Shayla B.
Yelp
Excellent service, tasty meats, and a bangin' salad bar that should absolutely NOT be skipped! This was my first time dining at Espetus and it was actually really enjoyable.
My friend and I decided to spend a day in the city, and we made reservations for lunch. When we arrived, it was surprisingly pretty slow. I guess during certain seasons of the year and during lunch it tends to be slower which worked in our favor. This is probably the smallest Brazilian steakhouse that I've ever been to space-wise, but it gives a more intimate vibe which is pleasant. Also, we know how condensed the city is, so large spaces are few and far between (and also super expensive).
Interior setup isn't super fancy but still comfortable. I love the rustic feel with the wooden ceiling and floors. Lots of nice natural light from the large windows. The colorful wall art is also a nice touch. I tend to not pay too much attention to the salad bar when I go to Brazilian steakhouses as I like to save room for the meats. BUT... Espetus has one of the best salad bars that I've seen in terms of variety. With items like Feijoada, paella, and Brazilian shrimp and cheese mashed potatoes, this one is definitely a no-skip. I would actually come back here just for the salad bar alone and that's rare when you think about Brazilian Steakhouses since the meat is their crown jewel.
But, let's not count out the meat. Their meats are solid here as well and they've got some nice variety. I love that they include grilled garlic shrimp and that lovable grilled pineapple (score!). This was my first time ever seeing chicken hearts on a list. Though I'm generally not a fan of chicken hearts, I found these to be extremely juicy and well seasoned.
For the most part, the meats were lean and tender. Filet usually tends to be my favorite cut, but my favorites here were their top sirloin, Picanha and ironically the chicken hearts. I found these cuts to be the juiciest and the top sirloin had the most flavor. Unfortunately, the pork loin and most of the chicken items that I tried were on the drier side. Flavorful, but not as tender and juicy as I've had at other Brazilian steakhouses. Also, the beef ribs were too fatty for my liking, but I'm a pork ribs kind of gal anyways and only tried them since they were there.
Service was excellent! Even though it was slower, we didn't feel bombarded by the crew who were bringing the meats. They were all super pleasant and a few of them were laughing at my friend's jokes (she loves socializing with the staff). They brought us extra cheese bread and plantains which were both delicious. We stayed here for a few hours and literally stuffed our faces. I don't visit these types of establishments too often these days (maybe once or rarely twice a year), so pigging out is necessary. We were stuffed, satisfied, and ready for a nap afterward.
I would definitely come back here again. It doesn't beat my absolute favorite Brazilian steakhouse, but it's still a solid option for some delicious meats (especially if you're in the city).