Che Gaucho — Restaurant in Tomball

Che Gaucho is an outstanding Argentinian restaurant in Tomball that offers a variety of Argentine cuisine but is particularly noteworthy for its steak options and empanadas.

This was actually our 2nd visit to Che Gaucho... the first time we visited I enjoyed our meal so much I forgot to take pics! 😳 So this time I decided to take a few pics and write a proper review.

The Missus had the Entraña (skirt steak) with Ensalada Tomate Y Cebolla (tomato and red onion salad), while I went for the Lomo a Caballo (center cut fillet mignon topped with 2 fried eggs). We also shared some Salteña ground beef empanadas as well as some Papas Fritas a la Provenzal (potato fries with garlic and parsley). All was outstanding and the steaks were wonderfully seasoned. They also have plenty of other choices, none of which seem to suck. But I'm just saying, you cannot go wrong with the Lomo a Caballo (or the Ojo de Bife ribeye steak, which I had on our 1st visit).

Definitely be advised that Che Gaucho is not a fancy place - it's a family run gig that sits in a strip mall and it can be easily missed if you aren't looking carefully. It's not too noisy and they do keep the place clean. Just don't expect to see fancy, foo-foo Fogo de Chao type digs. That's not how they roll! But they more than make up for their slightly humble settings with fantastic food and friendly service offered in English or Spanish.

The only downside I found - and the only reason I gave them 4 stars on service - is because their service can be slow during busy times, due to limited waitstaff. The night of our visit only one waiter was attending an entire packed restaurant, and it took them about 45 minutes to bring our meals. So if you come to Che Gaucho, just act like you're dining in Buenos Aires or Cordoba or Salto. Take your time, be patient, and you'll be rewarded! And don't be a jerk to the waitstaff, they work hard.

Highly recommended for intimate dining, those seeking secret places off the beaten path that taste great, and most of all for lovers of steak! They might have quicker service in afternoons, but weekend nights tend to be jammed - they do take reservations so wiser individuals should try to get a table in advance.

Not a good place for impatient folk or monocultural diners who simply can't grasp that South Americans can grill awesome steaks. (Guess what? They do!) Should be OK for family meals also - I saw a couple of fams there during both visits. If your kiddos or that grouchy uncle of yours are really finicky, just get 'em the Gaucho 6 or 10 inch cheese pizza! It's really gooey, and it should keep them quiet for...

Let's get one thing out of the way first: Do not let the exterior become a barrier to entry. Che Gaucho is not located in a lavish shopping center. So much so, it may cause some folks to rethink their visit. Do not be those folks. You'd only be cheating yourself out of a delicious and authentic meal. Plus, the interior is absolutely adorable and features trendy yet cozy accents of wood and metal.

I'm writing this after our first of what will be many visits, and my only regret is that we couldn't try the entire menu.

Empanadas seem to be their niche. We had the spicy beef, chipotle chicken, and dessert banana con dulce de leche. They were all unbelievably delicious.

We also had the milanesa and choripan sandwiches, which were absolutely worth the share of stomach (especially the choripan), but the empanadas still outshined the sandwiches.

In addition to the dessert empanada, we also had a medialuna con dulce de leche. It was super delicious, but we couldn't finish it despite our best efforts.

Let's talk about dough. To my knowledge, everything we had that started as a dough was made in-house. The empanada dough was perfectly balanced (and better than Marini's). It's light and a bit flaky, but sturdy enough to stand up to an empanada treatment. We had two delectable slices of focaccia served with three kinds of chimichuri (hot, mild, and no spice, all of which were delicious) before our order was ready. The sandwiches were served on a soft roll, and they were both amazing.

The hubby had tea to drink, which was decent. I had mate (MAH-tay) tea, which was an absolute treat.

I can't recommend this place enough, and I'm very much looking forward to future visits. There's some real culinary delights to be had here, and the friendly and helpful staff are ready to make your day. So grab your friends and family, have an unforgettable meal, and support your local business owner. I have no doubt these fine people worked tremendously hard to bring you their family...

When we went for dinner, they only had one other table of customers. The atmosphere felt very intimate, very date night-esque. The restaurant felt a bit warm, but they had a portable AC going. Our server was Harrison, and he was very friendly, attentive, and answered all of our questions with a smile. We ordered provaleta (grilled provolone cheese with tomato, olive oil, and oregano and toasted bread) for an appetizer, milanesa de pollo (seasoned breaded chicken breast) with asparagus and mash potatoes, Lomo a Caballo (center cut filet mignon with two fried eggs) with fries and Parmesan fries, 4 empanadas (chicken, mushroom, chopped beef, and ham and cheese) and for dessert, a maple apple empanada a la mode, and banana dulce de leche empanada a la mode. We paid $128.79. The appetizer, was incredible. The cheese had great flavor, the bread was soft and flaky. Perfect app. The empanadas, we could tell we made in house, very fresh and full of meat and cheese. What was really cool is they stamp the name on them, so you know which one is which. The milanesa was surprisingly juicy. Usually chicken that thin has dried out, but I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't personally like the mashed potatoes but my husband did. The asparagus was delicious, on the softer side. The Lomo a Cabolla, was the most tender and juicy cut of steak we've ever had. Surpasses our favorite steak houses by miles. Packed full of flavor, the egg on top made it that much better. Would highly, highly recommend this dish. Dessert, was incredible. Very delicate, yet not overly sweet. My favorite was the banana dulce de leche. They do have seating for 40 diners, and outside tables as well. They also have a huge map at the entrance, you can pin where you are from, which I think is super cool. The seating was comfortable. Overall, it was delicious and I highly recommend you try them. It's a perfect...