REVIEW: Fogo de Chao (Austin, Texas)

[Brimstone]

Fogo de Chao
309 E 3rd St
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-0220

Categories: Brazilian, Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Downtown


Hey guys it's me, Etan Wish! I have no idea why I waited to write this review, I dream every night about the delectable, juicy, and delicious goodness that Fogo de Chao has to offer.

Before you even get inside the restaurant, you take notice to the decor. The thick wooden blinds giving privacy to the patrons inside, the fire pit cooking meat in the window, even an HDTV playing a video about the place opposite the door, it's all very inviting. There is a ramp for handicapped folks to get in as well. Once you actually get inside, the first thing to hit you is the pleasant atmosphere. The lights are dimmed low, there are very nice pieces of art on the walls, everything keeps the setting feeling very intimate, regardless of the larger size of the establishment. We were greeted by the hostess, who was very friendly, and I let her know that our party had arrived (yes they do reservations). When we first got there, it was pretty quiet, there were perhaps only another four tables seated.

Everything was explained to us by the fantastic manager, he was so friendly and took the time to really get into detail about everything, from the history of the restaurant, to the ways they cook the meat, to how the service works. I wanted the full experience of eating here, so I headed over to the salad bar where you take a fresh plate from off a table to the side, and dive into a huge selection of delicious cheeses, meats, prepared salads, and fresh ingredients. By the time I returned to the table, Brim had already flipped his meat card to green, and what seemed like an endless line of bbq'd meat proceeded to come to the table.

Next thing I know there are other small appetizers sitting on our table; rice, beans, plantains, and a bunch of other goodies...I couldn't wait to flip my card, so I did! I put the salad to the side and dove into everything else. Oh my god, just thinking about the meat now makes me want to take a pilgrimage to once again have some. There's all different kinds of meat, from sausages, chicken, bacon wrapped meats, beef, pork, lamb.... everything. One of the really cool parts about the servers is that they are also the head chefs. Each meat is prepared by them, and then they all work as a team to insure the meat is getting around the room.

The whole staff works as a well oiled machine. Halfway through our meal a multitude of people showed up to enjoy some food. A few people on dates came in, some business people, a birthday party, and families as well. With all these people in the house, the staff had a lot to tend to. And they did so with ease and speed. It's all very impressive to watch, almost as impressive as the food!!

After dinner and a full stomach, we had to try the desserts. They had brought out for us a guava pudding, creme brulee, and the best flan I had ever tasted! Seriously, this flan was out of this world! All of this served with ice cold Bailey's and espresso. To die for, best meal I have ever had.

We loved this place so much, we came back again in a couple of days with more people from our crew. The next night was a Saturday, and it was packed! Love, love, LOVE this place, you need to come and experience here for yourself.


To view our experience at Fogo de Chao, please click HERE

To YELP our experience at Fogo de Chao, please click HERE

[thiago]

Texas has a place in my blackmagic heart!!:)