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Categories: Brazilian, Steakhouses [Edit]
5 Woodfield MallMon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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I get chest pain every time I eat here, but I'll sacrifice the pain for their house special & garlic steak!! I'm a huge fan of steaks and an even bigger fan of Brazilian steakhouses! They've got a pretty extensive salad bar too with my favorites: mushrooms sauteed in wine, mozzarella balls and sliced tomatos, and the best peppered crunchy but thick bacon for your salad! Mmmm...bacon!
Lunch is a great bargain @ $19.99 and even with the great price you still get stellar service. Francisco waited on us hand and foot today. I was a little concerned that we wouldn't get much of meat gaucho's attention since we were seated in the corner but Francisco made sure that our favorite cuts were brought to our table. He also offered us freshly ground pepper from this 3 foot pepper mill which was hilarious....thought it was just for show.
Definitely come hungry and come often (or at least wait unti the chest pain fades!
Holy meat on a stick or Holy over salted meat or maybe just Holy salad bar!!
I've been a couple times, plus two years in a row for Thanksgiving. It's not really my thing but I can see how meat lovers enjoy it. Texas de Brazil is basically an upscale buffet except when it comes to any sort of meat. A waiter takes your drink order and gives you a plate. You can get up anytime and go to the buffet or just wait for the meat waiter or waiters. They give you a little paper circle with red on one side and green on the other. You see something you like, flag down the meat guy or you can just turn your circle to green then everyone will come by with different kinds of beef, pork, chicken, and Brazilian sausage. The meat isn't really my thing, except for the chicken but I always find it to be over salted. But really overall it's a neat concept, waiters running around with a very sharp knife and a skewer with different kinds of meat on them. Though, I wonder if there are ever any causalities (That's not a sausage, that's my finger!!). Anyways, you have to give the staff a lot of credit, they wield these sharp instruments and hot juicy meats with ease. I've never seen them spill, stumble, or drop anything.
Like I said the chicken is too salty and I've also heard complaints about the rest of the food being over salted but I guess some people like that. As for the salad bar, its top notch and so much more then it appears to be. Fresh sushi, grilled salmon, shrimp ceviche, tabbouleh, salad greens, rice, imported cheeses, soups, Brazilian cheese bread, sweet fried bananas, and vegetables galore. You can easily fill your self up here, plus a great wine selection and a full bar.
If you're a meat lover, this is the place for you. If not, at least the salad bar is top notch.
My least favorite meat feast experience to date. The meats were over salted, the table was far too crowded, and JN got the wrong beverage (I believe raspberry quince and ginger peach aren't the same iced tea flavor?)
They do seem to do refills of coke now, even though the tea is bottled (lovely unsweetened flavor-infused Republic of Tea bottles).
Having read the other reviews for brunch I was super excited for the salad bar. Eggs? French toast? Croissants? Yum! But where were they?! The only breakfast items I found were fruit salad, a sad little assortment of tiny muffins, and bacon/sausage. This made for a very sad Yanyao who settled for some smoked salmon (good, but I prefer the stuff that is more thinly sliced), marinated shrimp, baby beets, and manchego.
The selection of meats was also a little weak (i.e. no lamb chops?!) but the in-laws wanted a meat feast for lunch and no other places do lunch on the weekends. I would much rather go to Fogo or Brazzaz for lunch during the week.
This place is pretty expensive, but worth the price if you're hungry and you love meat.
First of all, the salad bar is really amazing--it's maybe the nicest salad bar I've ever seen, and everything is delicious. Also, it's very clean and well-kept, and aesthetically arranged.
I can see how somebody might think that the meat is over-salted, but I honestly think it's mostly because you end up eating so much of it. Every time I've gone, they've had a really wide selection, from filet to lamb to chicken to little sausages. And they're all good.
Every table gets mashed potatoes and cinammony fried bananas as sides, and let me tell you---both are amazing. I think I ate 3 of the bananas last time.
I've tried two different desserts here, and I liked the creme brule but the papaya something or other wasn't really my bag--it was like really creamy papaya ice cream, and i don't really love papaya stuff.
Also, I tried some of their brazilian ginger ale stuff, and that was very good, also.
I just love it.
I made reservations for 7 and we arrived about 20 minutes early due to no traffic. We waited at the bar but were not called until 20 minutes past our reservation time. This happened to us at their downtown Chicago location as well, what gives?? People who came without a reservation seemed to be seated faster. Sure, we were seven people, a pretty big group, but we reserved WELL in advance! I can honestly say I don't wait very long, anywhere, when I make a reservation.
Our waiter was very friendly but was a bit slow with our drinks. Our first order of drinks came after we had been eating for about 20 minutes.The wine came after we had been eating for about 40 minutes. The pitcher of their signature drink came about 15 minutes after that. I had drank so much water that I wasn't so thirsty by the time my soda came. The rest of the staff that changed plates, refilled the potatoes and bananas were awesome, though.
I am not a fan of the salad bar but then again, I'm not a salad/soup person to begin with. The other people I was with enjoyed the lobster soup and the potatoes.
The meat was a bit too salty, juuuust a bit. I recall we were offered sausage and chicken many times, lamb twice, top sirloin a couple times and filet mignon only once and only at the very end of our meal. I have been to a number of Brazilian steakhouses and I have never experienced this kind of selection. Usually, I am crowded by all the different meats and get to enjoy more than an ounce of filet mignon.
I don't know why I keep cheating on my favorite Brazilian steakhouse--I always walk out disappointed.
I've always wanted to visit a Brazilian steakhouse, but my tiny fiancee just wouldn't get her money's worth. Luckily a co-worker of mine was in the same predicament so we decided to stop by for lunch one day. I've finally digested most of the food that I could walk to my computer and write this review.
Come hungry and go during lunch. You're going to eat a lot of food and the prices at lunch are a steal. I think I sampled all meat options they offered, with the garlic crusted steak being my favorite. I also enjoyed the garlic mashed potatoes and seared bananas they bring as cleansers as well. For a drink, I strongly recommend the mango lemonade. Not much more to say except to avoid all the items at the salad bar and prepare yourself for meat upon meat.
Yum! This place is my favorite spot to get a variety of different meats. My favorite meats there are the beef rib , flank steak & house special...so delicious. I wouldn't waste your stomach space with any of the chicken, pork, or lamb...IMO, its not worth it! The salad bar is pretty amazing also--goat cheese is my favorite there. They also give you these awesome bananas when you get there as well as mozarella balls. The only bad thing really about this place is that you get uncomfortably full and feel like vomiting after eating so much! Haha. My boyfriend and I made a deal that we are only allowed to come here every 6 months. So before you come here, I recommended fasting for a day! :)
First of all, let me dispel some urban legends about this place:
1. They DON'T serve sushi -- tonight they had one tray of little mini-California rolls and dishes of ginger and wannabe-wasabi. Period.
2. The salad is NOT worth the $43 dinner charge. Worth $35 maybe, $38 tops.
Now that I've http://Snopes.com'ed those outrageous falsehoods, let's get to the review...
Observations --
As a chubby hubby myself, I feel like I can say this: There are some BIG people eating here! I'm not sure that reflects quality or quantity -- I'm guessing the latter.
Sound: This place is LOUD! That's okay, though, we figured it out - in order to be heard by your tablemates, simply SHOUT WHEN TALKING. Not only will you get your message across, but you'll feel like the rest of the yellers in here... You'd think with all this noshing, there'd be a little decrease in the volume.
Food -- the salad bar is excellent, lots of surprises there, like the sliced, marinated portobello mushrooms, the whole buffalo mozzarella balls, prosciutto-like ham, the lobster bisque soup.
The fun starts when you flip your little Gimme-Meat disk over from red to green. The meatboys start flitting around your table like flies on, uh, like bees around a bouquet of flowers... For real fun, ask them over and over to tell you what the meat is they are serving -- between their thick "Brazilian" accents and the noise level in the restaurant, it all sounds the same.
The meat is good. I'm sure it's different every night, but tonight the flank steak and the garlic filet were excellent. The lamb and pork ribs, not so much.
Service was impeccable -- thank you Anya!
TIP: If you get the "Brazilian Mojito" tell them to hold the ice.
My advice to anyone who likes this eatery is to get on their mailing list. They sent me a coupon for my birthday that was a free dinner with the purchase of a regular meal.
We went Friday night in the midst of a Monsoon and I was back in steak heaven. It was better than the first time. I totally overdosed on Steak, Lamb and chicken. My food coma lasted two days, but it was well worth it.
This place is a must for all of us Carnivores. Yes!! It is pure Gluttony, but Gluttony never tasted so good.
Other than the Cubs being in the World Series, this is as close to heaven as I may ever get.
Texas…
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I like to start my reviews by stating that I ran against more than 1,200 Managers from many different area hotel chains for the Manager of the Year Award - Regional (Chicago) and State (IL) by the IL Dept. of Hotels and Lodging. I won both of those awards, so believe me when I say I know good service or lack thereof when i see it.
First, let me apologize for not posting this review as soon as I said I would on the comment card which was left on my table. I was there on 9-10-09 and very much enjoyed the over all experience but I also have some constructive feedback for you too.
Second, I would like to say I have frequented many Brazilian buffets over the last 5 years, including those downtown and in Evanston.
Service: Stephanie was awesome. Her return visits to the table were not too far in between nor were they too frequent. I noticed management staff wearing suits stopped by the table and they were also doing some actual work - a big plus in my book. We were sitting near a work station and a manager noticed my plate was dirty and offered a new one. Such simply things make a big difference in the eyes of your customers. I also came back from the salad bar and thought "Wow I cant believe I folded my napkin so neatly" that is because I didn't ! On a second trip returning to my table I noticed this was something the staff was doing for the guests! I really thought that type of "personal" service says a lot! Management Service feedback added below in CLEANLINESS section.
Product: You have nice assortment of goods on the salad bar and the meat, especially your specialty meat ( i forget the name of it now - sorry ) but it was all awesome!
Cleanliness: The buffet and washrooms both are very clean and well maintained. Nothing was even near empty on the buffet. However, I didn't notice a smudge of food on my shoulder, I apparently got this off the buffet glass leaning in with my short arms - lol. However, I noticed a manager nearby and requested some tonic water, explaining what I needed it for. While he immediately fetched it and made sure it came out, no other service recovery was offered such as desert coffee etc.
Marketing: Today's economy is much different than it was a year ago. I first visited your establishment about a month ago with some friends who received a 15% off voucher via email. I also received such an offer, but did not bite until I received a 50% offer. I went the same day I received this offer as I feel this is a significant savings. Unfortunately, its not that clear on your flyer that it is not 50% off the entire bill, drinks and other items are excluded. My wife and I were celebrating our 5th Wedding Anniversary and she loves to save! However, even with our 50% off coupon, we still walked out $107.97 lighter than we came in (for a lack of better words). A quick note about the email coupons themselves. When I called to make sure I could use it that same evening the staff told me I have to print it and bring it in, not an easy feat when I am already on the road far from home. When I made a stop to print it, I noticed there was nothing in the email that made it unique to me other than my email address. Therefore, I had to ask myself "Did I really have to stop and print this?" I should have just been able to be verified by my email address. My wife did not like having to hand over a coupon in such a nice establishment, but as I mentioned its a much different economy so we used it! Please consider a less invasive way of identifying guests responding to such discount offers.
No time for spell check!
Respectfully Submitted,
Angelo
How can you not like all you can eat meat?
Seriously?
Most of the meat selections were consistently good, but be sure to avoid anything with Parmesan. For some odd reason, every meat that cooked with Parmesan was too dry. The garlic sirloin is probably among some of the best steak I have ever had.
Salad bar has a pretty decent selection of premium stuff, there's even sushi (!?!). The garlic mashed potatoes served at the table were great.
Not a bad option for the next time I'm in the Chicago area.
Exceptional food and service. Never made a reservation for the two times I have dined here and always got in quickly. The waiters have always been friendly and helpful. I cannot say enough good things about the salad bar and the meat.
I think I'm in a food coma so I'm drawing many short thoughts which I seem unable to form into complete sentences... so here it goes:
* Great for groups... we went for my sister's anniversary.
* We had two small children which were free and both had plenty to eat.
* Definitely come hungry... lots of food, but leave room for dessert.
* Lots of meat, but still plenty for vegetarians from buffet / salad bar.
* Sangria is strong... not sweet.
* Coffee is strong and served in an unusally large cup.
* Service is great... our server asked how we prefer our meat cooked at the beginning so that our gauchos would come prepared. He also mentioned that they cooked the meat using rock salt and let us know that if the meat seemed to salty for our taste to let him know and they would prepare some more without the salt. Let me not forget to mention the girl at the front desk who greeted me so kindly, offered to check my umbrella, and made me feel very welcome as she directed me to our table (I was the last one to arrive).
* Parking is extremely difficult to find.
* This place is pricey so be prepared. However, if you sign up to their email list, you wil receive a 25% coupon instantly for your visit. I've read in other reviews that these discounts come frequently.
* I've been to Churrascaria in Villa Park which I didn't particularly care for and I've been to Fogo de Chao. Right now, Texas & Fogo are tied. I can't decide. I will have to visit both again to narrow it down. I hope I get more coupons soon! :)
Oh man, I can't believe it. I have been silenced and humbled, I take back everything I said.
There actually is a good reason to go to Schaumburg and it's name is not IKEA. It's Texas De Brazil.
We were supposed to go downtown for dinner Friday night, but with the weather threatening a snowstorm and the possibility of nightmare parking, Andy M wanted to change plans. We were having a tough time deciding, but after the second time he said "Steak" this place jumped into my head. I thought, well heck, its not too far and there is guaranteed parking - plus you know there is going to be oodles of steak!
We got there and only had to wait 5-10 minutes to be seated. The interior is really wild - so much attention to detail! It was done very well. I especially liked the MDF arches and beams painted to look like old riveted metal and the huge chandeliers.
There is a MASSIVE buffet station where you can get everything from soup, to potatoes, to salad. Its like a gluttons delight. And, true to form with most buffets, some things are fabulous (roasted jalapenos, marinated artichokes, steamed asparagus) and some things are bleh (goat cheese terrine, bread, marinated shrimp). The meat brought to us ranged from just OK (parmesan pork, bacon wrapped chicken) to simply divine (garlic sirloin, filet mignon). Our server, Marco, was very helpful and nice, bringing us a constant supply of water, along with baked bananas and a helping of mashed potatoes.
This is a great place if you have a large appetite or want to eat just a specific thing. Since I dont have such a large appetite I am not sure I justified the cost of my meal, but I enjoyed what I ate just the same. Definitely a meat eaters paradise.
We did dinner her and let me say WOW!!!!! unlimited steak, huge buffet. phenomenal carrot cake.....
IF THIS IS HOW THEY EAT IN BRAZIL IM MOVING THERE DAMMIT!!!!!!!!
Make reservations here ....Its a must or you will wait we waited 1 hr 15 mnts and YES its sooooo worth every bite. Which is why I dont want to stand at the door waiting trying to control myself from the Med Rare cooked meats.
From the minute you turn that little card green they do not stop until you say . Mariana was great our server never missed a beat and kept her full attention on us.
Those Bananas, Shit how can you say no to them...
Sangrias had the Red and the White totality worth it ! & The cheese bread balls ahhhhh how good are those.
I completely let my carnivorous side run wild in this place.
Adults diner run you @ 42.99 each so be prepared for a large bill if you drink. But also come hungry here.
We've been back a few times since I last reviewed.
About a month and a half ago, our server (very tall dark-haired guy) didn't come back with our drinks until we had gotten to the salad bar, eaten all of our starters, and had already started in on the meat. Pretty disappointing. He also didn't ask us if we had any meat preferences, and we had to flag him down a few times to make that request. Definitely the worst server we've had at TdB.
The next time we were there (about 3 weeks ago), we had made reservations but were waiting to be seated. We purchased wine at the bar beforehand, and since my boyfriend and I were split on our ideas of the wine we wanted, the bartender poured us each a taste of each selection (and then gave us new glasses before the next taste). He recommended a wine, and we ended up purchasing a bottle. At the time my bf was paying, our buzzer rang for us to be seated. The transaction wasn't yet complete, but they brought our bottle over to the table and added it to our bill. The bartender came and found us a little bit later in the meal to ask us how we liked the wine. It was really the most personalized service we've gotten, especially at the bar. Maybe it was because our bottle of wine was a hefty $45? :) Nah, he was VERY nice, though. I was definitely impressed. Our server was a young woman in her 20s, and she really knew her stuff.
We went back again this past Tuesday, and again had great service. Our server (he had a little salt-and-pepper in his darker hair and a goatee) was very attentive. He asked us what meats we liked (my #1 is the lamb, and then the house special...), and when we mentioned them, we were almost immediately surrounded by gauchos. The server was very friendly as well, but wasn't overbearing or hovering around us too much - always within distance where we could get his attention if needed.
My ONLY complaint is that TdB no longer has their signature after-dinner mints and has replaced them with regular red and white "cheapy" mints: perhaps they were too costly?
Ah well.
My boyfriend introduced me to TdB, and I haven't looked back since. He has a VIP card that he… Read more »
Sheboing boing boing! Meat, meat, all the meat you can eat! Vegetarians, don't go to this place. I think they serve lots of meat here. ;-) If you're a big meat fan, or a small meat fan...try this place. These dudes walk around with big swords of meat. Everyone has these coaster lookin' things that are red on one side, and green on the other. Had enough meat? Turn you thing to the red side and they'll leave you alone. Ready for more? Turn it back to green. Maybe I like it so much because of my controlling nature :-). It's a cool atmosphere, and come on, who doesn't want to see guys walking around with big swords full of meat ready to serve you? Awesome!
This is god's gift to meat lovers.....WOW.... I went here for lunch with a group from my internship, the price is actually reasonable for lunch. (a great deal for what you get). The also have a HUGE salad bar with tons of different veggies and etc.
Heres how places like this work - you get a little card like thing with one side green and the other red. The servers come around with GIANT portions of every kind of meat imaginable on them, and if you are green side up on the card they cut you off some. amazing.
If you appreciate really well cooked meat ....then this is a place you have got to visit. The atmosphere is very pleasant and the staff is helpful and friendly. The food is amazing and the wine list is pretty good too. The salad bar alone is worth a trip and you could make a meal of it alone. The meats are well done and the house specialty is amazing. If you are vegan or vegetarian you would probably do better somewhere else.
The service is great ...the food is awesome ....come hungry and plan to leave in a food coma!
Definitely great food, employees are very dedicated and rapid service is normal here. You get what you pay for, the salad bar admission its self is worth the money, you don't even need to eat steak to enjoy this place.
And this restaurant of few gets a plus for accessibility in my book, accessible to a chunky powered wheelchair and allows for full range of tilt system use, you bet i'll be coming back.
Now for any upscale restaurant to /not/ have Wi-Fi paid or not is a bit unusual.
Bless you Texas de Brazil!
You heard it from everyone else, all you can eat meat. What they didn't elaborate on was the FANTASTIC salad bar (or my vegetarians). My vegetarian homies come here to partake in the salad bars' variety and deliciousness. I ate the:
Mixed field greens
Cesar
green bean Salad
Potato Salad
Mushrooms roasted in a garlic wine sauce
Goat Cheese
Hot bread
Rice
Beans
Pasta salad
cucumber Salad
Shrimp
Various Cheese Wheels shaved
Creamy Mushroom soup
Asparagus
(These are the only things I got to try...but they had a plethora of other delicious spreads out...I had to leave room)
We went for lunch and it was worth it because it was cheaper than dinner. It was 20 bucks per person for the salad bar and the meats, without drinks for lunch. Speaking of drinks, the cocktails were wonderful and tasty. they have a large selection of wines and specialty drinks. The service was superb and made me feel welcomed and respected.
Then came the fireworks... the meat.
Simply perfection. Dip the meats in the Chimchurri sauce. . (Found in the salad bar)
Get your Stretchy pants on!!!
If Texas de Brazil were a person.... I would kiss it on the mouth-minimal tongue. Haha Just kidding...or am I? DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!
OH MAN! This place is heaven to those who can appreciate good meat. My husband and I visited family in Chicago (we're from L.A) and was treated to this amazing restaurant. It has to be the best restaurant hands down. Granted I wouldn't want to spoil the delight in going whenever we have a chance (the closest one to L.A is in Vegas :-/) but when we do go back to Chi-town we will most definitely be treating ourselves, again!
The service was great, the food is to die for and the ambiance of the place really makes you feel like you've stepped into another realm of the food industry. This place blew my mind. I'm already having cravings....
It's actually been almost a year and a half since I've been there, but if it hasn't changed then I stand by the four-star rating. The service was par for the course for a Brazilian steakhouse, but it's the first time I've actually eaten extra items by the salad bar. You have to try the lobster bisque. I distinctly remember that and the other sides (I still ignored the salad bar) being extraordinary. I'm not a fan of red wine (I prefer white due to reds setting off my "asian-flush" reaction) but they had a great sangria that wasn't too dry. I recommend it.
If you plan on going there, do yourself a favor and visit their website and sign up for their newsletter. They do an awesome job marketing the restaurant and frequently send buy-one-get-one-free dinner coupons.
Wonderful place to go for lunch at $19.99.
The salad bar was absolutely amazing. I know some people who come here just for the salad bar, large selection of salads, appetizers, and sides. The meats were all pretty good, comparable to Fogo. Meats were all very tender and flavorful. My favorites were the lamb, flank stank, and house special. The service at Fogo is definitely much much better, but still was very good here.
One compaint, I hate it when buffets charge you for drink refills. When eating a meal like this, a tall coke is the only way to go, but not for $3 per glass.
All else considered, I would definitely come here again for lunch. You can also sign up online and get birthday specials. buy one get one free dinner. worth it only if there's 2 ppl in my opinion.
When I travel for business, I always look forward to dining at "interesting" restaurants. This place was an awesome pick. I had enjoyed churrasco style cooking before and was looking forward to trying it, again.
This place is exceptional. This location is beautiful, dark wood beamed ceilings, splashy orange painted walls, ambient lighting, huge flower arrangements. I went in on a Tuesday night and it was packed. I got a table near the huge salad bar. Everything served was delicious and first rate, from the super fresh salads, cheeses, veggies, bread choices, and the lobster bisque was incredible. As if the salad bar isn't bad enough, they bring you a side of mashed red skin potatoes and fried plantains. I don't know how some people do it, but I saw the same people again and again at the salad bar.
Next came the meat. I wondered how long I would have to wait until someone noticed my red disc flipped to green. I'm guessing that is was less than 10 seconds. Three gauchos arrived at my table in rapid succession. Wow. I also wondered how the meat could possibly be hot and juicy. But it was hot and wonderfully moist. I loved the filet mignon, but my favorites was the bacon wrapped chicken and the delicous pork loin. I had never tasted anything like it before.
For dessert, I selected the cream cheese pecan pie. It was served warm with softened vanilla bean ice cream. Incredible.
Service here is also amazing. My server explained the restaurant concept to me and was there frequently to check on me to see how I was doing. Very attentive. This is definitely a special occasions restaurant. I loved it!!
I'm officially in a food comma. I came here hungry for my parents' anniversary dinner and left extremely full. I have to admit, buffet and all-you-can eat type of places are wasted on me. I get full extremely fast and I eat red meat, maybe, 3-4 times a month. At Texas de Brazil, I had a couple of salads and one slice of meat and I was full. I had half a small piece of filet mignon and wasn't too impressed. It was well done (I like mine medium rare) and chewy. I also tried half-a-slice of flank steak and it was rare and chewy.
The salad bar has minimum fresh veggies, some cheeses, some italian-style anitpasti (including salami and prosciutto), and sides. I'm a salad-freak and wasn't too impressed with the salad bar.
The full price for all-you-can eat meat and salad bar is $45, salad bar alone is $30. In my opinion, it's not worth the money. Sign up online and you'll receive coupons pretty often, which will make your trip more affordable.
I highly recommend making reservations. There were 6 of us on a Tuesday night and there was an hour and a half wait at 7pm. Luckily, we had reservations. If you make them online and it tells you the time is not available, call and make the reservations that way.
I have to say this is one of my fav places to eat now! I had lunch here on Friday, with a friend of mine. We both have never been here before. For one thing, I was amazed about the service here. Granted, I've never really been to a fine dining restaurant, but the service here is exceptional. When you are escorted to your table, they pull your chairs out for you, and when you sit, they place your napkin on your lap. As soon as they noticed you weren't eating, they take your plate, and give you a new one. My water glass didn't pass half empty. We noticed that everytime we got up to the buffet, our waitress came and took our dirty napkin and folded it nicely. Maybe to some people, this is what they expect, but as for me, I was absolutely floored with how good this service was.
Ok, let me start with the food. For one thing, there wasn't anything there that I didn't like. They had a decent salad bar, that also consisted of different cheeses, and meats. There were also imported olives, and a divine shrimp salad. The hot bar consisted of, soup of the day which was cream of asparagus, white rice, potatoes au gratin, wild mushrooms, black beans with pork and beef -- very good, and I might be missing a thing or two. Oh, but there was also a HUGE bowl of bacon...it was pretty amazing.
Besides the amazing hot/cold bar, the meats we had were so delicious, they just melted in my mouth. The rosemary chicken wrapped in bacon was so full of flavor. I wasn't disappointed one bit. I do recommend the frozen passion fruit lemonade...it's $4 something, but it was pretty tasty.
If you're scared of the price, go eat lunch there since it's cheaper. $19.99 for the buffet. You really won't regret it.
As a huge fan of Brazilian churrascarias I was very excited to try out this place, but I left a bit disappointed. I've been to much worse Brazilian steakhouses around the country, but Texas de Brazil definitely did not live up to the Fogo de Chao standard. The meats were okay, a bit over-salted and the servers did not come by too often. The salad bar was also okay, but I felt that the ingredients were neither of the quality that Fogo de Chao offers. Also, our server disappeared for a bit and it took sometime ordering drinks. This would never happen at Fogo de Chao where if you need something someone is there in less than a minute.
I apologize for making this review more about Fogo de Chao than Texas de Brazil, but Fogo de Chao has set standard in terms of food and service amongst Chicago's Brazilian steakhouse and any Brazilian steakhouse in Chicago will be naturally compared to that standard.
Texas de Brazil does get points for being a bit cheaper than Fogo de Chao, but I would still rate this place far below Fogo de Chao. In comparison to Brazzaz, I think it's on the same level.
The great steak has arrived - and it's from Texas!
WOW I do love this all-you-can-meat restaurant; it's one of the greatest restaurant experiences around. I have been to several Brazilian style steakhouses throughout North America, Europe, and even the Middle East, and often continue to return to Texas de Brazil in Schaumburg for the excellent service, quality, and selection.
I will admit - my favorite local churrascaria was for the longest time Sal & Carvao. They are now Zed-451, which is good, though not as great as when it was Sal & Carvao. The good news is that Peter, one of the original meat carvers from S&C and a true believer in customer service is now the manager at this location of TDB! I have been here a few times and he still remembers my favorite meats and is always enjoyable to see and catch up with.
Now, do understand, I wouldn't put the meat in a competition with the best Chicago steak restaurants, as that's not the entire appeal of the all-you-can-meat experiences. The attraction is variety & quantity. The gauchos are friendly, and will circle your table with fresh meats to enjoy when they spot the green side of your card showing a 'GO' to serve.
Even the salad bar is enjoyable. I suspect they set up so many delicious items not only to complement the meals but to tease beginners of the all-you-can-meat into filling up. I do enjoy the items, even more than Brazzas or Fogos. They have both hot and cold selections to enjoy.
My favorite cuts are the 'house special' Picanha (rump roast 'triple C') and the garlic sirloin, both served perfectly medium rare. I was impressed with the wine selection as well. It's not on the budget side, so I advise you take advantage of their email coupon offers or stop in for lunch which is almost half of the dinner pricing for most of the same meats.
Maybe I went on a bad night, but every single piece of meat I ate here was over salted. I had to drink so much water, and I couldn't bear to eat too much of it. Maybe that is how they trick people, so they eat less? For the price, I don't think I will bother to try again. If i get a craving I'll go to Zed.
I did not prefer this location to the downtown location AT ALL. First of all, the servers downtown are WAY nicer, on their game and overall better. We had to ask the server multiple times to send the gauchos over. We were seated in one of the back rooms b/c we had a party of 8 and seriously, we barely saw the food.
The room they put us in was filled with other large groups so the meat would make it 1/2 way around the room and would rarely get to us before they ran out. Then, it would be a while before they would come back. It got really annoying really fast.
If you go, stay towards the main restaurant where you can actually flag down the gauchos yourself.
First off, a caveat: If you're vegan, do NOT let anyone try to convince you you can get your money's worth just from the salad bar. It's great, it has a lot of terrific veggies on it, but for the price, which while it's much lower than the full price meal is still not cheap, I don't think you'll find it worth it. If you're vegetarian and regularly eat dairy products and even fish, you'll do very well on the salad bar alone and will probably find it absolutely worth the price. Meat eaters, particularly those with a bottomless pit for a stomach, will probably make out like bandits here.
The event was a birthday celebration, and we arrived in two groups which meant we couldn't be seated until everyone had arrived. And that's fair, IMO. So we had drinks at the bar while we waited. My seabreeze was good but not great, and it used canned grapefruit juice, which was disappointing. The signature drink, the caipirinha, was also good, but odd, with a decided herbal flavor which we could only attribute to the Brazillian rum.
Once the whole party arrived, we were seated immediately in spite of the crowd, and the servers came around immediately to take drink orders and explain a bit about the service. This time we all (almost) ordered mojitos, which were excellent, and got up immediately to go to the salad bar (way to hell and gone across the restaurant from our table -- this place is ginormous!) I must say I was pleased that the salad bar wasn't crowded with people elbowing their way to the priciest foods. I made a leisurely circuit and returned with a full plate in spite of taking just a dab of this or a single piece of the other. The variety there is remarkable. There was the ubiquitous lettuce bowl with ample toppings and dressings, at least five sorts of cheese, half a dozen prepared salads, sushi bites, meats, fish (including an excellent smoked salmon) and all manner of veggies prepared in various ways. There was also a hot bar which none of us bothered with since by the time we finished with the cold food, it was pretty clear we were already closing in on having eaten too much. In addition to the aforementioned salmon, I had a small ball of fresh mozzarella, some smoked provolone, roasted asparagus with strawberry compote (why hasn't anyone thought of serving asparagus like this before??) salami, tabbouli, potato salad (I admit it, I'm a sucker for a good potato salad) sushi, pasta salad, artichoke hearts and a pile of cornichons which are a weakness of mine.
Once I returned to the table I found a basket of their little cheesy bread poufs which were delicious. Then the meat started to arrive. I have to say that at one point there were more servers hovering around than there were people at the table, and it was a little overwhelming. I tried the garlic sirloin first and I didn't think it boded well that I found it tough, but apparently everyone else's was fine so mine was the anomaly. Then I had the bacon-wrapped chicken breast and found it delicious. Pork loin and tenderloin followed, both cooked medium well, and both absolutely delicious. Then filet mignon which I took well done because the rare was just too bloody. And frankly it was dry. Now I'd feared this might happen because it's difficult to keep meat warm without it drying out. In spite of how quickly the meat was served, it still had to be kept warm on the skewers, and did do some cooking on after heat. However, the bacon-wrapped filet made up for it in spades. It was moist, tender and so flavorful that in spite of how full I was, I asked for a second piece later. I passed on the lamb but I'm assured it was delicious, and on the flank steak because I've never been nuts about that cut. Again, I'm assured it was excellent. When the barbecued pork ribs came around, we were so full that three of us shared a single rib, just enough for a taste each. It was very, very good, as were the Brazillian sausages, small, crispy, peppery bites without any excess fat or gristle. I'm not a fan of sausage in general, but these were wonderful.
We shared a pitcher of sangria, and it was delicious, too; just light enough for a warm evening and a bunch of people who had already had more than enough alcohol for their own good. And there were dishes of extraordinarily garlicky mashed potatoes, and fried plantains which I fear could become addictive with their light, lemony flavor, and meltingly soft texture. Both the potatoes and plantains were replenished when the dishes were emptied, but the bread never was.
We finished with coffee and dessert. Everything on the dessert tray looked wonderful but as I've recently become an addict of creme brulee I had to try it. I wasn't disappointed. It was soft, creamy and lightly flavored with orange. I was also impressed that each cup of coffee came with its own little pitcher of cream.
The cost, with tip averaged out to about $90 per person, and well worth it, I think.
Texas De Brazil never disappoints!
We went here today for Easter Brunch... white sangria, lobster bisque, salad bar (asparagus with strawberry sauce, hearts of palm, mushrooms in wine sauce, etc.) sweet plantains, garlic potatoes, enormous amounts of meat and more meat, finished off with creme brulee, Licor 43 (Spanish liqueur) and a cappuccino.
Mmmmmmmmmmm...
Can you say "Food Coma"...unbutton the pants, it was time for a nap.
Texas De Brazil is one of those Brazilian Steakhouses that are popping up all over now (being one of the firsts).
The all-u-can-eat, carnivore serving, gaucho-wearing carvers going from table to table with huge amounts of different meats, watching for your "disk" to be turned to the green side.
"Picanha" (Brazilian top sirloin) bacon wrapped filet, lamb chops, and flank steak are some of our favorites.
Vegetarians do not run away, there are several fulfilling choices for you at the salad bar, rice, black beans, cheeses, pasta salads.
We've been here several times before and things are ALWAYS consistent, superb service, fabulous cocktails, top quality cuisine.
Definitely a special occasion place. Meals will cost between $40-$70 depending if you are ordering drinks and dessert. (which I recommend)
Two years ago, our daughter and son-in-law had a small out-of-town, immediate-family-only wedding, but when they came back home, we threw them a reception here for the extended family and friends and it was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!
The decor could not have been any more romantic.
The manager "Vinnie" was the absolute best! Accommodating, professional and he made sure everything was perfect!!!
I could not recommend this place enough, I learned today that they are opening a downtown location in the late spring. We'll be there!
Bottomless baskets of bacon and blue cheese....911!!!!!
after a week of intense colon cleansing I can still hear the echoes of the lambs and cows slaughtered to raise my HDL/LDL levels to DANGER DANGER range...but how could I not?
The way to to do it here is to hit the 50plus item salad bar, fill a plate with cheese, bacon, pancetta, wasabi and a piece of bread, go back to your table, flip the card to green and let them bring the meat to you.
Skip the bacon wrapped anything as those were dry and too salty.
Do get the sirloin, lamb chops, garlic and cheese encrusted meats and with each slice, cover with bacon, pancetta and cheese and eat the best freakin meat sandwiches you ever had.
The meat she not necessarily the best, though if you were looking for top meats you would go to a $100 plate steak joint...for $50 or less(with coupons from their website).= good $40 meats.
Service is tits. These people have incredible management running things with smiling bottom lines and let their staff run with the spirit and enthusiasm to please the most selfish and hard to please palettes.
Great wine list and decent by the glass selection. Decor is doable for those 4th or 5th date scenarios(just after bumping uglies, and in the still need to impress mode)
kudos to TdB servers and hosts...really good service.
but do hit up their website and sign up for their discount club as it then makes it worth the trip to the country to fill out those love handles quite nicely.
A Meat adventure indeed.
I brought the man here as a fun meat experience after a day full of Mall. Our waiter was great...seriously might have been one of the best waiters I had in recent memory. He was funny, attentive and just good for someone who doesn't actually have to serve us.
If you haven't been to one of these places before, its basically a meat buffet ::slash:: game. You get a little circle with a green or red side, when its green, the guys with funny pants and meat on sticks come around and flop it on your plate, if its red, they leave you alone to savor it.
If you're not one to eat only meat, they had a truly fantastic salad bar. Much better than Brazzaz or any of those other places Ive been like this. Hot and cold foods were offered, but BEWARE...eat too much there..and you'll have no room for the MEAT, and that's what you're paying $43/person for.
The steaks were amazing, and perfectly cooked (medium rare, YUM) the chicken they offered was absolutely dry crap next to the drippy perfectness of the Garlic Sirloin...:::mouth watering:::
Try to save room for the Brazilian cheesecake - Chocolate, caramel, pecan toper...wow.
Great tastes...but expensive as all get out...$160 after tip for 2 people. Its nice for special occasions, or if you feel like blowing some cash, but not an everyday thing for this girl!
I had a great time at this place.
The food was delicious, and the service is fantastic. Of course it costs more money, but not more than it's worth.
I would really like to come back soon, and I'm planning to take my parents to the one in Orlando next time I visit them!
The salad bar alone is worth the trip to this Brazilian churrascaria. When you add 15 choices of meat that is brought to your table, it's all the better.
Don't miss the Brazilian black bean soup and the sauted Mushrooms. When the meats come around grab anything that is wrapped in bacon.
Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/
Been a dinner customer several times, and today marked the 1st brunch experience at TdB.
Without stating some of the obvious, here's my contribution to you making your next dining decision:
1. Restaurant opens at 12 on the weekends but they had brunch instead. I was worried at first, thinking my family who was visiting never experienced a churrascaria before would not get to. But my fears were allayed when I was assured our servers will be coming along with the skewers. Whew! Back to the "salad bar" brunch -- lobster bisque, steak fries-sized french toast, creamy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, along with cheeses, croissants, salads, fruits, cubed salmon (what a neat alternative to the whole salmon that gets picked to pieces) and assorted vegetables (get the caperberry) and cheeses. I believe I will only be coming here for brunch over any pancake houses from hereon!
2. Kid prices are offered up to 12 years old.
3. No refills for Coke! What! And it's not even fountain Coke, it's the mini bottles! Travesty!!!!
4. Good big cup of Joe. Mmmmmm
5. Meats, while good, are overly salted. Is that so they can sucker us into more non-free pop?
6. Reservations on their web site is hosted by open table.
All in all, we are sooo back for brunch. I know I said it earlier, but that's how much we love it!
Quick comparison of Texas de Brazil vs. Fogo de Chao - what I consider to be where the bar is set in terms of churrascarias:
Texas de Brazil Fogo de Chao
Digs Classy, upscale - great open Very similar to TdB - posh, but one
spaces; it's bustling, but not can just as easily wear a suit and tie
crowded as a pair of jeans and a tee
Wait Reservations at 1715 hours; Reservations at 1930 hours;
Seated at 1730 hours Seated upon walking in
Hostess Barely said anything, unfolded Unknown, the rest of the party had
napkins and basically threw already been seated by the time
them in our laps haphazardly we got there
Waiters Professional - swapped out Sometimes difficult to get a hold of;
dirty plates automagically, lovely when they stopped by; smokin'
frequently checked up on us hot and incredibly sexy Irish accent*!
Salad Attempts to be upscale - Amazing everything, great smoked
Bar succeeds nominally salmon and sun-dried tomatoes
Meats Many meats were excessively Tender, moist, perfectly done - not a
salted, pork tenderloin was single cut that I had was overdone or
dry, I loved the garlic sirloin tough, I loved the parmesan pork
Cost Regularly a little over $40 a About $50 a head, without drinks or
pop, we had a 50% coupon dessert
for being on the mailing list
Verdict: TdB really is kind of a low class Fogo. Everything about the experience was pretty much subpar to its cousin. At 50% off with an e-mailed coupon, it's a reasonable deal, but I probably wouldn't bother going at full fare. It's just not that great. If you're going to go all out, might as well hit Fogo. For a handful of extra bucks, the experience is notably superior.
*Thanks for reminding me, Kathleen M. ;)
Even better than Sal y Carvao (Zed451). This was our second Brazilian-style steakhouse experience, and it was a really great one! We walked in and were greeted by a gigantic vase of colorful artificial flowers (I thought they were real until I asked the hostess). We noticed the ambiance right away: lights dimmed, open, and romantic interiors. This place would be great for a wedding with its high ceilings and dark wood trim throughout.
The hostess was cordial and our waiter was from Brazil, ocassionally traveling back and forth with new recipes and ingredient ideas for the restaurant.
This is not your typical salad bar. Very fancy, very chic with over 50 items. I tried the gourmet cheeses and some chilled salmon. My girlfriend had leafy salad. The boys came back to the table with brazilian hams =)
We tried angus beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and brazilian sausages. We liked everything but found the chicken to be a little overcooked, We had a special dessert. Papaya pudding with red wine, and a Phalaenopsis orchid on top. Weird, but supposedly that's how they eat it locally. An acquired taste, I had another serving and eventually loved it.
Just remember to flip your card when you're ready for more or less. We found it difficult to manuever from red (stop) to green (go), and vice-versa because we were too busy eating and scanning the restaurant for more.
This Brazilian fare is quite spendy.. Sign up for their email advertisements and receive, on ocassion, a 50% discount dinner for choicey days of the week The best value is during lunch.
Would we recommend and go back ourselves? Yup. I have been there twice, My husband, probably almost 6 times.
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Brazilian
Villa Park, IL
Category: Brazilian
Schaumburg, IL
Category: American (Traditional)
Schaumburg, IL
Category: Steakhouses
Schaumburg, IL
Category: Restaurants
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