There may be one or two lukewarm reviews out there somewhere of Gaucho Parrilla Argentina, [1] Anthony Falcon’s insanely popular restaurant on Penn Avenue in the Strip, but they’re hard to find. Bad reviews? Forget it. Since opening in 2013, Gaucho has received near-universal raves from food critics and foodies and has built up a fanatically loyal customer base. Its most recent honor is inclusion on Yelp’s 100 Best Places to Eat in the U.S. Where did it land on the list? No. 7. In the whole country.
What led you to leap into the fickle restaurant business?
Hospitality runs through my veins. I suppose I have my parents to thank. Ever since I was old enough to walk and talk, I’ve been serving or cooking for people. It’s my favorite thing to do!
Were you prepared for such great success? Success is a result of hard work and dedication to the craft you love. If you focus on grand success, you might not achieve your goal. An old friend once told me to focus on the product and its end result. The rest will take care of itself.
You’re expanding your small space, right?
Yes. Our expansion should be completed some time in late April. Our patrons have been incredibly supportive. I’m really stoked to thank them with an “official” restaurant space. We’ve offered them our best effort of food and service and soon we will be able to accommodate their comfort.
What’s next?
Honing our product, focusing on our employees and really dialing in our efforts to create an environment that both our staff and customers truly enjoy being in. Beyond that, I have some thoughts of sharing our Gaucho with other neighboring cities. The Gaucho is an ode to my fathers heritage. Next I’d like to honor my mom by opening a British Chip Shop. Lots to do before that happens!
Photo by Martha Rial