AQUA by El Gaucho

Best quality Angus beef steak, great ambiance, view was beautiful and service was excellent.

The food here is always top notch. Ingredients are undoubtedly fresh and how the flavors come together oh so amazing! Our server tonight was Mikiya, and he was the best server ever! So gracious and it definitely made the experience extra special. Portions were also bigger than expected, we’re leaving with a touch of food coma!

Pretty disappointed in this place. My girlfriend and I have been to the regular El gaucho and that is way better than aqua El gaucho.
It was her bday so I took her to aqua because we never had been there and was never disappointed in the original El gaucho. I ordered a steak and asked for med rare and it came and it was 100% untouched in the middle by any heat, I got a Caesar salad which barely had any taste at all. I personally think they put a thimble full of dressing on and the dressing in itself had no flavor. I ordered a shareable side for my gf and I and it was crab mac and cheese. When you think of crab mac and cheese you think of gooey decadent cheese but it was beyond dry. We didn’t even finish it. The only thing that was good was her scallops but let’s be honest scallops only take 2 min a side so not much to screw that up.
To make the night worse there were two little girls who looked to be about 6 y/​o were running around for an hour like we were in some cheap diner. They were running into servers and servers were just smiling back at them. They were hanging on the railing behind the guy playing piano bothering him so much that he ended up playing row row your boat on the piano. If I’m spending $ 150+ for food and an experience my gf and I don’t want to see kids running around the restaurant for an hour and hearing row row your boat on the piano.
Soooooo disappointed in this place. There was nothing good about our experience and it’s pretty sad. Sending that kind of money for food and an experience you would like a good memory to go back to but not with this place

Service is s little sketchy. Waited awhile for drinks to be ordered. Yummy crunchy bread with whipped butter topped with cavier. This is worth going back to or trying if you are in the mood for seafood and don’t mind paying a bit more for the location.

One of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a while.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and wrote a little note with my reservation about the special occasion. Every employee that was in our presence during the entire experience wished him a happy birthday, even wrote a personal card for him. The table was set up beautifully and the food and service was excellent. When they brought out dessert, the pianist subtly played happy birthday on the piano as the server walked it over to us. Even the valet left two nicely wrapped cookies for us in the car.
An amazing experience, and I would greatly recommend.

Valet parking was available, but we found street metered parking on the way. It was a very chilling walk to the restaurant. Very beautiful restaurant on the pier with a nice view. I did not enjoy the food which were overpriced! Started with the creamy seafood chowder — it wasn’t creamy at all, watery. Caesar salad was okay. I had the grilled Chilean seabass… which ended up being too salty for my palate. Other items ordered on our table were Jumbo Sea of Cortez Prawns stuffed with crab and shrimp which was just ok, but the seared sashimi garde ahi was cooked perfectly and delicious. Entrees were ala carte so we ordered sides — lobster mashed potatoes (too fishy) and crab mac and cheese — okay and sweet roasted yellow corn — had a kick to it — enjoyed this dish. They also had a kid’s menu — kids enjoyed their hamburgers (2 sliders) with french fries.
Note: it’s a good thing we bought giftcards from Costco.

Every year, on the Sunday after Christmas my family goes out for a nice dinner. This year we chose Aqua. I’ve never been to any El Goucho restaurant before, so i was very excited for my first experience here. I had heard so many amazing things about this restaurant so my expectations were high.
First impressions: Valet parking was quick and the attendants were prompt and friendly. As we walked into the door the smiley hostess greeted us and happily took our coats.
Atmosphere: The inside was beautifully decorated. Sparkly Christmas trees and romantic lighting. We were seated by the window with a nice view of Alki Beach across the water. Perfect place to see a ferry go by. The entire dining room was very open, temperature was perfect and comfortable.
Drinks: I ordered the pineapple martini. My husband and i had just returned from Hawaii and i was feeling nostalgic. It was delicious. Tropical and frothy, took me right back to the Island. Our Sommelier greeted us at the table and he helped my parents and husband chose the perfect wines to go with their dinner. He was very helpful, even provided us with little flashlights as the lights in the dining room dimmed a little. The wine went perfect with my families dishes, they were very happy.
Food: Ordered the creamy seafood chowder to start. It was incredible. I think i made quite a few «yummmm» noises as i ate this. It was perfectly seasoned and not too hot (which is a big one for me). I think without a doubt it was the best seafood shower i ever had. For dinner I ordered the Oven Crisped Chicken. It came with goat cheese and an dijon herb butter sauce. This chicken was to die for! Cooked perfectly, taste was absolutely divine. When i go out to eat, my go to is usually the chicken, and this dish outweighed them all. We also ordered a shareable side of asparagus, which complimented the chicken very well. I highly recommend.
Desert: Our family shared the large cookie sundae and a slice of the key lime pie. Both delicious and perfect sizes. The key lime pie was very refreshing and the cookie was a classic.
Service. Our hostess, waiter, sommelier and valet attendants all deserve a 10. When you go to a restaurant that has such a good reputation, you expect good service. The service here exceeded our expectations. You can tell when people enjoy their jobs and enjoy making customers happy, and these people did. They all paid close attention to detail and went the extra mile. The valet attendants even left a signature cookie in our car. Nice touch!
Final thoughts: Aqua by El Goucho does not disappoint. Its a wonderful dining experience that you will remember for years to come. The food is immaculate and the service is top notch. This place is perfect for a family celebration or an intimate dinner for two. Truly a Seattle gem.

I first went to this restaurant about 20 years ago when it first opened as Waterfront Seafood Grill under talented local chef Vicky McCaffree who went there from Yarrow Bay Grill in Kirkland. It was phenomenal! Simply one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. This was my first meal since it became Aqua by El Gaucho, sadly it’s not the same place I had such a fond memory of. It has become another overpriced, mediocre, unimaginative seafood/​steak restaurant.
The restaurant is attached to a parking lot but you have to valet park, and it isn’t even complimentary. After plunking down $ 400 for a meal, it’s a bit ridiculous to still have to pay $ 7 for valet parking.
The restaurant seems a lot smaller than I remembered it. The décor is still beautiful. The ambiance was okay, a lot of families, a bit loud but not RN74 loud. The service was okay. For such an expensive meal, I expected something a bit more personal and attentive.
We had steamed clams and calamari to start. Both were good but not great.
For entrees we had the Seared Ahi Tuna, which was again good but not great. The sauce tasted like it came out of a jar. The Stuffed Prawns were quite dry and the prawns were more like shrimps, quite small. The worst dish was the Seafood Stew. It arrived luke warm, you wonder if the canned coconut cream was even heated through. The dish had a handful of clams and muscles, a small piece of salmon, 1 piece of scallop, not even a shrimp, a small mound of white rice, a few taro chips for $ 36. Way overpriced. I wouldn’t be so annoyed if it was really good, but it wasn’t. Too much coconut cream and the lukewarm temperature was a turn off. The side of crab mac ‘n cheese was way too rich, too much butter.
The desserts were the high points. The bread pudding was a bit too sweet and rich for me, but tasty for others. The key lime pie was very good, not too sweet. The choc. ganache was quite delicious.
The final bill came out to almost $ 400 for 4 people and we didn’t even have steak, lobster or crab. Way overpriced for the quality of food. You can get much better seafood at Shuckers or Seastar in Bellevue for ¹⁄₃ to ¼ less. We won’t be coming back anytime soon.

Good bar service. Friendly, but not chatty Cathy’s. From what I read on Unilocal,I was surprised that it was filled with elderly men. There was also some type of party in a private room. The bar is quite large — I was surprised it wasn’t that busy. I had the fish tacos and the grilled fish was good, but difficult to taste on its own. Ended up using a fork on the 2^nd taco and not eating the tortilla — the flavors were much better. The bell peppers were a nice touch; overall the vegetables and fish were very fresh. The sauce was spicy but not complex; it seemed to drown out the dish a bit.

I came here to celebrate my belated birthday, and the service here is the absolute best! They were so attentive and thoughtful :) The staff members even wrote me a card, and they didn’t charge dessert. Food was pretty good too, but they’re dishes would always be served sort of warm/​cold rather than hot. I would still recommend the wicked shrimp, crab cakes though, steak, and chowder soup.
Don’t get the cookie sundae though. the cookie was dry and rock hard… Go for the bread pudding instead.
I’d say this place is great for celebrations because of the service. They pamper you way more than El Gaucho in bellevue and John Howie steak house. In terms of food, i thought it was pretty good, but not thaaat amazing.

It’s tough to definitively say that there is a best seafood restaurant in Seattle, but if someone were to put me on the spot, I would say that Aqua by El Gaucho takes the title. The entire experience from the incomparable view of the water to the dining room piano player and finally to the food is top notch. As you enter El Gaucho, you’re serenaded by the sounds of live piano that unobtrusively fill the spacious dining room. The music provides an inviting feeling that allows you to sit for hours while you enjoy the meal. Similar to its relative, El Gaucho, Aqua has this classic feel that is befitting of Don Draper & company.
To start off, you need to try the Ahi Tuna Tartare, pancetta wrapped prawns, and since you’re in the PNW, add some oysters on the half shell and the Dungeness crab cakes. The main courses I’ve tried (this isn’t a one and done kind of place) were the grilled Chilean Sea Bass, the plancha seared scallops, and the seared tuna. Regardless of what you get, you’ll be more than satisfied.
Come prepared to spend $ 100 on dinner.

Absolutely enjoyed Aqua. Everything we ordered tasted great and the service was wonderful. For a Saturday night it was not busy so we never felt rushed and could truly enjoy the whole experience from start to finish. The reason for 4 starts versus 5, is because I think the service for valet could use some improvement. The service there does not reflect what the restaurant has to offer. However, come and you won’t be disappointed.

I went to AQUA by El Gaucho for Seattle Restaurant Week a few days ago, and it did not disappoint.
My lady friends and I arrived around 5:30 PM, and the restaurant did not have many patrons at that point. We sat in the spacious lounge area and had a drink while we waited for a friend to show up. The bartender was very attentive and ensured our water glasses always stayed full.
The Caesar salad, for me, left a lot to be desired. Not much flavor, at all. This salad normally costs $ 11. For the amount, the quality leaves a lot to be desired.
The entrée of choice for me was the steelhead, which came in a large portion and was cooked absolute perfection. No side dish accompanied the steelhead, so I ordered the black truffle macaroni and cheese fir an additional $ 5. It was good, but nothing special.
The star of the show was the pumpkin spice cheesecake. So, so good!
Summary: I thought the service was top notch, and the food overall, was very good. I would probably go back to AQUA by El Gaucho, but maybe not outside of Seattle Restaurant Week.

Enjoyed my experience from start to finish. The staff is very professional, courteous, and friendly. With our reservation, it didn’t take long to be seated just a few minutes. I had requested a table for the window since we wanted a view of Eliiot bay. They had no problem accommodating this for us. It was also my wife’s birthday and they had a birthday card for get from the staff along with flower petals on the table to enhance the table setting. We ordered calamari for an appetizer which was very delicious and a start to our meal. Following that was my main entrée with scallops over risotto. Quite honestly the best scallops I probably have ever had from a restaurant. We finished with the bread pudding topped with ice cream. It was free since it was my wife’s birthday, but the plating and «happy birthday» written in chocolate drizzle was very well done. All of our dishes were excellent!
Highly recommend anyone to try this place especially for special occasions!

I came in here with my mom. It’s definitely a classy restaurant with a gorgeous view, that must is a given. The service was pretty good; I just didn’t think the food was five-​star quality.
We obviously had to order seafood. To start, I had a squash salad with goat cheese, pumpkin seeds and dried cherries. The Goat cheese + butternut squash combo works really well since goat cheese is so creamy and the squash is sweet. The dried cherries add a bit of a tart flavor and the pumpkin seedsd give the salad a needed crunch. My mom got the butternut squash soup — it was very rich and creamy, almost too rich for our tastebuds. For entrees, I then ordered the salmon and mom got the seabass. The fish were both delicious; however, I think my salmon could have been flavored better. There was a lemon butter under it but it really wasn’t tasteful, surprisingly. The squash risotto was very delicious as well and is a side I would recommend.
All in all, great view and great service, but wish the food was a little higher quality.

Wanted an great steak and seafood and took the recommendation of another server at Ettas Oyster house, to say the least we were not disappointed.
Was a bit worried about the dress code as I was with a friend and we had been out seeing the sights all day and were hardly dressed for dinner, but called and they said come in however you feel comfortable. We were not slovenly dressed but were in jeans and were made to feel at home.
Isaiah our server was awesome. Very attentive without being pushy. We told him what we were after and he made some wonderful recommendations.
We split a Caesar salad, (they split if for us on two plates we did not have to get messy and we each got a parmesan crostini). The dressing was average but still good.
We also got the steak and lobster, the smaller portion with a bernaise sauce and a side of Mac and Cheese. The steak and lobster were both well prepared, and the steak melted in your mouth. The Mac and Cheese was gooey and cheesy and they used a different style of pasta. (more upscale not your standard noodle).
We told Isaiah we were full and we ordered expressos for dessert, but he insisted we must get the best dessert in Seattle. Baileys Chocolate Carmel Bread Pudding. Damn if it was not the best dessert I think I have ever had. The Carmel was so good I had to refrain from licking the plate.
Overall great view, great service and Great Food. Be prepared to bring your wallet topped off, as it is pricey but well worth it. The best meal I had on my Vacation to Seattle.

My husband and I came here as part of my birthday celebration. It was our first birthday dinner as a married couple and my husband wanted to make this day perfect for me.
Unfortunately there was a mishap in the kitchen where I found a string of hair in my appetizer. I immediately let my server know — he sincerely apologized also letting us know that he’ll be bringing out a fresh plate and rushed back into the kitchen. Too bad that by the time the new appetizer came out, our main entrée was ready to be served along with our sides. If you ask me, this defeats the purpose of getting an appetizer.
Overall, I’d say the atmosphere, view, and service is generally top tier (really liked my server). Just left a bit disappointed that the hair in our food ruined our appetite for our special day. Oh, and if anyone is curious, appetizer was charged on our final bill considering we hardly touched the dish. For the party of two, I’d say the bill totaled out to be around $ 270 ish and valet parking is $ 7.00.
On a side note: caramel bread pudding was amazing regardless.

I have been to El Gaucho in the past and loved it. I was anxious to try their seafood restaurant, Aqua. Right on Pier 70, the restaurant has outdoor and indoor dining. We sat outside to an amazing sunset!
Aqua is amazing. The service is top notch. Our waiter was fabulous. He chose phenomenal wines and made great recommendations for dinner. Our son was with us, and he treated him like royalty!
Meals are delivered by an entourage of wait staff so everyone gets their meal at the same time. Such an amazing touch that you rarely see at restaurants these days.
I had the ahi tuna while my husband had the king salmon. My son opted for fish and chips which he said were the best ever.
Dessert came as a recommendation from our waiter-​Carmel bread pudding. Wow is all I can say.
The restaurant provides complimentary shuttle service to and from downtown hotels.
I was so impressed by Aqua. It was just perfect. Be sure to put it on your list when visiting Seattle.

Oh man I really really wanted to love this place… but was left feeling slightly disappointed. I went here with my boyfriend to celebrate a special occasion since it seemed like a fancy restaurant. Yes, the location and restaurant inside was beautiful with the waterfront views. And yes the service was amazing and attentive. The food? It was a hit or miss. I was expecting to be amazed by the food, considering how expensive it was. But I am not quite sure if it was worth the price.
We had the salmon tartare to start out as an appetizer. It was on the specials menu and was recommended by our waiter, so we decided to try it. The fish was extremely fresh, but I realized I do not like the texture of salmon being cut into squishy small pieces. I’d rather just eat it sliced sashimi style. Nothing wrong with the dish, but it wasn’t my favorite way to eat fish.
For the main course, we split the seafood bacchanallia (which is meant for 2), since we wanted to sample a variety of seafood. The platter was huge! It had lobster tails, prawns, scallops, king crab, salmon and for sides: asparagus and mashed potatoes. Our absolute favorite was the king crab — it was so juicy and sweet! Everything else was alright. The rest of the seafood was cooked perfectly (except for the scallops — they were a bit rubbery), but it was all VERY bland and nothing special. I had to add extra salt/​pepper on all of it to add some flavor to the food.
The star of the night was definitely dessert. We had the bread pudding with ice cream and it was absolutely delicious. The bread pudding was caramelized on the outside and warm, which paired wonderfully with the vanilla ice cream. My boyfriend usually doesn’t like desserts, but he loved this.
All in all, some dishes were really good, others not so much. I think I will still come back here for their happy hour, so I can save some money and be able to try their other dishes.

Atmosphere: Large open dining area. Tall windows all along the waterside. The seats are bulky and heavy to move so can be awkward. Lots of natural light and unique color palate. A live pianist accompanied tonight’s dinner (Friday).
Service: Very attentive! Water never went dry. Both plates presented hot and simultaneously. Very lovely attitudes and knowledgable.
Free Table Bread: Great! Severed warm, sliced baguette, a creamed white sweet butter with Himalayan sea salt sprinkles on top.
8 oz Filet Mignon: Good. It’s not 8 oz for thickness but for breadth. It has a very tasty crust — not too salty. Not served with a jü but has lovely natural grilled flavor with some kind of seasoning that’s light and doesn’t steal the show but compliments it. The mushroom cap was lovely but I rather not have the texture mixed with my steak. The temp was piping hot and fresh.
Baileys Caramel Bread Pudding: Amazing! Easily could be their signature dessert. The texture, temperature and flavor balance is fantastic. Not too sweet if you go easy on the caramel sauce. Comes with ice cream on top. I can’t say much besides — order this!