Gaucho (Hampstead)

Great succulent cuts of beef that melt in your mouth. Worth a try.
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nakedlunch - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, March 30, 2008

I went here with a friend last night for a nice meal and relaxing end to the weekend...

The place was certainly lively for a Sunday night; live Argentinian music, smiling staff and an abolutely stunning woman who opened the door for us. Our waitress was attentive and polite from beginning to end, seating us just in front of the open-plan kitchen - I particularly like these having been a chef for twelve years. Now, aside from all this, I will eat anywhere - say, from a rusty pot - if the food is up to scratch...

As my friend and I perused the menu, the complimentary selection of breads and oil arrived; I admit I'm ashamed I forgot to enquire what the breads were called! However, my favourite part of this was a golden and shiny, well risen chunk that was crusty on the oustide, yet soft and fluffy within. The softer innards consisted of a ying and yang flavour - salty yet sweet. Altogether it offered the palate beautiful connotations of a slightly tweaked Yorkshire pudding.

Deciding to steer clear of the starters (or so we thought), I opted for the rib-eye steak, mash and pepper sauce. Not very daring, I agree, but I was after Sunday evening comfort food; my companion plumped for the chorizo sausage on a green bean and cherry tomato salad. Politely he requested to have none of the salad, just fries instead. Waiting time was fine (about 20 minutes) considering we had no starters. That was probably one of the best things about the food...

My friends sausage arrived; one tiny sausage about 3 inches long (no innuendo please!). We were later to find out that he was charged full price for the sausage plus the fries, so altogether £9.50 for a starter size dinner. The thing is, they list the starters separate from the list of sausages, however, at that price I was shocked they didn't cut him some slack as he never had the salad. A few potatoes are cheaper than leaves, beans and cherry toms. When my steak arrived, just touching it I could tell it had been cooked just how I like it, however, it had been slightly over-seasoned. The pepper sauce had far to much pepper in it and I know you may be thinking, "well it's supposed to be a bit nippy", but it was overpowering and bitter on the palate. Over reduced and too thick I would say. This coupled with the over-seasoned steak resulted in an attack on the senses. Quick thinking was needed by thinning my sauce down with the free mineral water, thus mellowing the intensity. One thing that I can't completely blame on the kitchen was the slight toughness on the inner body of the rib-eye, the outer was lovely and tender, but this could happen anywhere. As for the mash: completely smooth and buttery.

On a sweeter note! The pudding was exactly what I needed. The pancakes were light, the vanilla ice-cream like velvet mixing beautifully with dulce de leche; all in all it removed the general bitterness of my main course and filled my friends tummy a little bit more after his "starter".

Overall, we were disapointed with our mains, but the desserts, beautiful staff and lively atmosphere made it manageable. I do have a problem with these trendy restaurants charging closer to ten quid for something - say starters, that may be of fair quality, but certainly not quantity; there has to be a good balance. In saying that, I'll more than likely give it one more try as I hope it was a one off.
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Gareth
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 6
Monday, March 10, 2008

My family and I would like to mention that we ate in thisrestaurant in Hampstead last night (9th Feb 2008) and had that most wonderful experience. We had booked in to eat at Gaucho in Canary Wharf to celebrate my Birthday, but were disappointed on arrival as their kitchen had broken down for lack of gas. When we called their restaurant in Hampstead, we spoke to Alex, who welcomed us over, even though the restaurant was obviously very busy. We were expertly looked after by the management (Alex and Monique) and waited upon very efficiently by Mary. Having dashed across London to get in at Hampstead we had such a memorable evening. I would definately recommend this restaurant - obvoiusly teh steaks are of the highest quality, teh service excellent and the decor and ambiance fabulous for a smart evening out!

Grant Brummer and the Hall family.
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Grant Brummer
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Sunday, February 10, 2008

Have been to the Gaucho 3 times this year, most recently last week. Every time the food, in particular the steak has been fantastic. They also have an amazing selection of Argentinian wine. The only downside is that it does get busy in the evenngs so that some waiting to get seated can happen.
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Wilkoman - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Saturday, December 22, 2007

We've been eating here as a family for a number of years and continue to return because it is such a reliable venue. Unusually for a chain, it feels like a local restaurant. The service is always spot on and they are very welcoming of children - this is a plus for us but, obviously, might not be for others. The steaks are of a very high quality indeed and always cooked as requested. I confess that I can't comment on the rest of the menu. The wine list is comprehensive and, as you'd expect, almost entirely Argentinian. A good, safe bet.
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, November 07, 2007

6 of us went to Gaucho last night and the, although the food was excellent, I would hesitate before returning. The bread was delicious, our steaks cooked to perfection (if slightly over-salted) and the dessert yummy. The wine was also fabulous.

However, the waitress was a bit of a ditz and messed up our drinks order. I'm not a fan of the overly excited, american style of service and I felt that we were being 'upsold' on everything, i.e. they were trying to squeeze as much money out of us as possible.

In terms of atmosphere, I'm still in my 20s and not a boring chap but the music was just too loud and I felt like I was in a nightclub half the time. My parents love steak but i wouldn't be able to bring them there as it was hard to have a conversation without having to shout over the music.

It definitely wasn't a cheap meal but I felt the food was probably worth it. If they could fix the service style and tone down the already dated 'glitzy' decor, I would go back.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 6
Sunday, September 23, 2007

I went to the one near London Bridge Tube Station on the Southbank - but can't find a review page for that one. Chips were dry and tasted like they had been re-done from the day before, mushrooms didn't taste nice at all, just big and meaty, the Bernaise sauce was nice though and the steak wasn't bad. It just wasn't worth the money. If you want a chain go to Strada next door, much better value for money. I also wondered if the waitress was working on commission or something......very over attentive indeed, more than a little bit annoying actually!
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Bridget
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Thursday, July 19, 2007

I went on tuesday to gaucho in hampstead, it wasn't my first time in this branch and I was surprise by the croud that was in there.

I first had to wait for an hour at the bar as I didn't have any booking,

when we were about to leave the manager came to us to apologise for the reception wrong information, and to offert us a complimentary cocktail.

15 min later we have been seated and had a wonderfull meal, ours steak well recommended by our waiter was cook to perfection and the service was really friendly and efficient, the lighting a bit dark but perfect for this kind of funky latino playing.

We'll definitly go back to gaucho soon but next time we will make sure we book a table before
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gerard
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, July 11, 2007

My wife and I ate at The Gaucho in Hampstead this past Saturday night, as we had a craving for decent steak, a rarity for the two of us in London – we’re both from the Southern Hemisphere where the general quality of meat seems a fair bit better than on this side of the world. We arrived at 8.30pm, and were taken to the outside section, which would have been great had we warned beforehand, unfortunately it was little chilly in our short sleeves, so we asked to be moved inside – duly obliged.

We were immediately set upon by an Australian waitress, who clearly had one thing in mind – turning tables! As we are new parents and seldom get out these days, we didn’t want to be rushed out in an hour, so we decided to share a starter, purely to prolong the process. Last time we ate here we made the mistake of filling up before the mains – a critical error. We found the wine list very pricey, more so when the waitress recommended a wine £5 more than the £25 low-end red we had ordered.

Main problem with this wine list (cheapest bottles starting at £23) was that they were all Argentinean. I have no issue with serving only their ‘local’ fair, but new world wines at these prices are a bit annoying. I’m amazed they don’t have any lower end, table wines for those that want an accompaniment for their meal without spending a lot of money. That said, her recommendation was excellent, so no complaints there.

We ordered a prawn starter, which was potentially the worst seafood based dish either of us have ever had. At £10 it was a waste – the sauce just didn’t suit the prawns..truly awful.Breads were provided and plentiful.

For mains we both had sirloin steaks, which were very good, but not as good as we remembered. The steak price is decent, however once you’ve added in your chips, veggies and sauce (between £2 - £5 each), you’re looking at £30 a steak, so not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. For desert we had the fruit fondue to share (£8,50), which was very nice.

Our meal including tip (not included, but we added 12%), was £110. Normally I am loathe to equate money to food – if I go out to a good place and spend circa £50+ a head, I want to enjoy myself and not think about the expenditure. Unfortunately I left feeling a bit short-changed and know so many places where I’d get so much more for the same amount. If we go back next time, we’ll have a main and a glass of wine and that will be it. It’s after all the steaks we’re there for.
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J & Dee
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, June 12, 2007

I decided to add a review for this restaurant, as I happen to have been there for about 4 times (blimey) and I don't see the reason why it has become so popular.

When I first went to gaucho grill in Hampstead I was impressed like everyone else by the decor and the way the meat is presented. It didn't take me long to realise that things are not as good as they look.

The service is bad, slow and not very polite (surprisingly I read similar comments for other restaurants of the chain). Every time I went there, the waiters made me feel uncomfortable and took ages to respond to a call. The food is extremely overpriced for its presentation, and it gives me the feeling that the chefs are stingy when it comes to the dressing of various starters and side dishes. Though the steaks are done on the coals and taste delicious, the presentation is absolutely ridiculous. £18 for a just a 400gr steak without any salad and the sauces are served with the measure.

At the end of the day the place is just a show off trying to attract customers with a latin American taste. The service needs a lot of improvement and so does the pricing, unless the chefs add a little extra on the plate.
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Tom James
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Saturday, June 09, 2007