By Stephanie Mee | July 19, 2025
If you’re from the Northwest and a fan of steakhouses, there’s a good chance you’ve been to El Gaucho. The original was a fine dining steakhouse in downtown Seattle that operated from 1953 to 1985. In 1996, former manager Paul MacKay opened another El Gaucho to carry on the restaurant’s legacy, and now there are locations in multiple cities, including Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Vancouver, and Portland. Each offers old-school steakhouse vibes with candlelit dining rooms and tableside service.
There are several appetizers, soups, and salads to kick off your steak dinner at El Gaucho, but for many, the Caesar salad is an absolute must. It’s prepared right at your table in a portion that’s big enough to feed two. Part of the fun is watching your server whip up the dressing, which features freshly cracked black pepper, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire. Then a fresh egg yolk is whisked in along with lemon juice and olive oil. That gets tossed with romaine, Pecorino Romano cheese, and croutons and then topped with Parmesan Reggiano cheese.
Diners love the interactive experience you get with El Gaucho’s Caesar. As one Yelp reviewer said, “The table side Caesar salad wasn’t just a gimmick, they explained the history of it, showed us how they made the dressing and it was amazing.” Guests also love that the lettuce is crisp and fresh and that the dressing is ultra-flavorful. Some go as far to say it’s the best Caesar salad you’ll ever eat.
