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Categories: Brazilian, Steakhouses [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North SideGrand (Red)
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The Good: The food & service are absolutely remarkable. I recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a good place for a family outing or even a romantic date for two. You are constantly served new portions/items by various waiters. You really will try every piece of meat imaginable at this place. Also the salad bar alone could be a restaurant, it's beautiful.
The Bad: The price, I think they're a little over priced, BUT they always email 25% and sometimes 50% off coupons.
The Ugly: The ugly is that this place is not next door to me, so I could eat their everyday
Mmmmeat... Love it.
So why not hit up one of these Brazilian Steak houses.
Salad Bar - Solid enough. Good selection, but not overwhelming you as you are here for meat.
Service - On top of their game, as soon as you flip to green they are right there. Server was attentive yet not annoying. Wine Acrobat was so interesting we even considered ordering a bottle just to make her fly.
Meat - All the cuts of Beef were delicious and seasoned just right, Pork... Eh little dry, Lamb - Juicy and Tasty.
Ambiance - Overall great. Dark and Woody but open and inviting.
For the odd night out when you want to ensure you are boosting your Iron supply, do it up. Can't think that this can make the regular rotation, just way to much opportunity to hurt yourself. But it is so good...
This place was recommended by family during our stay in the Windy City. Little did I know E was going to propose to me on our walk after dinner there. With that said, this place is truly special to my [now] husband and I! Okay, enough of the mushy stuff...
We were greeted by a gracious hostess and seated in front of a huge wine display. The wine aerialist entertained us as she swung, flipped, and twirled to retrieve the bottles from the giant wall of wine. I am not much of a meat eater, so I enjoyed my share of the salad bar. E enjoyed the variety of meats that were brought by our table on skewers. Sweet fried bananas were delivered to us to "cleanse the palate". I ate both of ours and the server had to bring us more a couple of times during the meal.
The only thing that irked us during our dining experience was we felt we were tricked into their signature after dinner drink. At the end of our meal, our server asked us if we would like to sample the fruit-infused dessert wine. (Of course, we would like a sample!) She poured us each a small amount, which tasted like peach moonshine. Yummy, however we both decided to order Irish Coffee. When the check arrived we were charged $8 each for the "sample" of peach moonshine, er, I mean, the signature after dinner drink. Grr!
Overall, we had a great experience...from the entertainment, to the attentiveness of the staff, to the tasty food. Try it, you'll like it. Just don't fall for the "samples" of the after dinner drinks like we did.
Beautiful ambiance, awesome meat... take an appetite with your credit card!
Came here on my first night in Chicago, and what a welcome to the windy city it was!
The wait for 2 people on a week night was about 30 minutes. We sat in the waiting area by the bar after grabbing a few drinks. The decor is really nice; it takes you out of the urban atmosphere and into an exotic luxurious one. Once seated, we were promptly approached by servers with all kinds of beefs, pork, lamb and chicken. Since it's all-you-can-eat, I sampled just about everything, and revisited my favorites: the signature brazillian-style sirloin, anything with filet mignon, and the pork ribs (see other reviews for complete menu). You can ask for the rarity of meat you want, and if they don't have it immediately, they'll go make it the way you want, so that was very accommodating.
I also sampled from the salad bar area, and I highly recommend the lobster bisque. SOoo good. The grilled red peppers and roasted garlic complemented the meats well. They also give you a bowl of mashed potatoes and fried plantains that are a pleasing contrast to everything else you eat.
At $45 for dinner, I would have to say it is worth it, just barely. Note that dessert is listed on the menu, but it is NOT included. We made that ($7.50) mistake but the creme brulee was still very good, but I was too stuffed to finish it all. Still, I would recommend visiting this place once you get tired of the deep-dish pizza.
Accommodated our party of 17 wonderfully. Our server, Diego, was delightful. I actually went for some of the non-beef options this time, and was pleasantly surprised by the parmesan chicken and the lamb chops (omg sooo good!!!) The desserts were also fantastic, especially the creme brulee (I think it was citrus/vanilla flavored.. yum yum yum!)
Wow! This place beats Fogo de Chao, and I LOVE Fogo!
Being a huge fan of red meat, I was totally up…
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Where can you find Texas and Brazil in Ohio and Chicago?
Texas de Brazil Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse on Ohio Street, downtown Chicago, Illionois.
This is a Dallas HQ chain of 15 Churrascarias, the Brazilian style steakhouses that are starting to become very popular in the US, with new chains and individual imitations popping up all the time. (Texas de Brazil has 3 in TX, 3 in FL, the rest sprinkled in the south and west)
What is a Churrascaria?
It is sort of like a Brazilan Dim Sum for Meat Eaters.
And I mean a lot of meat!
This Texas de Brazil charges $45/peson for all-you-can-eat. If you like meat, you will be in Hog Heaven here! Soooooeeey! This being mid-week, there was actually a barker on the sidewalk trying to rope a dope (even offering a 15% discount), because this place is absolutey huge! (2 stories), and ornate (upscale furnishings, marble bathrooms), a lot of staff (a dozen men [called Gauchos] running around in gaucho pantaloons and boots, with 2 hostesses), and a huge 2 story wine rack with a little female waif gymnast on a pulley rope swingseat bobbing up and down to retrieve wine selections (much like at Aureola Restaurant in Las Vegas). So they needed customers just to pay the fixed costs, forget the food costs! We negotiated 20% ($36/each) and went in!
I first had Churrascaria in Rio De Janeiro about 20 years ago, and then the next time was in Sao Paolo about 5 years later. It was super cheap back then. But the concept is the same:
1. Sit, order some drinks
2. Get up (here) or served ( Brazil) a bunch of side plate appetizers
3. Turn your personal round indicator to Green (from Red) and suddenly, Incoming! Men with skewers of meat and knives come to you and give you a slice of meat. Some they plop on your plate, other slices they ask for your help with the use of your personal tongs.
We had some of the following meats, most offered med rare, or med:
A) Fillet Mignon mini steaks, bacon wrapped
B) Garlic Steak
C) House specialty Sirloin Steak
D) Sliced Leg of Lamb
E) Grilled Chicken
F) Meat Sausage
G) Lamb Chops
H) Pork Tenderloin
I) Parmesan Chicken
J) Baby BBQ Pork Ribs
and at least a couple of more I missed!
Talk about being Carnivorous!
All the meats were very tasty, but most were perhaps too salty. However, when we mentioned that, out they came 5 minutes later witha skewer of tender lamb chops with less salt! Service was very responsive, and the meat kept coming, Several times we had to flip our disk from Green to Red, to take a break and catch up with our chewing! Nom-Nom-Nom-Nom-Nom-Nom-Nom-Nom-Nom Whew!
They even have some traditional Brazilian side dishes, like Feijoada (black bean meat stew) Rice, and fried Plantains.
We shared a couple of bottles of Baressa South Aussie red wine.
Desserts were huge too! (Not included in the one AYCE price) They included Keylime Pie, Carrot Cake,. Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mouse Tort, Coconut Meringue Cheese Cake, traditional Cheesecake, and Passion Fruit Mouse, plus a couple of more.
We all agreed that it was good food, fun, and good service. The bargain deal we negotiated helped, too. The food is salty however, and the portions, well if not massive, then non-stop!
I have three wonderful words for this place... Poo Poo Platter. Service was about as poor as the homeless man in DC blocking me and a few coworkers inside a Wendy's by sleeping in front of the door. The salad bar was about as repulsive as... well, it was just plain repulsive. Several of the meat choices were ok, but nothing I would do tiger woods uppercuts for. All the chicken and pork dishes were dry, bland, and boring. For spending over $45 per person, Texas de Brazil deserves to be kicked in the groin 10x over.
We had such great experiences here in the past and on this visit, on a quiet Thursday night, the service was terrible, everyone was pretty unfriendly and the meat was not as good as it usually is. We may try it again since we have had such great experiences there in the past but be aware that you are paying top dollar and may not always get the experience you want.
This location beats the Schaumburg location like a red headed step child. It is like they are 2… Read more »
I. can't. breathe.
We were the first ones there tonight, and you know how that salad bar looks SO perfect because no one's dug into it yet? Yeah, well....we tried to tell ourselves, "A little...just a little...don't take too much...you've been warned...you know what's coming."
Perfect prosciutto and perfect portabello mushroom salad and perfect sushi and perfect smoked salmon and and...all these little nibbles....fried provolone? Oh...it was nirvana and we hadn't even had any meat yet.
And then we ATE. We ate bacon-wrapped filet mignon. And we ate parmesan crusted chicken. And we ate lamb chops. And we ate picanha (our favorite).
Hurry...flip the medallion over, for the love of God, before the gauchos come a-runnin' again....
Inhale. Exhale. Sip water and wonder how much meat one can eat. A second round? SURE.
Cleanse the palate with fried bananas? Well, alright--and a little more from the salad bar...little nibbles. Ok, we were ready for round 2.
And we ate more filet. And more chicken. And oh nooo, the beef rib gaucho showed up and the ribs were really goooood. And wait, where's the filet guy? What's this? Pork? We have pork, too? Oh God. Could there be a round 3?
Inhale. Exhale. Sip. Flip the medallion to green and wait till they ar...I didn't even get the sentence out yet and THEY"RE HERE WITH FOOD AGAIN. Just one more bacon-wrapped filet, one more picanha, one more....no, not one more. Can't. eat. another. bite.
WHAT? Dessert? Well, ok, but we'll split that. I mean we're not gluttons. HA. And we had the most deliciously mild and cold and creamy papaya-ish mousse. The perfect ending.
And then a gaucho came along and rolled us out the door.
While these churrascarias have been popping up everywhere in Chicago, I still love the concept. I really love buffets, but this is more of sophisticated version. I think I just like trying a lot of different foods.
I was visiting and we really didn't even know what we were going to do for dinner. We were walking down Michigan Ave. and a woman handed us a card for 50% off dinner. Great! We had actually passed it early and we talked about how cool those type of places are. Unfortunately they tend to be a bit pricey, but at 50% off - SOLD.
We actually went fairly late for a Tuesday night, just after 9. It was pretty empty. The atmosphere is really cool, though a bit on the dark (if not a bit gloomy) side. You sort of feel like you're in an old Gothic church or something. It's fun though. They have this huge two wall of wine in the main dining room that holds a woman who does acrobats when she's not flying the the wine cellar on cables to retrieve bottles of wine. It was actually pretty entertaining.
The waiter was very nice and helpful and spent a good amount of time making sure we picked the perfect wine. We then quickly hit the expansive salad bar before the onslaught of beef began. I didn't want to go too heavy at first, so I had some antipasto that included some cheeses, olives, salumi and shrimp. Everything was super tasty and fresh.
OK, green chip up and the meat begins. I like my meat med-rare while my friend prefers closer to well. The gaucho meat servers where great at making sure we both received correct temperatures. The meats were super as well as the bacon-wrapped chicken and tasty sausages.
All in all - great time. I just wished that the vibe was a bit more upbeat, but I guess you can't expect too much when you show up an hour before closing on a Tuesday night. Like I said, there are so many other Brazilian steakhouses in the area and I sort of like Fogo de Chao a bit better; I would probably pick them but this is still a great place to go as well.
OMG BEST EVER!
You will not be disappointed!
Come Hungery, go away stuffed for the week.
Great services! Make sure to sign up with e-mail address at the end... best to go in with the coupons they send you. 50% off meals... etc.
It was good if you eat pork or beef. The food was seasoned well but the idea that meat is cooked to medium rare is not true. I thought much of the beef tenderloin was always overdone.
The lobster bisque was really good. Overall, I liked this place and may go back if I am in the mood for a meat frenzy.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday last night, and it was amazing.
We pulled right up and used the restaurant's valet, since it's about the same price as being in a garage, but at least it's door to door. They were very friendly, and we were off to a good start.
We entered the lobby/bar of the restaurant and felt like we were on vacation. My bf commented that it was like being in a resort (in the Caribbean). There were beautiful displays of tropical flowers everyone. The furniture in the lobby and everything at the bar was so pretty. And the lobby is separate enough from the bar so that you don't feel pressure to order anything (but you can if you want to!) The host was alright, but not as friendly as anyone else in the restaurant, which seemed a little odd to me. But maybe that was just because we spent the least amount of time with her.
Inside the main part of the restaurant is more beautiful than the lobby. It really did feel like we were on vacation. The fruity drinks we ordered, and unlimited food added to the vacation vibe.
The waiter (Taurus) introduced himself to us and asked if we had even been there before. When we said no, he explained how everything worked to us. He was so friendly and helpful and yet not at all intrusive. The amazing service made us feel even more special.
All of the food was delicious, and I left so full it hurt. At one point I felt like I needed to sneeze, and I actually wondered if it was possible to sneeze meat. Luckily I did not find out.
I had a whole plate of food from the salad bar alone! I do agree with others though, that the salad bar might not be that great for vegetarians. There were several seafood items (which we loved!) There was a fish dish that was truly amazing. I think it was the best fish I've ever eaten. And there were a few different types of sushi as well.
Once we had finished our salad we flipped over the medallion to show we were ready for meat (I thought we needed to make room on our plates, but that was wrong, they just brought us new plates.) Meat keep coming to our table so quickly it was hard to keep everything straight. It was all good, but at some point there's no room left in your stomach, so you can only eat the really great things! My favorite was the fillet Mignon. I was really sad when after I was too full to eat anything else, I noticed the leg of lamb. I'll have to go back to try it!
The food, service, ambiance, were all wonderful. It was a really great night out, and felt like a mini vacation.
The only thing that surprised me was that they didn't do anything to celebrate the birthday, but I suppose not all restaurants do.
Great churrascaria in Chicago (Although haven't been to other in Chicago, including Fogo; but have been to many in Brazil, New York and other places). Excellent ambiance and serice, large wine list with acrobat in the cellar (you'll see), large salad bar (one of the best I'm told), and the meat is great. It is a bit pricey for dinner at $44/person. We had a 50% off coupon which made it a great deal. I would return with one of those or for lunch; not sure I'd pay full price. Would probably rate it higher if it wasn't a buffet...in general they make me sick (probably my fault).
I'm thinking more like 3.5 stars....just not quite "yah I'm a fan." I'm critiquing the food/ambiance/service itself...not the type of dining. If I had to chose, I wouldn't eat at a Brazilian steakhouse only because its overkill with all of the meat. So lets begin...
The Ambiance...
I think I would have liked this place more if everything had a little more structure (I like for things to make sense). The decor totally throws you off. Its beautiful and yet, there isn't a dress code. Why waste a lot of money on an amazing interior if you're going to let out-of-towners in with their hunting t-shirts and ball caps. Yuk. Plus, you yourself have to pay a pretty penny to eat here. I would think that people would want to enjoy it as the nice restaurant that it appears to be. Just because there's a salad bar, doesn't give you the right to wear flipflops. This isn't Old Country Buffet.
The wine room that the girl twirls in is cool but she looked bored half the time (as I admittedly would be too). She will pose for a picture though mid-twirl which I thought was nice of her. However, unless you're sitting right by the case, you can't see her because of this massive, yet beautiful, flower arrangement.
The Food...
The salad bar, which everyone seems to rave about, is good for the fact that the items look and tasted very fresh. There were some items that were just wonderful additions to a typical salad bar such as pan seared ahi tuna, fresh mozzarella cheese (right off of the cheese wheel), fresh goat cheese (my fav!), and an assortment of thinly sliced meats. Other then that, it was just like any other Brazilian Steakhouse.
The meat was good. However, only three items stood out (one, in a negative way): the filet, the leg of lamb, and the lamb chops (negative). Both the filet and leg of lamb were delicious. All of the different meat choices were good but these two really stood out and were the only ones that really warranted a second helping. The lamb chops were nothing but fat. I searched and searched and found nothing. Bummer.
We didn't stay for desert since we had birthday cake waiting back at the house...so I can't comment on that.
The Service...
Our two servers were very nice and very attentive. The waitress noticed me looking around the room at the different meats and came over to see what exactly I was looking for. Less then a minute later, I had the filet and lamb that I was looking for.
Overall, I think it was a nice restaurant, but I probably won't go back unless a group dinner is planned. You can pay the same amount of money to eat at a really nice restaurant that is equally as vibrant.
We took advantage of the 50% off deal. Went with my guy, brother, sister and her husband. I'm not a big eater, but wanted to give this place a try.
Walking in I felt like I was in Vegas. Decor and ambiance is nice. All the guys raved about the bathroom, but my sister and I was like ummmm it's ok.
We were seated and we thought we might of gotten a bad table, but boy were we wrong. We ended up having the best seats.
Salad bar was nice. A variety of selection. I hear lots of people rave about the salad bar, but I'm not too big on that stuff. I did grab some of the stuff to try out. The smoked salmon was good. Forgot to try the sushi.
The meats were nicely seasoned. I thought they would be very salty, but that was not the case. Ok, here is the reason why I say we had the best seat in the house. Well, my sister husband can eat. He basically had his card turned on green the whole time. We were close by were they come out of the kitchen so we got first cut. They just kept coming by asking him (and then us) what we wanted. At one point I had like 5-6 meat on my plate. We had filet mignon, bacon wrapped filet mignon, bacon wrapped chicken, parmesan chicken, lamb, lamb chops, pork and more. At one point he finally turned his card over to red and the manager went up to him and was like is there something you want specifically......we were like man you are like KING here.
The sides of fried bananas tasted just like wet banana chips, the mashed potatoes was creamy. My sister said the little breads were good.
We had 1 bottle red wine, 3 cokes, 2 iced teas. The guys decided to take up the offer on the Grand Marnier. $40 for 3 shots. We had the pecan pie with vanilla ice cream and papaya mousee.
We were stuffed. Our bill came out to about $292.00 and that included tax and tip.
Only downside was that our waiter had a heavy accent and it was very hard to understand him. I don't think I would come here at full price, but for 50% off, I would say it's a good deal or at least give it a try!
Everything about this place was a wonderful experience. Immediately greeted by the hostess and the GM, they explained to me how things work; as I was unfamiliar.
We waited at the bar, and the bartenders were great. One was quite the jokester, so it was very entertaining. I think we waited longer than estimated, but I was blissfully happy with everything that I was taking in.
We were seated, explained the menu and things, and greeted with the salad bar. My my the salad bar... so many options, and ALL wonderful.
The filet mignon wrapped in bacon was by far the best meat that I sampled, and the sausage links that they had were pretty delish too.
The GM checked up on us, which I am always a fan of.
Overall, my experience here was amazing, and I will definitely be a repeat customer !
We were seated in about 20 minutes. I liked the woman in the tight red spandex who's on cables that grab wine bottles over a 2-story stocked shelf behind a glass case. The food itself was not that great. It seemed as if the quality of the meat was quite poor, and even if you turned over your card for green, as in "YES" for meat, the meat guys don't even pay attention and pass you on by. Hmph. Our server, Richard, was barely checking up on us - I had to wave down another server to get me some steak sauce (which took quite a while). When our server came by and the request was made, he let us know that they don't have steak sauces anymore - um, okay. And then a few minutes later, he comes back with a little pitcher and said he found some. Kind of confusing, but at least I got my sauce. The salad bar was not that impressive, and some of the dishes off to the side were dimly lit, so you could be a bit apprehensive in trying them out, not knowing how the food looked like. Towards the end, Richard saw how we downed those sauteed bananas, and he replaced them quite well (that's the 1 star). However, the value of this place (about $45 without tip per person) is quite horrifying - you can go to Brazzaz when they have a lunch special for just under $20 for the same thing (better service with a better salad bar), or use this dinner money and go to Fogo de Chao which is a bit more cleaner and classier. Parking can be done about 2-3 blocks away, metered.
I've found it very difficult to pick my favorite between Fogo and Brazzaz and a a lazy lunch with friends at TdB didn't help either. Overall, the meats here aren't my favorite from these three places, the garlic steak does make me wish that steaks were rubbed with garlic.
Expect the usual salad bar and meat selection, though they don't serve all of them during lunch. Be happily surprised by lobster bisque at the salad bar - not the rich bisque that I enjoy but still has terrific flavor. Be warned that the ultra rich passionfruit mousse is ENORMOUS and you should probably find a few people to share this with if you have room for dessert.
The service was incredible. A friend somehow managed to make friends with one of the gauchos who kept bringing meat to our table directly after being cooked and even going as far to make each of us a lamb chop (not normally served during lunch) that he seasoned himself with garlic and other deliciousness (mint maybe?).
I'll still probably choose Fogo or Brazzaz lunch as they are served throughout the week (TdB only does lunch on Fridays) but highly recommend this to those who want to try a churrascaria dining experience.
Some advice: be selective in the meats you choose. The carvers tend to come around with the less desirable cuts more often, so don't be afraid to say no and wait for the next round.
And pay attention to their knives. They carve at roughly the level of your head; I highly recommend you avoid getting stabbed in the face, so don't lean in too closely.
Some more advice: go with the 50% off coupon. You WILL pay a lot to eat here, so try to minimize the pain as much as possible. And make sure you scrutinize the bill for mistakes, since they will be costly (I was handed the wrong bill and it was over $90 higher than it should have been).
Some more advice on top of some more advice: come hungry. Don't eat for a day, if you can, since you'll leave stuffed to the gills with meat.
Finally, if you go straight home after your meal, you may not sleep very well due to the sheer load all that meat is putting on your digestive system. Go for a romantic walk or something.
It's difficult to say something about the experience at Texas de Brazil that hasn't already been covered by the other reviews. Hopefully this advice will be helpful for whoever reads it.
It's hard to judge Chicago's Brazilian BBQ joints based on the meats cause they're all pretty decent, but the salad bar is definitely more robust here compared to Fogo, Brazzaz, and ZED451 (my girlfriend doesn't eat beef, so she actually eats the salad bars). The sangria was great, the servers were awesome (but would ask you what your favorite meat was every 5 minutes), and the acrobat person was cool too. The place is huge, and on the night I went the whole second level was empty -- which makes for good walking when you're in between eating rounds. The decor looks kind of cheesy from the outside, but it's really nice inside. And an added bonus: the meat option was $45, so you save $5-10 compared to the other places (based on my hazy memory).
Conclusion: Better than Fogo, Brazzaz, and ZED451. And they've occasionally got these 50% off deals...
I am a huge fan of any place that serves all you can eat meat -- and really, really GOOD meat too!
I hadn't been to Texas de Brazil before but had to at the last minute put together a dinner for about 15 people for after a work event for some clients/prospects. I chose Texas de Brazil and it was definitely a fantastic choice. Everyone loved it.
They have a HUGE selection of different kinds of meat -- it all came out hot and you even had a choice of how "done" you wanted your meat. Awesome.
The salad bar -- ridiculous -- however, don't fill up on it. Keep your tummy empty for the mounds of meat that will come your way. Trust me.
I like how they have a lady on a trapeeze in the wine room -- never seen this before. Pretty cool.
Bathroom are located upstairs -- we were on the first floor. A tad annoying but whatever -- they were very clean and well kept. I'm big on how a restaurant keeps its bathrooms.
I would recommend this place to anyone. It was wonderful. I left in a total meat coma. Mmmmmmmmm...........red meat..........
I wasn't really here for dinner, I was here for the 1st Anniversary Party/Charity Benefit. I walk in and the place is so impressive! High ceilings, a giant wine cellar with aerial wine acrobats getting your wine, an AMAZING looking salad bar (better than Brazzaz or Fogo de Chao) and the upstairs are that was reserved for the party. $15 donation to Prevent Child Abuse America got you 3 drink coupons - we got the caipirinhas which were AMAZING and extremely strong. My favorite person ever who will remain unnamed to prevent his reputation from being tarnished was buzzed after one. I won't let him live it down I don't think :)
The hors d'oeuvres were AWESOME. These little smoked salmon things but especially the steak, chicken and sausage bites. I can't get over how juicy the chicken was, or how good the sausage was, or how perfectly spiced the steak was. I have to come back here to eat for real sometime. I WILL get my money's worth.
Thank you, Texas de Brazil, for fulfilling my yearly Brazilian steak house needs. This is the fourth churrascaria I've been to, and it's right up there with my favorite (Fogo de Chao). It also helps that they're generous with special deals. They participated in Chicago Restaurant Week this year, so lunch was only $22 a person. I also received a free birthday dinner through their mailing list. Score!
First up is the salad bar. They had a little bit of everything - tabbouleh, potato salad, shrimp, asparagus, parmigiano, fresh mozzarella, marinated mushrooms, chevre, salami, pickled cherry peppers, olives, and more. Everything was delicious, especially paired with the warm cheese rolls served at the table. I didn't have any of the hot items though, which included rice, black beans, potato gratin, mushrooms, and lobster bisque (among others). Sorry guys, but I'm here for the meat.
The cut of meat that really stood out was the Picanha. Well-seasoned, tender, with delicious crispy fat on top. Yeah, I said crispy fat. I'm only here once a year, let's make it count. "Please Sir, can I have some more?" is right. I also recommend the garlic picanha, lamb, and flank steak. Don't forget to ask for the chimichurri sauce on the side. The side dishes were all good, but I have a thing for sweet fried bananas.
We surprisingly had room for dessert. The chocolate cake and key lime pie were a nice end to the meal. But would I order dessert next time? Probably not. It's just too much food. The service here is amazing. Very...very...attentive. Kinda scary, in a good way. Just go here and see for yourself. And sign up for their mailing list for free/discounted meals.
Maybe I'm not the best critic for this place since I'm not a huge meat lover. I like meat but I think this place was a little too much for me. Oddly enough, I enough the seared tuna and lobster bisque soup more than the meat. I really did enjoy some pieces of meat but there were others that were too salty. The servers are great. They're friendly and they really know what they're serving. My fiancee's pretty picking with his meats and wants it perfectly medium rare which they were able to meet his expectations. He, on the other hand, LOVES this place. I'm glad we had a buy one get on free dinner coupon since I definitely did not eat my share.
If you're a meat LOVER, this is a great place for you but if not, I wouldn't pay the $50 to eat here...
Went here with the BF to celebrate our anniversary. I joined their mailing list because I've been wanting to try out all the brazilian steakhouses in the area (hoping for some deals because I'm not a big meat-eater) and they sent me a coupon for our anniversary for one complimentary dinner. They accept opentable reservations, if you want points, FYI. You can do valet parking or they validate parking in the lot across the street ($11 for 4 hours).
I've only been to Brazazz so can only compare TdB to that. TdB's decor definitely beats Brazaaz. You walk in and there is a spacious lounge/bar area although there was no one there. The waiting area is also more spacious but we didn't have to wait on a Sunday 6:45 PM reservation.
The actual dining area is a mixture of dark wood and paint, gives it an old castle feel with high ceilings. There is also a 2nd level seating (it was empty), where the restrooms also are.
Now for the food: I would say the salad bar at Brazazz def beats TdB. They both offer sushi, cheese and meat selection along with fresh veggies. Brazazz offers raw oysters and several different types of salads along with risotto and pasta dishes. TdB has a good lobster bisque and some hot side items (mushrooms, au gratin potatoes) and less variety of special salads. Being as I cannot consume a lot of meat at one time, the salad bar is important to me. At Brazazz, I can switch to eating some fresh raw oysters or strawberry salad but felt like I had less options at TDB.
For the meat, TdB definitely has more seasoning and flavor in the meat but its actually a tad too much. All of the pork was overseasoned and tasted like salt. The parmesan crusted chicken was good though. Beef ribs weren't so special (everyone talks about it at yelp so I requested for it) so I was a bit disappointed.
We left room for dessert (too much meat) and had the banana foster and cheesecake. Both were good and refreshing to have after all the meat. The banana foster was nice and light - not too heavy so it was the perfect treat for someone who doesn't have a big sweet tooth.
Service was excellent. The waiter was very attentive, always folded napkins if we left the table, cleared the table, refilled our water and gave good descriptions on the desserts.
The special thing they have is the wine lady, who spins and dances while grabbing the wine bottles. Unfortunately, there is a big floral bouquet over the salad bar that blocks a view of her. Not so special to me though but I guess it added to the ambiance of the place. This place has a more romantic feel than Brazzazz.
I wouldn't necessarily come back unless one of my friends want to go but It was nice to try.
I am a lifelong vegetarian who ventured into Texas de Brazil for my brother's birthday fully prepared to hate it. How wrong I was...
First of all, for most of you out there- the MEAT. I think my two dining companions had meat 12 different ways, served constantly by the roaming gaucho waiters when you flip your little table disc over from red to green. Table favorites were the parmesan pork and the bacon-wrapped filet. Our waiter explained the whole process nicely at the start of the meal, and our water glasses never went unfilled. There were three warm sides also served at the table- really good garlic mashed potatoes, really good cheesy bread puffs, and really REALLY good roasted bananas.
Now for the amazing salad bar. If you are veggie like me, you get charged about half of what the meat-eaters pay to eat just the salad bar and the warm sides. There is PLENTY of delicious food to eat at this salad bar, including sushi (both with and without fish), soups, cheeses, grain dishes, an assortment of salad fixings, and fresh and cooked vegetables. We also ordered the (very big!) pitcher of sangria to enjoy with our meal. Also worth checking out- the "wine angels" who grab bottles from all levels of the three-story, glass-plated wine cellar attached to bungee cords.
By far the best of the 3 downtown Brazilian steakhouses.
Texas de Brazil's salad bar is extensive and best of all FRESH.
The meat offerings are flavorful and actually warm when they reach your table.
Service here is top notch.
One of the only places I would feel good about spending such a pretty penny.
Went last night to clebrate my birthday with a few friends. The only negative I can thing of is the price. A group of five and about 2 drinks per person (only 5 drinks were alcohol) came to a hair under $300!!! (GASP) However, they were really cool about the fact that we were an hour late for our reservation ( stuck in traffic) and seated us as soon as our entire party had arrived. It wasnt very busy and we did recieve excellent service. Unfortunately, our table was in a corner so most of the guachos sorta passed us by but our waiter (Roberto) made sure if we wanted anything that he's send someone over immediately. THe decor was very nice and while half our party was dressed up and the other half dressed down we were all still comfortable and didnt feel over/under dressed. THe drinks are also very strong (IMHO) so if youre a lite drinker you may want to go for something fruity. I would definitely go back when I have a 50% off coupon. Like I said it's a great place, the service is excellent and the guys running around are VERY easy on the eyes (sorry I didnt pay the ladies any attention so I couldnt comment on them) : ) Make sure you bring an extra credit card just in case you dont have enough cash on hand.lol. Bon appetite.
PS- If you're torn on what to get for dessert go with the chocolate mousse cake....its a chocolate lover's dream and big enough for 2 people.
Went to the downtown location for my man's birthday and had another wonderful experience. I really need to stop being greedy and just get the salad bar because there is more than enough here for me without all that meat! The lobster bisque again was amazing! My only beef is that I ordered a $27 bottle of wine and somehow when the check came it was $65. I don't know if something was lost in translation or if it was intentional but I felt ripped off all the same.I figured I couldn't really complain since they showed me the bottle before they opened it and it was my bad for not really looking at it ;-(
I'm not a huge meat fan, in fact I used to be a vegatarian (yeah that ended one drunken night in WI… Read more »
Went here with my girlfriend for her sisters celebratory wedding dinner. We had an excellent time in the party room which sat 20+ people, and service and food were all excellent. After 2 glasses of nice Malbec red wine, I wandered to the elevator to visit the mens room on the second floor. I noticed that the second floor, while designed for customers, was totally empty. I also saw a large wine cellar/wall rack storage room with an acrobatic gymnast inside leaping and jumping to get bottles of wine. Had a great meal and would recommend it to anyone. Thanks!!!!
This place was great. The service was amazing from beginning to end and although my date there was a bust, I came out a huge fan of Texas de Brazil. The manager came to our table twice to check up on the evening and just to talk, which was definitely welcomed. Our server was simply amazing--I would take two sips of wine and before I could put the wine glass down, she was already back at the table refilling my glass with the wine we'd ordered.
The gauchos were so helpful and great. A couple even let us request what we wanted instead of just making us wait til it came out. They also would come by the table anyway, even if our coin was flipped over just to show us a certain cut, in which I had to take anyway because it just looked so good. The server was always just around the corner if we needed anything and was a great help in suggesting things to try pertaining to wine, dessert and drinks. She wasnt overbearing but yet was around just enough so I didnt feel neglected.
Great place, service is amazing. Definitely going back with better company! :)
I just went there last night to celebrate my partner's birthday. We'd been trying to decide on which place to go and based off a friends' recommendation I made reservations for Texas.
We were seated despite being early for our reservation time, the server (Alexander) was fabulous. When asked why we were there I told him it was for my partner's birthday and he brought out cake at the end of our meal.
The meat was amazing! I don't think I've consumed that much meat at one sitting ever, but I'll definitely be back for the next special occasion that comes up. Salad bar was fantastic, with enough to please any vegetarian who might be brought to there.
The Chicago loop location must be new, because I don't remember it being next to ESPN Zone. It's gorgeous and very nice for a romantic dinner out or special occasion dinner.
Wow, I don't even know what to say about this place.
For starters, my date and I were seated promptly and had the entire process explained to us by the waiter, who was exceptionally helpful. He directed us to the salad bar, which was stocked with various cold meats, cheeses, salads, and sides. Along with the salad bar, there was a soup of the day, hot sides, and a sushi bar. However, none of these is the main event. That would be courtesy of the gauchos who wander around the main dining area carrying skewers of meat.
The salad bar was excellent. I found the veggies to be particularly good. The lobster bisque was excellent as well. However, the meat. Oh man, the meat. I actually timed how long it took before I had a full plate of meat when I flipped over the disc they give you. 25 seconds. All told, I ate 4 different kinds of meat (pork, chicken, lamb, and beef) prepared 14 different ways. The meat just keeps on coming too! And they constantly change out the plates, get new napkins, refill your water glass, whatever you need. Truly, if kings are treated better than this, I'm not sure how.
It was a remarkable experience. One I plan on repeating as often as possible, ideally on someone else's dime. However, they do send out coupons. We ate half off, which made it not only affordable, but a downright steal.
I honestly can't recommend this place enough.
And then there were 7....men.
All you can eat meat?
It's a guy thing.
I'm tempted to stop right there, but that just wouldn't be very useful now would it?
Texas de Brazil is a churrascaria; a Brazilian-style steakhouse. I've been to a few in my lifetime. The experience is very guy-friendly. For a fixed price, you get to eat as much meat as you want. It's pure carnage. You basically have a round disc or "puck" with a red or green side. Green signals "Feed me!!!!" Red signals "I'm full."
Let the games begin.
The discs were green side up and within seconds a flock of waiters carrying various skewered hunks of charbroiled meat emerged.
"Bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon?"
"Garlic Chicken?"
"House-Special Beef?"
"Flank steak?"
"Roast Rib?"
"Spanish style Sausage?"
"Roast Pork?"
"Grilled Top SIrloin?"
"Barbequed Ribs?"
"Spit-roasted Leg of Lamb?"
"Lamb Chops?"
We might as well have been sitting on thrones with sceptres in our hand. I've never had to work so little to eat so much meat in my entire life. And the rest of the world wonders why Americans are obese? I think I can only partake in such gluttony once every 5 years.
7 men. No women. Tons of beef. Drinks. The discussion was riddled with the "B-word" and sports. What else were you expecting?
Go to Texas de Brazil if you need to rediscover your manhood.
Quick notes:
Sushi Bar
Salad Bar Highlights:
Prosciutto
Manchego Cheese
Cornichons
Reggiano
$85 a head with tax, tip, and 2 drinks.
Overall, the meat is good quality (Prime Beef) and is very well seasoned with plain salt which brings out the natural flavor. Honestly, you have to love and crave meat for this to be an enoyable experience.
Oh meat heaven and beyond awesome salad bar! We came for a complimentary lunch and it was fab. I had to hold myself back so that I would be able to go back to work not in a coma.
+ The meat festivities: Everything was well seasoned and nicely cooked. I loved the variety they had, even for lunch.
+ The salad bar: Really shouldn't be called a salad bar, because it was much more than that. I think I could just go for this. There were risottos, pastas, soups, cheeses, grilled veggies, and other awesomeness.
+ Dessert: We had the keylime [mega delicious] pie. It was amazing. AMAZING!!!
+ The service was very attentive, almost borderline too attentive, especially for lunch.
+ The decor was gorgeous.
- My only complaint is that the bathrooms are upstairs and you have take the elevator to get there.
I'd definitely come back sometime!
WOW! Can you say BRAVO and ENCORE!!! Texas de Brazil is a true dining experience...Filled with Variety, Flavor, and Richness! Every BITE excites the taste buds to no END!
The Service was impeccable! They remembered the cuts of meat we liked and served PERFECTION with each and every slice! Every time we would leave our seat, we would come back with our napkins folded and table rearranged to perfection. We loved the Fried Bananas that came to the table and must have had 5 servings! They even told us how we can make them! LOVE THAT!
There is not one complaint that we can say! Moments like this, we just wish we could EAT, and EAT, and EAT!
When I caught wind that Texas de Brazil was putting on a 1/2 off dinner promo for November (Can I get a HELLZ YA?), I was there faster than the speed of sound... better yet, faster than Rod Blagojevich or the County Board pisses my hard earned tax money away. Since my experience at the Woodfield one wasn't the best, I thought maybe downtown would yield a better result. Although this place shares many similarities in decor as the Texas at Woodfield, the decor is pretty much the only thing they had in common.
The service here was fast and extremely attentive - actually blows away previous Fogo and Sal Carvao trips. I had access to 70+ items at the salad bar area alone, not to mention a sushi chef that pumps out a steady stream of delish rolled goodies. So you want to get the the real stars of the show? (as if a neverending supply of shrimp, sushi, lobster bisque, and salad could keep you satisfied) The meats here were leagues above the Woodfield one. Everything was cooked and seasoned *perfectly* - I could only carve out and eat the middle of everything I had at the other joint.
To round things out, I got to taste their super refreshing sangria - total value at about 30 bux a pitcher. Let me tell ya, that's one big effin' pitcher. Being able to pour off about 9-10 full glasses of this refreshing ambrosia satisfied even the biggest lushes at my table. So take a trip out to the downtown Texas de Brazil and get meat-drunk and just plain drunk! I did, and I LOVED it!
Ah No, No and No. The atmosphere is very nice is the only really good thing I have to say about this place. Our server sliced my friends finger when serving up a slice of scrumptious lamb. Needless to say the meal was all downhill from this point. We had to request a band-aid more than once before she was given one. The Manager on duty that night was clueless and I had to ask him to comp her meal. One would assume that after experiencing the knife first hand by a staff member while dining would automatically make the meal free along with a round of drinks to ease your pain. Hello there,we are living in a recession, hello. People can dine in and slice their own flesh for free not for $60.00 a plate + tip & valet. Are you kidding me? "Her finger was in the way?" WTH? It's about customer service Chi-town! I can't believe my how the service in my hometown was non-existent.
3-course meal for $39.95
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Give a Gift, Get a Gift: $25…
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Steakhouses
Schaumburg, IL
Category: Brazilian
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Category: Personal Chefs
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Steakhouses
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
[Best MEATS] - Texas de Brazil [Best PRIME RIB] -…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
