar to other steakhouses; it is big and dark with a simple color scheme focusing on dark brown and black colors. In terms of the food, the a la carte steaks really stood out though I believe there might be a fair number of steaks here that are not graded Prime. I, however, opted for the dry-aged and Prime bone-in New York Strip and it was really good and flavorful. It had a very good outside sear and it was tender and quite juicy for a New York Strip (which is a lean cut). The other items though did not really stand out. That often seems to be the case for these a la carte steakhouses where the steaks are really good and the sides and desserts pale in comparison. Still, I felt the starters, salads, sides, and desserts were all a little bit below what you would find at a Mastro's or a Morton's. Besides the steaks, we had the fresh oysters and while I am not the biggest fan of fresh oysters, these were pretty good. The pancetta wrapped jumbo prawns, which were topped with a scallion pesto, were okay. I also had the Caesar Salad, which was prepared tableside. Caesar Salad is not my favorite salad. This one was very overdressed. And while it was prepared tableside, I felt too many of the ingredients were pre-prepped. For example, I would have preferred shaved parmesan over the already grated parmesan they used. In terms of the sides, the macaroni and cheese was very standard stuff. The corn was decent. The lobster mashed potatoes were a little different from the ones at Mastro's. The lobster here was chopped up into much smaller portions. Also, there was some kind of a shellfish sauce on top of the mashed potatoes. For dessert, we had their bananas foster and cherries jubilee (both tableside presentations). The presentation was fun and lively, but the end result was not that great. The bananas foster consisted of vanilla ice cream with caramelized bananas and a rum sauce. The cherries jubilee was similar but with cherries instead of bananas. The ice cream was too soft and melted way too quickly. Both sauces were okay but did not stand out. The bananas were caramelized, but I would have preferred more distinction in the texture (maybe a crisp, caramelized crust). I am not too familiar with these desserts so maybe this is just how they are. Service was good. The waiter was friendly and attentive. The food came out at a good pace. As mentioned, prices were high, but they tend to be high at these a la carte steakhouses. While the steak was definitely memorable, the rest of the food would not hold up to other great, non-steakhouse places that are much less expensive. If you are a fan of these a la carte steakhouses, you may like El Gaucho. It is definitely a good red meat spot if you order the right cut. I think though that Mastro's and Morton's fans might leave a little disappointed when it comes to the overall meal. Valet parking is available. Complimentary cookies are provided upon exiting.
(2)
Dennis M.

Great steaks, great service but a bit of a dated feel
(3)
Jason F.

A MEATY CLASSY EXPERIENCE. I've been in the El Gaucho in Seattle and expected the Bellevue location to be the same. But, to my surprise, it's a much nicer and welcoming establishment. Parking is very easy, whether you choose to self-park or valet. As you walk in you're greeted by staff and see how open and bright the place is compared to Seattle version. I really enjoyed the live music as I was there on a Monday and wasn't expecting to hear some pleasant jazz on the piano playing in the background. The service was terrific, we had lots of helping choosing from their vasy meaty menu as well as a great pick for some red wine to go with the meal. I was here for a casual work dinner, but would definitely feel very comfortable bringing any client to dine here. It appears that there are a number of room available upstairs that could make for a good work dinner. The tableside Caesar is very good. I haven't had the bananas foster in Bellevue, but they are awesome in Seattle and I'm sure similar.
(4)
Eric O.

My girlfriend took me here for my birthday. Wow! What a treat and a wonderful experience. Upon arrival, the hostess and waiter both wished me a happy birthday and presented me with a birthday card signed by all of the employees working that night. The food was wonderful and cooked to perfection. The service was very personal and timed perfect. They even went the extra mile and offered an UN-expected surprise to the both of us :D I would definitely go here again and recommend it to any of my friends. Well worth the money. Also, the Whiskey Manhattan drink was amazing!
(5)
Peace-team L.

The service was great, we had a nice gentleman making the evening a delight as we celebrated our son's birthday. Caesar from out of this world, loved the carpaccio and steaks to perfection. Very nice selection on wines
(4)

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Address : 450 108th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA, 98004
Phone (425) 455-2715
Website https://elgaucho.com/dine/bellevue/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 3:00pm
Mon : 11:30 am - 3:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Garage, Validated
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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El Gaucho Bellevue

450 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004

El Gaucho Bellevue Menu

Starters

Soup & Salad

Entrees - Steaks & Chops

Entrees - Speciaties

Entrees - Carved Table Side

Saute

Seafood & Pasta

Shareable Sides

Dessert

Healthy Meal suggestions for El Gaucho Bellevue

Starters

Soup & Salad

Entrees - Steaks & Chops

Entrees - Speciaties

Entrees - Carved Table Side

Saute

Seafood & Pasta

Shareable Sides

Dessert

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