El Gaucho Vancouver

Impeccable service. Enjoyable dining experience. Only peeve, they charge an automatic 20% gratuity. No issue with that in itself, but the statement from the server bugs the hell out of me. "Full disclosure, we charge 20% gratuity." Saying full disclosure already makes it sound like they've done something shady. He then says, "Only a portion of this goes to your server, (points at himself) so the gratuity line is still open." First. No. Second, refer to first. Third, having been a server in fine dining, (or any restaurant) I've never worked where I didn't have to tip out to the kitchen, bar, and hostess. Sneaky and it took an elevated experience down to cringe. it was almost car salesman-y in that deceptive line. I actually want to go back (partly because I still like the place) but to state that at the end of that gratuity speech to watch them squirm. It feels like the server brought over a tip jar. 20% is a great tip especially with a higher end restaurant. Did I tip him an extra $10? Yes. Will that go to him entirely? Absofuckinglutely not. I'm all about being paid a fair wage and discontinuing tipping altogether anyway. But maybe the restaurant should raise (their already expensive) prices and give that 20% themselves and not place that on the customer. It was an unnecessary pressure at the end of a nice experience and a sneaky ploy to get more than a 20% tip.

Made a reservation for a Friday evening to celebrate my MIL retirement. Small group of 6, we were seated in their private little room for groups. We were there for about 15 mins, just water no menus. Our waiter came around to get our drinks orders but still no menus in hand. In a way I felt pressured just to order a Moscow mule just to have a drink considering it would be quite a wait to get our waiter to come back to get our food orders. Eventually the hostess provided menus. Our waiter was kind and attentive when he could be. I ordered the beet salad, the pork belly, crab Mac and cheese. My husband ordered the New York steak (med rear +), the Halibut was ordered by my MIL. The beet salad was refreshing, decent portion for one person, very filling. Pork belly was good! Tasted great with gnocchi. Crab Mac and cheese was ok. I've had better. The steak was presented very awkwardly. Huge plate for a small 8oz steak. No garnish or even a sauce for to pair. Just weird when you receive it, you expected more. I tried the Halibut and both my husband and MIL said it was ok. Nothing great about it. The service wasn't great, the gaps in between were too long. Our reservation was at 6:30 pm(which we arrive on time but one person) and we didn't leave until 10:00pm. Overall, this place is overhyped. The service was mid. Food was ok for what it was. You're paying for the experience which lacked, I was hoping for more. I probably won't be back. There's other fine dining restaurants near by that I'll go back to. Such a letdown.

We were very excited to try another El Gaucho. It is in a new revitalized area and it is gorgeous. The restaurant happens to be in our hotel. Reservations were easy as we booked the day before for dinner. We got a call about patio seating as it was their first time opening it and it was a beautiful day out but hot. We tried it and loved it. You do lose the ambience of the restaurant though. Everything we ordered was on par and the bartender did a great job mixing mocktails. We had wicked shrimp, beet salad, wedge salad, lobster tails, halibut, and a shareable side of mash potatoes. I would recommend this one. If you would like to enjoy after drinks they have a rooftop bar called the Witness tree.

I came here for my one-year anniversary dinner and had an amazing time. Located on the Vancouver waterfront, the location is already amazing and you can go for a nice stroll before or after your meal. The inside of the establishment is spacious, with plenty of seating, and dimly lit for a romantic dinner. As we came for our anniversary, they had already prepared a table with roses and decor for us. Service throughout the night went above and beyond to make the occasion special, and I would come back just for it again.Starting our meal was their complimentary garlic bread, which was mouth-watering delicious and I could've had it for dinner alone. For our appetizers we got the calamari, Dungeness crab cakes, and wedge salad and we got the bone-in rib eye for our entree to share. Overall, the appetizers were alright. Definitely good, but nothing that stood out in particular. The calamari wasn't very crispy and the wedge salad had too much dressing for me (but! these are all personal preferences). Out of the three, I would recommend the crab cakes! The steak was great and our waiter was amazing to cut our steak to share. After our entree, they offered complimentary bites that resembled a charcuterie board and a complimentary dessert (we got key lime pie) that was delicious. Overall, I would still love to come back because the service was absolutely amazing and the ambiance was perfect.

Class and elegance here! Everything was very well done. Rib eye steak is cut at the table (they cut out the bone and give it to you ). Side of Asparagus was delicately crispy and fresh. Beet salad was very good, loved the chèvre and shaved Parmesan on it, rounded out the tartness of the acidic dressing. After dinner they give you a complimentary cheese/grape and cracker plate. Did you know...Red grapes are the best color for you! Good nutrients in the skin. Also ordered the three prawns add on. They were nicely grilled and meaty. Dessert--vanilla panna cotta was light and delicious, just a little in the small side. Waiter was attentive. Great place for a special dinner out!

An updated review from our amazing experience 2 years ago... We've had the privilege and pleasure of dining in New York Steakhouses & Underwater Restaurants in The Maldives but the experience at El Gaucho Vancouver has ranked in our top fine dining experience and let me tell you why... The immaculate attention to detail and the passion to deliver a World class experience to their diners is top notch. For example; we mentioned in the reservation notes that it was my birthday and they printed off a happy birthday on top of their menu... we mentioned we are celebrating the anticipated arrival of our first child in one month and we were met with a El Gaucho logo printed onesies. The gesture was enough to move my wife & I to tears. We've had the pleasure of being served by Mindy both times and she's incredible in creating a nice & relaxed atmosphere with carefully crafted recommendations. It truly felt as if we were hosted in an old friends house. Thank you, Mindy. You're incredible!And finally... the food was crafted and cooked to perfection! The seafood tower was carefully crafted with a perfect selection of different seafood and an amazingly crafted cocktail sauce. The crab bisque warmed our stomach. The medium on the El Gaucho filet mignon was the perfect temp and amount of juiciness!Thank you El Gaucho! We can't wait to come back with the newest addition to the family!

We've been to this location and had a pleasant happy hour, so we decided to give it a go for a proper dinner.As others have noted parking, especially on sunny days, can be extremely tricky around here. The service was pretty on point, and appreciated that they gave us a cozy two person booth accented with rose petals around Valentine's Day.The steak was cooked to spec, and the mashed potatoes were plentiful (very much appreciated for the price of a meal here), and the beverage options were well paired.For the quality of food, you're definitely paying a premium for being at the waterfront and the Gaucho name. It's further exacerbated with the added service fee. Despite being a member of their loyalty program with at least $85 worth of credit to use towards the meal it was still a bit overpriced. Will we be back? Sure for happy hour, dinner is just not worth the price for us.

It was my first time dining there. The restaurant was definitely crowded on a Tuesday night. It was a good sign. The interior of the restaurant is pretty dark but the table settings are quite open.I had a fresh green salad, salmon with mashed potato and a slice of plain cheesecake. All were very delicious.

Went on a Tuesday night and remarkably, this place was still pretty busy. This place has a reputation for pretty good steaks and my filet did not disappoint. We also tried the fish (salmon) which was good but fairly standard.So why the meh score? Two things: with entrees averaging $65, plus double that if you want a salad, apps, dessert, tip, tax, etc. I'd want an unforgettable meal but the food was not that dissimilar to what I've had at chain steakhouses (e.g., Outback, Texas Roadhouse, etc.).So the jacked up prices are for service (pretty decent) and atmosphere (dark and unexpectedly loud). Dim is romantic, but loud is not romantic. If you like lots of waitstaff at your beck and call, and you're OK paying for it, this place is for you.Also, like Portland's South Waterfront, parking in Vancouver's Waterfront area can be a challenge (to find an open street space on weekends & evenings) and is a meter feeder M-F 8A- 6P.

This review is for the private dining experience at [Steakhouse Name]. As a pescatarian who usually avoids steakhouses entirely, I wasn't exactly thrilled with the venue for a work event. However, my vegetarian host assured me there would be options, and she wasn't kidding! (While I was initially a bit bewildered by a vegetarian choosing a steakhouse, I didn't pry!)The private dining room was comfortable and perfect for our meeting. The staff truly impressed me. They were attentive without being intrusive, perfectly timed in their service during presentations.I was delighted with the three entree choices, especially the Lobster Risotto. Unlike many similar dishes, this one wasn't shy on the lobster - it practically came with a whole one on top!But the real star of the show? The Key Lime Pie! Sadly, most of us were too full to finish it there. Luckily, the staff noticed and quickly offered to-go boxes for everyone. A bite or two later (which I generously shared with my husband - I deserve the wife of the year for that), I can confidently say this was the best Key Lime Pie I've ever had. It was divine - a perfect combination of tangy lime filling on a toasted marshmallow cream base with a yummy cookie crust.Highly Recommend (Even for Pescatarians!)Now that I know El Gaucho offers more than just steak, I wouldn't hesitate to return and try their other options on my own. Highly recommend for a delicious meal and fantastic service, even if you're not a meat eater!P.S. Still slightly regretting sharing that Key Lime Pie...