My family ate at Fogo de Chão for the first time for $230. The steak house's unlimited salad bar and excessive meat service weren't our thing.

Terri PetersJan 17, 2024, 21:12 IST

Fogo de Chão is a Brazillian steak-house chain. Terri Peters

My husband and I visited Fogo de Chão steak house with our teenage daughter for the first time.
The meal cost $230 for our party of three and included drinks, salads, sides, and meats.

My family has never cared much for chain restaurants, but in the last year, my husband and I have visited more with our teenagers.

By dining at steak houses like Ruth's Chris and iconic breakfast spots like IHOP, we've learned to appreciate what chains have to offer, from reasonable prices to a consistent experience.

But we'd yet to try a Brazilian churrasco meal like the one offered at Fogo de Chão.

The steak-house chain focuses on its fire-roasted meats, which are carved tableside by chefs. It has more than 50 restaurants worldwide and offers an all-you-care-to-enjoy prix-fixe menu and à la carte options like picanha steak and Chilean sea bass.

My family recently visited the chain in Orlando, Florida, for dinner. Here's what the experience was like for me, my husband, and our 13-year-old daughter.

The restaurant was crowded, and we had to wait even though we had a reservation.

We were asked to wait at the bar until our table was ready. Terri Peters

I started my meal with a mocktail.

I loved how many nonalcoholic options the chain had. Terri Peters

My husband and daughter had wine and mocktails, respectively.

There were several drink options available at the restaurant. Terri Peters

Fogo de Chão offers continuous tableside service of fire-roasted meats.

We can for the prix-fixe offerings at the chain. Terri Peters

The buffet area was a bit chaotic and didn’t feel worth the effort.

The prix-fixe meal came with an all-you-care-to-enjoy salad bar. Terri Peters

Each churrasco experience comes with a few sides.

All the Brazillian-inspired side dishes were delicious. Terri Peters

We had the opportunity to try several cuts of beef, lamb, chicken, and pork.

The servers came around to our table with the skewered meats. Terri Peters

No matter what we did, the meat kept coming.

I don't think I'd come back on a busy weekend night.Terri Peters

I think Fogo de Chão is great for certain types of diners.

I can see the appeal of the steak-house chain. Terri Peters

Based on our experience, I don’t think I’d come back.

There are other steak-house chains that we prefer over Fogo de Chão.Terri Peters

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