Fogo De Chão Vs. Texas De Brazil: Which Is Better?

It's nice to know that if you frequent a certain establishment and fork over a lot of your hard–earned cash for great food, the place recognizes that and gives you a little something special for all your business. It would be nice if every place you loved did that, but unfortunately taking the extra step to care for guests isn't always on everyone's radar. However, if you're an enthusiast of either Fogo de Chão or Texas de Brazil, you'll be pleased to know both have membership clubs you can join.

It costs nothing to join the Fogo eClub or the Texas de Brazil eClub, and once you're a member, you can get some pretty sweet deals. The Fogo website doesn't go into much detail as to what members receive, but it promised the "latest news, events, and promotions." Texas de Brazil goes into a little more detail, so before signing up, members already know they instantly receive $20 off a dinner for two and gifts on their birthdays and anniversaries. Both restaurants understand the value of customers and strive to make their lives a little more delicious.

There are a ton of reasons to love when the weekend rolls around. First of all, you don't have to worry about that pesky boss from work looming over your shoulder. You also don't need that annoying alarm clock blaring in your ear in the early morning hours. But, those perks pale in comparison to the greatest meal the weekend provides us with: brunch! Brunch is a great way to gather with friends and talk about the previous night's shenanigans while tossing back great food alongside bottomless mimosas and bloody Marys. So, if you're a brunch enthusiast, you'll want to head to Fogo de Chão.

Fogo de Chão has a pretty awesome brunch menu. It costs $44 for the continuous meat-carving tableside churrasco experience, but it has a ton of other options if that's not what you're looking for. You can snag yourself some Chilean sea bass with papaya vinaigrette, a vegetarian cauliflower steak with basil sauce, or a Seafood Tower, just to name a few. And, of course, there are cocktails like the Fogo Bloody Mary and Passion Fruit Mimosa if you're looking to attack brunch the proper way.

While a simple glass of wine or a beer may taste great, you can really dazzle the palate once you enter into the world of cocktails. You can mix and match so many different flavor profiles and ingredients to truly create a powerhouse of an elixir sure to wake up your mouth and leave you wishing you had the skills to concoct it yourself at home. Now, if you're someone who really places importance on cocktail variety at restaurants, you'll definitely want to choose Fogo de Chão over Texas de Brazil. Fogo has a bunch of great South American cocktails ready to ride shotgun next to the meaty feast you're eating.

If you're seeking something classic and don't want to venture too deeply into unknown territory, you can always order yourself a Manhattan, an old fashioned, or a martini. You get a tasty drink without any curveball ingredients thrown at you. But, if you're looking for something unique, you have plenty of choices. Try the Caramelized Pineapple Old Fashioned with muddled caramelized pineapple, orange, and Luxardo cherries. Or, test your spice tolerance with the Mango Habanero Caipirinha with cachaça (a rum-like liquor), limes, mango, and habanero peppers. There's something for everyone on the list, so go ahead and explore.

Now, most people who walk through the doors at both Fogo de Chão and Texas de Brazil have meat on their mind. However, as amazing as all those protein options look, it's never a bad idea to get a little green in your diet. Luckily, you don't need to concern yourself with a lack of veggies at either of these places. They both offer an extensive selection of nutrient-packed foods so you won't leave feeling like you just disappointed your cardiologist.

Fogo de Chão offers customers what's called The Market Table with foods "inspired by the markets of Brazil." Specialty salads include roasted apple and butternut squash, quinoa tabbouleh, and citrus chicken. A customer on Yelp said, "Salads were delicious ... its [sic] tempting to just make a meal out of this." It also has various charcuterie options and an array of antipasti like roasted artichokes, pickled onions, and marinated mushrooms. The Salad Area at Texas de Brazil has a spread of healthy options like steamed asparagus with orange vinaigrette, onion ceviche, roasted jalapeños, and couscous salad. So, rest assured that whichever restaurant you end up at will certainly supply you with doctor-approved goodies.

If you want to have a proper meal, then it's imperative you include a selection of side dishes to accompany the entrée's journey into your belly. A side dish can even crank an entrée's taste up several notches if the flavors are all balanced correctly, and that means good eating all around. Now, if you go to a restaurant with the intention of ordering a slew of side dishes to feast on, both Fogo de Chão and Texas de Brazil offer diners the same number of options.

There are some similarities between the two menus, which is to be expected. Both spots offer garlic mashed potatoes, sweet bananas, and a cheese bread that one Yelp reviewer wrote was "to die for and I would consider being on the 6 o'clock news for these delectable breads." But, Fogo de Chão also strays in its own direction with options like polenta, black bean stew, and seasonal soups. Texas de Brazil offers items like jasmine rice, sautéed mushrooms with wine, lobster bisque, and potatoes au gratin. All of these dishes are amazing accompaniments to an already epic dining experience.

Anyone can throw a piece of meat onto a flame until the outside turns black and the inside cooks through. That doesn't take any skill. However, that lack of care will likely result in an aggressively unappetizing piece of food deserving of no one's time. If you want people clamoring over a great cut off steak, chicken, or pork, you need to put an immense amount of love and passion into the cooking process. And, anyone who's eaten at either Fogo de Chão or Texas de Brazil knows there's a whole lotta passion dripping off all that meat.

The style at Texas de Brazil is what's known as churrasco. This term refers to a tradition in southern Brazil when cowboys would whip up massive feats of meat and veggies over a fire and brought by hand to the dining table and carved directly onto the plates. Fogo de Chão also offers the churrasco experience. All of its meats are USDA choice or above, and once they arrive at the restaurant, they're aged for 21 days to concentrate the flavors. The cooking process starts super early every morning in preparation for the day's customers. Special lump charcoal is used for temperature regulation, and the gauchos use their highly trained senses to ensure every cut of meat leaves the grill in a state of perfection.

So, where will you be spending your money the next time the urge for Brazilian barbecue strikes like a piping hot skewer? It's never an easy decision when you're faced with two places that both have pros and cons, but you always want to make sure you lock in the decision that'll have you and your group smiling wide when it's all over. Obviously, there will be those who live and die by one or the other, and their minds won't change one bit. But if you're looking to us for advice, then it's Fogo de Chão that wins the Brazilian barbecue race.

Yes, Fogo is more expensive overall, which right away will turn some people off. However, the list of meats is larger, which means you get to indulge in more rich flavors throughout the night. If you end up arriving early and posting up at the bar, you're treated to a larger selection of cocktails and food, which will more than help pass the time. You can also hit Fogo on the weekends for brunch, which is a huge plus for those who love that experience. And, if you have kids who want a Brazilian barbecue experience, you'll certainly enjoy the better discounts thrown their way. In the end, it sounds like it's time to go-go to Fogo.