Fish Gaucho

“Fantastic modern new wave Mexican food, the flavors were delicious. We had the chips and salsa, the California burrito, and the taquitos, all of these were quite tasty and well portioned. We attempted to make a reservation online but it was lost, the hostess took mercy on our pitiful situation and still found us a table at lunch time. Service overall was excellent, staff were efficient and friendly. The interior decoration design was impeccable, there is also a full bar with a myriad of options. Prices were high but to be expected in SLO.”

“This was our first meal in Paso and it did not disappoint! We ordered a couple of cocktails, the ahi crudo, mango cod tacos, the porkchop, a side of elote, and the flan for dessert. Food was delicious, but we were blown away by the porkchop. Definitely joining our unofficial top 3 list of porkchops we've ever had (the other 2 are Penny Roma and Kothai Republic in SF). Josh was our server and he was great! This will be another spot we have to return to when in the area.”

“Wanted to have some new wave Mexican based on the reviews. Food was OK but pricey. Would've been great to get free chips and salsa to accompany the meal vs $14 price point. Our server was helpful choosing the enchilada slow cooked beef. Salsa for the fish taco was flavorful but needed more fish. Decided to get dessert somewhere else.”

“Mixed review here. I’ve heard that this place is amazing and the place to go to.that the food is great and the drinks fabulous. But I’ve also heard it’s expensive and too crowded to be enjoyable. So I waited until the most busiest of holiday weekends to go and try it out with probably too high of expectations. And of course the place was packed! Now they take reservations but I wanted to witness their walk in experience. And after an 8 minute wait in line, me and my friend were able to get a spot right away at the bar luckily with no extra wait (the couple in front of us didn’t want to sit at the bar and they were told an hour wait for a table in which they exchanged information with the hostess and then promptly left to I can assume sit in their car or stroll around the beautiful downtown Paso Robles park. ) Once seated at the very tight and small bar area, upfront not at the bar tables thankfully because staring at the back of the bar goers heads would have been awkward, we got an upfront and personal dinner and a show experience. We were entertained by the bartenders working their magic with all of their fun Mixology skills and flame fueled tequila drinks. Watching the guys fly up and down the old wooden ladder they made apear from the back to reach the high end tequilas was quite the treat indeed. We asked our bartender with his magnificent movements and stoic demeanor what was good, he told us the two items that are most popular and mostly ordered. And after some time perusing the menu we then asked him what he liked and he gave us two completely different and unexpected items. We got the three salsas as an appetizer The chips were good but lacked salt. The mango salsa was fresh, but really hard to get out of the small container that it comes in … kind of wish. It was more square and less round, but that’s a personal preference. The Green Salsa was surprisingly more spicy than most Green Salsas are at other restaurants, and the fire Roasted salsa was by far! The best thing I have had in a long time! The robust tomato profile and potentially Serrano but maybe poblano chili - and possibly some sort of oiled herb I couldn’t put my finger on, that you don’t normally find in a red fire roasted was absolutely incredible!! I could have eaten a pint of that salsa on its own and been satisfied!! For our entres ; My friend got one of the bartenders choices (the short rib fajitas) and I chose the more “popular”!dish (the short rib tacos) His lacked salt but still had a nice texture to the two sauces. Hints of smoked tomato and possibly a poblano. Absolutely delicious and creamy. Mine was way too sweet, and it wasn’t the red pickled chilis surprisingly , it was the meat it’s self that was sweet. Disgustingly sweet in my opinion. I ended up adding salsa from the chips to counter act the sweetness. Otherwise, I would not have been able to finish it but I didn’t feel like complaining because the service was so divine. For drinks I tried out their house margarita “the gaucho made cadalac” and its was incredible!! Strong. Flavorful. The second drink I tried was the Paloma with Mezcal…. It ended up being cute but way to Smokey for my liking So I had a third drink and went back to the Cadalac gaucho again. All in all, I don’t think I would ever come here again for the food. It was very bland and the small portions mixed with the high prices aren’t worth it. The music was also too loud, so everyone was talking too loud, which doesn’t make it great for conversation. Personally, I think this place is talked up and all hype. I will come back during happy hour snd try again when its not so busy. I came here once a year ago and had an Arnold Palmer, and it was the best Arnold Palmer, I’ve ever had, because it was made with fresh ingredients as if it were an alcoholic drink but wasn’t an alcoholic drink, and it was the best Arnold Palmer. I’ve ever had in my life, so if you like Arnold Palmer, this is the place to go.”

“Fish Gaucho has a really nice ambiance — modern, stylish, and great for a night out. Unfortunately, our experience got off to a rough start with the hostess, who was very unaccommodating and seemed annoyed by simple requests. Thankfully, our server was efficient, attentive, and made up for it with solid service. The food itself was just okay — nothing memorable, but decently prepared. Overall, the vibe is there, but the front-of-house experience needs work. Might try again for the ambiance, but I expected better. 3/5 stars”