Texas de Brazil

Brazilian churrascarias – grilled steakhouses – were all the rage in the early 2000’s, as two chains began aggressively expanding across the United States: Fogo de Chao was initially the undisputed leader, but rival Texas de Brazil began to catch up in both locations and quality, in some cities cementing itself as a superior choice. Irvine is one such place: Texas de Brazil’s location at the Market Place is, all things considered, superior to Fogo de Chao’s newer spot at the Irvine Spectrum, though both chains have been challenged by recent inflation. (And to be fair, both chains have also become inconsistent from location to location; it’s a crapshoot as to whether either will be good or bad in a given city.)

The premise at each churrascaria is the same: Grab a plate, choose some items from an opulent salad bar, then flip a green/red card at your table to indicate whether you want cowboy servers to stop by and carve chunks of meat from sword-sized skewers onto your plate. Texas de Brazil offers around 15 different meats, ranging from always excellent top sirloin (Picanha) to filet mignon, lamb chops, sausage, chicken, and ribs. In our experiences, the meat quality has remained pretty solid over the years – better than most KBBQ and equivalent to typical steakhouses, albeit with a much wider selection of meats than the latter, and a need to wait for a server to walk by with what you want, then specify your preferred meat doneness before slicing. Note that some meats may be salted more than others, and flavors may vary somewhat from cut to cut or location to location.

The salad bar offers unlimited access to charcuterie, soup, freshly sliced vegetables, cheeses, and beans; those who want to go meat-free or meat-light can opt for salad bar-only access at a discounted price. Additionally, as meals here are all-you-can-eat, servers deliver sweet cooked plantains, cheese bread, and potatoes (here, fries) to help fill you up.