El Gaucho - PortlandIncredible dining experience!!We went to celebrate a wonderful date night and a graduation and we were met with an extraordinary experience! The food was incredible, the service outstanding, and the ambiance remarkable! And yet my review still does not do this place justice!!6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMCan't wait to come back!We dined at El Gaucho on the recommendation of my sister's friends. We were seated promptly at our reservation time by the very courteous staff. Our server was knowledgeable and informative with suggestions for our experience. While we awaited our meal, we watched servers preparing courses tableside for other diners. What a treat!
The filet I had was so tender it melted in my mouth. My fiancee's scallops were perfect along with the giant prawns and mountain of pasta cooked exactly el dente as her grandmother would have cooked it.
The portions at El Gaucho are large, so be prepared to take some home. (especially if you want to have one of their spectacular looking deserts)
We will definitely make the drive back to El Gaucho again.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious Food, Great StaffAs always, the staff and food at El Gaucho were perfect. The staff was attentive and very helpful; we got caught in the middle of a Rose Festival Parade but they helped us make our show on time. And the food was, as always, amazing. Nice large portions, cooked to perfection and delicious.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMHands down the best steak house!I have traveled the 4 corners of the world and El Guacho is the best steak house I have ever eaten at. Forget Capital Grill or Mortons. This IS the place for the juiciest and most flavorful steaks! It's a bit on the pricey side but you get outstanding quality and service. If there is a negative, it would be that their wine list is too overpriced.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazingAn absolutely fantastic evening provided by El Gaucho. Absolutely amazing everything!5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding but expensiveThis is quite an experience! The food was outstanding and the service was impeccable, right down to the live music which was perfect and not too loud. The lowlighting took some adjustment but then was just right. The only thing is to being your wallet and be shocked by the final bill. You will not regret it, though.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our first time. ExpensiveThis was our first time. Expensive but worth every penny. If you want a great dining experience this is the place to go.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMJust like it sister restaurantJust like it sister restaurant in Seattle, El Gaucho dining was a superlative experience, the food, the service the atmosphere were all excellent and better.
The waiter was attentive, expert at his work and friendly without becoming a long-lost friend that some seem to want to do. The food was superb, the steak melted in my mouth, the salad dressing was created at our table and it made the simple greens turn into a delicacy. The musicians were also excellent, playing in the background yet, offering music that made our experience even better.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMMy Birthday DinnerI and my wife went to celebrate my 60th birthday and it was wonderful. From the moment we walked in until we left the service was right there with everything. The food was to die for and the wine list...yumm. 10 out of 10 easy.
Thank you5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful Experience.Went for a birthday celebration. We arrived 20 minutes before our reservation time and were seated immediately. Birthday card and rose petals on the table were unexpected and a very nice touch. Also impressed with the welcoming and birthday wishes we received throughout the evening. Tried the entire menu from appetizers to dessert and loved everything. Steaks were cooked perfectly. Very impressed with the sommelier's expertise on the wine list, and the flaming entrees and desserts (loved the cherries jubilee). Definitely enjoyed our experience and will be returning.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMCelebrateEL Goucho has very very good service, the steak was incredible. This is a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion. The special touch of the staff signing a card congratulating the couple on 40 years was really nice.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMTop Shelf DiningMy wife and I had our anniversary dinner at El Gaucho, and the whole experience was top notch! They put rose petals and a card on the table before we got there, and every staff member made an effort to come by at some point during our dinner and congratulate us. The service was impeccable, and the food even better! The menu is fairly expensive, but well worth it! If you want to have an incredible dinner experience, this is the place.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is a great special occasionThis is a great special occasion place. The food and service are top notch. The tableside service available is also fun.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always, El Gaucho had deliciousAs always, El Gaucho had delicious food and exceptional service. I especially love the tableside service for salad and dessert.
Good choice for both meat and seafood lovers as the shimp and scallops do no disappoint.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat placeWent for 1 year anniversary dinner and had a great time!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat ServiceTook the family out for Mother's Day - Brendan was our waiter and took very good of care of us - Steaks were Excellent5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMother's Day Dinner - A real hitThe perfect ending to a great day to celebrate Mother's Day. Excellent!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMsolid for that special night outWith acoustic music played at just the right level and low lighting, this is a great place for a special occasion. It is pretty pricey so check out the menu so you don't get sticker shock. The steaks, crab cocktail and drinks are all amazing.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat AmbienceVery nice, low lights. Expensive, but food is excellent.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service and food!If you are prepared to spend a lot for the best service and teriffic food, then this is the place. They take care of you from the moment you walk through the door until the moment you leave. It's pricey, but you know that going in. Great for special occassions.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMService ExcellenceWe knew the food would be exceptional.
Arrived ten minutes before they opened. No big deal. Seated immediately and served royally throughout the evening5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMExpensiveThis is an outstanding restaurant for perfectly cooked meat and for excellent service. It definitely is a special-occasion restaurant unless you are very rich. The prices are very high. We knew that before we went, so we were not surprised.
I wonder why all the males waitstaff were bald-headed.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThe starters (crab cake),The starters (crab cake), entrées (Bassebal cut)and sides (Mac & Cheese) were espectacular! You must try them!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent place to dineGreat food and service as usual. It is spendy, but worth it for special occasions. The pepper crusted filet Mignon, cooked rare, was just about the best beef I have ever tasted in my life.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWent during happy hour. WedgeWent during happy hour. Wedge salad was just ok- not enou dressing. But the steak frites was awesome! Alli my server was very friendly and a great server .4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMWell, we enjoyed ourselves.Well, we enjoyed ourselves. Service was incrediable! Food not as good as we remember ... But still amazing.To dark and bit cramped up for our taste, life music at the barwas to loud :(4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing steaks and over theAmazing steaks and over the top sides. Highly recommended. Expensive - but no more than other top steak destinations.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent! OurThe food was excellent! Our server was very good at matching what our tastes to the menu items. The only drawback for our dining experience was the noise level. As the restaurant filled up and the live music was playing, it became increasingly more difficult to hear each other. We definitely will return, but probably for a more casual evening.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect, as alwaysHaving experienced the vast majority of the elite dining experiences in Portland, I can say with certainty that El Gaucho is a cut above the rest. We are never disappointed in anything. It is a true dining experience, and our very favorite in all of Portland.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMEl Gaucho is the best steakEl Gaucho is the best steak house in Portland and that's saying something because there is some stiff competition. It is also the place to get the best steak tartare in Portland. It is everything a steak house should be. Like any stellar steak house, leave ample room on your credit card before ordering, it is expensive, as in five dollar signs. My only complaint is with their wine list. It has some excellent vintages, but it is very aggressively priced in the mid-range (I cannot comment as to whether the $1,00 to $2,000 bottles are fairly priced). They could significantly improve the quality of their $60 - $100 choices and still make 100%+ on their mark-ups.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperb.El Gaucho is consistently amazing. The food is the best. The service is impeccable. The wine list is to die for. It is very expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMLove it !!!!!!!!! It is aLove it !!!!!!!!! It is a birthday tradition ....no soon to end4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWe don't go out to dinnerWe don't go out to dinner a lot, but when we do, we love to be treated like Royalty. This is the place...without a doubt!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThanks to all for helpingThanks to all for helping to make for a very special night.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWe scheduled a nice eveningWe scheduled a nice evening out to celebrate a milestone birthday. El Gaucho was recommended by friends, so we gave it a try. It was a fantastic evening! The service, wine, meal, and dessert were all very, very good. We had such a good time that we're going to schedule another evening there for the next birthday. It was worth every penny spent. Don't hesitate to spend a special evening at El Gaucho!4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Steak!Best steak I've ever had! Melts in your mouth, well seasoned, excellent flavor! Very good, attentive service. Pretty expensive, but the steak is actually worth the price tag!3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife and I were given aMy wife and I were given a gift card to El Gaucho's a few Christmas' ago. We finally had a night to ourselves and decided to go and experience this restaurant. I had placed reservations about a week in advance through Open Table. When we arrived we were greeted immediately and I told them we had reservations. They took our coats and showed us to our table. My wife had the 8oz Filet Mingnon and I had the Baby Back Ribs entree. The Filet Mingnon was outstanding!! The ribs were fantastic too, but the only complaint I had was that the BBQ sauce was not very appealing. If the ribs had been naked and the BBQ on the side, it would have made the experience much better. Overall it was a great place and great food.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMI spent an ungodly amountI spent an ungodly amount of money here, but it was worth it. The service here is impeccable -- my waitperson described the food items well, warned me ahead of time that they cooked their steaks "on the rare side" (which is a little unusual for a steakhouse, so it was good info to have), and was unfailingly polite and engaging. The food was wonderful - I had a ribeye steak topped with mushrooms and roasted garlic, and it was absolutely huge. I had to take some home. The other items I had -- the mushroom soup which was unremarkable, the baked potato that was fluffed and decorated tableside, and the berry sorbet at the end, were amazing. The most impressive thing, to me, was the complimentary fruit, nut, and cheese platter that was served.12/20/2012 12:00:00 AM