El Gaucho Has Opened a Massive Steakhouse in the New Vancouver Waterfront Development

You can expect all of the old school details, like live Spanish guitar music, tableside Caesar salad and flambéed bananas foster, but also new dishes across the river.

El Gaucho Vancouver Photo courtesy of El Gaucho.
By Andi Prewitt

This may sound surprising, even controversial: Downtown Vancouver, Wash. is looking increasingly attractive as a destination for a night out.

Officially known as Waterfront Vancouver, the gleaming real estate development that’s been underway for several years now continues to fill with inviting businesses, including restaurants, beer bars and tasting rooms for far-flung Washington wineries. The latest to join them: El Gaucho.

The steakhouse chain continues to expand its Pacific Northwest empire, which includes the Portland location nestled in the historic Benson Hotel on Broadway. Its newest restaurant is located in Hotel Indigo at 510 Waterfront Way, where you can expect all of the old school details, like live Spanish guitar music, tableside Caesar salad and flambéed bananas foster.

However, executive chef Beau Carr has added several new dishes to the menu here, including grilled pork belly from Salmon Creek Farms cured with brown sugar, Columbia River steelhead with grilled prawns and rack of lamb from Cattail Creek Farms served with a white bean salad.

The entire first floor-space, which includes the main dining room, a bar area and private event areas, are massive—8,500 square feet.

El Gaucho Vancouver Photo courtesy of El Gaucho.

“We are proud to open our new Vancouver location and become part of the future of this revitalized waterfront community,” Chad Mackay, CEO of Fire & Vine Hospitality, stated in a press release. “Our Portland and Southwest Washington guests now have two distinctly unique places to celebrate with us and our team is excited to create new memories in our beautiful new location.”

Joining El Gaucho this December at Hotel Indigo will be Witness Tree Lounge, Vancouver’s first rooftop bar. You can expect a menu inspired by the flavors of the Pacific Northwest, with plenty of cocktail-friendly fare, like Dungeness crab lettuce wraps, American wagyu hot dogs and terrine de foie gras. Though let’s be real: Everyone will be going there, at least initially, to check out the views across the Columbia, including the Portland skyline.

For the next few weeks, though, you’ll have to settle on ground-level views from El Gaucho, which is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday.

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