Anyone been to Gaucho Grill

[Sneezo]

Dd wants to go to an Argentinian restaurant for her birthday. Gaucho Grill is the obvious one but is it actually nice? I’m a bit put off by how many there are.

It used to be absolutely amazing, but in recent years they have expanded after, I believe, being bought by private equity. And like everything that PE touches, the quality starts going down.
having said that, while I didn’t love gaucho as much as I had in its original incarnation, our kids absolutely loved it

Not for years but at that time the steak was *chefs kiss….

I went to one recently for the first time and loved it. We had a set menu before going to the theatre and it was really nice and good value for money. Wine was expensive but we bought it by the glass as we weren’t sure how much time we would have.

It’s definitely nice and maybe it’s because we’ve been several times and our local one is quite small so perhaps a different experience but it doesn’t quite feel special as a place to go to. Steaks ARE good though!

It is nice but ludicrously expensive (I don’t know how a pp can describe it as good value!).

Ultimately you are paying £100 + per head for a decent steak and some accompaniments. And the wine mark ups are very steep, even by London restaurant standards.

But it is consistent and reliable. I have never had a bad steak there.

@Newbutoldfatheri said it was good value for money as we had the theatre menu, 3 courses for £19.95. It’s a small set menu but was delicious and enough for us as we were going to the theatre afterwards

@Iamanunsafebuilding ,

Fair enough!

That does sound very good value.

Dont do gaucho grill.... it was cool in 2010...i always thought the decor was gross but the steak is decent though.

Goodmans on maddox street is a much better bet if you want expensive steak but more for old men imo

At her age....

I'd do Hawksmoor (OG one in covent garden) or if you want something cheaper the terminally popular flatiron - theres a million of them.

Hawksmoor! That’s the one I was thinking of!

I kept thinking it was Goodman but knew that wasn’t it, but couldn’t remember the name!

Hawksmoor is a good alternative OP.

Been to Gaucho at London Bridge and Canary Wharf. Enjoyed both but nothing beats Hawksmoor. The one in Air Street is fab x

Hawksmoor I agree is lovely, but really very British - Yorkshire pudding and gravy as a starter.
Is it steak she wants or a South/Central American feel she is looking for? Central American I don’t think you can beat El Pollete just of Carnaby Street their Empanadas are fabulous.

How old is she and where do you live? Goodmans and Guildhall Hawksmoor are a bit stuffy for a teen. Air Street Hawksmoor has a nice art deco vibe, and the new one at St Pancras is beautiful. Blacklock (a few locations Shoreditch/covent garden) is a bit cooler for a teen, has a more industrial feel and the steaks are lovely and much cheaper than Hawksmoor. I don’t rate Gaucho at all, I don’t think the steaks are that great and the decor is tacky.

But, if she specifically wants Argentinian steak, then Buen Ayre is really good and fun. Lovely steaks and amazing chimichuri. Great atmosphere, with a proper Argentinian feel. Broadway market is also fun for teens so you could do that before.

Santa Maria del Sur is a bit further out by Queenstown Road in Battersea, but a great Argentinian restaurant (the grilled cheese is wonderful), lovely homely atmosphere and you could do a bit of shopping at the power station first, or ice skating depending on when her birthday is.

Thanks so much everyone and particular thanks to @Prelim for such an informative response.

It’s specifically Argentinian that she wants rather than just steak. It sounds as if Buen Ayre might be a better bet- she’s 17 so maybe Hackney is going to seem a more fun option than going into town. We’re in North London.

If anyone can suggest a nice place for drinks around Broadway market that would be amazing as well.

How about a Brazilian steakhouse instead? In which case take a look at https://fazenda.co.uk

Sorry, took ages to post that and didn’t see your update!

Oh yay! I think you’ll love Buen Ayre. Have been there a few times with friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, family, etc and it’s always been good fun. Great food and jovial atmosphere. There are so many places for drinks around that area. Any bar or pub in the market have similar clientele but depends on the drinks you like. There’s a great Belgian beer pub, a few cocktail bars, and the pub on the park (just a bit further north, 5mins) is loud and jolly with a crazy golf/pool tables place with drinks opposite of you want a fun activity. You’ll have a great time!

I actually really like Gaucho Grill , and am not such a fan of Hawksmoor.