Fogo De Chao in Chicago: A Restaurant Review

Meat-eaters in the Chicagoland area can rejoice; Fogo de Chao, located at 661 N. LaSalle St., is a delectable carnivore delight. Fogo de Chao is known for its selection of fifteen types of meats, a bar serving traditional Brazilian drinks along with American favorites, and a salad bar that offers over one hundred selections. Fogo de Chao's allure is based off of the Brazilian Gaucho way of cooking meat over an open fire. I have dined at Fogo de Chao numerous times and have always loved the food, though I have had varying experiences based on the time of day or day of the week that I have dined. Nonetheless, I would recommend this restaurant based on the quality and presentation of the food alone.

Guests to Fogo de Chao are greeted with the sight of racks of meat in the window, skewered and roasting over an open flame. Décor on the inside is modern but welcoming, with dim lights. One complaint I have is that the tables are placed relatively close together, which makes evening conversation difficult if there is a crowd. Guests are seating and then instructed to visit the salad bar, which holds many varieties of pre-dinner treats. There are selections of salads, fresh vegetables, salmon, cheese, and even a quail egg or two. Some diners go wild over the buffet, though I prefer to spend more time on the main courses. If anything, you might take a small plate from the salad bar to sample new items but fill up on the entrees instead.

One unique aspect about Fogo de Chao is that all diners have multiple servers, who are dressed as gauchos. You will know them by their flowing black pants and large carving knives. After you are seated, you will reserve a card that is green on one side and red on the other. If you flip the card to green, you will be overwhelmed by a pack of gauchos offering meats. When you flip to red, service will stop. There is no limit on how many times you can flip your card; when you're finished eating, simply tell a server that you are done so that the card is taken away.

Gauchos offer 15 different types of meat, including top sirloin, bottom sirloin, leg of lamb, bacon-wrapped chicken breast, sausage, and many others. My recent favorite is the beef ancho, which is a rib eye steak. The filet also stands out, due to the tenderness. Gauchos will ask how you prefer your meat cooked, though most cuts seems to be more on the medium or rare side. If you prefer your meat well done, this may not be the restaurant for you. The gauchos will slice a chunk of meat with an intimidating knife and will have you help pull the meat onto your plate. After being slowly roasted and seasoned with salt, the meat is flavorful; you will notice a lack of salt and pepper on your table, but don't worry. Nothing is needed to enhance the flavor.

Besides the types of meat, diners are also presented with side dishes that are continuously replaced as they diminish. There is a side of creamy mashed potatoes, topped with cheese and paprika, which is quite tasty. Other treats include polenta, which offers a nice, crispy crust, and plantains, which are always devoured quickly by my dining companions. The only side dish that I'm not wild about is the cheese bread; after the selections at the salad bar, it is a bit underwhelming.

Service at Fogo de Chao varies based on the time of day that you dine and the day of the week that you visit. On a trip during the week at lunch hour, I had incredible service; if anything, there was an abundance of gauchos piling meat on my plate so fast that I could barely keep up. I was also asked by many gauchos if there was a dish that I would like sent my way or something I would like specially prepared. I'm not a fan of the chicken breast wrapped in bacon, so I asked if a gaucho could bring me a piece without bacon. Within minutes, he had brought four pieces of chicken to my table. This sort of service goes above and beyond most diners' expectations.

On the other hand, dining at night on the weekend is more challenging. When I went there for my birthday dinner, I was forced to wait for a table, even though I had reservations. The bar was crowded as well, so I was not even able to sit there and wait. Although the quality of the food did not change, the gauchos were overwhelmed. It seemed that the same gauchos kept coming to the tables; we had only about five choices of meat, rather than fifteen as promised. Often, we were forced to ask one gaucho to send another our way. This was not the service I would have expected on a special occasion.

Fogo de Chao is a unique experience that many diners would enjoy. The gauchos, the salad bar, and the meat selection is really what brings guests into this restaurant. Fogo has found its niche and stands out from other Brazilian steakhouses in the city; however, plan your visit carefully. If you go at night, expect a much different experience than you will have for lunch. Still, I'd suggest giving it a try if you enjoy mass quantities of meats.