AQUA by El Gaucho — Restaurant in Seattle

A gf brought me here bc it's her favorite new haunt. Easy to see why. It's on Pier 67 at the north end of the waterfront and captures a sunset view akin to the Six Seven Restaurant which is in The Edgewater next door.

First impressions walking in: they have the best lounge pianist I've heard in a very long while (perhaps even better than the one we heard at Canlis a while back) and I would honestly return just to sit at the bar and listen to him play again. He was so masterful playing Clair de Lune by Debussy: you would swear you were listening to the soundtrack of Oceans 11 the end when they have the shot with the Bellagio fountain.

Bartender John was welcoming and provided everything we needed to get started. We were there for a light bite and a nice drink on a Friday night after a long week. My friend is a diehard lemon drop lover and she was not disappointed. It came with a heavy sugar rim and a fresh lemon slice. But they also had an Asian pair martini on the menu that was in that similar profile but used pear purée and turns out it was even more delicious!

I had a glass of bubbles: my options were a French crémant de limon brut rosé $18 or a glass of California made Mumm $24. John allowed me to taste the brut rosé which was all I needed to make my decision. I didn't see a champagne list but I did see a bottle of Tattinger tucked back against the window bottles. But I would love to see the bar offer a "rotating bubbles" option so that actual champagnes and méthode champagnoise bubbles could be explored.

We ordered the Tenderloin Diablo and . The tenderloin steak bites were expertly cut to highlight the incredibly tender beef which arrived swimming in a delicious creamy sauce with kick. It's the kind of dish that you want to make sure you have enough bread to enjoy the smoky cream sauce. The fries were perfection.

When it seemed that our order was taking a while, John went to check with the kitchen -- we'd later learn there was a large McKinstry gathering dining there and it appeared we had coincided with their order. But the point was he was keeping an eye on things and us making sure our water was always topped off and that we had the next drink we wanted. But it was the pianist that made everything better because listening to him was an utter joy. There was a couple of times we wanted to break into applause after he played but restrained ourselves. All I can say is remember to tip your pianist. It's better than a concert.

When we were prepping to leave, John made sure we knew about this amazing Club and my friend who has been there several times in the past month was surprised that it was first time she was learning about it. All I can say is good on John because she and her family are already fans. We both decided to join because the benefits were excellent. Make sure you ask about it… It's the best dining incentive program I've come across in Seattle.

The lighting was lovely as the sun was setting, easy to see why so many people come to take their photos on the pier. Valley parking is only $12 which rivals the parking garage across the street besides you get amazing cookies for the road.

Our Aqua experience was definitely a full service dining experience from the moment we drove into valet parking which is found by driving your car almost onto the pier and then taking a right turn at the last minute… To the extraordinary pianist and the eye-catching visuals as the sun is sitting and the light is changing inside the restaurant. Highly recommend you take a seat at the bar with John enjoy your glass...

This was recommended to me by my friends and I’m so glad we scored a reservation. Our Uber driver got a little lost, but pro tip: if you’re heading here just map Pier 70 and you can’t go wrong. The restaurant sign can be deceiving, it’s actually towards the end of the pier towards the water to the left . From there, you should be able to see the sign for the restaurant. It sits on Pier 70 waterfront that adds to the dramatic, scenic setting over Elliott Bay with views of Mt. Rainier, the Space Needle, and the city skyline.

The interior leans upscale with modern-classic touches, and live piano music adds an elegant, romantic vibe. You can instantly tell this is the type of place people come to celebrate.

I was taking photos when James, the general manager, came right over and asked how he could help. Without me even asking, he knew I wanted to capture the sunset. He personally unlocked the outdoor deck gate so I could step out and get the perfect shot. That’s when he introduced himself and shared that he’s originally from Santa Monica, now recruited to Seattle. This restaurant is so lucky to have James. He’s the type of manager who’s professional, personable, and not afraid to roll up his sleeves. I kept noticing him throughout the night helping the staff, delivering food, and checking in on guests. That kind of leadership sets the tone for the entire restaurant.

Bob was our server and he also did an amazing job. Even with how busy the night was, he never once forgot about us. He coursed everything perfectly, even though we ordered all at once, and gave us excellent recommendations. My boyfriend and I split everything, which was perfect for tasting:

Passion Mojito– strong but really good!Sancerre Wine– crisp and perfect with seafood. Caesar Salad- classic, done right. Grilled Spanish Octopus- charred just enough for a smoky edge, paired with romesco sauce such perfection. Alaskan Black Cod- buttery, tender, caramelized edges with crispy leeks that added the best crunch. Sauteed Foraged & Cultivated Mushrooms- earthy and meaty, a must if you love mushrooms. Broccolini- nothing fancy, but still tasty. Baileys Chocolate Caramel Bread Pudding (James’s pick!) – OMG, demolished in 5 minutes!

Every single staff member we encountered was attentive, friendly, and on point. Between James going above and beyond and Bob’s flawless service, the hospitality here is truly top-notch.

If you’re looking for a date night restaurant or somewhere to celebrate a special occasion in Seattle, this is it. Aqua by El Gaucho checks all the boxes, unforgettable food, a killer view, and people like James who make you...

I know I am going against the grain here but I just found my dinner here to be OK.

Views: Can't be beat. Love watching the sunset over the water and the lighting is just so nice. I bet when it's warmer, it's even better to sit outside right next to the water.

Service: Spectacular. I can tell after 10 mins that there is definitely some sort of water policy where they are not allowed to have the water line in a glass to go down past like a cm. After every sip we took, the water was filled immediately. It's like they swoop in out of nowhere with that water refill. Our waiter was great, patient and gave us some recommendations.

Food: This is where all the disappointment lies. Soy Calamari - flavors were food. Wished it was not soggy and more crispy. Filet Mignon - Asked for it to be medium rare and it was perfectly cooked on the inside for sure but that's where the goodness stops. There was no sear on the outside and there was no seasoning. We definitely had to season it ourselves with more salt and pepper to make it taste better. The sear was definitely missed. Disappointing. Scallops - came with butternut squash ravioli and apple butter - should've predicted that the whole dish was going to be sweet and one note. Couldn't even enjoy the delicious scallops that I had been craving for. Needed another layer of flavor there for sure. Crab Mac & Cheese - heavy and drenched in cream. Again, there was no flavor - just cream. Needed seasoning and something to balance the heaviness. We basically took the crab meat off the top and left most of the mac and cheese. I also found the dish to be on the colder side, not actually cold but just luke warm which is not great for such a heavy creamy dish. Brussels - better of the 2 sides we got. The flavors were much more enjoyable for this and much needed to break up the blandness of everything else. Bread Pudding with Ice cream - again, just not very good. The caramel was the best part and that was soon eaten and everything that was left was just bland. The bread pudding was also luke warm, didn't melt the ice cream on top at all.....

For the price tag, honestly, I am very disappointed in this dining experience. A previous reviewer mentioned the blandness and the palate was made for older people and that resonated with me too..... everything was one note and had a lack of seasoning. Nothing was "bad" I guess but everything...