Fogo de Chao

Across every part of the United States where it opened first – which is to say, major cities on both coasts and Texas – Fogo de Chao’s name is practically synonymous with Brazilian churrascarias, or steakhouses focused on skewer-grilled meats. From Beverly Hills to Washington DC, Fogo locations quickly won steady business by overwhelming guests with all-you-can-eat steaks, lamb chops, ribs, and bacon-wrapped items, which combined with a high-end salad bar to guarantee smiling faces and full bellies.

At a time when steakhouses were still quite popular in America, the national appeal of a twist on the theme was obvious – so obvious that rival Texas de Brazil popped up, aggressively pursuing markets where Fogo hadn’t opened, and cementing itself in many locations as either a leader or second-place alternative.

Fogo waited a long time to come to Orange County, and time wasn’t on its side. Debuting in November 2019, more than three years after Texas de Brazil opened at the Irvine Market Place, Fogo picked a more southern spot at the Irvine Spectrum Center, notably with somewhat less visibility and fancy decor than its earlier locations. It had a somewhat rocky opening, and only months later, the pandemic hit, leading to a challenging two years of mid-pandemic operation. As huge fans of Fogo dating back to its earliest days in Beverly Hills and Chicago, we paid full price to check out the Irvine location, and although the experiences were okay, we left each time somewhat disheartened.

Thankfully, Fogo has rebounded. As of our last visit, the Irvine location was roughly on par with nearby Texas de Brazil, which is to say good rather than fantastic, and not up to Fogo’s earlier, higher standards. Two other Orange County locations have opened, providing easy access to steak lovers in Huntington Beach and Brea, close enough to Disneyland.