Aqua by El Gaucho

HopStop

View on Large Map
Get Directions

Be the first of your friends to review this location.

+ Add Photos

00000 - 00000 of 00000

+ Add A Photo

00,000 of 00,000

2801 Alaskan Way (Pier 70) Seattle, WA 98121

206-956-9171

Website

Be the first to review Write A Review

Seattle Weekly
Recommended

Cuisine(s): American, Pacific Northwest, Seafood

Hours: Sun-Thu 4pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-12am

Price: $$$

Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Private Party, Catering, Banquet Facilities, Wheelchair Accessible, Business Dining, Water View

Serving: Dinner, Late Night

Entertainment: Live Entertainment

Alcohol: Full bar
Reservations: Accepted, Highly Recommended

Parking: Meters, Street, Valet

Description

A recent rebranding changed the interior design scheme at what was once the Waterfront Seafood Grill and stuck the El Gaucho name where big spenders could see it, but the restaurant's essential mission remained the same. Aqua serves big fish from faraway places, quite possibly an unsustainable strategy in a sustainably-minded town. But if careless sourcing doesn't doom Aqua, the cooking will: Crab cakes are mealy, fried calamari is greasy and steamed shellfish have no more flavor than the paper menu on which their high prices are printed.

El Gaucho Replaces Executive Chef at Aqua

By Hanna Raskin | Fri, January 6, 2012

The Mackay Restaurant Group is continuing to tinker with Aqua by El Gaucho, installing an El Gaucho veteran as executive chef. The management company last year announced it had "rebranded" its Waterf... More »
El Gaucho's Reel Problem

By Hanna Raskin | Wed, November 23, 2011

The spatted gentlemen and bob-haired ladies leading the current classic cocktail revival don't like flavored vodka or frozen-drink machines. They prefer whiskey, vintage glassware, and Bols Genever, and have painstakingly created bars so faithful ... More »
Lactose Tolerance

By Maggie Dutton | Wed, April 04, 2007

Unless your name begins with "The" and ends with "Dude," ordering a cream-based drink any time other than the end of the night clocks in at 11 on the list of 117 reasons why a bartender will dog-eye you. Nothing identifies a drinker as suspect mor... More »
Food News for April 12-19

By | Wed, April 12, 2006

News Food and/or beverage news? E-mail food@seattleweekly.com Guatemalan Guacamole? Psychedelic Gummi Worm? Jonesing for a new off-the-wall ice-cream flavor? Enter Ben & Jerry's "Do Us a Flavor" contest. The winner will get an ice-cream party for ... More »
Food News for March 29-April 5

By | Wed, March 29, 2006

News PETA declared Seattle the second most vegetarian-friendly city in the nation (behind Portland), thanks to eateries like Mighty O Donuts, Cyber Dogs, Araya's, and Bamboo Garden. In each city, PETA determined a per capita ratio of vegetarian re... More »
Loading More Critics Reviews

Main Menu

Starters

$16.00

Tenderloin Diablo
spicy hot, cream, paprika, grilled bread

$17.00

Wicked Shrimp
spicy hot, grilled bread

$21.00

Dungeness Crab Cocktail
dungeness crab, west indian cocktail sauce

$18.00

Dungeness Crab Cake
cajun remoulade

$19.00

Jumbo Prawn And Crab Cocktail
sweet shellfish, west indian cocktail sauce

$18.00

Ahi Tuna Tempura
nori, ginger, garlic, wasabi cream, ponzu sauce

$20.00

Pancetta Wrapped Prawns
grilled over live coals and doused with golden raisin and scallion pesto

$15.00

Steamed Manila Clams
roasted fennel, tomatoes, crisp bacon, lemon zest, garlic, pernod

$12.00

Pan Seared Crispy Oysters
tartar sauce

$14.00

Crispy Fresh Calamari
soy mustard aioli, sweet chili sauce

$16.00

Ahi Tuna Tartar
hot peppers, capers, pears, onions, soy sauce, lemon, pinenuts, curry oil

Oysters
Selection May Vary Depending On Availability.

$3.00

Kusshi, Bc

$3.00

Kumamoto, Wa

$3.00

Virginica, Wa

$3.00

Penn Cove, Wa

$3.00

West Indian Cocktail Sauce, Mignonette

Small $50.00
Large $100.00

Seafood Indulgence
maine lobster, chilled prawns, oysters, snow crab claws, wakame salad, ahi sashimi, dungeness fry legs, wasabi and red tobikos

Soup & Salad

$12.00

Seafood Chowder
shrimp, clams, bacon, fresh seasonal fish

$12.00

Spicy Crab Bisque
johnnie walker red label, sherry, dungeness crab

$12.00

Caesar Salad
creamy anchovy and lemon dressing, parmigiano reggiano, hand torn croutons

$26.00

Tableside Spinach Salad For Two
grilled prawns, bacon, piquillo peppers, almonds, goat cheese, mushrooms

$11.00

Classic Wedge Salad
iceburg lettuce, bacon, egg, tomato, black olives, blue cheese dressing

$18.00

Dungeness Crab And Avocado Salad
butter lettuce, scallion yogurt dressing

Entrée

$136.00

Seafood Bacchanalia
designed for two grilled wild king salmon, steamed lobster tail, diver sea scallops, grilled wild prawns, red king crab leg

$87.00

Steamed Australian Rock Lobster
16oz, garlic, lemon, sweet butter

$68.00

Barents Sea Red King Crab Legs
12oz, black truffl e aioli, lemon butter

$76.00

Air Land And Sea
smoked duck breast, 8oz filet, colossal african prawn

$86.00

Surf And Turf
8oz cab filet, 8oz maine lobster tail, black truffl e aioli, lemon butter

$30.00

Half Crispy Chicken
wild mushroom marsala sauce

$52.00

Rack Of Lamb
hazelnut crust, merlot demi glace

$36.00

Stuffed Wild Baja Prawns
dungeness crab, shrimp, basil, fontina roasted piquillo pepper coulis

$30.00

Colossal West African Prawn
black truffle aioli, lemon butter

$40.00

Seared Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna
sesame seeds, miso, orange, cabbage slaw

$38.00

Plancha Seared Callops
wild mushroom risoo, rich red wine sauce

$32.00

Thai Seafood Stew
fresh fish, shellfish, jasmine rice, red thai curry, coconut ginger broth

$38.00

Grilled King Salmon
lemon aioli, smoked bacon, roasted tomato relish, basil

$38.00

Almond Crusted Sole
capers, parsley, lemon butter

$36.00

Grilled Prawn And Scallop Brochette
tomato, fresh herb, garlic, linguini

$40.00

Sesame Seared Chilean Seabass
rice wine oyster sauce, coconut jasmine rice

$35.00

Whole Crispy Fish
cabbage slaw, chinese broccoli, marvelous sauce

28-day Dry-aged Certified Angus Beef

$62.00

Frenched Rib Steak
18oz prime, grilled mushroom cap

$65.00

Filet Aqua
8oz fi let topped with 2oz lobster medallion, asparagus, sauce béarnaise

$68.00

New York Strip
14oz prime, grilled mushroom cap

Add Ons

$34.00

Barents Sea King Crab Leg
black truffle aioli, lemon butter

$18.00

Oscar Style
3oz dungeness crab, asparagus tips, bearnaise sauce

$40.00

Maine Lobster Tail
8oz, black truffle aioli, lemon butter

Shareable Side

$9.00

Macaroni And Cheese
black truffle, parmigiano reggiano

$9.00

Sweet Roasted Yellow Corn
chipotle lime butter

$18.00

Lobster Mashed Potatoes
roasted garlic potatoes, main lobster sauce

$21.00

Crab Macaroni And Cheese
4oz dungeness crab, black truffle, parmigiano reggiano

$9.00

Wild Mushroom Risotto
arborio rice, reggiano parmigiano, butter

$9.00

Sauteed Spinach
lemon, red pepper flakes, garlic, olive oil

$9.00

Steamed Asparagus
lemon beurre blanc, murray river salt

$9.00

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
sweet buer, chives

$9.00

Cedar Planked Vegetables
oven roasted assorted veggies, olive oil, garlic, lemon, sea salt

Dessert

Small (designed For 2-4) $20.00
Large (designed For 4-6) $35.00

Emerald City Volcano
baked alaska, double chocolate and bordeaux cherry ice cream, vanilla génoise, flamed tableside after sunset.

$12.00

Valrhona Chocolate Fondant
candied pecans, bourbon caramel, vanilla bean ice cream

$10.00

Bailey’s Chocolate Caramel Bread Pudding
vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce

$10.00

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie Sundae
vanilla bean ice cream, warm chocolate sauce, whipped cream

$10.00

Classic Vanilla Bean CrÈme BrÛlÉe
made with vanilla bean from madagascar

$8.00

Seasonal Sorbet
housemade gingersnap cookie

Artisanal Cheeses

$15.00

Mt. Blanchard Cheddar, Samish Bay, Wa. (cow’s Milk)

$15.00

Mt. Blanchard Cheddar, Samish Bay, Wa. (cow’s Milk)

$15.00

Caveman Blue, Central Point, Or. (cow’s Milk)

$15.00

Almonds, Fig Jam, La Panzanella Crackers

Looking for another city?

Aqua by El Gaucho

2801 Alaskan Way (Pier 70) Seattle, WA 98121

206-956-9171

Description

By Hanna Raskin | Fri, January 6, 2012

By Hanna Raskin | Wed, November 23, 2011

By Maggie Dutton | Wed, April 04, 2007

By | Wed, April 12, 2006

By | Wed, March 29, 2006