14 Mistakes Everyone Makes When Eating At Fogo De Chao Brazilian Steakhouse

As restaurant chains go, Fogo de Chão is pretty unique. This Brazilian steakhouse stands out for a lot of reasons, but one of the main ones is its distinctive service style: Huge skewers of meat are paraded around the dining hall, with customers picking the types they want and receiving pieces shaved off at their table. It's far from your usual dining experience — and when you combine that with navigating Fogo de Chão's menu items, eating at the restaurant can become a little confusing at times.

So it's no wonder that both beginners and regulars alike make the same old mistakes when eating at Fogo de Chão. Although some of the biggest mistakes occur around those roving pieces of meat and how to secure your favorite pieces, other errors can happen when tackling the restaurant's other dining areas, like its Market Table section. There's also the matter of the food itself. Just like any other steakhouse, there's a right and a wrong way to tackle the menu, and ordering certain options (and not ordering others) can leave you feeling unsatisfied. There's a lot to think about at Fogo de Chão, and we're here to make the experience as smooth as possible.

When you're eating at Fogo de Chão, the sheer amount of meat on display can be pretty daunting — but don't worry, the servers have got your back. When you're taking part in the Churrasco Experience, you receive a host of side dishes, with filling carb options like polenta, garlic mashed potatoes, and the restaurant's pão de queijo (a type of Brazilian cheese bread roll) arriving at your table in abundance. Because these usually reach you before the meat does, it's tempting to treat them as an appetizer, or else to just dive in straight away. Well, we'd strongly recommend that you avoid doing so.

These sides are designed to complement your meat, but there's no denying that they're incredibly filling. Remember that there are so many different types of meats to try, and some of them might take a while to make their way to your table. If you're filling up on these starchy sides, you'll be too stuffed to try everything on offer, and you definitely won't get your money's worth. We instead advise that you try and avoid eating the sides until you've filled your plate up with meat, and also picked out what you want from the Market Table. That way, you'll know that you're not going to be wasting your cash on something you could make at home.

The service style at Fogo de Chão can be a little daunting for first-timers, but even seasoned vets can get it wrong from time to time. Here's the deal: If you're eating at the restaurant, you have several options to choose from. Most people go for the Churrasco Experience, which allows you to pick from the meats revolving around the dining room. You can also opt to eat from the Market Table (a kind of amped-up salad bar) and Feijoada Bar. Plus, there are also a la carte options available. You may pay a pretty hefty price at Brazilian steakhouses, but you get a lot of food.

If you're going for the Churrasco Experience, though, things can get a bit confusing — especially when you're handed a card. Keep that card handy, as you'll need it. If you want the meat to come your way, then your card should remain with its green side up. This indicates to the waiters that you're waiting for them to come over. If, however, you need a break, flip your card over to its red side. It sounds simple, but you'd be amazed how many people leave their cards on the wrong side. Plus, if you see a specific type of meat on the other side of the dining hall and it's not coming your way, don't be afraid to ask one of the servers if they can send it over.

The Market Table at Fogo de Chão is a thing of beauty. At first glance, the Market Table looks like a salad bar, but it's so much more than that. This section of the restaurant is inspired by Brazilian open-air markets, and while you'll definitely find a ton of salad items and options there, you'll also find a lot of protein-centric dishes that offer a lighter alternative to the heavy, flavorful meats on constant rotation. Options like smoked salmon, citrus chicken, and cured meats give the Market Table a touch of class, and there are also loads of traditional Brazilian dishes that you can whet your appetite with.

Unfortunately, though, it's easy to forget that the Market Table is even there, especially when you're being overwhelmed by a constant stream of meat skewers arriving at your side. Remember that the Market Table is included in the Churrasco Experience: You may not need it, given the amount of meat and sides brought to you, but you'll definitely want to make a visit to check it out. Otherwise, you're just not getting your meal's full potential.

You wouldn't be blamed for thinking that Fogo de Chão isn't the best-suited restaurant for takeout and delivery. However, you'd be wrong. The Brazilian steakhouse has nailed making its food available to enjoy in the comfort of your own home, with its To-Go Menu offering both a version of its classic food and a host of more unique options. You can go for a Churrasco Combination, by picking your choice of fire-roasted meat and two sides, or opt for a sandwich or a selection of beef sliders. Its Experiences By Fogo menu also gives you the option of a mini version of its churrasco style, and is awesome for a party or feeding a family.

Several of these Experiences By Fogo options push the boat out even further, and come in a ready-to-grill style. You receive a selection of its meats (which you can upgrade for an additional price) and sides, some rock salt, and some chimichurri sauce. Then, you get to grill said meats in the comfort of your home. You can grab a Full Churrasco Home Experience that feeds six or more people, or a Date Night Grilling Experience for you and a loved one. Pretty cool, huh?

So, the moment has arrived: That first delectable skewer of meat has emerged by your table, held by a server with some serious back strength. They begin to slice your piece of meat for you ... And then you reach out with your fork, and take it. The server tries to hide their disdain, and you instantly know that you've made a mistake.

What you should have done instead is use the tongs you've been given. These tongs are specifically intended for grabbing the sliced meat and transferring it to your plate. Because they don't really have any other use, they remain free of any other food — and most importantly, they haven't been in your mouth. This may not be a problem if you're serving yourself, but if you're transferring the meat to another person's plate, they'll end up with the remnants of your last mouthful all over it. Plus, if your fork accidentally grazes any part of the meat that remains on the skewer, your saliva will end up at someone else's table. We think we can all agree that's pretty gross.

Fogo de Chão opened its 100th location in 2024, and it's only set to get bigger from here on in. This number of stores is dozens more than it had just a few years before, and it demonstrates how popular the Brazilian steakhouse chain has become. This popularity, though, can be a bad thing when you want to eat there: If you're not careful, you'll find that your local joint is full to the rafters with folks who have come to see what all the fuss is about.

The best solution here is to plan ahead. Fogo de Chão's website strongly recommends making a reservation in advance, especially if you're planning on eating there at the weekend or during a busy holiday period. You don't have to have one to dine there, but walk-in availability may not be guaranteed. Alternatively, you may wish to think about going to Fogo de Chão when it's typically not as busy. Generally speaking, arriving shortly after the restaurant starts its dinner service can be a good way to nab a table, and weekday nights will always be quieter than weekends. 

If you dine at Fogo de Chão regularly — and even if you don't — then you should be signed up to its rewards scheme. Fogo Rewards is one of those schemes that offers way more than you think, and a lot of people simply forget to take advantage of it. This free scheme allows you to earn "rewards" when you visit the restaurant. These rewards can be pretty impressive: You can gain things like wagyu beef or lobster & shrimp as an option. Oh, and you get one of these rewards as soon as you sign up, adding a little added value to your next visit without having to do anything.

Importantly, you can only get two rewards per year, but Fogo Rewards has some other perks that make it worth your while too. You'll also get an extra reward on your birthday, allowing you to celebrate in style. Plus, Fogo Rewards members are able to unlock $1 caipirinhas on Tuesdays. We don't know about you, but that's a good enough reason for us to sign up, even if you didn't get any other rewards alongside it.

Eating at Fogo de Chão is a marathon, not a sprint. If you're not careful, the dizzying array of food on offer at the restaurant will quickly overwhelm you, and between the Market Table and the Churrasco Experience, it's easy to quickly end up with a mountainous first plate. However, we'd advise you to try to pace yourself when you're eating there. It's crucial to remember that different meats will arrive at different times in your dining experience, and it may be a good half an hour or so before you've had the opportunity to try everything. Not only this, but you probably wanna go back for seconds, right?

So try to take things slow — especially if you're opting for the richer, heavier foods. Remember that you don't have to try everything on your first plate, and you also don't have to have loads of what's on offer. Go for smaller portions of everything, so you can sample as much as possible, but don't be scared to leave something to come back to later. Additionally, try to order your meal carefully: Start with lighter options like salads or appetizers, and then go for heavier menu items like the meat and sides.

We can understand why you might not think that Fogo de Chão is for kids. After all, the service style and the somewhat mature vibe of its menu point towards a restaurant that seems better suited for adults. However, it's worth remembering that Fogo de Chão accommodates kids surprisingly well, and while it doesn't have a dedicated kids menu like some places, a lot of the items you'll be eating will also be enjoyed by your children. We've yet to meet a kid who doesn't like cheesy bread rolls and mashed potatoes, and the Market Table section has a load of nutritious and accessible options for them to snack on. Oh, and they'll love playing with the tongs, too.

If that wasn't enough to sell you on Fogo de Chão's suitability, then this might just sway you: Your kids will eat for free. Well, if they're under 6 years old, that is. If they're aged between 7 and 12, then their meal will be half price. When you consider how much food is actually on offer, basically ensuring that your kid will enjoy something, we'd say that's a steal.

Look, we get it. You're shy, you don't wanna make a fuss, and perhaps most of all, you don't want anyone to come and sing at the side of your table. However, if you're not making the restaurant aware that it's your birthday, then you're missing out. Fogo de Chão offers guests a little extra treat when it's their birthday, usually by way of a comp dessert of your choice. Those desserts are good, too: You can choose from a molten chocolate cake, a cheesecake brûlée, or a key lime pie.

In addition, if you're signed up for Fogo Rewards, you'll get an additional reward when it's your special day. As for how the birthday dessert arrives at your table, there's no one set way that this will occur. You might get a waiter who fancies himself as a bit of a crooner and sings "Happy Birthday" — or you may have to sing yourself. Every restaurant will be different, so we can't quite say what will happen ... But we can say that you'll probably have a good time.

Fogo de Chão offers something for everyone, but that's both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because you know that you're basically guaranteed to like something; it's a curse because knowing that there are safe options on the menu may stop you from trying something different. That starts with the various meats and protein options that are circulating in the dining hall. Sure, you could stick with boring old chicken, or you could try the restaurant's Prime Lamb Picanha, or upgrade your Churrasco Experience to sample the Fogo de Chão Whole Branzino.

In addition to this, try to step out of your comfort zone when you're checking out the sides and the Market Table. These can offer you a far more authentic experience when it comes to Brazilian cuisine. Try out the restaurant's feijoada or farofa, the latter being roasted yucca flour with bacon, and the former being a warm black bean and sausage stew. Sounds pretty delicious to us.

Caipirinhas are pushed pretty hard at Fogo de Chão, and for good reason. This drink is the national cocktail of Brazil, and is one of the restaurant's specialties. Caipirinhas are made from a combination of sugar, lime, and cachaça, a sugarcane liquor that's often mistaken for rum but which has a slightly grassier taste, with aged cachaças being a little more spicy. Given that Fogo de Chão pumps dozens of these out in every restaurant every single day, it's fair to say that it's nailed its recipe — and having one enhances the overall experience.

However, there's another reason to grab a caipirinha when eating there. Caipirinhas have a wonderfully light taste, which serves as an excellent counterpoint to the heavy meats on rotation in the restaurant. Their tart-sweet flavor combination is an excellent palette cleanser between bites. Just be careful: These things are stronger than they taste.

Fogo de Chão's meat does a pretty good job of being moist and tender, but there's always the odd piece that needs a little bit of help. For those situations (and for the general enjoyment of your meal), you should reach for its sauces. Too many people forget that Fogo de Chão's sauces add a huge amount to your meal. They not only provide moisture to your plate, but give a much-needed hit of intensity that cuts through the density of the meat and the sides.

Plus, you have a fair few to choose from. Chimichurri, the standby accompaniment to grilled meats that's a regular feature in South American cuisine, is on constant rotation. Fogo de Chão also does a mintchurri, which spikes the sauce with fresh mint. For folks who like things a little more fiery, it also supplies horseradish sauce — and it has a homemade hot sauce to keep your taste buds tingling too.

If you're gluten-free, barbecue can be a real issue. Although the meats themselves are gluten-free, the marinades may not be, and you also have to deal with bread and flour coming from a manner of different directions. However, that's not the case when it comes to all types of barbecue, or all steakhouses — and Fogo de Chão is a particular pleasure for folks with gluten intolerances or celiac disease.

In fact, the vast majority of Fogo de Chão's menu items are gluten-free, including almost all of its meat options (with two of them, the chicken legs and chicken hearts, marinated in beer). Nearly every single side is prepared without any wheat or gluten, too. Where you might struggle a little more is with its dessert options, with a fair few of them containing gluten — but there are still quite a few in there that are gluten-free, and there's always a generous amount of fresh fruit on offer at the Market Table. If you do have a gluten intolerance or allergy, though, it's important to let your server know the moment you arrive and to seek proper advice on what you can and can't eat.