A Finer Dining Churrascaria Chain Restaurant
Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Dined in June 2011
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
A good group of people have been to or at least heard of Brazilian steakhouse better known as a churrascaria. The term is distinctly a South American concept style rotisserie, that owes its origins to the fireside roasts of the Gaúchos (chef/server) of southern Brazil traditionally from the Pampa region, hundreds of years ago. Once the skewered items are prepared the Gaúchos come around the table and cut portions onto your plate, and will continue to offer many varieties until you signal them to stop. In modern restaurants rodízio service is typically offered, where customers pay a prefix price (preço fixo), and waiters bring samples of food to each customer at several times throughout the meal, until the customers signal that they have had enough. Fogo de Chão (fo-go dèe shoun) is an example of fine dining churrascaria, and as of 2017 they have 49 total locations around the world.
2 in Atlanta - Buckhead and Dunwoody Districts
35 other locations around the United States
1 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
2 in Mexico
1 in Dubai, UAE (Middle East)
10 around Brazil
Follow Wine, Dine, and Play:
Main review:
All Pictures Courtesy of the Fogo de Chão website
Fogo de Chão is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse. In 1979, Fogo began sharing the gaucho way of preparing meat in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Today, the gaúcho chefs still expertly grill 15 cuts of meat and offer the customers continuous table-side service.The gaúcho chef tradition began in Southern Brazil hundreds of years ago with the practice of roasting meats over open pits of fire at family gatherings and community events. Fathers passed the knowledge on to their sons, and the young gaúchos grew up with the passion for the simplicity and the rich flavors of the traditional churrasco.
At Fogo de Chão, the gaúcho chefs train for at least two years, learning to prepare and cook the meats, as well as make the marinades. Each chef learns all about every cut of meat offered, including the optimal temperature to cook each cut to any desired level. The gaúcho chefs are responsible for taking care of the meat from the time it arrives from the butcher to the moment it is presented to the guests.
Menu:
- Salads & Soups
- Charcuterie
- Feijoada Bar
- Entrees:
- Assorted Beef Cuts
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Assorted Pork Cuts
- Sea Bass and Shrimp
- Sides and Pão de Queijo
- Sauces
- Desserts
If you were selling a party style experience then at Fogo de Chão you're not just selling the food, but everything else that it offers. Americans love their proteins and lots of them. We are a meat and potato culture which also can explain our high levels of obesity and health issues. So, when you have gaúcho chefs coming by your table every few moments providing nearly twenty separate meat selections, along with a comforting atmosphere, and good wine list, Fogo de Chão becomes a success.
Like all churrascaria restaurants, once you are seated, you have the option of visiting a full salad bar, or Feijoada Bar. Your table has the colored coded disks with green color on one side and red on the other. Like a traffic light, the green color disk facing up tells the gaúcho’s to offer the meat selections to the table, while the red disk display lets them know your on a break, and to bypass your table.
Meat cuts are cooked at a temperature of 800°f and a few selections available include Picanha a prime part of the top sirloin, filet mignon, Ancho (ribeye cut, not the chili pepper), Fraldinha or Flank bottom sirloin cut, Costela beef ribs rubbed in rock salt, cordeiro lamb chops or leg, and linguiça pork sausages. Seafood selections include smoked salmon, Chilean Sea Bass, and shrimp cocktail. Traditional sides to the experience include caramelized bananas pão de queijo which is a soft cheese roll originating from São Paulo, farofa which is a yuca flour sautéed with bacon, sausage and light seasonings.
The salad selections and additional sides change seasonally and include blackberry arugula salad, a lentil quinoa salad, hearts of palm, apple salad, imported cheeses such as manchego, quinoa tabouleh, and charcuterie selections to name a few.
 |
| Atlanta Location |
If you have never been to a churrascaria then it is well worth experiencing at least once, and if you're a typical meat and potatoes American, then you will want to return many times. Fogo de Chão is one of the more successful chain Brazilian steakhouses, so wether you visit here or another churrascaria, take full advantage of it.
Dessert:
The selections at Fogo de Chão include papaya cream, South American flan, and other European and American style desserts including crème brûlée, and key lime pie.
Other Noteworthy Brazilian and Churrasco Favorites:
Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse in the Hilton, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Final notes and observations:
What is a restaurant review? Is one better than the other? How is the rating system broken down? Most reviews you read online are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsibly, and respectfully written, upholding the truth and accurately conveying the experience. My job is to put you at the table next to me, and to try and be objective to the best of my ability. Being impeccable with my word, never taking anything that happens at the restaurant personally, being honest in the review, never make assumptions, and to always write to the best of my knowledge is the goal. My ratings are notated by the level of stars I award (from 0 to 5). The star rating is based on the calculation and point accumulation of six separate factors with nearly seventy questions broken down by my individual experience such as wine and other beverage selection, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, plus a bonus section called the wow factor. To see more details on how I do my ratings read this article:
Over all from this experience, and using my rating system linked above, I give Fogo de Chão a 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Review basics:
5 stars
|
An Extraordinary Experience
|
94 - 100 % (105% w/ full bonuses)
|
4 Stars
|
An Outstanding Experience
|
87 - 93%
|
3 Stars
|
Exceeded All My Expectations
|
80 - 86%
|
2 Stars
|
Above the Average Experience
|
72 - 79%
|
1 Star
|
An Average Dining Experience
|
66 - 71%
|
No Star Rating
|
The Restaurant is Basic, Poor, or Appalling
|
65% or below
|
Overall Star Rating:
|
2 of 5 Stars:
Above the Average Dining Experience
|
Wine List:
|
|
Corkage fee’s:
|
The Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
|
Restaurant style:
|
Casual
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
|
Dress code:
|
Smart casual or Conservative attire
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. If not then
Hire a Babysitter!
|
Cuisine style:
|
Contemporary, Modern, Steakhouse, Seafood, Brazilian, Latin, South American, & Vegetarian
|
Experiences:
|
Place for foodies, Trendy, Business parties, Hot spot, Good for special occasions, Classy, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood gem.
|
Payments:
|
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
Parking:
|
Public lot and complementary valet
|
Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Medium
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant
|
Patio:
|
No
|
Other Atlanta restaurant reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
French-American steak Bistro
(closed in Atlanta, but 14 other world locations)
|
Trendy takes on burgers and shakes in Atlanta
|
Chic bites, Southern delights at Atlantic Station
|
|
Jekyll Island Fish Company
A taste of the Georgia Coast
Atlanta Airport, Terminal F
|
Seasonally inspired continental European fare, downtown and airport
|
Modern Gastro Whole Animal Cookery, Best burgers
|
|
Farm-to-Table Southern bites spot in Sandy Springs, Georgia
|
Sci-Fi Convention Event at the Hyatt, Atlanta
|
Iconic drive-in dogs dive in Midtown
|
Fogo de Chão:
3101 Piedmont Rd NE,
Atlanta, Georgia
30305
Contact Information:
Maître d or host:
|
+1 404-266-9988
|
Online reservations
|
|
Restaurant website:
|
|
Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Lunch: Mon-Sun
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Dinner: Mon-Sun
5:00 pm - 10:30 pm
|
webpage contact:
|
|
Social Media
&
Accolades:
|
|
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list based on who is writing about them, and it changes on a regular basis. My list of best reviewed restaurants here on Wine, Dine, and Play is based on a rating number at 4 to 5 stars. From the 300 + published reviews as of summer 2017, less than 15% hold that prestigious ranking, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. I have dined at restaurants on five continents from cafés, chains, and fine dining to include some of best rated world Michelin locations. Here is my list, and it includes some mom and pops + holes in the wall.
|
Rustic New American Fare
Saint Petersburg, Florida USA
|
Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu
Sydney, Australia
|
Modern Eclectic African Cuisine
Woodstock, South Africa
|
|
Innovative East Meets West Menu
Cape Town, South Africa
|
Modern Upscale Global Plates
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Classic French Gastronomique
Bordeaux, France
|
|
Elegant Fine Australian Dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Chic Country-Style Vineyard Restaurant
Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa
|
Hip Asian-Fusion
Dubai, UAE
|
|
Ornate Top 10 American Chophouse
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Haute French Cuisine
Paris, France
|
American-Global Molecular Menu
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
|
Quintessential Modern Australian Cuisine
Sydney, Australia
|
Impeccably Acclaimed French Cuisine
Dublin, Ireland
|
French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, Napa, California, USA
|
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Dubai, UAE
|
Contemporary, African-Inspired Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
Upscale Creole Fare
New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
|
|
Inventive Eclectic Tasting Menus
Ripponlea, Melbourne, Australia
|
Safari + Upscale African Cuisine
Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa
|
Creative Mediterranean Cuisine
Denver, Colorado, USA
|
|
Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine
Slough, United Kingdom
|
High-End New Zealand Fare & Bistro
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
Posh French + A Culinary Experimentalism
Festival City, Dubai, UAE
|
|
Inspired Farm-to-Table Dining
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
So many great wines in this world, here are a few boutiques, cult wines, and favorites:
|
A 1756 Estate Famed Rubicon Blend
Stellenbosch, South Africa
|
Big, Bold, Cult Cabernets
Oakville, California, USA
|
|
Screaming Eagles Sister
Santa Barbara, California, USA
|
Agincourt, Waterloo, Salamanca
Yarra Valley, Australia
|
|
Boutique Producers of Pinot Noir
Willamette, Oregon
|
Old Huguenot Style Shiraz & Cabernets
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
|
A Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Bordeaux, France
|
World Class Oregon Pinot Noir
Willamette, Oregon
|
|
20+ Blue Ridge Handcrafted Wines
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
|
Domaine Bertagna
13th Century Cistercian -1er Cru Les Cras
Vougeot, Burgundy, France
|
|
Exceptional Cult Sauvignon Blanc & Cabernets
Yountville, California
|
Not Kehlsteinhaus, Exceptional Shiraz
Constantia, South Africa
|
Reviewed by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Executive Chef
Father, Husband, Wine Drinker
Restaurant nut, History and
Star Trek lover
Picture below was taken at the
Biltmore Estate, North Carolina
in 2014
About Sean:
I am based out of St. Petersburg, Florida working in the food service industry for over twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down the experiences from a few restaurants, wine from the region that I tasted, and locations of interest such as Petra. Since that time, over 300 articles have been written, including fifteen restaurants from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide. There are articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & Grand Food Dictionaries; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write about.
Who is John Galt?
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Other articles of interest on Wine, Dine, and Play:
Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai, South Africa
The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, UAE
Tipping in Restaurants etiquette, customs, cultures, and assumptions
(Articles coming soon)
Petra, Jordan
A Taste of Dubai
A Taste of South Africa (multiple volumes)
Wine, Dine, And Play’s “best of”
FOB Shank - Cooking with Incoming
TTFN
