Fogueira Gaúcha Brazilian Steakhouse

Once we arrived, we were quickly seated, and the waiter promptly offered us bottled water. When we politely requested tap water, we were surprised that it wasn’t even presented as an option. We intended to order wine but the waiter vanished, so we decided to check out the salad bar. The selection there was surprisingly more extensive and varied than at other rodizios I’ve visited. However, while the Wedge Salad and the mozzarella with tomatoes looked appealing, they ultimately lacked flavor. As we returned to our table, the meat started to arrive, but our waiter was still nowhere to be seen. After about 15 minutes, when he finally reappeared, I informed him we would like none. The meat quality was inconsistent: the top sirloin was good, the bottom sirloin and chicken legs were decent, but the filet mignon was disappointing—it didn’t even taste like filet mignon. The lamb and chicken hearts were overpowered by chili flakes, rendering them inedible and masking the meat’s natural flavors. Another source of frustration was that we were never provided with a list of the meats, and some options didn’t even make it to our table. I remembered some from the menu on the website and had to specifically request them by name. Once we finished our meal, we were left waiting for 20 minutes before anyone came to check on us. When we asked for the dessert menu, we were handed just one menu to share, which I found quite bothersome. After flagging down a waiter, I requested the check. Throughout the meal, we received no refills on our water. When the check arrived, I noticed a 20% mandatory service charge added for the lackluster service. It was frustrating to see that since the service certainly did not warrant such a tip. To make matters worse, the receipt included an additional suggested tip of 20%. I’ll include the receipt with this review. So, effectively being asked to pay a total of 40% in tips for poor service was unacceptable, and I declined to do so. I suspect many patrons may not carefully scrutinize their bills and would unwittingly end up tipping that much, especially since our waiter didn’t mention the mandatory service charge. In summary: mediocre food, terrible service, and outrageous pricing. Compared to the many other Brazilian rodizios in town, some of which I’ve enjoyed, Fogueira Gaúcha feels like it’s at the very bottom of the list. This might surprise the owners, but I won’t be returning.

After about 15 minutes, the waiter finally returned, and I told him we wouldn’t be ordering any wine. The quality of the meats served varied significantly. The Top Sirloin was good, and both the Bottom Sirloin and chicken legs were decent. However, the filet mignon was disappointing; it didn’t even taste like filet mignon. The lamb and chicken hearts were smothered in what resembled chili flakes, rendering them inedible and completely masking the flavor of the meat. This was a major letdown. Another frustrating aspect was that we were never given a list of the meats, and some never made it to our table at all. I had to recall some names from the list I had seen on the website, and the items only arrived after I explicitly requested them. Once we finished our meal, we were left waiting for about 20 minutes until someone finally noticed us. We asked for the dessert menu, but only received a single menu to share, which was quite irritating. I eventually flagged down a waiter to request the check. Throughout the meal, refills on our water were virtually nonexistent. Additionally, they impose a mandatory 20% service charge without any prior notice on the checks. They then suggest an additional 20% tip. Most patrons might not notice this and would end up tipping a total of 40%, which I believe borders on fraud. Overall, the service was drastically poor, much worse than at most restaurants I've visited. I highly recommend avoiding this place. This will be my first and last visit.

We visited this restaurant for our anniversary, and it was an amazing experience. The food at the salad bar was incredible, and there was a wide variety of meats. The service was exceptional as well.

- **Meal Type:** Dinner - **Price per Person:** $50–100 - **Food Rating:** 5/5 - **Service Rating:** 5/5 - **Atmosphere Rating:** 5/5 I highly recommend trying the Crème Brûlée and the various cuts of meat!

**Price per person:** $50–100 **Food:** 5/5 **Service:** 5/5 **Atmosphere:** 5/5 **Recommended dishes:** Salad Bar options, salads and sides, Brazilian lemonade, various cuts of meat, and picanha.