- Overall 3
- Food 3
- Service 3
- Ambience 4
Walking into El Che, the ambiance is stunning, with dim candlelight creating a romantic and cozy atmosphere. We were greeted promptly by the hostess and seated shortly after. I took the booth, as it’s understood who sits there in our relationship. My husband sat in the chair across from me, as there wasn’t enough room for both of us on the booth side.
I ordered the half seafood platter, which is as visually stunning as it’s hyped to be—definitely video-worthy. The sauce was phenomenal, and most of the seafood was excellent. However, it’s very dark in the restaurant, so when I took my first bite of the lobster tail, I didn’t fully notice how charred it was. That bite ended up being overwhelmingly bitter, like eating poison—it was absolutely disgusting. While the photo may not look as bad, I believe I had taken the biggest, most charred bite right away, which made it worse.
I showed the lobster to a staff member who came to check in on us, though he wasn’t our server. I explained that it was extremely charred, and he responded that the lobster is cooked on an open fire and that, even if they redid it, it would always come out the same way. I didn’t want to argue or disrupt my date, so I left it at that and cut around the burnt parts. Still, for a dish priced near $100, with only two scallops, two clams, and one burnt lobster tail, I feel it didn’t live up to the hype or the value.
The Valentine’s Day drink special, “Rude Boy,” featuring Mezcal, was a highlight and very enjoyable. Our server checked on us periodically and provided attentive service throughout the evening.
While the atmosphere and portions of the evening were enjoyable, the overly charred lobster tail and lack of value for the price make me unsure about returning. If this is how the dish is meant to be, it would be helpful for management to clarify that upfront—especially since the viral photos and videos online do not reflect this level of char. I’d also suggest reconsidering this cooking approach
