El Gaucho - Tacoma

I would ABSOLUTELY 1000% recommend this place. My son and I were there for a conference and to celebrate his 18th birthday. We loved the atmosphere, the food, and the drinks. The service was great, as well.

It is the best restaurant in the Puget Sound. The wait staff, bar tenders are all awesome. This is a testament to the job Sarah does managing the restaurant. The food is so incredible and have nothing but the highest praise. They make special occasions more than special.

We enjoyed the experience here. From the service to the food. I really enjoyed my time here. The staff have such great attention to detail. I really enjoyed our experience here. It was for our friends 40th birthday and they had a hand written card at the table. Our server was wonderful and I definitely plan to come back!

This restaurant was such an amazing experience all the staff was so friendly and welcoming! The food was divine the service was wonderful, everyone there was so thoughtful as well! 100000/10🤩

Perfection. Join the Revelers Club for true savings. This place is spendy but for good reason. They do proper table service in a fancy way without being pretentious or stuffy. The food and beverages are superbly prepared and expertly served. They do add an automatic 20% service fee which they explain as their Fire & Vine payment system. They're very transparent about this when you receive your bill. Basically, in addition to a living hourly base wage, the staff gets commission and part of the service fee and then tips are optional on top of that. Interesting structure and they do earn it as compared to other places with an unexplained service fee, "just because". I've included a pic of the service fee explanation in this review. At one point between starter and entree my server cleared the set and swept the crumbs from the tablecloth. I had never experienced that before. The Atmosphere is hip and welcoming with a large staircase down into the main dining floor which is busy and loud, flanked by an ample bar and the talented resident live musician who plays piano, sings, and more. There is a side seating area with more intimate booths and 2 upper balconies with additional tables. Very cool set up that is dimly lit. They escort you to your table with a flashlight. They set a cloth napkin on your lap. Penlights are provided for menu viewing as well, and totally necessary. Free valet parking. They offer several table side menu items which really adds to the entertainment and value of the experience. Many table side preparations include flambe! The kitchen is open. The food is extraordinary perfection. The Caesar is prepared tableside and you can customize ingredient proportions. It's delicious! Steaks are noticeably aged and nicely seasoned with just the right amount of char and salt, perfectly cooked and each bite to be savored slowly. Abundant sides to choose from! The scalloped potatoes are served in a hot iron crock and have an amazing delicate flavor and are somehow creamy and fluffy at the same time. There is a delicate, super crispy, seasoned topping that contrasts so nicely with the gooey potatoes. Wonderful! Order the large portion or you'll want more. The Kale and Butternut has a lovely mix of warm flavors from pecans to sweet balsamic with the bitter chewy kale and soft smooth bits of cooked squash. Delightful! The cocktails are top notch and very creative and accessibly priced. Coffee service is also wonderful with fresh, perfectly brewed coffee even late at night. Revelers Club members can select special table preparations for celebrations as pictured. The only thing I could see improvement for is actual flame candles at the tables and the bathrooms (while clean and just fine) could use some upgrade to match the upper class experience of the rest of the establishment.

Great food. Best wedge salad we've ever had. Waiters were very pleasant and attentive. Thank you for making my birthday celebration so special!

Unique experience nestled in downtown Tacoma great tasting and engaging staff johnny was very personable and knowledgeable. Had wonderful time.

Easily one of the very best dining experiences we’ve ever had. The service was absolutely top tier from start to end. Beginning with the valet service (which is complimentary with your meal), including the lounge area to wait for your table, continuing with your wait staff who know you by name and frequently check in on your satisfaction, it was beyond what we expected. Amazing. The food was also delicious at every step. Table side cocktails, starters, an amazing array of steaks and seafood, and all rounded out with hearty side dishes and capped with stunning desserts… just wow. We didn’t have a single dish that wasn’t just perfect. Our favorites included: - Pork belly starter - Diver sea scallops - Oscar style filet - Lobster mashed potatoes - Cosmo (cocktail) We’d order it all again. We also really appreciated the extra steps to celebrate a special occasion- they went so far as to customize the menus to celebrate my husbands birthday. Stunning service all around. The automated 20% gratuity on your check is probably an understated value of the experience. 10/10 recommend.

You’re lucky if you have the chance to dine at El Gaucho. You’re even luckier if Monica is your server!! The food was amazing, the atmosphere was fantastic, and Monica’s hospitality made a great night even better.

Atmosphere is very luxurious with the wait staff all wearing jackets and bow ties. Service extremely attentive and very informative. Food was excellent with a menu that wasn't overwhelming but had something for everyone. A tremendous date night location.

We went for a birthday. It was so neat watching all the other special events that went on while we were there. We had the goucho steak and medallions. Crab Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and scalloped potatoes. They have a smaller size that’s great for the sides. The bread was great too. Out waiter Pepe was the best making the night perfect. The master of drinks was very knowledgeable on the louis the xiii congnac was amazing. Overall perfect night out. Our thanks to all the staff

Everything was absolutely amazing! Came here for my husbands birthday. From the thoughtful birthday card, and menu at our table upon arrival, and everyone wishing my husband a happy birthday. Our waitress was attentive, friendly, and outgoing, food was phenomenal with great flavors, drinks were amazing too! Best restaurant we’ve been to in awhile! Such a wonderful experience!

Went there for the first time to celebrate wife's birthdays. I had made the reservation several weeks in advance. I got a call about a week before my reservation asking a couple of questions about the birthday. When we were seated and menus set before us we realized they were personalized with the girls names. The food and service was great. The price includes a 20% surcharge and tips appreciated but not expected. I already have new reservations.

Wonderful service. The handwritten birthday card wya sweet touch. The Chateaubriand was tender and superb, as were the sides of baked potato and asparagus. The cheese and fruit plate was refreshing. The cherries jubilee was divine. The piano entertainer played a wide variety of music. Only hiccup was our leftovers were switched when delivered to the table boxed. The mixup wasn't noticed until the following day when we were in our separate homes.

The entire experience was amazing and more than expected. I honestly can’t wait to go back. The ambiance/lighting/music was beyond words. The nice touch of having the custom Happy Anniversary card and menu was special. Nhung our server and her performance and attentiveness all throughout the night was impeccable! The food was made to perfection and with great care. I truly have ZERO complaints.THANK YOU for such an amazing experience!

A most wonderful Valentine’s Day dinner…great food, great service and ambiance. It was also very impressive that El Gaucho allowed us to use our Fire & Vine rewards…airlines would have made that a black-out day...thank you El Gaucho!

Service is spectacular!! Even servers that weren't ours stopped to see if we needed anything! Food was so good, filet was the best I've ever had!

From start to finish. Service was fantastic, valet, hostess, server, everyone.Food was great, if there was a complaint and I’m not saying there is. The king crab legs, looked more like snow crab. Relatively small compared to what one would expect of king crab. Regardless, my wife thoroughly enjoyed them and that’s what mattered. Overall, as usual. I can’t say enough good things about El Gaucho and their staff.

The best waiter experience! Perfect attention, grace, information, service, and humor. She is fabulous! Food is always delicious. Steaks are perfectly cooked and flavorful. The crab cakes were divine. Best appetizer is the pecan encrusted brie which is out of the world with its crisp pecans, tangly balsamic honey and gooey brie. The chicken is so tasty with heavenly crispy skin and the mushroom corn ragout. The sides have so many choices and I’ve eaten all of them. Our favorite is the brussels sprouts, crispy salty goodness! The desserts are so yummy, again with a great variety and reasonable pricing. They have such a selection of drinks whether you want tea, coffee, specialty, with sugar, with alcohol, or without. There is something for everyone. You cannot go wrong here with the excellent service, variety of dishes, and perfect cooking. I visit for every anniversary and birthday. I’ve never been disappointed in four years.

Great food, great service. Just be aware of the 20% surcharge for service. Which I understand. But I almost tipped based on the total with the surcharge. Great atmosphere and a drink with dinner. I would have appreciated the explanation prior.

Jorge, our server, and the rest of the team provided phenomenal service during our dinner. Their warm and friendly hospitality, paired with the wonderful atmosphere, made for an exceptional experience. Our compliments also go to the cooking staff; the food was outstanding.This location has always been one of our favorite dining establishments, and we will continue to return. From the moment we arrive, the valet greets us warmly, and the host staff at the entrance sets the tone with their professionalism. The attention to detail throughout is truly remarkable.We were celebrating my birthday during this visit, and I was touched that everyone wished me a happy birthday, making the evening even more memorable. Thank you for creating such a consistently welcoming and special place to dine.10 out of 10! An exceptional experience all around.

I had the most amazing birthday dinner. From getting greeted at the door, the hostesses were all so sweet. Our waiter and everyone was so attentive and friendly. The food blew our expectations, that as soon as we walked out the door we made another reservation! I can’t wait to come back and try something new!

We went here to celebrate my son's 25th birthday and were surprised by all the nice touches at the table. Besides the real rose petals sprinkled on the table the menus said Happy Birthday with our sons name on it. There was even a place card on the table wishing our son Happy Birthday and thanking us for choosing their restaurant to celebrate it at. Really cool! They have a lot of tableside service as well and we did our fair share of them starting with the Caesar salad. I chose the flaming sword filet and New York steak just to see the show tableside. It's quite impressive! We ended our meal with yet another tableside performance, the cherries jubilee. It was a great way to round out a wonderful dining experience! We'll be back again!

My $92 ribeye was one of the best I've had. I normally don't get steaks at a restaurant because of the price. I recently went to a steakhouse in Bellevue ( the view was great) but the $100+ ribeye was okay at best. This made me love the restaurant. Gonna take my son for his birthday and he want the $180 wagyu. Can't wait. I don't mind paying for the great experience and flavor.

If you want to impress a date, your wife, or celebrate a special occasion, you will not be disappointed here. The service is top notch with multiple servers taking care of your every need. The food is always prepared to perfection. I recommend any steak on tbe menu, they know how to age and cook steak. Dinner or dessert prepared tableside is a speacial treat. It will tame a chunk out of your wallet, but well worth it.

We came in on Christmas Eve and the place was packed. The waits were long but the service never declined. We didn't leave anything on any plate. Cameron, our server, was amazing. She was well versed in the menu and when we had questions about the wines, she admitted she was as knowledgeable but went to get answers. She made us feel welcomed and taken care of.

Best experience we've had in Tacoma so far. The food was simply amazing, the service was so polite, friendly and authentic! Taryn made us feel special and spoiled! The duck was delicious, and the flaming sword presentation made my night! SO cool!! Tasted even better!

I have such a nice time at this place. Their food is incredible. You're going to want to get a reservation. I believe their reservation only but I'm not certain. There's not a ton of parking that is free but there is some free street parking and lots of paid parking lots and parking spots along Pacific avenue. I recommend dressing nicely if you attend. This is a more upscale place and I would feel out of sorts if I wasn't dressed appropriately. The chef is happy to create your order however you would like it. I have a lot of food allergies and it's difficult for me to find good places to eat. So it was really fun to get to go here and not have to worry and to speak to a chef who understood completely what foods I could and could not eat. I felt confident in leaving these issues in their hands. The service was beyond amazing. If you would like them to cater to nearly any anything like birthdays or mother's Day or Valentine's Day, they are happy to make your experience an incredible one. That's one thing about paying for good service. They're willing to go the extra mile I have nothing but good things to say about this place.

We absolutely loved our valentines dinner here. The food was amazing, our steak was cooked perfectly and the bread served at the beginning was phenomenal. Shelly our server was super knowledgable and accommodating. We really felt like the experience was very personable and we can’t wait to come back here again.

No better place to celebrate life. Food is exquisite, perfectly seasoned high quality melt in your mouth. The service is so kind and delightful. The table side experiences are a must.. one of ours got a special whiskey, where they melted an ice cube to a sphere, scorched a bundle of oranges that took the shape of a flower. The preparation was mesmerizing. The detail of El Gaucho is so intricate and divine. We come here for every birthday and it is always special. Shout out to Sarah Choi, the general manager for always making us feel like family. Can't wait to go back!

Got gifted a gift card to for this place. Service was amazing very friendly and prompt service. Our meals were delicious we both ordered steaks and side of macaroni and mashed potatoes. Cook on our stakes were spot on. Overall a great dining experience

I had the most wonderful dinner celebrating my Birthday and the entire staff needs to be commended! Taryn was our main server and she was phenomenal but so was everyone else. The special touches of a personalized menu and a Happy Birthday card and real rose petals was very special too. Everything was cooked and prepared perfectly. The guys' steaks were tender and delicious! I have to say, I've been eating lobster a long time but this was the most perfectly cooked Lobster Tail I've ever had and most likely will only pay to get it here from now on. I've been so disappointed over the last several years here in Seattle/Tacoma at 4-5 star restaurants ordering it but not here. 16 Oz. of perfectionism!!! Thank you all for such a wonderful night!

We went for Valentine’s Day and they made it super special. Our names were printed on the menu and our sever Taryn was great. We were there for 3 hours. Had drinks, 2 appetizers, shared the ribeye, got 2 sides, and 2 desserts. Total was right at $400. Another couple was sat next to us and they were out in 45min because they just got a main and left. They take the meal at your pace which I appreciated. The valet is parking is complementary.

Everything was amazing! We had the classic filet with truffle butter, smoked manhattans, pecan crusted Brie, lobster mashed potatoes amd key lime pie. It was definitely an incredible special occasion meal - the flavors were delicious! Definitely will return.

Oh, my gosh! I haven’t had such a wonderful dining experience in years!!! From the moment we walked in, I knew it was going to be special. And, it was exactly that. Our server Justin was perfect - cheerful, patient, attentive, happily willing to share conversation, all in a very professional manner. The serving of our meal was spectacular! And the quality was top drawer! I definitely will be back!!

Everything about this place screamed fancy, the ribeye was delicious, i recommend gettimg thr truffle butter with it for sure! Very nice place the only thing I didnt like about it is how expensive it is. I could've gone to a different steak house and ordered 2 of their most expensive steaks and paid less. If you dont have a problem with money I definitely recommend, but if you are on a budget I would say to go to a different place.

This is my review of El Gaucho for the dinner we had on March 8. As we stepped into the elegant ambiance of El Gaucho, we were welcomed with warmth and respect, befitting royalty, celebrating our 37th anniversary of meeting. At our beautifully set table, we discovered a custom card artfully crafted to honor our special occasion and a personalized menu that added a touch of intimacy to our dining experience. Our server, Noah, approached us with a genuine smile while the talented Rita skillfully prepared one of the dishes at our table, showcasing her culinary artistry. Both Noah and Rita exuded a friendly charm that perfectly captured the atmosphere of this remarkable restaurant. We enjoyed a delightful meal, featuring a range of dishes that sparked our taste buds. I opted for the Ribeye, a cut I was eagerly anticipating, while my wife selected the Steak Diane, renowned for its distinctive preparation. The star of the dish was the sauce, masterfully crafted by Rita, who truly nailed the flavor balance. The presentation was elegant, enhancing the dining experience, and my wife savored every bite of her steak. She particularly relished the rich truffle butter that accompanied both her dish and mine, adding an indulgent depth to the meal. In contrast, my Ribeye was somewhat underwhelming. It lacked the tenderness I had expected, leaving me slightly disappointed. I can’t help but compare it to the exceptional steaks served at the Metropolitan Grill in Seattle, which are leagues above in quality. For dessert, we shared an unfortunately lackluster slice of New York cheesecake. Priced rather steeply, it turned out to be a tiny rectangular piece, measuring about 1 inch by 3 inches. Growing up in Brooklyn, I have a deep appreciation for authentic New York cheesecakes and have enjoyed many from Junior's, a legendary establishment founded by Harry Rosen in 1950. Sadly, this cheesecake failed to meet my expectations in both size and flavor, making it a disappointing end to what had been a lovely meal. Nevertheless, if you're looking to celebrate a special occasion, this restaurant has its charms and might still be worth a visit. It is worth mentioning that they charge a 20% service fee on top of the already high prices. I knew this going in but it was worth mentioning. Between the 10% tax and the 20% service fee you will spend a lot of Money. I also tipped above the alrady high service fee because the staff was great and we loved Naoh. Our total bill was $500.00

Great food and atmosphere, but everything is A' la cart, and the prices are excessively too high. I bought the cheapest stake on the menu and spent $61.00. Then, I had to spend $14.00 more for 5 asparagus spears. Like I said, the food tasted great, the people were very friendly and the atmosphere was nice. I don't think I will be going back there unless someone else goes with me and wants to pay. 🤣

tl;dr Food was extremely bland. I came in hungry and in a good mood and still didnt move me. Everything was over or under done - mushrooms needed more cooking and salt, crab legs were overcooked, scallop potatoes were under (crumbly/starchy), steak was a little on the medium side which is fine but it was virtually tasteless. Old fashioned tasted a bit off, like the ice was made w/tap water. Also the orange peel garnish had a ton of bitter pith on it. The only explanation i can think of is somehow our order had been marked to not salt too much? I was very shocked, given how well reviewed El Gaucho is. Nothing was bad enough to send back to the kitchen, it was just bland - it seemed like that's how it was supposed to be. Service was great, clearly they are well organized and taught thoroughly. Though some of the folks dropped crumbs and such when bringing our dishes. Best bite was the free garlic bread. Given the prices, I don't see a second chance being given here.

Unfortunately, I had the worst experience last night while dining at the Tacoma location. I normally frequent the Bellevue location and that is nothing but five stars every time we go. I ordered my steak medium. It came rare. I had to send it back. All they did was ruin the outside of it, and the inside was still raw when I cut into it at the table with the waiter he could see it was still raw and asked if I wanted for them to cook it some more I told him no, and he snatched my plate never brought me another one so I never got to eat last night while the rest of my party got to eat. I find out this morning. We were still charged for my meal. They had a plumbing problem With the bathrooms so we had to wait in a line up three flights of stairs. It was freezing in the restaurant I had to wear my Coat the entire time. Needless to say, I will not be back.