Fogo de Chão

Downtown San Jose's Brazilian Churrascaria

Fogo de Chão downtown San Jose is the Bay Area outlet of the international Brazilian churrascaria chain. The format is what you'd expect: a salad bar, a continuous parade of fire-roasted meats sliced tableside, and the kind of celebration register that handles a serious group with practiced ease.

The cooking is Brazilian rodízio at its proper level: picanha, fraldinha, lamb, sausages, the rotation of grilled meats the format demands.

What to Order

Picanha — the signature top sirloin cut. Fraldinha — the bottom sirloin flap. The salad bar is more serious than the format suggests; the cocktail programme handles a Caipirinha correctly.

The Format

The dining room is large, comfortable, and built for a group. The card system at each seat gives the diner control over the meat parade. The wine list handles South American producers confidently.

Best Occasion: Team Dinner

Fogo handles a team dinner with the practiced ease of a format built for it. The shared centrepieces, the all-you-can-eat structure, the celebration register — combine into the kind of evening corporate offsites are designed around.