Gaucho Manchester, Stage Area

We recently celebrated our anniversary at this restaurant, and the service was absolutely lovely. The front-of-house staff went above and beyond by writing us a thoughtful card to mark the occasion, which was such a sweet gesture. Our server, Jake, was also fantastic—attentive and personable, offering great service throughout the evening. We started with the scallops, which were outstanding. The lime added a perfect citrusy burst of flavor that elevated the dish. We also had the steak tartare, which was just as impressive. Both starters set a high bar for the rest of the meal. For the mains, we ordered the Gaucho Sampler Platter, which included a selection of rump, fillet, ribeye, and sirloin. While the quality of the meat itself was good, the execution was unfortunately disappointing. We asked for medium rare, but none of the steaks came out perfectly cooked. This was particularly frustrating as it’s a steakhouse, and we expected more precision—especially with cuts like the fillet and sirloin. The sirloin was so off that we sent it back, and though it was returned rare, it was at least edible the second time around. For dessert, we had the passionfruit mille-feuille, which was delightful. The flavors were well-balanced, but I felt the puff pastry could have been slightly thicker to enhance the texture. Overall, while the service and ambiance were excellent, the inconsistencies with the steak left us feeling a bit let down.