02/26/09

Service Rules at TdB

by ummmhello

As with the other Brazilian steakhouses in the city, this one has tons of fire roased meat, seared to perfection. What does this have that the others don't? Amazing service. We went there for the first time on VDay and were absolutely blown away by the level of service. The server called us by name, made suggestions (like, "Try the sushi bar!") and took great care to make sure we were satisfied. Not only the server, but all the gauchos as well. The decor is dark and homey, a very large space broken up into many smaller dining areas, so you're not overwhelmed by noise even when it's crowded. This was the best experience we've had, after visiting the other places many times, we will now only return to Texas de Brazil.

• Pros: Food, decor, SERVICE
• Cons: Slow valet

09/30/08

You won't leave with an empty stomach!

by EricaCelina

I've been to a few churrascarria restaurants in the past, but nothing tops the Texas de Brazil on Ohio St. in Chicago. The castle-inspired interior of the restaurant was absolutely breathtaking and the salad bar (should really be called appetizer bar) offers something for every single craving you may have. Gourmet cheeses, meats, salads and even sushi are among the 75 + items that are offered. Make sure to pace yourself, because once your card is flipped to 'green' on your table, the gauchos will come in hoards, offering an array of Brazilian-style cooked meats. I tried every one of them and could honestly not tell you my favorite!

The most entertaining part of my evening was the 'aerial wine artist' which, leotard-clad, soar through the two-story see through wine cellar to retrieve wine for guests. Watching them to flips and turns in mid-air made it feel like dinner and a movie! I totally recommend trying this place - you'll leave with a smile on your face!

09/25/08

Great food, great service

by katenina

Texas de Brazil looks great when you walk in the door. The waiters are completely helpful, especially if you don?t know how a churrascaria works. The salad bar itself could be an entire meal with the delicious shrimp salad and outstanding lobster bisque soup, s in addition to the wide array of cheeses. When the meat starts coming around, it is overwhelming. There were so many choices, I didn?t know where to start. My favorite was the picanha, a traditional Brazilian meat. I also loved the filet wrapped in bacon. The service was outstanding. As soon as I flipped my card to green, more food started coming. I also had a beautiful view of the wine artists which were a pleasure to watch. I would recommend Texas de Brazil to anyone and will be returning in the future.

09/11/08

Hottest New Resaurant in Chicago

by laurenelaineb

This is the first churrascaria I have ever been to and I was totally blown away. The restaurant is beautiful ? it?s massive in size and lavish in decor with a warm atmosphere. I immediately loved the color scheme of rich rustic red. We were seated in the middle of the dining room, right in front of the huge salad area and the ?wine room?, which is really more like a glass wine wall! Inside, a woman in a black leotard tumbled around on a wire system getting bottles of wine while doing flips and spins, even stopping at one point to wave and smile at us.

The service was impeccable, from our main server to the meat carvers to the managers who stopped by our table to check in on us. While we were never left unattended when needed, the service was not overkill. We started at the salad and sushi bar and I loaded up on everything from California rolls, to marinated mushrooms, to lobster bisque. I even made room on my plate for some of the hot dishes, my favorite being the potatoes au gratin and a delicious bean and sausage stew. I worked hard to pace myself, but it was not easy because everything was so tasty. Once I turned my table card from red to green (signaling that I was ready for the meats) the craziness began. I was offered each of their 14 meats, each from a different ?gauchos? and each with different preparations of that meat. My personal favorites were the brazilian sausage, which was incredibly flavorful and the picanha, a juicy and tender cut of steak, which is their house specialty. The pork loin, ribs and filet mignon wrapped in bacon will also to be forgotten. Even as the three of us could barely move after this feast, we couldn?t turn down the desserts that our server showed us ? we ordered three of the desserts from their huge selection, with the signature papaya creme being our favorite.

We left very full and happy. This was not just a meal out, it was an experience. I would recommend it to anyone and plan on going back as soon as possible.

Prix-fixe dining benchmarks this Brazilian churrascaria in River North's Shops at North Bridge, a sibling to the restaurant in Woodfield Mall.

by Jennifer Olvera

In Short
Dark wood accents are punctuated by cobalt blue glasses on linen tables, arched beams and rustic chandeliers with exposed bulbs. A two-floor wine cellar serves as a conversation piece, thanks to aerial wine artists who retrieve selections with grace. A 75-item salad bar includes top-shelf ingredients like shrimp, asparagus and manchego cheese as well as killer chimichurri sauce. Gauchos circulate the expansive space, carrying huge spears of flame-grilled, garlicky beef, sausage and chicken, stopping to carve off slivers tableside at diners' request after plates of sweet, fried bananas and garlic mashed potatoes are plopped atop tables.

Photo by Jasmin Shah