Fogo de Chão - Beverly Hills - TravBuddy

With it's distinctive blue furnace-shaped facade in the heart of La Cienega's Restaurant Row, you really can't miss this restaurant. Part of a chain of Fogo de Chão restaurants that can be found in many major American cities as well as in Brazil, this churrasceria is the perfect place to have a meal if you're willing to burn some cash.

Beverly Hills is usually synonymous with 'expensive' and this place is no exception. To me, a flat $55 meal without drinks per person is incredibly expensive - but then again, you can also get $350 meals at other Beverly Hills establishments. Since this place is so expensive, I have only eaten here twice, and each time was for a special occassion. With that said, it's probably the most amazing tasting food that I've ever had.

Servers dressed in traditional gaucho outfits roam the restaurant with huge skewers of meat, bringing the food straight to each table. So for a flat rate, it's basically an all-you-can-eat of filet mignon, bacon wrapped chicken, sausage, sirloin steak, etc. There's also a large salad bar that includes some seafood. But seriously, gauchos are carrying perfectly marinated meats on enormous metal blades directly to your table - who cares about a salad bar and even moreso who's even willing to get up from their seat?

Plus, the restaurant itself is quite beautiful. With its warm colors and murals of traditional gaucho life in Southern Brazil, the interior is just as distinctive as the exterior.

With all that said, don't ever bring a vegetarian to this restaurant. Actually, scratch that. DO bring a vegetarian to Fogo de Chão, because the food is so tempting that they'll probably convert back to being an omnivore.