Anthony Z.
Yelp
"First time?" asked the waitress while seeing us confused about how the restaurant works.
Texas de Brazil is an AYCE Brazilian-Texan roast meat restaurant that appears to be upscale from the decor. It's basically dim sum, but with meat. However, the minute you step inside, you find people celebrating special events paired with regular people going to eat like any other day. Although it sets the tone for an upscale experience, the environment makes you feel out of place if you dress the occasion.
I was seated with my gf near the bathroom/kitchen, and requested to move immediately. We were attended to about 5 minutes later to move, which is pretty slow considering how this place presents itself as "upscale". The place is a lot smaller than it seems due to the amount of mirrors used.
They had a very limited selection of meats, with a few being BBQ pork ribs, flank steak, sirloin, and garlic chicken. The waiters hold skewers and walk around asking you if you'd like a piece of their meat, which can cut for you. For 56.99 a person, the selection of about 10 meats is disappointing, especially when you have to wait for them to make their rounds. If you get a piece that's near the edge, it can be very salty due to the seasonings. I also had a few pieces that were so fatty to a point where I couldn't chew it all the way. Otherwise, the quality of meats was high and roasted to perfection (medium rare).
The salad bar is 31.99, but felt so limited. It's basically a bunch of greens with some processed meats, shrimp, and some Brazilian specialty dishes (no protein). They look and taste fresh, but paying $32 for AYCE salads and some seafoods is a rip off. They do give you some Brazilian cheese bread and a few potato dishes, but that's mainly to make you feel full sooner.
Our waitress, knowing that we were first timers, tried to nickel and dime us.
She asked us
-"Still or sparkling water?" without offering the complimentary free water. ($8 charge).
-"Dessert?" without telling us that one slice of a cake/pie is $12 until we asked afterwards.
While I get it's their job, it just feels bad to pay extra in an AYCE restaurant without a clear, mentioned price.
This place tries so hard to present itself as an upscale restaurant, but does not offer the uniqueness nor environment of one. It's stuck in limbo between a crappy Chinese buffet and a fancy date night restaurant, which each can be visited for better value and experience.
"Last time?" I thought to myself as I looked at my $200 bill for two after ordering 1 cocktail, still water, and dessert. There are so many better places to spend that much money than at this place, for example: 71Above in DTLA, or any downtown Ventura upscale restaurant. If you want Brazilian style protein, there's a place in the Grove in LA that offers similar quality at a fraction of the price. For AYCE, GEN KBBQ across the street offers so much better value with a similar vibe and no hidden charges.