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Categories: Brazilian, Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Federal TriangleFederal Triangle (Blue, Orange)
Metro Center (Red, Blue, Orange)
Archives-Navy Mem'l (Green, Yellow)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 4:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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Meat and lots of it! This place is great. if you typically spend $50 for a nice steak anyway, why not come here and get your selection of great cuts of beef, pork, lamb, AND chicken?
The fillet, lamb chops, and bacon wrapped fillet were probably my 3 favorite cuts of meat. YUM. Salad bar is great too. They have a lot of really good salad ingredients: butter lettuce, hearts of palm, artichoke bottoms, Parmesan chipped from a wheel....awesome! They kept having to give us more of the fried polenta cause we'd eat it so fast! Too bad we didn't ask for more cheesy bread! *drool* (Pass on the coffee...pretty bitter and I love my coffee black)
The reason I take a star away is because even though my disk was on green, I got passed up quite a few times! Hello gaucho, come back...coooooome baaaaaaaaaack! There were also two of the gauchos that made me tense when they stopped by my table...like: you want or not???? Hurry or no meat for you! My salad plate sat at my table for about 5 minutes before I got a clean meat plate even though my date was helping himself to his 2nd plate of carnage and the coat check chick was rude. I gave her my card and when she went in the closet, I said my coat was white. Her response: "I know, I'm looking for someone else's coat." *blink blink* *head turning* who's was she looking for...cause I'm the only one here.
Would certainly recommend this to ANY meat lover. I can't wait to come back.
People thought this was:
If you want Brazilian churrascaria, don't mess around, just go to Fogo! I absolutely love the salad bar. Yes, I know it fills me up, but it's nice to take breaks from so much meat. That said, I absolutely love the lamb. They prepare it oh so well! The spare ribs are also quite tasty, and anything wrapped in bacon is yum! I also like that they have the beef cooked at different temperatures. IMHO, the rare is closer to medium rare, but it's still tender and juicy.
Oh, the cheesy bread. Also quite delicious!
Summary, salad bar good. Meat, fantastic!
People thought this was:
I'm guessing you already know the drill if you are reading these reviews with the cards, the meat strolling around you, etc. I went for a friend's birthday and I prefer it to some other steak places I have tried. You're still paying quite a bit, but you really get to try a whole bunch of things--including at the salad bar! I really liked the salad bar and went up again midmeal because I was craving greens after all of the meat.
Some of the meat was only so-so, but there were multiple cuts I liked. I could see myself coming back here and maybe bringing my dad to try the stuff. I like how you can pick how cooked you want your meat, and they cut it right then.
Little extras: nice bathrooms (although they need to fix the faucet/bowl thing because the water splashes behind the bowl since the faucet is too far back), excellent service, and a hilarious hostess. When I notified the hostess of the friend's birthday, she told me to "wait here and don't move!" before talking to a waiter. They brought out a YUMmy piece of chocolate cake which we all shared.
Drawbacks: The family-style side dishes are also good, but nothing remarkable. They also charge a lot for sodas ($3) and desserts/other things.
I would go here again, but I need a break from all of that red meat!
People thought this was:
I went here with 3 others for a special DC meal. It was definitely one of my most memorable restaurant experiences.
After sitting, we immediately turned our cards over to the green side to signify we were ready for meat. Waiters came frequently to offer the 15 different meats available. I think I tried 14 of them. Favorites included the filet mignon, filet mignon wrapped in bacon, lamb, and parmesan-covered pork.
I felt a bit guilty about trying everything from the salad bar and leaving so much over, but for $50, I wanted to get some tastes.
The friendly waiters even asked if there was a certain meat we'd like more of, so I requested the filet mignon repeatedly. Some of the cuts were a bit too salty, and the sirloins were nothing special, but the filet was great.
For a fun meal with great service, a wide variety of courses (you also get appetizers brought to your table), and delicious food, go to Fogo de Chao.
People thought this was:
Fogo de Chao is a superior restaurant, with excellent food and service.
You probably know by know that this Brazilian steak house specializes in meat, meat and more meat. For $50 a head, you get an all-you-can-eat salad bar (above average salad bar, would not quite say superior, but darn good), followed by all-you-can-eat, fresh cut off the skewer hot meats - beef, chicken, lamb and pork, as in ribs baby.
You also get 3 sides, mashed potato, fried whole plantain (banana) and fried polenta - a nice twist on your regular sides.
The meats are wonderful, hot off the spit and tender and tasty. Service is attentive, speedy and unobtrusive.
Atmosphere is upscale, quiet, reserved and friendly. A definite treat. Meal for 3 with wine and dessert was $250. I would go back in a second.
People thought this was:
Fogo de WOW. Place is amazing. Very elegant, very tasty, and very expensive. 15 different cuts of meats with more than just one palette cleaner? Give me some Caipirinhas, a C-note and I can spend about 3-4 hours in the "Chao" line.
My favorite meat there was the sirloin cut as well as the Parmesan Crusted Pork Tenderloin. Sooooo goood. I had at least 5 pieces of the savory "other white meat" cut.
Fogo makes Texas De Brazil look like TGI Fridays.
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I have been a number of times with my co-workers and Brazilian friends. I have been impressed everytime despite the claims from the Brazilians that the quality is dropping on the cuts of meat they are bringing out. I may not be able to attest that - and won't - until they stop bring out filet mignon wrapped in bacon. Need I say much more?
Skip the salad bar, it will only fill you up. You'll need all your stomach space for the meat being bused to your plate. I really dig the fried plantain sides as well. Try to save room for desert, recommend this traditional Brazilian cup of apricot (?) ice cream, topped with some liquor. The name escapes me.. but its great..
Expect to spend at least 50 a person (not counting drinks) when you go.
People thought this was:
Liked Fogo de Chao a lot. Filet w/ bacon was my favorite, but you can't lose with any of the meat options. You really can't. The cheese bread was YUMYUM. I didn't eat anything from the salad bar so ??? on that.
Service was excellent.
Go here!
Caipirhinias + Charred Red Meat = Happiness provided by the House of Carnage
Prepare yourself for this delight by not eating all day the day of and you'll get your money's worth.
Do yourself a favor and don't get any sort of bloodwork or anything done for like a month after your visit, though. Your results will be skewed.
Gauchos in gauchos = hawt. I wish I could quit you.
Spent two hours here on sunday. It was a great experience. All the staff works as a team, and are ready to serve you as soon as your card is green.
Salad bar was great, all the meat was cooked perfect. My wouldnt stop talking about the pork.
I will definitely be going here again in the very near future. Hopefully to spend even more time there.
This Restaurant is absolutely the best Brazilian Steakhouse/Restaurant I have ever been to. The atmosphere is plush but not overstated. Artsy without being gauche. Clean and pleasant everywhere, from the front door to the Rest Rooms.
The Dinner runs $49.95 per person and includes a very well stocked salad bar and meat. More about the meat later. The salad bar, which many reviews say is limited and small, I found to be wonderful and had a wide selection of meats, cheeses, salads, vegetables, etc. But do not have much of this, I took a sample of maybe 5 dishes and it was plenty. A server will come by to ask if you want more salad or are ready to start with your dinner (the real reason we go...Isn't it?
Bring on the MEAT! A large and clean plate takes the place of your salad plate, a basket of cheese stuffed rolls is place on the table...no sooner do you turn your coaster to "green" and the meat parade begins.
Literally within 5 minutes of "going green" I had 5 different meats on my plate. The hostess was sweet and saved us a table against the wine wall around the corner from the kitchen. She told me that way we'd get the meet while it was the hottest. She was not joking. The meat fresh off the grills came parading by and our table was the first to be served off the large skewers. The cuts of meat are prime and tender and flavorful as you can imagine. I lost count of the varieties of meats and tried a smaple of each until I could not eat any more. Then they brought by a boneless leg of lamb...I could not resist. I was now beyond full and again announced my defeat! Then came beef ribs (yes these were still new types of meat) and I stuck to my guns and stuck with "No thank you." So I guess that means there may have been 10 different meats that were being served.
And I would be remiss if I did not also comment on the top notch service. The servers work as a Team and do so like no other restaurant I have been to. Any server passing by will gladly take care of any needs and/or if they see something that you need that person takes care of it immediately. This restaurant is owned/operated by a Brazilian Company that has maybe 8 of theses restaurants around the world, and this is absolutely a World Class Treat! Will I return, Oh Yeah!
People thought this was:
One of my favorite restaurants. Fogo is an outstanding steak house. The salad bar makes you feel like you are a veggie lover too even if you are a carnivore like me. Then the juicy perfect beef cuts hit your table. Their cheese bread is sinful as well ad yuca, plantains, etc.
A MUST go place in DC!
Man! I'm hungry.
I have been to three Fogo de Chao's to date.. Chicago, Los Angeles, and DC now.
Although the Chicago bar has an impressive dining room and salad bar.. Los Angeles is crippled by the fact that their waitstaff is a bit pushy... DC takes the cake by having the most tasty meat. Grilled to perfection.. I requested only for rare meat.. and that's what I was delivered. They were also amazing to be able to handle our table of 34 people splitting it with 34 different credit cards.
The salad bar here is a bit small.. they also need to do a better job refreshing the helpings here.. but of course, you're not here for the salad bar. I am a fan of the lamb chops, top sirloin, and ribeye personally.
Only complaint.. the bar isn't that great. All the way in the front, tiny, and not too much of a scene around there.
Not that this place needs another review, but I am a vegetarian and I wanted to put in a good word. I think Fogo is just a great vegetarian place disguised with meat everywhere. Between the amazing salad bar and side dishes (not to mention my brazilian heritage) you cant go wrong! It is a flat fee of I believe $24.99 for dinner and $19.95 for lunch to eat sans meat.
They bring cheese bread, fried polenta, cooked bananas, and delicious mashed potatoes to the table. The salad bar is a bit different than most Americans are used to. It has large heads of lightly steamed broccoli, asparagus, peppers, marinated shitake mushrooms (a personal fav!), tomato, buffalo mozzarella, chunks of parmesan, salmon, peppers....and more!
It is a beautiful restaurant with great service! Highly recommend eating here.
People thought this was:
I love meat. I love alcohol. I love all you can eat. I love men in puffy pants. I love cheesy rolls at the table and fried polenta. I love the Sidecars from the bar, they are the best Sidecars I've ever had. In the end, I love Fogo de Chao.
People thought this was:
Really enjoyed this place. The meat was very flavorful. Again I'm not a big eater so it's a bit much for me. But great dining experience
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i have been hearing about this place constantly over the years but never had a chance to go because 1)$$$$$ 2)who would be brave enough to do ALL U CAN EAT MEAT with me??... so when my friend offered to take me here for dinner..how could i refuse???
i prepared for this dinner by not eating much during the day which probably wasn't a good idea cause i was STARVING by the time i got here and kind of over did it at the salad bar.
let me back up a bit. the hostess there was a complete BITCH. we had reservations and she was very condescending, i wanted to back hand her but i held back. we were seated upstairs where the salad bar wasn't as big but still held alot of options. i picked up some salad, mozzarella, prosciutto and beets (i love beets!!) they dropped off some fried plantains (SOOO GOOD) and polenta cakes as well as some mashed garlic potatoes (i killed the plantains and the polenta cakes)
the meat, nothing needs to be said, all was delicious and perfectly cooked. i really enjoyed the lamb and the garlic steak. yumyumyum...it's sad to say but i ate SO MUCH MORE than my eating partner who for a MAN doesn't eat that much...ahem..
dessert was a yummy chocolate mousse cake that had a candle in it because SOMEONE SAID it was my bday... :) it was a wonderful dinner overall and i can't wait to come back!!!
fyi, the service here is OUTSTANDING. servers constantly at ur beck and call and my water glass was always full! just get rid of that BITCHY ASS hostess!!!!
People thought this was:
An easy walk from the FBI HQ or the MetroCenter station. Imagine strong waiters parading hither and yon with massive skewers, hunks, mounds, piles of beef, sausage, chicken, chops, meat, meat, meat, serving same to tables of happy men and slightly startled women and you have a pretty good idea about what you are getting here. There is a salad bar for sissies. You can pretty much always get a table here as a walk in which is always good for operational security. Its supposed to be Brazilian, as reflected in the name. Did I mention the meat. Its tasty. Four Stars.
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After a rather poor experience with a local Brazilian Steakhouse, the Missus and I set out to try the other BS's in the area to see if we could find a good one.
Fogo de Chao is definitely one of the best.
Now, when it comes to BS's there's not much one can say about the food. I mean, it's pretty much all the same. They have a salad bar and guys running around with different kinds of meat on skewers. As long as they fulfill those two things, they are a Brazilian Steakhouse.
So, what do we look at when picking a good one. The main thing is ALWAYS customer service. The price per diner in these places tends to be hefty, so I want to feel comfortable and welcome in a place like this. Fogo accomplishes this in spades.
Was it the time of day we came? I don't know, but every time we turned around there was another member of the wait staff checking up on us making sure drinks were refilled, plates were swapped out, etc. Heck, they even replaced the uneaten cheese balls with a fresh basket of warm, newly prepared ones without us even asking!
Fogo is smaller than the other BS's we have visited. But it makes it feel cozy-er (if that's a word). While the noise level increase while we were there, it never got as loud as the other places, probably due to the smaller surroundings.
So, why four stars? While the customer service was out-of-this-world great, a Brazilian Steakhouse lives and dies by its meats and salad bar. Alas, while their meat is tender and juicy, their salad bar is surprisingly small and limited in choices.
I do hope they plan to expand their salad bar at some point. In my small opinion it's the one thing keeping them from overshadowing the competition.
If you heart meat da way I heart meat dis da spot! It don't stop.
This tha place I take my lady for a special nite out. You can't go wrong . Not only is da meat cooked to perfection but the service is unbelievable. All the gauchos is real nice. I have been to tha Fogo in Philly & it don't compare to D.C. You can't beat they meat!
People thought this was:
Fogo de Chao - Be prepared to unbuckle your belts folks because it's delicious! Also, I would like to compliment on the interior of this restaurant. It's beautifully design giving a warmth feeling; it's perfect for a romantic evening. I couldn't ask for a better service; the staff were super friendly. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who has not yet experienced Brazilian food!
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I was tempted to give this a 5 star, but the food is a bit oversalted and they over-emphasize sirloin cuts. Still, generally excellent and excellent service,as well.
They have rare to well-done, easily and at any time.
Very comfortabale place to eat.
Best of any of these restaurants that I've been to
Would go back in a minute.
Expensive.
What more does a girl need in life than a never ending parade of hot men carrying around swords of sizzling, garlicky, tender and delicious meats that melt in your mouth?
I mean, seriously.
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I gave Fogo de Chao 3 stars because they are not a food allergy friendly place. It's rather important when you have shell fish, dairy, and tree nut allergies. I got there and we had a rather large party that we were waiting on, so I decided to have a margarita at the bar. The margarita mix had milk in it! I told the bar tender that I was was allergic - and he argued with me! Finally he took out the Margarita mix and I proved my point ( milk strands), finally he took the drink off the bill and I switched to Cosmos for the night.
The only thing I could have from the bar was salad and the chicken salad that was good too. Not to mention the fried banannas which were awesome too. I did enjoy the meat selection, but for the price that you pay...I would of perfered to have more options with the side dishes as well.
I loved the bacon wrapped chicken, the pork and more!
Great place - but more allergy sensitive foods would be appriciated.
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Wow, #400 makes me feel so old school! I figured for this momentous occasion I'd review an experience I shared with so many other old school Yelpers that have come to be such good friends of mine. The aforementioned friends (and some "real life" friends) got together for a surprise birthday dinner for me at Fogo. After years of anticipation, and failed attempts at joining several group Fogo outings, I would finally put an end to the debate of comparing Fogo and Texas de Brazil.
I have to say that my immediate impression was that the salad bar at TDB is superior, as are the extras. Fogo brings out the cheese bread, plantains, and mashed potatoes, but they aren't quite the same and not as quickly produced as TDB. The salad bar is also about 1/3 the size, with TDB being a pretty awe-inspiring display. To some people, the salad bar is important so on that alone TDB gets the nod. I made an initial pass at the salad bar but never returned. I also think the drinks are better at Fogo. My caipirinha was exquisite, and quite sizeable.
For overall meat, Fogo takes it by a landslide. So many cuts were flying around, all cooked perfectly and all seasoned wonderfully as well. My complaint at TDB is that basically everything is caked in salt. I got really tired of the flavor after a while, but at Fogo every cut has it's own taste. My favorites were the "house special", parmesan pork, pork ribs, garlic beef, and bacon wraped filet. All were outstanding, and the beef dishes that had a medium-rare option were cooked perfectly. It's hard to believe such mass-produced skewers of meat can be cooked so well.
After the feast, a little mad scientist guy walks around with his apothecary of cordials. When I said I was full, he immediately suggested I try some grapa. This is probably what he says to everyone that says they're full, but really that grapa was pretty handy with helping my digestion. Of course we were almost taken advantage of by being served the ultra-highend model that came in a snazzy bottle with little turn-spout and tiny glass ship inside. Thanks to Michelle for intercepting that and getting the layperson grapa instead!
So, overall Fogo is an excellent experience, but it's a bit one-sided and geared to those that just want meat. The price is really high and I don't know that many people would get their money's worth. Ben M claims that lunch here includes all the same cuts of meat, but for half the price. If that's true then that's an amazing deal. For a special occasion though, it certainly makes for an wonderful meal, but definitely more of a group thing and less for an intimate date.
So some shoutouts/thanks in no particular order:
Michelle P - thanks for organizing a great event
Stef - for bringing the sexy back to the carnivores
Alicia G - for taking a break from official photographer to actually enjoy the food for once
Alicia C - for keeping up with me for the first 20 minutes, and helping me make the white tablecloth between us look like a butcher's apron
Laura V - for coming out to a meat-centric place, despite her lack of meatcentricity
Venu - for giving me some competition to see who ate the most
Ben M - for being almost the same person as me
Katie F - for coming out, even if it was just for key lime pie
Kevin L - for coming out for meat after two straight days of attending a BBQ festival
Su K - for being there in spirit
People thought this was:
Absolutely delicious!!! The salad bar, all though a little on the smaller side, was great! The chicken salad and potato salad were easily the best I have ever had. Everything was fresh and tasty!!
Now, I took the option of just the salad bar without the meats and this is a choice I pretty much regret. Next time we go, I will make sure to enjoy the many wonderful meats they offer. However, my husband got to enjoy their variety of meat choices and he found them to be delicious, especially the bacon wrapped filet mignon.
A little on the pricey side but of course, most of these places are and that's OK. You will NEVER come out this restaurant feeling hungry. We will most def be back to visit.
People thought this was:
I have been searching for the perfect opportunity/excuse to finally get to go to Fogo the Chao. So when i was looking for a place to take my carnivorous boyfriend for his birthday dinner, Fogo seemed like a perfect spot. But since i wouldn't actually consider it a romantic date spot, it became the perfect spot for a suprise birthday party.
I had very high expectations and i have to say that they were definitely met.... and exceeded. While not nearly as vast and diverse as the Texas de Brazil salad bar, the quality was just as good. I couldnt' believe how gigantic the stalks of asparagus were! It was absolutely incredible. And the apple salad is something i'll be craving for weeks. But there was only so long i could keep my coaster on red before it was time for the meat.
Every piece of meat that i put in my mouth just melted. My favorite had to be the parmesean crusted pork and the pork ribs. Oh and the "house special". Or and the garlic sirloin. See my issue? Everything was my favorite. The only thing i was not ridiculously impressed with was the plain chicken and the bottom sirloin. Everything else was full of flavor and just plain delicious. Definitely worth every penny.
After dinner, the birthday boy got cake, which i happily helped eat and the after dinner drink cart came by. We convinced the birthday boy to try some of the "grappa" that they had. But rather than ask which one we wanted the guy brought the $20 a glass one. I was disappointed he tried to pull a fast one on me, but i caught it and made sure we didn't spend that much.
Overall i would say that it met all my expectations and was a great way to celebrate!
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I dont see why anyone should complain about the meats @ Fogo.
It is obvious that in South America and specially brazil, Argentina, Colombia etc the parts of the cow are not dispensable. We know how to use each part and cook it the right way. Never have I ever had this opportunity here in the US. Its always the same fillet mignon, flank steak/fajita meat, rib eye, ny strip etc.
Those are nothing compared to the way that the meats were prepared at Fogo. It was delicious. The meat was salty enough, perfectly condimented.The cuts were perfect.. It was an overwhelming experience for me and my bf.
I was there for my birthday so I got a nice bottle of wine. It took me quite a while to pick a bottle bc the selections are amazing.
The salad bar was very good, what are people expecting? typical American salads? The sides were good, mashed potatoes are not my favorite but the bananas, the pan de bono (colombian bread) and the polenta were good. $50 is overall a good price, i would never go back to Chris Ruths or any other steak place.. RIP OFF
My waiter brought me a list with the meats pictures so we could see the way they looked and he told us which were the BEST so that we didnt have to indulge in worthless meats. Skip the chicken, sausages for sure and the braised lamb, the lamb chops are really good though. The flank steak is whatever but the rest of the meats were what I call meat heaven.
The best one was the house special. it starts with a C and its cut like a heart shape...
bon appetit!
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Fogo de Chao is like a meat-lovers brothel, or bordello. The best part about this bordello is that you only pay one price, and don't get charged for return trips to the meat line.
The $50 a head price tag gave me a bit of reluctance to try this place, but a special occasion in the family made it possible to try it. I've been to other Brazilian Steakhouses yet this is the best one by far, hands down, game over, this place is the best! For those of you unfortunate few souls unfamiliar with this type of dining, a Brazilian Steakhouse is essentially a buffet style restaurant. Veggies are found on the salad bar with the meat being delivered to you table side via a hot skewer. The meat is then cut at your table, and you pick the meat using small tongs off the skewer onto your plate
Fogo de Chao provides 15 different cuts of meat each one more tender and juicer then the one before it. It's one of the few time that I've had beef where even after the meat has cooled it stayed as tender and juicy as it was when it was piping hot.
Another nice thing about Fogo is that the beef isn't drowned in some cheap marinade or drenched in butter to give it a false sense of goodness.
The chicken and pork was just as good, the only thing I didn't enjoy too much was the sausage. Needless to say if you are the polar opposite of a Birkenstock wearing, PETA lovin', pale skinned, patchouli oil smelling Vegan then this is you place.
The veggies are good, a little more variety would be nice, but clearly the salad bar is not the focus.
Fogo has one other nice touch which is also used filler so you don't go over board on the meat, they provide each table with a side of Mashed Potatoes,Plantains , some fried bread that tastes like french toast, and their own cheesy roll. The cheese rolls are awesome!!!!!! They are evil, but they taste awesome.
The service is very good and the gauchos are very attentive to whether or not you need meat. In some areas I think the service was a little too attentive because after a while you do feel a tiny bit like they want you to hurry up and eat and leave the table.
I give this place a "Fat Head" rating or 4 stars in the Fattest Food Reviews...Fat Head Rating = It's really good so after the fat is packed onto your gut, rump, and boobs, it will have to find a release in your big fat head.
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Man oh man, I almost died of meat overload here despite starting off with a giant plate of veggies. I tried to be good and not eat any of the bacon wrapped or parmesan crusted goodies, but I'm sure my cholesterol levels had doubled by the time I waddled out. The desserts looked awesome - I WAS good enough (full enough?) to avoid those.
Had some nice Argentinian wines, and felt vindicated when one of the servers (I think he was a server, but maybe he was the sommelier? I have no idea) agreed with me that one of the bottles was corked while the other guys at the table were just calling it "heat damaged." I dunno, moldy basement smell is moldy basement smell and I don't want to drink it, regardless of the reason. They brought out a replacement, appropriate wine smelling bottle right away though.
Come hungry and enjoy being waited on by tons of cute foreign boys, I did.
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Meh. It was certainly delicious but I feel like I would have to weigh at least 200 pounds to be able to eat enough for it to be worth the money. If they made some sort of alternate program for us 130-pounders, I would be willing to give it 4 or 5 stars.
I mean, they have to be making profit out the ass... yes, they have a bazillion waiters running all over the place but they don't have to have people in the kitchen actually preparing plates since the waiters just walk around with meat and you serve yourself at the salad bar. And it's not like they're using particularly expensive ingredients or anything. If my meal is going to cost well over $50 and just include a couple of mixed drinks, not wine or dessert or anything, there better be a truffle involved.
People thought this was:
Went in for lunch today, arrived 2/3rds through the service. Seems like a good time to arrive, the primary crowd had cleared out and this allowed for more attention from the servers (not overwhelming as some have suggested).
The salad bar has a few choice items (prosciutto , Parmesan, salami) and the rest are standard fare. Don't fill up on salad items at the start, you can always hang on to your salad plate while the main course is being served. The choice of meats is excellent and most were spiced well. The quality of all the cuts is generally well above average but a few stand out like diamonds in the rough. For what is generally known as a lean piece of meat, the tenderloin was like a cloud of butter in my mouth.
The house cocktails are interesting but are overflowing with lime wedges, which isn't always a bad thing. Wine list appeared extensive although I didn't really look closely. Decor follows the trend of modern american steakhouse and appears more formal than it actually is. But there is no preferred dress code whatsoever and you can be as informal/comfortable as you like.
Overall I think that the lunch price of 32/head is a great deal for all you can eat fine grilled meats (and decent prosciutto). Would definitely go again and recommend to others.
Fogo De Chao is my favorite Steakhouse ahead of Flemings, Rays Steaks, Ruth and Chris etc. This is better than Texas De Brasil, Malibu Steakhouse and the other similar places.
It is a red light, green light Brazilian steak house. You get a 2 sided colored counter. Red means stop I need need a break and Green means bring on the meats.If you love meats then this is heaven. The price for dinner is $50/person, slightly less for lunch. . Sirloins, filets, sausages, chicken all prepared gaucho style- slow cooked and well seasoned. Salty but not as bad as some other places. Their meat is good quality and always juicy. It says something when I could eat their salad bar alone. Fresh cheeses Large juicy tomatoes and my favorite heart of palm. Very fresh and great quality
If you like meats and want to sample different ones then this is definitely the place for you. Bring your appetite. Their drinks are also made well not too strong and not too weak. this is great for large groups.
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If the Gods in heaven have a restaurant they frequent, I'm pretty sure it'd be Fogo de Chao -- luckily for the rest of us though, they have chains here in DC and a few other places in the US and Brazil.
The food, simply put, is AMAZING. Sure it's a bit on the pricey end, but all you can eat, 15 different types of cuts, good selection at the salad bar with fresh veggies and cheeses, and a wine list that would make Parisians jealous -- it's definitely worth the price considering an 8 oz filet would probably cost you the same amount at another place. The set price for dinner is $50, but I saw that lunch was only $32. Granted you'd fall into a food coma (as we did), and would not be productive after lunch, but that's a great bargain. The ambiance and the service is impeccable. It's a GREAT place for dates, large groups, and even business meetings. I'll definitely be returning....after I go hit the gym for 15 straight hours to burn off everything I ate.
People thought this was:
I came here with a large group for a friend's birthday. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it and the service was amazing. Water glasses were topped up seemingly out of nowhere, and the waiters were very quick to respond to any requests.
The concept of having gauchos bring out the different meats was fun. I was tucked away next to a column so the gauchos would sometimes miss me as they went flying past. However, you could easily ask a waiter to flag someone down for you, and they would come rushing over ready to slice.
The salad bar is included with the meal but is also offered as a stand alone option for veggies. It wasn't as diverse a selection as I had expected from reading reviews, but it was still really nice. Everything seemed extremely fresh. I really enjoyed the seasoned mushrooms and the hearts of palm.
If you're a meat lover, you will be a big fan of this place. Although I liked most of the meats I tried and they get points for variety, the meat wasn't quite good enough to warrant five stars for me. My favorite was the house special because the slightly charred edges were so wonderfully flavorful and salty. The rest of the meats were ok, but I wasn't so impressed with the chicken or the sausages. Others at my table were really happy with the lamb chops and the pork ribs. The fried bananas side, which they keep you plentifully supplied with, were lovely--tender and not too sweet.
Overall, a really fun place to go with a large group of friends or family.
People thought this was:
If you're gonna eat here, plan on fasting before hand, and being incapacitated afterward.
At $50 / person to eat the meat, you really have to have your eatin' pants on. If you go in with that attitude and plan on coming here only annually, it will have minimal effects on your health and waistline.
That said, the steaks are excellent, the sausage is good, and the chicken wings and legs are surprisingly fantastic. The garlic-brushed house special, is really interesting. I've never encountered a cut like that and it was delicious.
The waiters will constantly fill your water glass and will load your table with delicious side dishes, but don't be fooled, it's to prevent you from eating your money's worth. Stay away from that stuff. Keep your eyes on the steak. The salad bar is good, but probably not worth 25 bucks.
People thought this was:
Hmmm...what else is there to say about Fogo de Chao that hasn't been said...
All I can add here is that this place is a bit more hype than it is actually GREAT.
Sure, the meats were all delicious, moist and seasoned well. But the rest of the food left me cold -- the sides were just okay and the "salad bar" was nothing at all to write home about (don't believe the hype here about how "great" the salad bar is).
The only side I enjoyed was the awesome little popovers.
But still you can DEFINITELY eat your $50 in meat -- so I still would go here again.
P.S. the Parmesan-crusted pork was amazing.
People thought this was:
Sometimes I wish I had a multi-chambered stomach just so I could visit Fogo de Chao and eat and eat and eat... but I digress.
As steak houses go Fogo de Chao can stand toe-to-toe with some of the best around DC. Add to the mix over 14 types of meat and oh yeah, you can eat as much as you like... and well, we have a little slice of meat heaven right there on Pennsylvania Ave!
Am I strange for trembling with glee as the hostess shows me to my table and hands me my colored pog? I don't think so. It's probably more like meat-fever. Early western gold miners experienced similar feelings.
I think last time I was at Fogo de Chao one of my friends mentioned a salad bar... not sure what that was about. When I visit FdC it's all about one thing: MEAT!
In all seriousness this place is fantastic! The interior is pristine and nicely decorated. The servers rush to your table like a swarm of angry bees at the first sight of a green-sided pog slicing freshly cooked meats onto your plate. It's great!
People thought this was:
What's not to like about this place? It is an unlimited supply of delicious cuts of steak paired with equally delicious sides. That's pretty much all there is to it.
Rather than continue to praise Fogo, I will instead offer some advice to newcomers. First, don't get the salad bar, rookie mistake. I will admit that the salad bar is quite good, and it does offer a wide selection. However, it is there for a reason. It is meant to fill you up. Keep in mind that my experience with the salad bar ended after my first experience at Fogo. Every time since I sit down, flip my little circle thing to green, and brush off the waiter's attempts to get me to eat salad. It's a waste.
Next, explore the wine list. This place has a hefty one and I've always enjoyed their selection. Additionally, the waiters are always pretty good about recommending so seek out their advice.
Finally, the sides are as good as the steak. Don't neglect them. They may not be the money portion of your meal but they will satisfy your taste buds and leave you wanting more. I particularly like my fork fixed with a piece of fried banana and a piece of top sirloin.
The service here is usually good. The meats, as there are so many of different cuts of them, come around pretty quickly. Also, don't feel afraid to request a specific cut, the filet wrapped in bacon is popular but by requesting it you can be sure to get some rather quickly. One note on the service, I have been to Fogo several times, and I know what I like. In fact, I have my favorites. That being I was a little annoyed when some of the servers tried arguing with me about accepting their cut. I am trying to get the most of what I really like, not a little bit of a wide variety.
As a final caveat, you will not find have best steak of your life at Fogo. That's just not going to happen. I found that many of their cuts are heavily seasoned and quite salty, probably an attempt to get you to fill up on your beverage rather than your steak. However, Fogo does offer a wide selection of very good steaks. They may not be the best in the world but they are worth your money and worth your time.
People thought this was:
Fogo de Chao has amazing food and service, an excellent location and a great atmosphere. As soon as you turn your placecard to the green side, you are literally hounded with fresh meat. I recommend the bottom sirlon, and of course, SKIP the salad bar, eat the good stuff. I believe that the buffet is about $50 and with a drink and tip, you can easily spend $80 per person.
Lunch buffet is cheaper, although I've never been so I don't know if the meat selections are different.
Don't be affraid to ask for different temperature meats, they are very fast at bringing anything out.
I am impressed and will return. This is a place that you need to prepare to go to, as in don't eat for a few days prior to, or at least eat lightly a couple days before.
Neighborhood: Penn Quarter
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Federal Triangle
Category: Italian
Washington, DC
Category: Grocery
Washington, DC
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
Category: Greek
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