Fogo De Chao

 

11

19

Emily C.

Baltimore, MD

Soooooo goooood.  soooooo full.

After hearing a couple of my friends rave about this establishment, I knew I had to try it out for myself.  The focus is definitely on the meat.  My friend and I started out with the salad bar, but that was the only trip we took there all night.  (hey...at least i had SOME veggies).  Each person in your party is given a round disk--one side colored red, the other side green.  So in red light green light fashion, you get to eat to your stomach's content.  As soon as you flip your card to green, "gaucho" chefs start coming at you in every direction offering you cuts of whatever protein they have on their stick.  My friend and i were so overwhelmed by the almost immediate attention that we usually only got one or two cuts of meat at a time before flipping our disks back to red (i needed time to actually try everything on my plate).  I felt that most steak and lamb dishes were great.  I enjoyed the pork sausages as well.  I actually didn't try the chicken because I was so full by the time it came around.  One thing I would not recommend is the parmesan encrusted pork...I thought it was too salty.

Overall, I thought it was a great dining experience.  The staff are all very attentive, making sure you have everything you need.  I don't know if I'd ever really have the occasion to go again, as it is kind of a splurge, but If I could ever make it for the less expensive lunch time menu (only offered weekdays) I definitely would.

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7

71

Jessica L.

Baltimore, MD

So after reaching out to everyone about this place we head there ourselves.  I called Thursday to make reservations and was told anytime before 5:00 (they open at 4:30) and anytime after 9:00.  So we were already downtown all day so we said 4:30.  There weren't many open tables at 4:30.  My husband and I were very lucky (at least we thought) because we got a table that is right up against their wine cellar.  They offer many different varieties of wines from domestic to European to South American to Australian and Italian wines.

Instead of ordering from a traditional menu, Fogo de Cho offers a prix-fixed system where guests can sample the entire menu, or just focus on their favorite items.  The menu features unlimited servings of 15 different delectable cuts of fire-roasted meats, a sumptuous buffet of gourmet salads and fresh-cut vegetables, and a variety of Brazilian side dishes.  Each guest uses a two-sided disk to control the pace of their meal. The green side signals the Gaucho chefs to bring out skewers meats to carve at the table. The red side indicates a stopping point. Turning back to green lets the Gaucho chefs know to start offering the meats again.  So I recommend not eating anytime soon before you come!

The salad bar was the most gourmet salad bar I have ever seen.  It had some many things are it from smoked salmon, proccito, sin-dried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, green and white asparagus and the best Caesar salad dressing I have ever had.  After you sit down they explain how things work and tell you that you can go to the salad bar as many times as you want- 1 trip to taste the things was more than enough for me with everything else!

Once you turn your disc green you are in for food a plenty!  They first bring side dishes of warm cheese bread, fried bananas, crispy hot polenta and seasoned mashed potatoes.  The fried bananas were wonderful.  Neither of us was very impressed with the mashed potatoes (they were very thing).  

Then came the meat... and man let me tell you- between the 2-3 people who take care of you and the men who bring the meat around they move... they are constituently dogging each other but their wasn't one spill!  Some of our favorite of the 5 different types of meat were the fillet mignon wrapped in bacon, Beef Ancho (rib-eye), and our favorite was Picanha (sirloin seasoned with sea alt or garlic).

Overall we extremely enjoyed ourselves even though we were full to the brim!  If you are against buffet and all you can eat places this is not where like those places to don't pass it up!  Before we left I have the opportunity to talk to the manager.  As we were talking I was blown away over a statement he said:  We were joking about a service to roll you to your car and his reply was if he gave me one I would have to come back at the end of the night and get him to his car because they would have over 1,000 people in that night!  

So save your pennies ($45 a person for dinner w/out drinks) and GO!

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Elite '08

67

179

Jim B.

Washington, DC

All you can eat meat? Is this what heaven is like? Or maybe this is just a spot that vegetarians and Peta activists would like to see razed to the ground. In any case, this is a great place to take a group of hungry friends for a stomach-busting feast.

Both the waiting bar and main dining hall are covered in dark wood and overwhelmed with a flurry of activity. This makes the atmosphere a bit loud at times - meaning I'd recommend it for group dining just slightly more than a quiet romantic dinner for two. Although, if your date is an unabashed carnivore, get her here pronto!

Wait staff was extremely friendly, funny, and personable, thoroughly explaining the whole experience we were about to take part in. We were given a coaster-sized card that is green on one side, red on the other. When you flip the card to green, it's go time. Waiter after waiter will come up to you with skewered meat to shave off onto your plate. It's like being hounded by paparazzi, except they're holding filet mignon instead of cameras. If you don't like the particular meat they bring, just shoo them away and wait for the next offering - which there are about a dozen to choose from. Wash it down with a beer, fine liquor, or a wide variety of excellent wines.

Most of the meat was quite good, although there was an offering here and there that was a little dry. A collection of sauces, while perhaps insulting to the chefs and unnecessary for most of the cuts, might still be a welcome addition to the table.

With the speed in which they come and cut the meat for you, it's at first overwhelming and hard to hear and understand just exactly what you're eating, but after several visits to your table, you'll quickly establish your favorites and actively scan the dining room for your meat of choice.

For those who want a break in the action, there's an excellent salad bar in the middle of the room. I wish I could tell you how everything there tasted, but I only grabbed the salmon and some mozzarella. I'm sure not going to fill up on a salad in a steakhouse!

When you're done eating, you and everyone at your table will likely be sitting back and patting your stomachs. When you think about dessert, just remember that Vaccaro's is just a five minute walk east into Little Italy!

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Elite '08

140

348

Kathleen M.

Washington, DC

This was my first experience with one of these over the top meat halls, and I've got to say that I enjoyed myself fully. The place is huge and loud and crowded, but when you're in a big group it just adds to the experience. Like Jim said, I wouldn't recommend coming here for an intimate meal for two, but it's perfect for birthdays, graduations, or any other group celebration (we yelpers were celebrating, um,  Saturday night).

As soon as you flip that little green card over, the meat starts coming, and it comes fast. I opted to hit the salad bar first, just because I needed a little veggie precursor to the host of animals I was about to annihilate. The salad bar was awesome: highlights were the sundried tomatoes, both hard and soft cheeses, and the chicken salad. Most of the meats were really good, although I couldn't tell you which was which. A card that listed all the things being served would have been handy, but I remember the garlic steak being really garlicky, the house special was good but a bit too fatty, and I was pleasantly surprised by the very tender bacon-wrapped chicken. I felt like the amount of meat being served ebbed and flowed, there would be a ton of guys all at once and then you wouldn't see anyone for a while.

Overall, the service was absolutely fantastic... in more ways than one. Our waiter was gorgeous, charming, quick, and helpful... all with an Irish accent to boot. He even handled Kevin's ploy to completely embarrass me with great tact.

Even though this dinner was a huge splurge for me and my budget, I still felt like I got my money's worth. For the next couple of weeks you'll find me living protein-free in an attempt to get my iron levels down to normal, but it was totally worth it.

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6

8

Tihomir N.

San Francisco, CA

I've been to Brazilian steak houses before and while it's been a great experience every time, this one really surpassed everything.

Stay away from the chicken (probably the only "healthy" thing on the menu actually...).  The beef will not disappoint you.  

They will try to sell you the caipirinha's / caipiroska's - they're OK but I've definitely had way better.  It's tough to find a good caipirinha in a restaurant.

Hopefully Fogo will open a restaurant in San Francisco soon!

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1

25

Jennifer S.

Irvine, CA

There is no doubt that the food is delicious.  However, keep in mind that you are definitely paying for quality.  At about $50/person for just the buffet itself, I expect more bells and whistles.  The salad buffet is very good, but I would like to see a more extensive collection of greens and other salad items.  The brazilian barbeque itself, of course, is memorable with about a dozen different types of meat, including different steak, pork, lamb, and chicken.  The servers cut the meat however you like from rare to well-done.  I was extremely disappointed at their bacon wrapped filet mignon, which was overcooked and difficult to chew.  Otherwise, I have very few complaints about the meat. The side dishes were also good, my favorite being the fried bananas.  Service here is very attentive and very friendly.  However, overall, I would say that Fogo de Chao is still overpriced for what you get.  It is also very loud, so good for big birthday parties, but not so good for small conversations.  On the other hand, with all that good meat, who has time to talk anyway?

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Elite '08

219

182

Kevin L.

Washington, DC

Stream-of-consciousness before Fogo:  "Can't wait to eat - I'm starving!  I've barely eaten all day and I'm totally looking forward to scarfing until I can't eat another bite."

Stream-of-consciousness during Fogo:  "Why aren't they serving us?  Oh, we have no plates.  Should I get a plate from the salad bar?  I don't want to fill up on that.  I want meat.  Will they get us plates?  Oh, okay.  Yay, a plate!  MEAT!  MORE MEAT!  You're cute AND you have an Irish accent AND you're going to refer to me as 'luv' and 'sweetheart?'  Hellooooooo, nurse!  This Parmesan pork is off the chain!  Yuuuum!  Sure, I'll have some more of that house special!  This is incredible...  Oh, bacon-wrapped fillet mignon?  Yes, please!  Yes, medium rare please.  Wow, these sun-dried tomatoes from the salad bar really are delicious!  Okay, I'll have a slice of the top sirloin.  Hot Irishman!   I could use some water.  Ooooo, fillet!  Hm - do you think they'll come around with more water?  Maybe I can flag down one... never mind.  Maybe the next waiter... never mind.  (dreamy sigh)  Can I just listen to you talk to me, hottie?  Oh yes, I'd love a refill on my water.  You want dessert?!  You clearly did something wrong.  Hey - all that for sixty bucks a head including tax and tip?"

Stream-of-consciousness after Fogo:  "WHYYYYYYYY?!  Ow - I think I'm going to 'splode.  Dayum, that was good!  Yay - Yelpers in the B'more!  But whhhhhyyyyyy?!  Okay, twist my arm - I'm in for dessert at Vaccaro's..."

Welcome to a day in the life of my mind.  Try not to get lost.

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