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Amazon Grill - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Peruvian Restaurants Brazilian Peruvian, Brazilian [Edit]
530 112th Ave NE(between 6th St & 4th St)
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 233-6160
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
137 reviews for Amazon Grill
Review Highlights
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"Salad Bar - best selection that I have encountered anywhere." In 16 reviews -
"...friendly staff, good meat rotation if you do the rodizio." In 20 reviews -
"...steak in bacon, Parmesan pork, chicken legs, peppered steak..." In 4 reviews
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137 reviews in English
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Review from Tom Y.
4/24/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Ever since Ipanema closed (which is a shame, since it had a great location AKA by my office, and had great food and service), we'd wanted to check out Amazon Grill, which is supposedly owned by the same previous owners. Once you experience Rodizio, it haunts you if you don't go every couple of months.
The girlfriend and I came out here during the weekday once, when we both took a day off. We got here right around 11:30 AM, and so were expecting a lunch rush, but to our surprise it was pretty empty. Fine by me!
Everything (cold bar, salads, etc) was already setup and ready to go, so we were seated, requested the Rodizio (you must do this at least once in your life), and went for the food almost immediately. The service was great, since the staff-to-customer ratio at this time was literally 5:1.
By the time we got back with the cold food/cuts, the Rodizio train was achuggin'. I've been to the lunch Rodizio at Ipanema a few times before, but Amazon still managed to pull out some meat selections I hadn't tried before. My favorite, as always, is the peppered skirt steak, followed by the pork sausage. The girlfriend finds the parmesan pork irresistible (like me [sorry]). The meats as always were cooked to perfection (though if you like rare, you may not have much choice; most of the meats are medium to well done).
She had a caipirinha, and I had two mojitos and a caipirinha :D. My favorite mojito is still from La Isla, but I've got to say, for a down and earthy drink, the mojitos from Amazon rank second in my book now. Great flavor, and a ton of alcohol (you'll feel it more than taste it).
All throughout, the service was impeccable, and I'm glad we came so early. While I don't expect or want to be waited on hand and foot, the fact that there weren't many people (two parties came in while we were dining) meant I never waited more than 2 seconds when trying to get a server's attention.
It's sad that Ipanema is gone, but with Amazon Grill here, I've still got a place to fill my protein dependency problems. -
Review from angie k.
4/23/2012
I came here for my birthday lunch last month since ipanemas closed and fatty (me) loves brazilian buffets. (well, let me not discriminate, i love good buffets of all kinds.) So my bf made reservations for 20 at noon. Our car arrived first a tad early and we were confused to the empty parking lot. How could it be noon and not a single car?! I was kinda scared/wry at that point. We were seated promptly, which I'd sure hope for in an empty restaurant. We opted to wait for more of our group to arrive, though the food was already out. I'm not sure if we were the first people to come in for the day, but their food cooling is non-existent, which really turns me off. Nothing is chilled, cooled, or on ice... hmm.. cold cuts, cheese, cut fruits.. that's been sitting out for who knows how long. SCARY.
well, i ate it anyways. and i didn't get sick or die. well i got a slight tummy ache cuz i ate too much. hehe. as we waited for our group, the host seated another large group (with children) right next to us. luckily, our group got too large for our seating area and needed to be moved prior to getting our food. they were accommodating to our group, requests, and constantly bringing us all the varieties of meat. It wasn't phenomenal by any means, but it was worth its lunch fare for brazilian buffet. don't get the smaller cuts of meat (ex: individual steaks such as the bacon wrapped steak). the larger cuts off the sword meats are much more tender and well-flavored. the grilled cinnamon pineapple is always a great palette cleanser.
note: if you bring your own cake, sneak it in. they have a $10 BYO-cake fee, which i find absolutely ridiculous considering 1. they dont even offer a full cake of any kind. 2. they didn't even cut the damn cake. SO WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST PAY FOR?? -
Review from K M.
Seattle, WA
4/22/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
This review, as with many of my other reviews, has to be premised with the note that I'm not much of a meat-eater. Reviewing a place like the Amazon Grill doesn't seem fair, but I'm sure other vegetarians will visit this place too. This review is for them. And their friends.
I've visited Amazon Grill a few times with friends. The atmosphere and location leave a lot to be desired compared to it's predecessor, Ipanema. It's a big place, but I've never seen it over half-full. Still, they ask if you have a reservation and seem a bit wary when you say no. There are a few menu options, but it seems like everyone orders the rodizio, meaning dudes come to your table at ~5 minute intervals offering a slice of whatever big hunk of meat they have on their sword. They have fifteen or so meat options, from steak to sausages to buffalo, and my friends can rarely decline a slice, no mater how overstuffed they are. I hear rave reviews about most of the meat they try. Also, during our last visit, a friend ordered chicken off the menu (and everyone stared at him like he was insane... he simply couldn't be peer-pressured into the meat-overdose that was about to take place), and he loved it. The chicken was a generous portion for a much more reasonable price.
The salad bar option however, is surprisingly disappointing. I say 'surprisingly' because the salad bar is huge with tons of options. There are all kinds of veggie side dishes, mushrooms, rice, bread, fruit, etc. However, everything seems bland and overly-oily, I can normally eat plate after plate of veggie-type-things but after one plate at Amazon Grill, I'm done. And I feel sick. This isn't very cost-effective considering the salad bar alone is $23.
If you are the type who eats like a snake (nothing for days and then one giant meat-filled feast), the Amazon Grill is for you. If you eat like a bird (snacking on small things all day, relatively meat-free), I'd skip this place. -
Review from Gustavo M.
Seattle, WA
4/19/2012
This place is a hit or miss, depending on the night, time of day, weather, and humidity. Sometimes I love it; others, I've been really disappointed.
When they're on, the food is pleasant (even if not really authentic). When they're off, the service takes forever, the orders get mixed up, things they offer in the menu (or the wait staff announces as having that night), mysteriously "just run out"...
Still, it's a good place for a change from the typical food around Bellevue. -
Review from Denise M.
Lynnwood, WA
4/29/2012
Wow! First time in and was very surprised! The assortment of meats was amazing! Everything I tried was delicious and the service was outstanding! Will definitely be returning!
-
Review from Jule G.
3/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
Despite the fact that this place is essentially the new Ipanema, the food here just doesn't taste the same.
We got here at 11:20, and were the first customers to arrive. The staff was still finishing the buffet's setup, so it took a while to have the waiters start coming around.
The salad bar was ok for the most part; veggies were a little on the oily side, but the fruit was excellent.
The meat itself had quite a bit of variance in the quality. My favorite was the cheese crusted pork, which was very well seasoned and cooked. The other meats were all over the place: chicken was ok, peppered steak was overly spiced, bacon wrapped steak was a rough cut that was tough to chew.
I definitely wasn't as enthralled with this place as I was with Ipanema. -
Review from Kristy S.
Giving this 3 stars - A-OK. We used the Yelp deal, and had the Sunday lunch Rodizio for $22.95 and the Pollo a la brasa for $14. I loved the chicken and the salad bar. Some of the meats where good, others were dry. So, you just have to take your chances and try them all.
Only 3 stars because: 1) it was really cold in there the day we went, 2) service at first was not good (we sat for 10 minutes before anyone came to take our order but then they promptly fixed the situation) and 3) some of the hot items on the salad bar were empty/not filled for a long time.
We will give this another go - it just didn't "wow" us. ;-) -
Review from Paul C.
4/30/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 3 Check-ins Here
Supposedly the same owners as Ipanema in downtown Seattle location which is now closed. I've been here multiple times and it has been great. In comparison to Ipanema, I think the two are very similar. The only downside is that the yelp deal no longer works. Service has been good every time and the workers are friendly. Will come back for future visits.
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Review from Alanna M.
3/8/2012
My friend took me with her yelp deal. It's OK... the meats were fresh and the service was good, but the salad bar though plentiful was lacking freshness. Yes, the lack of freshness should be expected for this type of restaurant, but I guess I was expecting a few steps up from Old Country Buffet!
I'd go back with my family because my parents love this kind of restaurant (quantity over quality), but I wouldn't go back on a date. There's only so much that I can eat too!
Decor is a little cheesy.
Oh I should mention the tip was already padded into the bill (even with just two of us dining) though our waiter said we weren't obligated to pay the full amount. We gave it to him anyway. -
Review from Marisa A.
Bothell, WA
3/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is my new Brazilian steakhouse pick, we used to frequent Novilhos in Bellevue. The meats were well seasoned and cooked properly. Our server made sure we tried every meat option they have available during our visit. I absolutely love their grilled lamb, buffalo and ribeye. The salad bar was fabulous, lots of deliciously grilled veggies, various types of grains and cold cuts/cheese. I also thought that their fried bananas/plantains were better too. The only thing I missed was the puffy brazilian cheese bread. that's why it losts one star in my rating (take note Amazon grill!).
The staff is super nice. It was my son's birthday and they gave him a free dessert to share with his sister. The atmosphere is relax, fun and lively. Love it!!! -
Review from S S.
Lacey, WA
2/13/2012
Hmmmm Reviewing this spot will be a challenge because I can only compare Amazon Grill to other Brazilian spots I've been to and in doing so, this place doesn't compare.
For starters, the salad bar fell way short from what I am used to. To my utter surprise, because I've never seen this before, there were no sneeze guards over the food. This is a recipe for germ transmission and made me take pause upon initial sight. Secondly, the salad bar at Golden Corral is probably twice the size but a fraction of the cost. There were very few items on the bar that I wanted to eat.
Secondly, I am typically a fan of dimly lit restaurants but this place was a bit too dim for my liking. The lighting took away from an environment where one would want to hangout or linger. When my party was finished eating we promptly left....why hangout in what felt like a cave.
There was not a wide variety of meat to choose from but what they had was very tasty. The skewer dudes kept the meat coming and were very patient with my party while we decided whether to try or to pass. The food was forgettable but good times with friends and family was priceless!!!
Is this place worth a try, yes! is it worth the price, not at all! -
Review from Jennifer P.
Renton, WA
Got the Yelp deal for 5th yr anny. We love Brazilian food. 1st time at Amazon Grill. Saved! Score!
Love the look of the place from the start.
Great ambiance.
Pretty nice layout!
Good meat!
Liked the salad bar.
Everything tasted great!!
Can't wait to go back & feast!! -
Review from Nina H.
2/17/2012
"GARLIC STEAK!!! GARLIC STEAK!!!" is what we shouted in the restaurant as the server who had the garlic steak narrowly almost escaped from our hungry stomachs. I had never been to a Brazilian steakhouse before but this was definitely an amazing and appetizing experience.
The servers come around with a slab of meat and ask if you want them to cut a piece. Of course, I try every kind of meat that comes around but after the second round, I am quite stuffed especially because they have such delicious choices at the salad bar too. They have a great balance of warm and cold appetizers at the salad bar: hot pasta, mushrooms, sauteed green beans, fruits, salads, cheeses, etc... it's such a good variety of veggies/meats/fruits. Definitely expect a wholesome and hearty meal when you dine at the Amazon Grill.
Anyway, back to the Garlic Steak. I write in all caps because the meat is absolutely divine. If you like your steak medium rare, you will love this style of meat-eating. They cut it right off the stick in front of you so you can see how juicy and bloody the meat is. That just means it's really fresh and delicious... there's something about the Garlic Steak that's just so good and hard to explain, you kind of have to experience it first hand.
We went for the lunch buffet and that's much cheaper than dinner but get the Yelp deal if you want to save money.
Service is pretty good, they definitely remember you if you have a preference for a certain food. Like me, I was obsessed with the grilled cinnamon pineapple after the first bite. I was like "umm can I have another??" and the guy was like "I don't think I have another... I'll be back." There's me thinking, "OK I WILL BE HERE!"
They never seem to run out of food, which is awesome... and necessary, since it's a buffet. But anyway, just come here and try for yourself - no worries about parking or seating either because the restaurant is huge.
Oh yeah, don't forget to keep your little sign on green if you want more food, red means stop. But trust me, the sign will be on green much longer than the red... or at least IT SHOULD BE!!! -
Review from Heena K.
Seattle, WA
3/7/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
I've been here twice in the last month, both times less than impressed. Does not have the same class, quality and ambiance as Ipanema.
The first time the service was a bit spotty, the wait staff seemed unhappy and the salad bar was less than fresh. The owners are the same as Ipanema but they are definitely using a lesser quality of meat than before and cutting corners where ever they can.
The second visit was identical to the first visit but this time the waiter asked us to leave a cash tip since any gratuity on a credit card was not passed down to the wait staff. A second waiter confirmed this. When we asked about this, the manager said "Credit cards take longer to process so the staff haven't received their tips for the last two months" Seriously, you're serving stale food and not paying your staff?
It's too bad Amazon Grill cannot provide the same level of service and quality it did in DT Seattle as Ipanema. -
Review from Rita W.
Lynnwood, WA
4/15/2012
Arrived right at 5 pm on a Friday. My online reservation was not on the books, but we were immediately seated, as the restaurant was empty at that moment.
By 6 pm, the restaurant was almost full, although the bar was still fairly empty.
We ordered from the Grill and Flame menu.
Papitas Rellenas was hot, tender and well-seasoned. 3 substantial papitas.
My friend ordered the salmon. Well cooked but bland. Portion seemed small considering the price.
I had the Entrana. The portion was much better than the salmon. The skirt steak arrived true rare as ordered.
Our waiter was friendly and accommodating and substituted yucca fries for us.
The view of the freeway was not unappealing as we felt smug enjoying our meal instead of sitting in the traffic.
Do look for the speaker placement when you are seated at your booth. The music is very loud if you are seated under a speaker.
The rodizio paraded past us at alarming speed. A family of 4 valiantly kept up with the steady pace of the presentation of the meats.
The cold/salad bar looked very interesting, but they were not 100% set up when we arrived.
Definitely worth a return visit.
We agreed on the lunch rodizio for our next visit, and maybe another one for the happy hour appetizers and sandwiches. -
Review from Sheila L.
2/8/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Came here due to a Yelp deal that we purchased since we had missed out on Ipanema and was bummed. So we decided to give Amazon Grill a try just to see how good they were.
The ambiance and decor was okay. It tried to reflect as if you were in Brazil or somewhere tropical.
We got seated at a booth and there were two servers coming around with swords of different kinds of meats. Anything from buffalo to filet mignon wrapped with bacon. Even grilled pineapple with sugar/cinnamon coated around. That was my fav. :)
There was also a salad bar with hot and cold foods that you can eat through the meal. Overall we got pretty full with it plus with all the meats coming around. The meat wasn't bad at all. I would highly recommend the house steak and filet mignon. The pork and chicken I passed on. They were too dry for my taste.
Something good to try but not sure if we'll ever come back. -
Review from Kristina L.
Seattle, WA
3/9/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
Yelp deal strikes again.
First off, it's a rodizio style restaurant. They have people with skewers of meat walking around, they shave off smaller - probably 2 ounce portions of meat on your plate. If you've never experienced it, it's definately a fun experience.
I've been to other Rodizio style places and this one is probably just about average.
The two places I think could use improvement. The meat temperature varied from rare/medium-rare to super well-done. I think if there were a little more consistency (seems like other places sereved the meats at a medium temperature) that would be great. The other part was their salad bar. Don't get me wrong, it was very good and had a variety of items but in my experience the salad bar selection has been more vast at other rodizio places.
The good. The bar has a decent selection. The selection of meat was good, lots of flavor packed in every bite. They didn't serve any shirmp or seafood , just beef, lamb and chicken. The fried bananas are also very good.
If you've never been to a rodizio style restaurant, it's definately worth checking out at least once. -
Review from m l.
3/14/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Amazon Grill has a very good Rodizio offering (Brazilian meat feast, with various types and cuts of meat brought around by Gauchos on long swords). I hadn't done Rodizio in a long time, and it was great. But I also tried some samples of my wife's food. She ordered a traditional Peruvian dish. My mother is Peruvian, and she used to make me this stuff when I was a kid. I can tell you that Amazon Grill prepares these dishes in the traditional way, and they are extremely tasty! The only thing I wasn't too impressed with was the salad bar. It was extensive, but seemed a little uninspired to me. Maybe I'm getting too picky in my old age.
I saved the best for last. My first stop at Amazon Grill was at the bar. I was waiting for other guests to show up, and I tried a couple of cocktails (okay, a few!) I couldn't help myself. I am a major cocktail snob, and these cocktails were amazing. I would come here just for the cocktails any day of the week. -
Review from Anthony L.
Tacoma, WA
Did you, like me, shed a tear when Ipanema closed in downtown Seattle on 1st? Well if so, then good news has arrived! The same owner and chefs are now turning out tasty morsels of meat in downtown Bellevue at Amazon Grill. From the person I talked to the story goes the building owner in downtown Seattle decided to triple the lease amount. So instead they told them peace out and opened up shop in Bellevue. Great location with easy access from I-405.
If you are a pro like myself, you skip right past the salad bar, and prepare for the meat sweats. Make sure you can exercise some will power to not wrangle the stick of meat away from the server. My favorites are garlic steak, cheese steak, sirloin, anything bacon wrapped, sausage, chicken, pretty much if it's non-vegatable based and on a stick I'm down!
Service was spot on, my Arnold Palmer never stayed empty, plenty of free refills without even asking. Which by the way was awesome, their lemonade is amazing! The meat came around quick at lunch time. -
Review from Loretta B.
Bellevue, WA
4/18/2012
Fabulous Brazilian Grill. Went there for my birthday and the food is fresh, delicious, the wait staff was awesome and really I can't say enough good about it. Color scheme is uplifting and wonderful. Check it out.
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Review from Chiri E.
12/29/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Ladies, warning: leave your stilettos at home. The floor was slippery and there were hidden bumps on the floor, camouflaged by the wood pattern. I learned this the hard way wearing my 3 inch heels, every trip to the salad bar required very careful concentration as if to walk through a very narrow bridge. EXCEPT at the end of the bridge, instead of exotic Amazon jungle food I had anticipated, I was greeted with more conventional salad bar items like the pasta salad, caprese salad (not Brazilian!?), potato salad, artichokes and cheese. Don't get me wrong, I do like salads but I'm pretty sure crackers/cheese and potato salads are not local Peruvian/Brazilian staple food...
The truth is, we didn't know they were only going to be having the Rodizio buffet that night. I don't think it says on the website certain nights are buffet only? Neither of us had Brazillian/Peruvian food, so we were excited about trying some of the seafood/fish items we saw on the online menu before buying the Yelp deal. We were kind of bummed out we could only do the buffet.
Nevertheless, we thought the meat rotation idea was pretty cool. It was fun to try the different types of meat. The meats were ok, not all you get are great. I got some really rare slices that raised my eyebrow but I did like the garlic or pepper slices. The grilled cinnamon pineapple was unique and tasty. But they also brought out some weird stuff like cheesy meat where pieces of mozzarella were oozing out of the meat. Again, most of the meat seemed more American than Amazonian to me...
Buuuut! if you don't give a flying duck about the authenticity, then all power to you! I guarantee that you will be stuffed with a ton of meat if you choose the Rodizio buffet. -
Review from Joy H.
1/6/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I would definitely come again, although only if I have a deal. I thought the food was better than Ipanema (and I like the more upscale atmosphere) and I liked their vegetable bar better than Novilhos which is further down the street.
The service was great, the food is supposedly Peruvian (although I can't really tell the difference between that and Brazilian). I know, I know . . . for shame! No complaints from me! Differently just wished it was cheaper! -
Review from Krishna V.
Seattle, WA
12/16/2011
Was it a perfect storm of shittiness? Or was this just how it is? I may never know.
My coworkers and I have been going to Novilhos in Factoria for a bit now, and while it's more expensive than the Amazon Grill, I left the the AG feeling ripped off in a way I never have at Novilhos. Pretty much everything tasted dry and over-seasoned. Whether it was for a steak knives, flip-card, water, or the check, our waiter promised an average experience and then avoid every subsequent effort to make eye contact and actually receive on of these things. Pay $5 more and go to Novilhos. It's much more than worth the extra money. -
Review from Chris S.
Bellevue, WA
1/30/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
I think it would be hard for me to pay full price for this -- $40, $80 for a couple, would seem to put you into the price range of one of the mid-to-upper range steak restaurants in the area. Yes, the all-you-can-eat aspect has some pull, but realistically, a good dinner somewhere else for this price would give you more food than you should eat at a sitting anyway. With a 1/2 off deal, like the Yelp coupon, it becomes an interesting place to eat, you feel more free to experiment, and eat the sides, more meat.
Meat is strangely uneven -- tri tip, filet, were good and tender. Bacon-wrapped items seemed dry and tough. Definitely better at $40 for $80 than at regular price. -
Review from John M.
Seattle, WA
4/22/2012
This place is now closed.
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Review from linzy n.
Mill Creek, WA
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
I absolutely love this place. It use to be located in downtown Seattle called IPANEMA grill. Their current location is easy to find and parking is a breeze. This place is so tasty...DELICIOUS RODIZIO!! al you can eat. In addition to the all you can eat meat, there is a buffet in the middle of the restaurant with numerous varieties of dishes. My favorite place to eat at!!
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Review from Adam H.
Mill Creek, WA
2/25/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I have been to 3 Brazilian grills now - Texas De Brazil in Vegas, Grill from Ipanema in Coure De'lane, and now Amazon Grill in Bellevue. We typically hold Texas De Brazil at the top of the list because it was the first experience and really impressed us. I was not at all impressed with Ipanema due to the lack of taste in the meat and very slow service, but Amazon Grill was great! The meat was incredible and the service was great. There was rarely a time where we were waiting to receive a new cut of meat. The only reason I downgraded it a star was because I was not impressed with the "salad bar". First off, I was hoping there would actually be salad at the salad bar but there was not. There really wasnt anything in the "salad bar" that I really enjoyed or felt the need to go back for.
All in all, I really enjoyed Amazon Grill, and would go back again. I would probably stick to the meat mostly with a few veggies from the bar. -
Review from Linda L.
Seattle, WA
12/28/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
This is definitely the only place I would go to get steak because it's such a good value compared to other places. At any other steakhouse in the city, you would probably pay $40 per person for one teensy little steak and no sides whereas here, for $40 per person, you get as many steaks as you want plus a nice selection of other meat plus an awesome salad bar.
Both times I've been here, there were barely any people here, probably due to the location being kind of out of the way, but both times the food was delicious. As for tips about what to eat, I would say try everything that is offered because you're paying for it anyway. They have exotic offerings like wild boar and buffalo, but the best thing is the house sirloin. -
Review from dub n.
Seattle, WA
12/18/2011
The night I went only the $40 rodizio buffet was available. I thought this was a different kind of Peru/Brazil restaurant and wanted to try a bunch of different dishes they have listed on the website. Nope, steak buffet only.
The meat was hit or miss, 50% of the time I would get a rare or fatty slice, and the steak is pretty much all they offer. The whole time I was thinking WTF are you saving the meat for?! Give me a huge ass slice, not a little sliver of burnt fat from the side dammit.
The other items at the buffet were good (mash taters/salads/fruits/lentil/etc....) Its clean inside so I can't really complain.....I tried to love this place, but honestly, even after using the awsome Yelp coupon and getting $40 for $80 worth of food, me and my date decided we won't come back. -
Review from Chris T.
Bellevue, WA
1/31/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Went for a Sunday brunch with skeptisim given the mixed reviews. Was pleasantly surprised at the quality and variety for lunch. The price was more than reasonable for this type of cuisine. It would've been a good deal even without the coupon.
Will definitely go back. Hope they stay in business. -
Review from LB D.
Redmond, WA
4/1/2012
If you love Brazilian Steak houses you will love this! Great food and fun staff!
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Review from Jon C.
Seattle, WA
11/22/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
If you're already sold on this place, but are just skimming reviews, let me save you some major, dick-crushing, "Oh shit, the waiter just make you look like a chump!" embarrassment: Use your tongs to grab the meat (you savage).
Look, I know that sounds weird, or perverted -- but trust me on this. Look like a pro, and go in there using your tongs to grab the meat!
Okay, so, the Amazon Grill is basically "Ipanema Grill", with a few modifications. Same food (except they've stopped serving certain meats like boar, unfortunately), same idea. It's all about the Rodizio (never-ending-meat-on-a-sword-table-side-service).
When you start eating here, you will probably wait an awkward amount of time before you're asked about food, or served food. I'm talking 10 minutes of just blank stares and awkward hunger growls from your stomach before anyone even approaches your booth or table. Hopefully, the servers speed this process up in the future. I understand that it's awkward to instantly ask someone what they want, but when your whole "thing" is unlimited-meat-on-a-sword, and people put the menus on the end of the table, it's usually your sign to get things moving.
You eventually receive a neat little platter of dipping sauces, a tiny dish of actual corn-nuts, and a paper cup filled with various hand-made fried veggies; purple potatoes, turnips and plantains, from what I could see. This is mostly a delightful starter. The sauces vary, and sometimes, aren't very good. The queso dips were all amazing. Also, the fried bananas are incredible. However, it is a rabbit-hole: ask for more, and you will be charged about $3 for two tiny bite-sized pieces.
Anyway, once you tell them "Rodizio, por favor", your server gives you a little "Green Means Meat / Red Means Meat Sweats" card that basically signals the meat-carvers to your table as to your current hunger level.
With the yelp coupon, this place is an instant five stars; and really, this should be more of their normal price, if they intend to stay busy. $40 for two people? Done and done. $40 per person? Ehhhhhh...
Without the coupon, it's a little overpriced. That said, if you're into meat, this is one of the best restaurants to try. Don't feel bad by not eating a cut of meat that's too dry, or that doesn't taste as delicious as you had hoped. The world is your oyster, tonight! Indulge like a total prick, for once in your life and only ingest the finest of meats. Be disappointed! There will be more things to impress you! Refuse luxurious proteins because they're simply not luxurious enough!
"Oh, heavens no! This lamb's leg is not perfectly seasoned to my liking! I refuse to eat this! I will wait for you to impress me with something better!"
(Don't actually act like a total prick. However, it is fun to gesture and talk like that amongst friends.)
Save your room for the pork ribs, beef ribs, filet mignon, tri-tip, grilled pineapple (shh!) and cheesesteak. Trust me on this. These are byfar the best items on the menu. The sirloin and turkey wrapped in bacon is okay, don't get me wrong. And really, almost nothing here is "bad". Just trust me and eat mostly those other things I mentioned.
Don't pile up your plate with sides from the salad bar!
Most of them, unfortunately, aren't that great. I grab the grilled squash, mashed potatoes and fruit, sporadically. But that's it.
Overall, I think Rodizio-style restaurants are the greatest of ideas. I absolutely love them. Amazon Grill is an amazing experience, even if going with a group of friends is a Nightmare Hellride Clusterfuck of "Sorry, I can't break down the bill" and "$75 gratuity charges" (which is basically a "fuck you, I don't think you're going to tip me, asshole" gesture). Go here. Take some friends. Gorge and have fun. You'll love it. -
Review from Pat S.
Kent, WA
4/7/2012
This is one of my favorite places for lunch with my husband, we used to frequent Ipanema in Seattle but we prefer this place because we don't have to look for parking for 20 min and pay for it. The place is great (and easy to find), the food is awesome, I just wish their staff was a little bit more friendly.. And I'm a little disappointed because they took some Peruvian dishes out of their menu and they are not selling Chicha morada (a purple corn juice - Peruvian) any longer but I still love them!
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Review from Phil C.
Seattle, WA
4/2/2012
Just tried Amazon Grill for the first time last Friday night. I had vowed never to go back to Novilhos after my last visit as I felt the quality had declined, so was elated to find another eastside location for steak consumption debauchery.
The salad bar was pretty typical of the local churrascarias...ample supply of your roughage staple, but not really anything to write home or yelp about. I only recommend a quick visit for roughage as a preemptive strike against the onslaught of steak you're about to subject your body to. Now Fogo de Chao's salad bar is an altogether level or 2 above what we get in Seattle.
My standard operating procedure for churrascarias is to have a few pieces from the gauchos walking around, but then to special order everything else. This way you can get the meat just the way you like it...In my case, the rarer the better.
I recommend the lamb, house sirloin, beef ribs, and filet mignon. Don't let your large eyes stuff your stomach with the filler meats. I'd recommend the beef ribs and filet. The waiter even gave us the rib bone to gnaw on. You can also order some made to order pico de gallo sauce to dip your steak in.
I'll definitely be making another trip...actually it's already scheduled for this Friday. -
Review from Kayla S.
Renton, WA
3/6/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
I have been to Amazon Grill 3 times. The service was very quick with many choices of meat. Some of the meats were good and there were some that was more on the dry side. The sausage was not my favorite (no flavor). Everything else is tasteful. The decoration is modernize compare to other Brazillian grills I've been to. Great location with easy access to the freeway.
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Review from Jorge F.
Wenatchee, WA
12/19/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I've been to this restaurant twice and have had a mixed experience.
The first time I tried the Peruvian fare, enjoyed the ceviche, the atmosphere and the service. I was dissapointed they didn't have Pisco to make Pisco Sour (inexcusable in a Peruvian restaurant) but they accomodated my request to make it with cachaça.
The second time, I went to try the rodizio and take advantage of a yelp deal.
The rodízio was disapointing. The pieces of meat were too repetitive and took too long comming between them. But maybe I'm comparing with my experiences in Brazil and Portugal.
The Caipirinha and Pisco Sour were divine. -
Review from Elizabeth P.
Seattle, WA
1/24/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
First, let me say that I came here several times when they first opened and it's been at least six months since I've had a chance to go back. A friend introduced me to one of my favorite drinks ever, their Oro del Inca drink. It's spicy and sweet, which for me is simply perfection! The manager, Odi, like his staff, is personable, kind, helpful and he remembered me from my last visit months and months ago. (Always impressive.)
But this time around, it was a shock to open the menu and find so little on offer. Only three appetizers? And moreover, where did all that yummy Peruvian food go? They need to take "Peruvian" off their description here. There was nothing Peruvian about it. While the menu hadn't been enormous before, there were way more options, and now I'm really not sure I want to go back.
In terms of dinner, basically all that's available now is the rodizio (salad bar/buffet---which could use labels for those of us with food allergies -- and multiple meats prix fixe). For the amount of food one can eat, the cost of the rodizio is really high ($40/person @ dinner). Thankfully I'd gotten the Yelp $40 for $80 deal because....wow. While the variety of meats was impressive -- buffalo, 3 kinds of beef, two kinds of pork, etc -- and the Parmesan pork melts in your mouth (as did the tri-tip steak), there's no way I'm going back for dinner if my only real option (non-appetizer, non-salad) is $40. It's just too expensive.
AND the Peruvian offerings are gone.
But I gotta say....GO TO HAPPY HOUR (3:30 - 6:30) for one of those Oro del Inca. Habanero-infused vodka, passionfruit, and lime juices. *drool* -
Review from Dusty D.
Bothell, WA
11/12/2011
The former owners of Ipanema Grill in Seattle opened Amazon Grill in Bellevue. The best part is free parking. I love this place. The service is better than it's former counterpart. The "salad bar" is better too. The meat is as good as it gets... but they are still a little stingy with the pineapple and there more exotic cuts of meats. I'm embarrassed to say we dine there at least 3 times per month.
Another great thing, is they participate in the Passport...you get 20% off your bill.
I didn't give it 5 stars because they are slow to notice when the salad bar needs restocking and that I have to always ask for them to bring out certain cuts of meat. -
Review from An T.
10/7/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
I was skeptical after reading some reviews on here. But my gf wanted to do the rodizio for her bday and Ipanema's was closed.
Luckily I was able to get a refund on my yelp deal to ipanemas and I got the same deal for Amazon grill!
We went yesterday and she met me there after work so we were early for the dinner but had some drinks in the bar. Dinner for rodizio doesn't start until 5pm more like 530.
I would advise going early as you get all the food fresh out. I have to say I been to Ipanemas before as you may have read my review (if not you should) but they offered way more cold dishes here than at Ipanemas. The fruit was vibrant and fresh. Everything was just great!
Now to the meat I must say kudos to the staff. I saw 20 different selections of meats and the famous cinnamon pineapple go around. I was only able to conquer 17 meats and the pineapple.
By far my favorites are as follows using a 1-3 star rating 1 being the low 3 being the high.
Garlic steak *** by far my favorite it was not sliced but was a nice chunk cooked medium!
Pepper steak** loved the pepper flavor.
Filet minon ** pretty good a bit dry
Rib eye *** cooked great! Nice color between dark pink and pink
Sirloin *** very moist
Bacon wrap steak *** bacon around steak enough said
Bacon turkey ** turkey was a bit dry
Tri tip ** dry not a lot of seasoning
Lamb * dry
Sausage ** great flavor nice spice to it
Cheese steak * not sure how to describe cheese melted on outside of steak
Parm pork * very salty with the Parm and pork a bit dry
Passion chicken * didn't taste any passion
Roast pineapple ***** everyone loves this because it is the Bomb!
Beef ribs offered did not eat looked good
Pork ribs offered did not eat looked good
Buffalo offered did not eat
Oh and the plantan chips were delicous! -
Review from Michael G.
Renton, WA
1/29/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Horribly.... horribly run establishment . Rebecca S. nailed it about the music. Its as if you wanted to eat dinner in a Mexican disco... except that you're spending at least $40 (plus tip, tax, drinks) etc.. to do it. And that's with their coupon.
Lets first address that. They offer a coupon. Businesses that do well typically do not have to do this. Should have been a red flag but after reading a couple positive reviews on here, decided to take the risk.
Wrong move. I love rodizio style Brazilian. Its one of the better types of food experiences out there. I've been to several, both in Dallas and San Diego.
There was just awkward wait after awkward wait, from walking in the door while 10 guys in black shirts leaned around near the meat spits to the hostesses leaning on the host stand, (which is oddly tucked behind a corner, NOT in view on the front door. does that make ANY sense?)
Lags between the drink order, lags between the meat servers. When I fork out for rodizio, I want to get bombarded... yes bombarded with deliciously, juicy, wonderfully seasoned, quality meats. I don't want to eat... get hungry again, eat... get hungry again.
Which leads to the meat, holy crap. Quality? non-existent. Pichanha (rump roast), my favorite, should be medium to medium rare, not... uncooked.
just all around a foul experience. I actually kidded myself through 1 course, ordering some wine, just suffering through it. But once I stood up to get another round to the salad bar, I was done. I asked for the manager.
She came out after about 10-15 minutes of.... who knows? finishing off a smoke? NOT reading Yelp reviews? Facebooking?
this smug, (i'm not making this up - hands in her pockets) lady who immediately starts on the defensive, effectively ending the conversation.
I'm trying to help your BUSINESS. i feel disgusted just wasting my time on a foul place like this because in the food biz, you have typically 1 chance to impress or face elimination due to choices and capitalism.
I tell her I don't care about the money or the bill I just want to leave. I'm actually waiving off servers at this point. Complete moron. I watch her hover over the host stand for another 15 minutes after which, the waiter, not her, the waiter comes back where I discovered she's comped the bill. Just a last slap in the face. What about our night? We were celebrating. Its like, "thanks! I'll be sure to come back now, because, frankly for money, I'll eat crap, be treated like crap in a loud mexican disco."
Steer clear, folks.
Oh yeah, after tellin Yelp what happened, they refunded the deal I bought.
