How is El Gaucho - Seattle restaurant rated?

Name: El Gaucho - Seattle
Address: 2505 First Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States, 98121
Telephone: (206) 728-1337
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.6

El Gaucho - Seattle

4.6

1399 Reviews

$50 and over

Steak

Top Tags:

Named as “the definitive steakhouse in the country,” El Gaucho’s award-winning menu features 28-Day Dry-Aged Niman Ranch All-Natural Certified Angus Beef® Brand Prime steaks and custom aged Certified Angus Beef® brand tenderloin filets, ribs, pork, poultry and the freshest seafood, all prepared to perfection over an open bed of glowing coals in an exhibition-style kitchen. Our extensive wine list is award-winning, and happy hour menu is widely recognized as one of Seattle’s best. Live music is offered nightly.
El Gaucho is the Northwest’s steakhouse legacy focused on old-school, tableside service. We revel in helping guests create a night to remember.

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Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Steak, American, Steakhouse
Hours of operation
Sunday - Thursday: Lounge 4:00pm – 10:00pm, Dinner service begins at 5:00pm Friday - Saturday: Lounge 4:00pm – 12:00am; dinner service begins at 5:00pm. Happy Hour: Sunday - Monday: all night Tuesday - Thursday 4:00pm - 7:00pm & 9:00pm - - close Friday - Saturday 10:00pm - close
Phone number
(206) 728-1337
Website
http://www.elgaucho.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Jonathan Garcia
Private party facilities
Private Dining at El Gaucho is a memorable occasion. Our beautiful and unique private dining rooms in Seattle include five private dining rooms to fit the most intimate affair to swanky receptions for up to 125 guests.
Private party contact
Pamela Rockwell: (206) 728-1337

Location
2505 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Wall Street
Parking details
Valet parking is available on First Avenue at our front door.
Entertainment
Live piano music seven days a week.
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,399 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.6

4.6 based on all time ratings

4.5Food
4.6Service
4.5Ambience
4Value

Noise • Moderate

1,399 Reviews

TE
TisaE
Portland
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 13, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful experience and amazing all around meal. Thanks El Gaucho!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 7, 2018
overall4food4service5ambience5
Loved the experience but I found the food was over seasoned. I couldn’t eat my Caesar salad that I was so looking forward to. The service was excellent. Everyone there makes you feel special.
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CK
CK123
Seattle
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 5, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious food and fantastic service. Request a booth for views of the entire restaurant.
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SS
ScottS
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 23, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Had a wonderful time. The lighting was great. Service was wonderful. The music was perfect. The food was amazing!
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j
jordanoliver1977
Seattle
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Service and food would be impossible to beat. Chateaubriand was incredible plus the numerous side dishes you can get prepared tableside.
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TV
TVCdiner
Seattle
70 reviews
vip
5.0
70 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Service is impeccable. We strayed from the steak section and ordered lamb and fish. Both dishes were superb. Loved our waiter Chas and bartender Brent.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Dallas
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely stunning experience. Would highly recommend for special occasions.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2018
overall2food3service4ambience3
Anniversary
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s
seattlemom456
Seattle
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 17, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic food, amazing service! Great experience - pricey, but worth it.
1 person found this helpful
BL
BrianL
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 17, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
My girlfriend took me here for a celebration dinner. The atmosphere was incredible, the service was outstanding, I cannot express enough how friendly and accommodating the staff is here. Highly recommend and will be dining here many more times to come. I hope you enjoy the same visit we shared. Reservations are highly recommended.
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WW
WitneyW
Seattle
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 13, 2018
overall3food3service3ambience3
The food at El Gaucho was expensive but the food wasn't good enough to support that. The following evening we had dinner at Palace Kitchen where the food is about half the cost and the drinks are priced the same. I had the paloma at El Gaucho and a very similar drink at Palace. The drink at Palace was better. We had fried brussel sprouts at both restaurants, the brussel sprouts at Palace were better. The service was better at El Gaucho, but also weird at times. The male waiter seemed to undermine our female waiter after admitting that he was bored and stepping in for her. Later, two of my female colleagues went to the restroom and they were shocked to be offered an arm in arm escort from the male waiter. This was so off putting that my third female colleague decided not to go to the restroom until we got back to her hotel. Maybe this is a thing that old steak houses used to do, but it's not appropriate anymore.
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JA
JohnAKA
Seattle
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
El Gaucho really surpassed what I expected. It was dark, but not so much that you could not see one another or your food. (Penlights are a nice addition for reading menus.) Dress how you want, as no one can see you anyway until you are in the restroom, the great equalizer. That being said, dress up because your tablemates can see you just fine. Service was friendly and KNOWLEDGABLE, without being overly formal or snobby. Food was amazing. The Seafood Tower featured some too the best tuna tartare and ceviche I have had. The mignonette for the raw oysters was superb (rice vinegar may have done the trick). Prawns were a little bland, and should have been cooked in a more-flavorful court bouillon to bring out the flavor. Chowder was delicious, as was the French Onion soup, although I found it a tad too sweet and rich. We finally finished with dessert of Cherries Jubilee, which was very nice, despite the garish LED lights illuminating the glass bottles of liquor. I think it would be even better if the dessert was made with SOUR cherries, instead of Bing. Sour cherries (aka pie cherries) have an inherent tartness that refreshes the palette from the sweetness, readying your mouth for more. We are not wine drinkers but the cocktails were very good. The Paloma was a knockout. Never had such a wonderful tequila drink that worked so well with the flavor of tequila itself. It truly was a wonderful dinner A minor drawback was that there was no doorman, when we entered and left; and the valet and receptionist made no effort when we left to say goodbye. It had little bearing on the rest of the evening, of course, but it always makes for a gracious departure.
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WB
WilliamB
Las Vegas
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Plump and pampered! Dark and swanky atmosphere with attentive service! The meal was incredible, the army of waiters were always there without being intrusive. Table side Bananas Fosters was quite the way to end our meal! A definite must!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 10, 2018
overall3food3service3ambience2
Very noisy Food was good. Presentation was lacking
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SS
StephanieS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 10, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Love this place for all of our special occasions. Service has always been fantastic and our steaks are always perfectly cooked!
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JC
JoleneC
Hawaii
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 10, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
AMAZING over the top incredible!! We moved it! From the tableside drinks to the incredible service!! I LOVE it at ELGaucho!
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C
Condor54
Seattle
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 10, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
El Gaucho has the most impressive service and, at the Seattle location, the most interesting ambiance of any place we have found in over 30 years in the area. We love to sit on the highest tier and just watch the action, while enjoying a wonderful dinner.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Portland
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 9, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent experience at El Gaucho from the hostess to our waiter to the food.
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OM
OracleMcSnackers
Hawaii
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 8, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Try the most excellent grassfeed filet with Bordelaise for a novel experience in steak dining.
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CA
ChristopherA
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 4, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Hands down best date my wife and I have been on. Spectacular food and the staff are great at making you feel important.
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ER
ElizabethR
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 4, 2018
overall4food4service5ambience4
We ran into traffic and the staff was very accomodating in moving our reservation out. They left a nice card on the table for our occasion. I appreciated all the nice touches in table service. Our food was delicious and perfectly cooked. Pricing was definitely in range for nicer places in the city - maybe a little high -- but the quality earned that price tag. Was thrilled with our meal.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 4, 2018
overall4food3service3ambience4
Overall a good eve. The downer was when they served us a plate of oysters that looked like they were all the very small rejects. We eat enough oysters to know that it was not the ‘type’ For what they charged I would have been embarrassed to serve them. Read your bill carefully. They add your 20% tip automatically. Not a complaint but almost double tipped.... and we would have tipped more.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 4, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went for my husband's birthday. Everything was excellent. The wait staff was patient in answering all of our questions. Can't wait to return!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 3, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very low lit room with live music. Waiters were always aware of us and quick to refill and try to accommodate to us. The food was fantastic, the table-side prepared plates are a must! Whatever you do make sure to try a desert! They give you a complimentary plate of cheese ,crackers and grapes after your meal. Will definitely be coming here again great service, great food and with the inn at el gaucho upstairs it is a must book together deal!
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JY
JeffreyY
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 3, 2018
overall5food4service5ambience5
Asparagus appears to be the primary vegetable with the dishes offered. Need to find an alternative vegetable for those who do no care for asparagus.,
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M
Michael
Austin
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on March 1, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Mak is the best!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 25, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Impeccable food and service! Expensive but worth it for the overall quality. Great for a special occasion.
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VH
ValerieH
Seattle
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 25, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience4
Everything about this restaurant is excellent except the extremely high prices. My husband ordered the cod and did not ask the price ( which is our mistake). It tasted great but was $70. Even with our $100 gift certificate our bill was over what we would have paid at other wonderful restaurants. The restaurant is extremely dark inside also but they give you a tiny flashlight to see your menu. The wait staff looks and is very professional. If money is no object then you will absolutely love this place.
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MC
MikeC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 25, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
The service was fabulous by Mark who attended in just the right amount, and making my wife, son and I feel welcome from the start to end. The food was great as usual: steak, Brussel sprouts, corn, seafood, mac cheese, wine recommendations were all great. The scalloped potato had a tad too much seasoning and spicy, so skip that. Everything else was wonderful!
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a
abidik
Seattle
23 reviews
1.0
23 reviews
Dined on February 22, 2018
overall1food2service2ambience3
My wife and I like El Gaucho Steak REst. We usually find it great. This time we were in for a bad Surprise. WE had fleminon and the meat was tasteless, chewy at places. WE asked for carrrots on the side, could not eat most of ir, uncooked, raw, hard. Only mashed potatoes were decent. Wine was not bad for its value. SErvice was cordial. Probably in future ( in a few months time) we shall dare go again just to see how they have become...
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Indiana
103 reviews
vip
5.0
103 reviews
Dined on February 21, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing dinner! One of the best ever!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 18, 2018
overall3food3service2ambience2
Not comparable to the Metropolitan Grill. The steak I had was good but poorer quality and pricier than the Metropolitan. The side of mashed potatoes were not very interesting... not creamy, not buttery, just blah. Turn up the lights, improve the food and lowere the prices and I'd return. Otherwise, I have better places to go.
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E
Elin
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 17, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
I willing to spend on good diner. I can confidently recommend El gaucho.
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SS
StephanieS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 17, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience4
My boyfriend and I came here to celebrate Valentine's Day and our Anniversary. We had a wonderful time! Hostesses and waitstaff treated us like royalty and went above and beyond to congratulate us on our anniversary and make us feel special. The food was delicious and, all in all, we had a magical evening.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Orange County
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 16, 2018
overall3food5service5ambience3
Charged us for a cheesecake we didn’t order, was given to my gf as it was her birthday 😂😂
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MS
MarshaS
Los Angeles
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
We ate in the bar during ‘happy hour’. Everything was delicious and the service was great. Love this place!
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BB
BillB
Seattle
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 13, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Love this restaurant not cheap but unmatchable in terms of food and environment
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 12, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
El Gaucho never disappoints. This is our once a year anniversary splurge and it is always wonderful. They set the scene with rose petals and a card, comp our dessert, the food is incredible and staff are there to make sure everything is perfect. I love being escorted to the restroom (it's a bit dark/romantic lighting) and checked on. Valet is complimentary, so no walking in the cold! Overall it was a great night as always.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience4
Always a special place to celebrate. Excellent food and service. Lives up to its reputation of fine dining. Atmosphere is very dark unlike the Bellevue El Gaucho where we usually go. Loved the piano music playing as we dined.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 11, 2018
overall4food5service5ambience5
Great service, excellent food.
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El Gaucho - Seattle is rated 4.6 stars by 1399 OpenTable diners.