Review Aqua By El Gaucho - Seattle

Service was impeccable ensuring you were not rushed and were able to complete and enjoy every aspect of your meal. Accommodating to kids in our party and beautiful views from the restaurant. Table side Caesar salad to die for and all foods provided were delicious. Beverages were outstanding as well. Desserts seemed limited but were delicious having sampled most all of them at our table. Would definitely go back.

Without a doubt, one of the finest seafood-forward meals I've ever enjoyed in Seattle! Even the harvest salad (with figs etc) was an amazing delight. Our server (Paul) and an excellent team working efficiently together made our special occasion one to remember.

Visiting WA on vacation and made a reservation here looking for a top notch seafood place. The staff were attentive and polite. We were celebrating a milestone birthday for my husband - a purveyor of the perfect old fashioned, and the bar did not disappoint. He ordered the table-side smoked, and the regular reporting both were outstanding. We each ordered the alaskan salmon which was like butter, and the waiter cut our sides to half orders when we couldn't decide and ordered three. He was right on the money and all were delicious. Of course desert was also amazing. Next time we are in Seattle we will be dining here again!

I come here often and have never been disappointed. This is my go-to Seattle Resturant with unobstructed water views, delicious food & top-tier service. Bonus: always ask the valet guys for the cookies they are good. Everything on the menu is good, I recommend the tenderloin diablo & tableside Cesar salad for sure.

This was my first visit to Aqua. I came with work colleagues; there were about 30 of us. They impressively seated us around one large rectangular table. The service was outstanding. There was one waiter who was absolutely amazing (he kept track of several drink orders without writing anything down) and was also very personable and offered great suggestions. The food was really good - with the exception of the house salad. The vinaigrette dressing was surprisingly tasteless. I chose the filet mignon for my entree, and it did not disappoint. The final 2-for-1 dessert was great - a macaron and cheesecake. I've added 2 photos of the view from the restaurant. One photo captures "Seattle": the two ball stadiums, the Port, Mount Rainier, and the ferry. You can't beat the views!

I was blown away how amazing the birthday dinner celebration was for my husband & our dear friend & his wife by AQUA by El Gaucho. From the rose petals on the table, a happy birthday wish printed on the menus, a delicious dinner & to our amazing server "Bob!" We will definitely be back & highly recommend this five star restaurant to everyone!

Absolutely incredible dining experience. Service was amazing. We came for my 30th birthday, and they went above and beyond. Custom menu wishing me happy birthday and a card from all the staff. Again, above and beyond. The food is exceptional. The flavor combinations were some of the best I have ever had. We started with the crab fondue, which was like a very deliciously crabby artichoke dip but also creamy and cheesy. It was amazing. With that, we also had the Tenderloin Diablo, which were so tender, and the sauce was a perfect compliment. Both dishes could have benefitted from a little more spice but were still delicious as is. For dinner, I had the yellowfin tuna, and my wife had the black cod. Both dishes were perfect. Tons of flavor and had perfectly paired sides. We had the crispy brissel sprouts alongside dinner and they were incredible. The flavor combinations with the ricotta cheese and the roasted nuts. One of the best things I have eaten in a long while. Cocktails were exceptional as well. I enjoyed the smoked old fashioned smoked tableside and then Kentucky mule. We got the dark chocolate creme with a raspberry macroon for dessert and it was such a nice end to an incredible meal. Beautiful view of Elliot Bay, live pianist when we first arrived. Everything about this was amazing. I highly recommend this place to anyone, especially if looking for a nice place for a special occasion. I will come back for sure!

My wife and I were travelling through Seattle on our honeymoon, and AQUA was recommended by the concierge (Jeff) at our hotel. We had an absolutely amazing dinner!! The service was phenomenal as we were taken care of by a team of servers, Paul, Ryan (or was it Brian). The food was perfect!! Our reservation was a little later in the evening and they ran out of the halibut special. It was a blessing in surprise, because I switched to the grilled salmon. I love salmon and eat a lot of it. This was hands down, by far, no question - the best salmon I have ever eaten!! Chef Maggie had this cooked to perfection! My wife got the scallops and they were equally delicious! I really can't say enough about this place. Everyone was super friendly and attentive. The pianist was super and he played for at least 3 hours non-stop. I recommend AQUA wholeheartedly and we will definitely go there again if/when we're back in Seattle. Tim & Malinda

That was easily the BEST seafood meal I've ever had in my life! Although pricey, totally worth it. And I don't say that lightly. The wait staff was amazing in personalizing my fiancé's birthday experience for no other reason than that she mentioned it. The food literally melted in my mouth. I highly recommend the bachninallia for 2. Beyond that just and an amazing experience and worth every penny. Save up and go there! Take their hints on the wine too!

My girlfriend brought me here for my birthday & Wow was I amazed. The food was so delicious & the service was beyond exceptional! Starting with valet parking to having my birthday celebrated & the octopus & champagne was delivered right away as we looked over the menu. I ordered the Abyss & what a great show that was to watch it being made! & Wow was that thing good. We also had table side Cesar salad & that was one of the best I’ve had. The servers we simply amazing always on the point & meeting our needs. Join the Revelers club & you can get discounts. Perfect birthday dinner celebration.

Went to a wedding party here and dined in a gorgeous banquet room with a wonderful view of the water. The food was absurdly delicious, especially the halibut. The service was also perfect. Ryean and Johnny were excellent, providing absolutely 10/10 service and personality. Pricey place but you get what you pay for.

Loved our server! Paul had the perfect blend of humorous service, balanced with not talking so much that it interrupts our own conversations. His recommendations were great! The surprise was that the valet left cookies for us.

Our server Jorge made the experience amazing. Bottle of rosé arrived chilled, Jorge recommended the Wicked Shrimp to start and was delicious, not too spicy. We went with the Seafood Bacchanalia for twos which included seasonal fish, scallops, lobster tails, asparagus and mashed potatoes, and shrimp…was so delicious and worth the money. For desert Jorge recommended the bread pudding and was amazing. Overall excellent experience, delicious food and view of the water on in the patio was stunning. Thank you to the staff and especially Jorge for making our evening in Seattle memorable!

A fantastic meal. Table side Caesar salad, table side scotch, and phenomenal entrees. The steak and the salmon were unparalleled and are two perfect choices when dining. The chocolate cheesecake was also outstanding, easily one of the best I have ever had. The staff was excellent as well - a very attentive and personable waiter, and the manager checked in on us periodically. It was Restaurant Week which is why it was so busy for a Wednesday night, yet despite the busy restaurant, the food was quick and the staff was present. Great dining experience on a breathtaking spot overlooking the water.

Our office recently hosted an event here. I've never been to this location. Parking was a breeze (for Seattle) and if you are inclined to let someone do the parking for you, use valet! This restaurant is beautiful! Everything from the beginning or of event until the end, was top notch. There was no detail missed (I have previous catering experience so I can be picky!) The food was five stars and the cheesecake that I tasted, was the best I've ever had! The food was beautifully presented and it was simply outstanding! Many guests complimented how tasty everything was. Our servers deserve a shout out as well because they were the icing on the cake with their attentive attention to all of our guests - Angela, Adam, and Kate. Even the captain popped in to make sure things were running smoothly! I will definitely use this venue for future receptions and hopefully, someone, someday, will take me here for dinner!

Had dinner here for my birthday when in Seattle for baseball. Without a doubt one of the best dining experiences I have had. Our table by the window was perfect, our waiter was attentive and interested, and the food was absolutely wonderful.

I reserved a table for supper with my spouse. We had an incredible time. The meal and service were excellent, and the staff as a whole was quite attentive. Winter, our server, gave us professional service and was meticulous in every way. Abraham was the manager in charge; he kept an eye on our table and made sure everything was flawless the whole time. Many thanks to all of the Aqua staff.

We discovered AQUA a few years ago and have been regular visitors ever since, maybe a couple of times a year. We like the view from their outdoor seating area that’s why we usually only go in summer. Parking is mandatory valet and the service from the staff has been consistently good over the years. Their menu also has not changed much at least for the last 3-4 years, which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. I personally hope to see something new on the menu every time we visit. We love the grilled octopus but the last couple of times we felt it did not taste as good as it used to. Mostly because it lacked the charcoal taste which we absolutely loved in grilled octopus the first time we had it in AQUA. Service has always been good and consistent over the years and they have a 20% service charge to ensure all their staff are making a sufficient wage. Overall we like this place and will be going back in the future but I do hope they change the menu a little with maybe a few more new dishes every year.

Our personal concierge Darleen Campbell, recommended Aqua. As my husband is a longtime El Gaucho Steak House fan, and knowing Aqua is also by El Gaucho, we booked our anniversary dinner there outside in a glorious July Seattle early Saturday evening. It was our first experience with Aqua. What an incredible setting. Many servers attending, and ours, a longtime staffer at Aqua, was exactly the right mix of attentive and appropriate. The sommelier brought us the last bottle of an fabulously crisp, perfectly chilled Pinot Grigio which complemented our seafood fare through the duration of our succulent repast. I wasn't certain I could eat a full meal so I chose the scallops from the appetizer menu, and our waiter requested an extra scallop. The dish was a melt-in-your-mouth scallops plate, set off in a mouth-watering, buttery sauce with high notes of grilled asparagus and seared corn. My salad, the Seaweed Crab Salad, Dungeness so fresh/sweet and the salad utterly unique and wonderful, just the right amount of crunch. Both I'd order again in a heartbeat. My husband's choices included a very crisp Caesar with perfect dressing and slight highlights of anchovies. His mussels were as delicate and sweet as the lemongrass accent. We've eaten in many places near and very far, and this Aqua meal celebration was a memorable one, commencing with friendly valet service, the welcoming receptionists, many sharp, well-attired waiters, and ending with our last bites of such a well-prepared meal. Sunday morning I awoke dreaming of those scallops! That hasn't happened since Chez Panisse!! Delightful. And did I mention on top of all this goodness, The Mountain was out! Perfection.

Great food and service...wine list is very over priced, but the view, service and food made it worth while.We were there for restaurant week, it was a good way to try a new pricing place...will be back!

pretty disappointed, service was ridiculously slow for a mid-week dinner, it was busy but not slammed. An hour and a half between the time we sat down until the main course was served. the food was ok, but at the prices they charge I was expecting spectacular. one of our party said the fish was flavorless, another said their chicken was dry. this place definitely does not live up to the hype.

Went to Seattle for the day; even though we were a bit underdressed, did not feel like we stood out. Got great service and people were friendly. Food was great, and there was great options, such as a 3 course meal and bar menu. My girlfriend and I are the snacking type, so we just ordered apps in stages. If you want to blow your money, go a head and buy a $100 entree, but if you're a bit tight on money, you can still get great meals cheap (plus that 3 course meal option).

I came here to celebrate my birthday. We had the lobster bisque, surf & turf. Wow, everything was outstanding! The view & service is one of the best in this city. Highly recommend this restaurant!

Fantastic experience. Some of the best seafood I’ve ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Thank you for the wonderful experience and creating a new must go place for us when we visit Seattle!

The service was excellent (Sam and Rena)as they served with such joy and passion. Food was great and we had such a wonderful night to sit out on the patio. Was one of our best evenings we have ever had out.

What a perfect dining experience! Incredible wait staff, delicious and interesting food, great view, absolutely perfectly plated. The bar scotch selection was unbelievable. Had a great evening and can’t wait to go back!

My friend and I decided to try their Seattle Restaurant Week menu and it was absolutely fabulous. Well worth the money and then some for tasty food and an mixing view.

Amazing place with the best prime rib and the Bread Pudding is to DIE FOR ! Awesome staff! They are professional, but very friendly

Everything we ordered was amazing, you can't go wrong. Even the grill cheese sandwich for my kid was fantastic. It is a top restaurant, great service and delicious food. Their specialty is seafood. Would go again in a heartbeat if could afforded more often.

We went here for our anniversary dinner, as we had a $100 gift card to apply towards dinner. We got stuck in terrible traffic on the way and called because we were running almost a half hour late--they said no problem and were very accommodating. We sat outside, and the views of Mount Rainier and the Space Needle were incredible. Our waitress was awesome--very fun, friendly, and attentive. The only annoying things about the atmosphere were things they couldn't control--there was a helicopter hovering overhead for over an hour and there was a really obnoxious concert going on in a nearby park (sounded like bad karaoke). We were glad when both finally ceased. The food and drinks took a lot longer to come out than expected. I have a severe gluten allergy and didn't get sick at all--not even coughing that usually happens if I get cross-contamination, so that was great. The food and drinks were all phenomenal tasting except for a couple of snafus--I ordered my salmon cooked all the way through (instead of torched) and it was still completely raw in the middle. I like sushi but not when it's a huge piece of fish. I couldn't eat most of it because I didn't care for the texture--I ended up just eating the edges and outsides that were fully cooked. They also brought my husband the wrong beer (I think they switched our orders and gave his to another customer and gave him the other table's). Not huge deals, but when your bill is close to $250 you expect perfection in all areas and don't want to not eat your food because it's not cooked the way you ordered it--I'm not sure if this was the cook's mistake or if the waitress forgot to put the notes in the order. The valet was super nice and everything else was great. This was our second time visiting; would definitely go back.

Great starters - mains were disappointing (swordfish & black cod). Bar staff had attitude - I felt this place has been popular in past and they are living on that. Decor was amazing but lacked in staff atmosphere. Wait staff were pleasant.

Went there to celebrate my BF’s birthday and the dining experience is remarkable just like when I visited this place twice before. The food was absolutely delicious and the service is flawless! We felt totally wined and dined and would surely come here again for another special occasion It is pricey for sure but the type of food and service is superb. Worth the price!