Wife and I went to El Gaucho in Vancouver Wa, for our 34th anniversary. When we arrived, there were rose petals on the table, and a Happy Anniversary card. They began with a complimentary glass of champaign. As we continued, I had a Blanton's Old Fashioned, she had a glass of Rombauer Chardonnay. We had tableside Caesar Salad, probably the best we've ever had. For the entre we each had, Steak El Gaucho, 8 oz filet, with lobster medallion, asparagus, and béarnaise. I like mine rare, she medium rare and they were both prepared perfectly, plus a side of sauteed mushrooms. We were both stuffed but eyed the tableside Banana's Foster. It was for two but our server offered to make half an order so we could each sample the goodness. The service was excellent; the tableside preparation was showmanship quality. Our check was $363 and we tipped him $100 for outstanding service. We don't normally dine like that but as our 34th, we lived it up with Blanton's, Rombauer, filet, sides and Banana's Foster. Yes, it was expensive but we know where we'll be for our 35th. read more

El Gaucho already charges premium prices, so adding a mandatory 20% service fee that does not go directly to the servers feels deeply unethical. Most customers naturally assume a charge of that size is a gratuity for the staff who provided the service. Structuring it otherwise creates a misleading impression and lacks the transparency I expect from a high-end restaurant. I have no issue paying for excellent food, service, or even higher menu prices. What I object to is a pricing practice that appears designed to make customers believe they are rewarding the servers when they are not. Trust is a critical part of any fine dining experience, and this policy has completely eroded mine. Because of it, I will never return to El Gaucho. read more

We went to El Gaucho in Vancouver for their special Mother's Day brunch. Since they normally don't open during the daytime, we were excited to try it and expected a premium experience given the price point. Unfortunately, it was a major disappointment. We arrived right at 12 p.m., and many buffet items were already empty or close to empty -- smoked salmon, oysters, salad plates, and several other dishes. We waited thinking the food would be quickly replenished, but restocking was consistently slow throughout the entire meal. Even after multiple reminders, they would only bring out very small amounts at a time despite long lines of guests waiting. To their credit, the ambiance was nice. The Mother's Day decorations, live music, and small bracelet gift were thoughtful touches. However, the food quality and service simply did not justify the cost. At $100 per person plus service fees (close to $600 total excluding tips for our group of four), we expected a much more organized and well-stocked brunch experience. The most surprising part was that a steakhouse buffet didn't even include steak. Sadly, this experience made us question whether we'd return for their regular dining service. read more

Its rare that I am in this area, but needed to get some sides for dinner, so stopped by here as it was the closest place offering what Iam looking for. I ordered the mashed potatoes, corn, and scalloped potatoes for take out from the bar area. I liked that there was a seat at the bar too wait at and also have a cocktail. The bartender was nice and busy the whole time making cocktails. It did take a bit longer than I thought to get the food, but I made the most of it by relaxing at the bar area. The sides were good and I did like that they included some of their garlic bread, which is one of my favorites. read more

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Took our son here to celebrate his birthday and had an amazing experience. Service, food and ambiance was impeccable. Only drawback was the cost but you have to pay for what you get read more

My first visit to El Gaucho was a great experience. We were seated at a riverview table but it was too dark outside to enjoy the view, and the privacy curtain further blocked what little scenery might have been visible. The personalized details were a nice touch: a special menu, scattered flower petals, and a card signed by the staff. However, unlike other locations, the names seemed to be printed or stickers rather than handwritten. I was excited to take home the custom menu as a keepsake, but a waiter spilled water and wine on it while pouring drinks, and they couldn't provide a replacement. Taste aside, the tableside presentations were definitely entertaining. The Caesar salad came with a five-minute show and was also the best Caesar salad I've ever had. We then had the traditional Chateaubriand for two, which also came with a show. Tenderloin isn't my favorite cut, but it was still good, not as good as their ribeye. We wrapped up the night with Bananas Foster as dessert, mainly for the show. While the flaming presentation was fun to watch, I knew I wouldn't like the dessert the moment I saw the server dump a deadly amount of brown sugar into the pan. As expected, it was way too sweet and we didn't finish it. Convenient parking in a new garage just two blocks away. Restrooms are in the common area shared with other businesses. While the diminishing return was real, I had an amazing experience as a first-timer and became a fan of El Gaucho. read more

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We were there for a meeting: 1. Free Valet Parking. Recommended! Handsome devil! Prompt! 2. Free Dinner. Meals pre-ordered. Choices: excellent, pleasing! 3. Customer Service. Very Friendly! 4. Food. They were all excellent! Packaged leftover, fit neatly inside a paper handle bag! :) Portions, perfect, too! 5. Restroom: Sadly, none of us need to go there, so can't say anything about that. Other than that, here are the photos of that evening. Enjoy! Thank you, it was a bonus birthday party for me. ;) read more

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I took my mother here for a special birthday dinner in late May 2025 close to June. I joined their Revelers rewards club program a few years ago which is free online. The program includes complimentary wine tasting in Walla Walla at their winery and special offers throughout the year at El Gaucho and their restaurants and lounges in Oregon and Washington. It's a very fancy dining experience which is a bit pricey, so every year I didn't go, but was intrigued. This year the Revelers program sent me a special for $50 off if you spent $100 or more for dinner. That seemed like a pretty good deal. We had just had a super bad experience at another restaurant in Tigard (Kona Grille) so we weren't sure if things would work out spontaneously. I called El Gaucho and they told me they could get me a table for two for an early dinner experience. When we arrived we lucked out to get free street parking close by on the weekend. This was a blessing since the area was busy with people. Our table was decked out with rose petals and special birthday menus. We had the table side Caesar Salads and got a wonderful show. It reminded me of the special dining experiences a person might get at a high end cruise. The servers were all professional and old school with their fancy tuxedo uniforms. It was fun seeing them prepare meat at the other tables close by. The restaurant got busy with lots of people celebrating special occasions. They laminated my mother's menu and let her keep it as a keepsake. We ate so much food - we felt like we were going to have a heart attacks at the end. Definitely pace yourself and enjoy the full experience. They even gave us a complimentary fruit and cheese platter for dessert. I will definitely come back here. Revelers Club sent me the same offer again for July 2025. I may have to try their sister rooftop lounge Witness Tree next time. I hope to go back again soon but am thankful that they have a rewards and offer program for people on a budget like me. read more

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Service is exceptional. Food is always perfect. Refined and lively ambience. Highly recommended.

The experience at this location was awful! Service was good but we were a party of 5 and waited over an hour for our main entrees. When our meal arrived the steaks were overcooked! Quality was terrible for a tab that came to $800. Never again! read more

Amazing Experience in every way! Been frequenters of the Portland location for years, so happy to have a location so close to home! My children absolutely love it here, and I was surprised how child friendly El Gaucho is! From the staffs special attention to detail and entertainment. To the "special box" they receive with various toys and games that keeps them entertained without the need of any electronics. And then there is the menu a child menu with a beautiful steak along with other things available. And my children live on steak! And then on date nights, where my wife and I choose El Gaucho, to be able to start off the night upstairs at Witness Tree or even to end our meal up there with the amazing view of the Columbia and the even more amazing custom bartender creations made personally for us. We absolutely love it! read more

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Our #1 favorite place to go. Outstanding in every way. They also make you feel very special! read more

El Gaucho Vancouver - Steakhouses Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

As always, the cocktails and food were delicious. The servers were prompt and courteous. We'll be back; thank you for a wonderful evening! read more

El Gaucho Vancouver - Steakhouses Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Another wonderful experience spending our anniversary dinner here at El Goucho. They greeted us with a glass of champagne and an amuse bouche of octopus over potato drizzled with chimichurri as we looked over our specially made menus. We started with Wicked Shrimp appetizer and cocktails, next they brought out the wedge salads. Then followed by the sides and main event "The Filet El Goucho". Topped with a lovely Béarnaise sauce topped with medallions of lobster and asparagus spears. The steak was perfectly cooked to temperature of your liking. After dinner they brought out a charcuterie plate which we were so full by this point but saved a few bites for dessert. The charcuterie would best at the beginning when you are looking over the menu before starters. Everything is timed perfectly and the experience is divine. They really know how to take care of you here at El Goucho. We already made reservations for mid August to come back with friends. read more

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We had a fantastic experience at this restaurant! The service was top-notch, and everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful. We celebrated my son's birthday there, and despite the restaurant being quite busy, we felt well taken care of throughout the entire meal. read more

Phenomenal experience and service last night. Our server was amazing a d when I noticed that Cherries Jubilee was no longer on the dessert menu, he took it upon himself to ask if it could be prepared anyways. He went above and beyond in making sure everyone was taken care of throughout the entire meal. The food was fantastic, as usual. We had the filet mignon Oscar style, King crab legs, baseball cut sirloin, crab mac & cheese, and sautéed mushrooms. Everything was prepared perfectly and to order. The ambience was the only thing lacking. I usually go to the Portland location, which has an elegant old school mafia vibe downtown. However, I live in Washington, so the waterfront location is much closer. The restaurant was super loud. I also found myself missing the darker low light vibe and the leather booths. Overall amazing meal, and definitely recommend El Gaucho wherever you find one. read more

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Beautiful restaurant with a nice esthetic. Good for small or large groups with service one would expect from fine dining. Here were thr items we tried - Toast with cheese and tomato - a little soggy - Marinated chicken skewers were good - Cesar salad was a bit over dressed but croutons were crunchy - filet mignon that was tasty but very undercooked for request of medium - mashed potatoes were smooth - zuccini squash was decent If you're looking to go somewhere nice with good service and have a beautiful waterfront walk after your meal, this is the place for you. read more

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. read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

El Gaucho Vancouver - Plain cheesecake - Steakhouses Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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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. read more

El Gaucho Vancouver - 6 oz. Filet Mignon - Steakhouses Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Absolutely excellent dinner, service, ambience. Restaurant is absolutely beautiful. Our server Daniel was amazing.

My party sat in Sprague's section. Sprague did an awesome job and adapted to our table engaging in conversations. He did a phenomenal with checking on us without having to call on him. He also did a stellar job with the caesar salad! The entire wait staff did an excellent job as well. read more

What a wonderful foodie experience! The server was very knowledgeable about the steak cooking process and the history of the restaurant. It just added to the lore of the experience. And the steaks were uniquely crisp on the outside with no juice leaking from the meat. Truly a touch of class! read more

El Gaucho Vancouver - Key Lime Pie - Steakhouses Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

WOW - what an experience! This place feels like a snapshot of back in time classic Steakhouse with super attentive service. This place goes above and beyond with level of attention - from the coat check, to learning and using our names, all the way to the rewards program. We felt like we were out of our league! The food was incredible. The steak was clearly high quality but we wished it would have had a bit more of a spice / rub - BUT can totally understand that they went more classic to let the steak shine. The pork belly and mashed potatoes were heavenly! The ambience was great - dimly lit and very classic. I would say because of the cost this will be a special event type place - but the cost is well worth it! read more

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Food, service, atmosphere all were an amazing experience! We have dined at El Gaucho before and we will be back!

Don't go! Cold food took literally hours to get. Nobody's steak was cooked as ordered!!! A couple of people didn't even get their steaks until everyone else was finished. So they had them boxed up to go. Honestly, you could get better meals at a fast food place! On top of that they charge a 20% fee on top of the very expensive meals. Certainly not warranted! Don't go! read more

Very friendly knowledgeable staff, made our visit very enjoyable. We celebrated our anniversary and the staff were right on point with our celebration. read more

Our server Jen, was outstanding. It was our first time visiting your establishment and we could not have been more impressed. The food was fantastic and the service impeccable. We will absolutely be back. Thank you for making our anniversary celebration special. read more

We went last night for their special Valentine's Day weekend. They are normally closed on Sunday but opened to accommodate those that were not able to celebrate on Friday. They even offered to have roses at the table when I made the reservation. We had the duck confit and table side Caesar as starters. Both were amazing. We had the table side Châteaubriand as our main and it was fantastic as well. We finished with the bananas foster. It was excellent. We enjoyed the attentive but relaxed service where we did not feel rushed at all. There was a gentlemen in the bar area playing a guitar for most of our visit. The 20% service charge was explained multiple times and our server went out of his way to explain that no other gratuity was expected. We did extra anyway. Highly recommend for a date night or other special occasion. read more

The food is perfectly cooked and very tasty. The service is great. I love the ambiance and each staff member dressed to impress.

I cannot stop saying great things about this place! We had a reservation on Valentine's Day and there were different custom packages for the table. There's a free coat check, and the ambiance was very romantic. The food tasted absolutely divine and the service was great. It's also connected to the hotel so we were able to walk from our room to the restaurant without leaving the building. Super convenient! read more

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Service is top notch and flaming banana dessert is delicious! Location is nice but I still the Seattle location. read more

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Gabrielle and Steven were awesome. I did miss Gabrielle's explanation of being a mutt. The staff who came to our table were very helpful and kept our water glasses filled. My friend Terry was unable to finish his meal due to the meat having too much gristle. That was the lone blemish on my anniversary dinner. Thank you. read more

Went for our anniversary and it was terrific all around; food ambience and service all outstanding. There on a Tuesday night, not super busy, about half full. We did the Chateaubriand for two and it was excellent with baked potatoes and asparagus, all cooked perfectly. Staff was just the right amount of friendly. Expensive for sure, we spent $350 for two including a bottle of wine, but more value here than most other high end restaurants I've been to in the Portland area. read more

Simply the best! My wife and I love this place, actually my whole family enjoys it!(Parents, Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts, etc.) Never, though had we ever thought of taking our three young boys in with us. Always was reserved for date nights, spur of the moment's and business meetings. Yet we were shocked by just how child friendly El Gaucho actually is, and now my children want nothing more... Got to the waterfront and called a couple of places to put in a reservation, yet everywhere had longer wait times, plus parking was scarce. So jokingly I mentioned the valet at Hotel Indigo and my wife and my favorite restaurant El Gaucho and she shrugged, so me being me took that as an "ok"... we arrived and were immediately sat and the host staff remembered us by name, this is a huge thing, since my wife and I too used to work in the restaurant industry. Then the brilliant way to keep children's attention in a classy and elegant place, with a box of carefully planned "random" items in a gold shiny box to captivate their attention, and the food. Their very own filet mignon perfectly prepared steak. Not to mention the staff and amazing table side presentation. Always a pleasure to see our favorite people over there like Martin. The staff always goes above and beyond any expectations. Just hands down truly another amazing experience. read more

El Gaucho Vancouver - Box of goodies - Steakhouses Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Order: filet mignon 4 oz, Dungeness crab cakes, & lobster mash potatoes Pros: the food for the most part was seasoned well! The 4oz filet mignon was really good medium well. The Dungeness crab cakes tasted well like crab ha ha ha! The wine was really good and paired well with the steak. The service was really great! The atmosphere was elegant. Dim lit lights with smooth jazz playing. If you're not careful you'll get itis! Cons: slightly salty lobster potatoes. I also wished they had smaller portions. This plate of potato can feed 4-5 people easily. Also, there's not a lot of lobster. However, you do get a lot of sauce. read more

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11 Year Anniversary - well spent at El Gaucho. Hola y bienvenido to the Vancouver Waterfront, we're happy to have you. I absolutely love the ambiance and aesthetic. Old Hollywood esque' - and if you've seen You People on Netflix (go watch it if you haven't) I mean the upmost respect! When you arrive - they have a complimentary coat check and hostesses awaiting your arrival. We sat in a table on the right side and ordered there spin on a Cadillac Margarita and French 75. Delicious! The El Gaucho house bread - for the love of all that's holy; perfect! Buttery, garlicky and moldy cheesy. The Cesar Salad is prepared fresh at the table side. I would have preferred a few more croutons and perhaps thick shaved Parmesan would hit different and a bit better. Still very refreshing! The Street Corn is cooked in a butter and a must! Same with the lobster mashed potatoes. Yum! The Shrimp and Lobster Cocktail was mixed for me. VERY fresh seafood but I didn't love the salsa cocktail sauce. Plus, deff need atleast 3 times the amount to properly indulge. The Bone In Ribeye is also exceptional and was cooked perfectly. I wish they had creamy horseradish! Only knock is how far the bathroom is from the dining area. Out in the hotel lobby. Only thing that didn't seem premium. Will be back! read more

El Gaucho Vancouver - Steakhouses Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

The El Gaucho Vancouver location was a serious disappointment...I'm not sure how anyone would think this is a fine dining experience. LOL. First my husband and I were seated at a table that was crammed in the middle of the restaurant. It was uncomfortable and we had waiters brushing up behind us constantly while we were there. We ordered the food wedge salad, crab cakes, a couple of steaks, and asparagus. The salad was still watery from the lettuce being washed and the dressing was runny. They have really cheapened their ingredients...The bacon the Portland location used to use was thick almost like a thick cut pancetta. The crab cakes are not as good as they used to be...not nearly as dense and flavorful as I remember. Between the table being a chaotic place to sit and the poor quality of the food we just wanted to leave so we took our ribeye and medallion filets to go. The ribeye and medallions were mediocre. I ended up giving half my meal to my dog...The side of asparagus we got was gross. Again the quality of their ingredients have gone down hill. For a $300-$400 dollar meal it was poor quality. We won't be back. read more

El Gaucho Vancouver - Medallion fillets Oscar style, Asparagus, and Bone in Ribeye - Steakhouses Near Me - Vancouver, Washington