Address: 1101 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Phone: 202-347-4668

http://www.fogodechao.com.br/

Traveler Reviews

Barely Good But Definitely Not Great
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Oct 8, 2008


My wife and I went here last week and were looking forward to the novelty of our meal as well as the food itself. I'm very sorry to say we were disappointed. I'll say up front that the decour is very nice and the service is second to none. They do an outstanding job of servicing and catering to the needs of each diner. in short, these guys hustle. They make sure you have what you want in very short order. There's always more than one person taking care of you and never a shortage of meat being brought to your table. If they don't have what you want, they'll get it for you quickly. That's the good part. The not so good part is the food itself. The salad bar was okay, nothing very different or extraordinary. Pretty basic salads, a few spins on basic fare but nothing that enticed me to go back and want for more and nothing you wouldn't find in most other salad bars. The real disappointment was the meat. The chicken in bacon was good, though a bit salty. The pork was dry, as were most of their meats. The ribs were also dry and barely edible. The sausage had a different taste but was a bit overpowering after a few bites. The steaks were a mixed bag of okay cuts, some a little chewy, some salty because of the bacon, which they seem to wrap around everything. And ther lamp chops, which my wife usually orders and never leaves were also dry and left on her plate after a taste. They bring mashed potatoes, etc with your meal which they constantly replenish. But it's nothing special. At 50.00 per person, you would think dessert might be included but be prepared to spend another 8-10 for each dessert. It's a unique experience and can be so much better considering the location, (Pennsylvania Avenue), and service, but the food was not close to the standards I expected. If it weren't for the service I'd rate the food two stars. I think too often people rate restaurants on volume rather than quality. This place is a perfect example of that type of thinking. If you like lots of food, go here. If you prefer taste over volume, look elsewhere.

Meat-alicious, Fantastic Service
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Aug 29, 2008


Fogo de Chao is a superior restaurent, with excellent food and service. You probably know by know that this Brazilian steak house specializes in meat, meat and more meat. For $50 a head, you get an all-you-can-eat salad bar (above average salad bar, would not quite say superior, but darn good), followed by all-you-can-eat, fresh cut off the skewer hot meats - beef, chicken, lamb and pork, as in ribs baby. You also get 3 sides, mashed potatoe, fried whole plantain (banana) and fried polenta - a nice twist on your regular sides. The meats are wonderful, hot off the spit and tender and tasty. Service is attentive, speedy and unobtrusive. Atmosphere is upscale, quiet, reserved and friendly. A definite treat. Meal for 3 with wine and dessert was $250. I would go back in a second.

Something for Everyone
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Aug 28, 2008


This is one of our sons' favorite places to eat. If you aren't familiar with the concept, it works like this: For a fixed price, you can help yourself to the generous salad bar/buffet table and the waiters will bring side dishes (mashed potatoes and delicious fried bananas) to your table, then they will come by the table in a constant stream, offering various types of meat, from poultry and sausages to various cuts of beef, lamb and pork. The meat is on long skewers that they carry around from table to table, slicing off just the amount you want. The place is always hopping, so the meat is always right off the grill - they go through it very quickly. When you want more meat, you simply turn the small round card on your table to the green side, to let them know to stop. When you've had enough, or just want to take a break, you turn the card over to the red side. This is definitely a meat eater's paradise. I will say, however, that if you really enjoy a fine, well-prepared prime steak or a delicious rack of lamb, and you are more concerned with quality than quantity, there are better places for steak and other meats, in terms of quality. Not to say that the meat here is bad, it really is very good, but again, common sense tells you (and my own experience bears this out) that any place that sells that much meat in that fashion for that price is not selling the very best cuts of meat available. So, if you prefer less volume and the highest quality, go to one of the many fine steakhouses in the DC area. But if you don't have to have the very best cut of meat, and if you are just really hungry for meat and lots of it, Fogo de Chao is probably your best meat option. One thing to note is that you don't have to eat all that meat. That's why it works for us, when we take our sons there. My wife and I usually just get the salad bar (less than half the cost of the full "meat" meal). We can have a great, lighter meal without all the meat, but the choices and quality of the salad bar are quite good, so you are not stuck with just eating typical salad bar food. They usually offer two or three kinds of cold meat /fish on the salad bar, including smoked salmon and prosciutto, or something similar. That's why I named my review "something for everyone." In terms of cost, it is not a cheap place to eat, but the service and quality are quite good. Last time we were there, the full meat option was about $50 per person and the salad bar option was about $20 per person. Of course, drinks, desserts and extras cost "extra."

Can't beat the service at Fogo.
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Aug 16, 2008


I've been to Fogo de Chao in Chicago, Philadelphia, and DC. They are always consistent and always good. The meat is perfect and plentiful, and the service just can't be beat. Your best bet is to go for lunch during the week if you can swing it. The meats, salad bar, and service are identical to dinner, but the price is 30-40% less.

Wonderful experience
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Aug 2, 2008


Three of us went for a late lunch on the fourth of July. Go hungry! Huge appetizer/vegetable/fish/salad buffet followed by amazing meat selections and extremely attentive service. Meats come to your table, one server after the other. They never let you go hungry. We lost count of the number of offerings. We loved everything; also, a wonderful fried or grilled kind of bread thing was served and replenished as often as we needed it to be. Would recommend this place without hesitation, probably best for meat eaters. It was $32 each for lunch + tax and tip but well worth it. Did not really eat again until late lunch the next day. Be forewarned: no take-out containers are available for your leftovers. Definitely go hungry.