Brazilian Grill Steakhouse 13

Had the opportunity to hang out here a few weeks ago for the closing night of the International Film Festival. Great time. Dennis and Anthony who own the place (with other partners I think) engaged the guest – great front of house guys. The caipirinha was on point. I’m not much of a meat eater but I did have some sausage and chicken. And the sides were tasty as well. Nice job guys!

In a state where people wait in line to shove food down their gullets it’s no wonder that Ryan’s does so well. And, since that’s the case, this place will surely blossom. It has twice the taste and all the fat! There is no way anyone concerned with their health or concerned about looking like a gluttonous piglet could stand to even watch what happens here. If you are hungry, don’t mind heart attacks and enjoy quantity over quality then skip the Ryan’s buffet and come here. It’s a great change of pace. While you are at it, learn a bit about the history of the Brazilian drink called the caipirinha made from Cachaça. You will love it more the more you learn. When you are done, save up your money to buy ticket for an (extra large) seat on an aeroplane to Brazil and find some dishes and drinks far more enlightening and out of the ordinary than these bastardized steak houses.

My husband and I were so excited when Indianapolis finally got a Brazillian Style place to eat. We have been making annual trips to Chicago to get our fix. So when Brizillian Grill opened we were on of the first to eat there. We were so diapointed, the meat was over cooked, the salad bar was just plain sad and the service was some of the worst we have ever had. We shruged it off to the fact that they were brand new. So we waited serveral months and tried it again. Unfortunatly the same story. The only positive thing I can say is that you get what you pay for. The places we have been in other cities cost about $50 per person, and Brazillian Grill is about $27. If this place is your only experience in a charoscaria (sp?) then you really should try Fogo da Chao when it opens downtown in April. Save your money and wait for the real thing.

To really rate this restaurant you have to rate it on two scales. First is the concept/execution and Second is food. As to the First; This restaurant is billing itself and attempting to imitate a traditional Brazilian Churrascaria such as Porcão In Rio De Janeiro. In this regard The Brazilian Grill has achieved, at best, a pale comparison. Only the skeleton…the framework is present, all of the musculature needed is not there. One example of this is the salad bar area; in Porcão (Rio) the salad bar area encompasses fully 1/4 of this restaurant with selections ranging from fresh fruit, salads, sides, seafood, desserts, and more. Here however there is a woefully limited selection. Another example is the setup of the salad bar area itself. In Brazil the bar areas are much more vivid, colorful, and pleasing to the eye. Some have multiple tiers or food set in piles of ice…all have the great visual appeal that comes from using the colors of the fresh fruits and vegetables that are interspersed between the other food items. On the other hand the Brazilian Grill has the standard island bars that one finds at the local Chinese buffet. There are other examples but basically what I am saying is that The Brazilian Grill has what it takes to be a true Churrascaria…it has the ingredients, it has just not been able to put it all together yet.
The Second scale is the food. In this category I think the Brazilian Grill did a good job. I found the meat selection to be decent and I enjoyed the taste of them as well. Everything was cooked quite well and most of the meats had just the right amount of juiciness there. The bottle of wine I drank complemented the meal just right and ultimately I enjoyed the whole dinner. No major complaints in this department but no exceptional compliments either.
You will all notice that I did not discuss the service…well, this is because I have found that people’s expectations of service varies to such a degree (especially when you factor in other items such as their day so far, cost, distance, hype, etc.) that I could not hope to speak for everyone; I am no mind reader. Indeed, there are very few places that have consistent, exceptional service. As for me…I was pleased with my service.
Overall I give it a 1 Star on Concept/Execution and 4 Stars on Food for a 3 Overall. If you want good food and upscale atmosphere with a hint of what a Brazilian style restaurant is, then this is your place. If you wonder what the real deal is like Indy will have to wait or…you can always pack your bags and head down south.

I too was disappointed with Brazillian Grill. A group of us went for a friend’s birthday because we both love Fogo de Chao. We thought this would be similar enough (until Fogo opens up in April), but it was not even close. If you have ever been to Fogo de Chao, you would understand. The quality of the meat was not that great and the buffet items were few and far between. Don’t bother going. I would wait until April to get a good churrascaria experience.

DO NOT EAT AT THIS RESTAURAUNT
I was more than ready to give this place the benefit of the doubt since a friend had suggested it. First of all the price is not 27.50 it is 29.50 We (6 of us) ate here on a Saturday night. It was not crowded by any means. It was 4 degrees outside and maybe 65* inside our wives had to keep there coats on it was so cold. The “buffet” had food spills on it the buffet was maybe half full of most items. We sat down and waited about 20-25 for our first "meat to arrive on this night they served chicken, lamb sirloin a filet. All the meat seemed to have been marinated in the same type of seasoning. The bacon wrapped sirloin was the best of the bunch. The filet was the chewiest piece of “meat” we had ever tasted. The lamb was not very good. The chicken was average at best. With a 20% suggested gratuity added on (for what I don’t know it is a buffet) our bill was 75.00 per couple, you can get a better meal for that price at a lot of restaurants. I suggest going to Fresh Market and buying top of line meat and cooking it at home before eating here.
Greg C

After reading this last review, I would have to ask this person to try again. When I dined at Brasilian Grill, there were 6 wait-people, and I didn’t have to wait for anything. Of course the food was great and I would say the chef is an artist. Having dined in many restaurants in Brasil, I was pleased by both the food and service here. Not to downplay what happened to you, I think in any business, when you first open, it takes a little time to get a routine going, so maybe your next experience will be really good! Also, a shout out to Luisa, T.J., Anthony, and the water guy whose name I forgot, (sorry)

Let me start out by saying that I have eatin in Brazilian Steak houses around the country, Miami, L.A., Chicago, and Nashville.. It has become sort of a tradition of mine to visit one whenever I travel.. So when I heard that we were getting one in Indianapolis, of course I was very excited.. Not only for myself but for my family and friends to experience this unique style of eating.. This particular day i was attending birthday party at the resturaunt.. We had scheduled several days in advance, and were assured that we could be accomodated with no problem, however when my party and I arrived, we had to wait an additional hour before we were even seated.. Not only that when we were finally allowed to sit no one came to explain to my guests the flow of how the resturaunt is suppose to go.. All Brazilian resturaunt fans know that the experience is part of makes it so enjoyable… So I was left with the task of educating my guests on what to do.. We did not get water to our table until well into our meal, (or at least our salad because the guys with the meat skewers were rare and seldom circulated to our area…) And as for drinks we had to go to the bar and get them ourselves.. We were told by the serving staff that the service was so bad due to the fact that the owner refused to properly staff the resturaunt to save money.. I have elaborted enough on how bad the service was.. But on the flip side of the coin the meat was very good and well prepared, when we did finally get it..
Over all I would have to say that if you are big fan of Brazilian steakhouses then just dont go to this one.. The horrible service to go alone with the mediocre ambiance will only leave a sour taste in the mouths of you and your guests.. Save Your Money.. Good news however I hear that Indianapolis is getting a Fogo de Chio downtown soon.. If I were you I would just hold off until then.. The difference is day and night..

Someone mentioned he/she missed the pineapple on a skewer. The contrast between the sweet cooked pineapple to the skewered meat was out of this world. I have been cooking pineapple in my grill ever since! Wonderful addition to the restaurant scene in Indy. Also, gobble up on the bread: tiny thumb sized home made bread that is out of this world. They were out of the plantains when I was there – - – better be there the next time!

I’ve been to Brazilian Grill a handful of times, always leaving very satisfied. The caipirinha (drink) is delicious, the picanha (beef) is succulent, and the server recognizes me every time I’m there. Indianapolis is lucky to have an independently-owned Churrascaria of this quality. I love it!!!

A friend of mine had purchased tickets to the Colts vs. Pats, but wouldn’t tell me how much he had paid for them. Instead, he asked for me to bring him to a good steakhouse. But I couldn’t seem to find a place that would suit us. We didn’t want anything too pretentious or part of a huge chain. Then, out of nowhere, I read a review about The Brazilian Grill Steakhouse, and knew this was the place.

Recently, there’s been one or two reviews circulating that have dinged the restaurant on service. But, for the most part, those problems weren’t evident on the night we went. The only hitch we observed was the fact the hot and cold salad bars weren’t ready to go when the doors opened at 5 p.m., the time of of our reservations. Our waitress was attentive and educated us on the style and customs of the restaurant, but failed to tell us the salad bars still needed some work. When we got up and got our plates, we noticed there were no serving utensils handy. This caused a bit of confusion, but it only made us slow down and appreciate the atmosphere of the place, which is quite nice, but manages to remain laid back. Had we not been fasting all day in preparation for the meal, the salad bar wouldn’t have even been an issue. As it was, we walked in hungry and ready to go.

As soon as we did get a little salad, we decided to flip our cards to green and that’s when the fun started. I’ve heard the place described as “a parade o’ meat” and that’s exactly what it was. Skewers of different styles and cuts were continuously brought to our table and the vast majority of it was all tender and flavorful. The only real exception was their turkey wrapped in bacon. It had a nice smoky flavor, but was a little dry in comparison to their beef or pork offerings. Beyond that, though, there was little to complain about. We tried to sample all the different styles, but it became quite clear after about ten different items we weren’t going to be able to keep up. Like many of the other patrons that night, we laughed at the outrageous amount of meat put before us. You could probably spend the same amount on one cut of meat at a traditional steakhouse and not have as much fun. By the end of the night, we could only manage to split one equally delicious dessert between the three of us. All in all, it was quite a different dining experience for us and a welcome trip off of the beaten path.

I went to my very first time to the Brazilian Grill, I heard from a friend that I would’t be disapointed and I wasent!! I never aet so much meat in my entire life, as soon as I turn my card green there they were with suculant cuts of beef,pork,chicken,lamb and a cut from the top sirloin called picana it was fabulous!!! The only things I didn’t like was that I got full very quickly and I didn’t get to try the pineapple. Next time I know to pace my self, and no seconds trip to the salad bar.
Two tumbs up.. Go very Hungry!!!

Ray

For hours, address and other vitals of Brazilian Grill, [click here](http://www.indy.com/venues/show/10850). With its meat-loving reputation firmly intact, it’s perhaps surprising that the Circle City hasn’t …

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