07/06/08

Friendly Staff, Food was Great!

by melissakhokama

I would rather go to By Brazil twice, than to Fogo once. (About the cost difference)

The meat was was as good with a nice variety, the cold bar was basic, the hot bar had some nice items.

DO NOT PASS the cheese bread, so good!!!!!

• Pros: Staff

05/25/08

Avoid

by foodcre8r

not even worth my time to tell you how bad this was, from the minute you walk-in till we left nothing but a disaster, it shows that those people shouldn't be in the service business, this place should be rated (F), you probebly can get better food from the food cart around the corner.

• Pros: Thumbs Down
• Cons: Thumbs Down

05/19/08

Personal and NOT overpriced!

by quattro4

I respect everyone's opinion, but the reviewers that are complaining about the price really don't have much of a clue... When it comes to the REAL brazilian bbq restaurants in the LA area, By Brazil has the most reasonable price in town. I respect and understand if you think paying $20-$25 for your all-you-can eat meal is too much, but how about comparing it to FOGO DE CH?O for example - $60/head, Agora Churrascaria $41, Gaucho's Village $26.99 Sunday-Thursday and $34.99 Friday-Saturday, Green Field $29.95, Picanha was more expensive as well, just don't remember how much it was (and cleverly, they don't post prices in their website). The main advantage about this place is that it's very personable, meaning, the attention that the servers give the customers is much better than the other places and that also reflects the food itself - it's all home made style, meaning, they actually prepare the food themselves as opposed to unbagging/uncanning their salad, for example. Sure, it's not the most glamorous place to go (like most of the others), but that's just another reason to like this place. Oh, not to mention it is the oldest brazilian churrascaria in the LA area (around 20 years in business!!!). This place has gone through some changes and fortunately, it has improved tremendosly from its origins.

• Pros: Food, ambience, price, attention to customers, owners are friendly and active
• Cons: not as glamorous as some might want it to be, located in a somewhat quiet street

05/07/08

Pretty good and local for me, 3.5 stars

by gatorlui

To be honest, I was extremely skeptical about this place--it looks like the proprietors have been writing most of the reviews. But with gas at $4 a gallon, and my favorite brazilian place 20 miles away, the trip was becoming a costly and time-consuming journey. The hot bar foods were excellent, and the meats were pretty good. The wine was not outrageously priced like most restaurants (although it was warm)--a normally $10 bottle cost about $21. The all you can eat meat+hot bar+salad bar was $28 per person which seems expensive, but seems to be a typical price at a churrasco. I wish they would offer meat entrees for a reasonable price, because I'm not always in the mood to try and eat 10 pounds worth of food.

The service was good and friendly. We went with another couple and 2 babies early in the evening and were seated immediately at a good sized table--the place wasn't crowded. Overall it's pretty good if you want to pig out and it's a lot closer than any others for me (Torrance CA). I give it 3.5 stars because the price holds it back from a full 4 stars.

• Pros: lots of meat
• Cons: one choice: buffet

Editorial Review

by Contributor

Family-owned, all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbecue restaurant offers an inexpensive buffet menu, plus a wide variety of meat sliced at the table.

06/05/07

always a pleaser!

by torrancegurl

I am a regular for lunch at By Brazil and I have had excellent service and food everytime. Always get the BBQ with the buffet, I will admit it is pricey but it's all-you-can eat deliciously prepared meats and sides...I would pay $25-50 for a steak at a steakhouse and that is just for one steak without the sides. Here you get at least 3 types of steak (Tri tip is my favorite) plus very flavorful chicken and sausages . The selection is just right (just enough not to be overwhelmed). The food is always hot and fresh, which is not so with most buffets. I have eaten at several Brazilian BBQ restaurants in the Los Angeles area and By Brazil is comparable to all and better than most and best of all it's located in my own backyard.

• Pros: Excellent BBQ and service. Very Friendly and personable
• Cons: Small space if you have a group larger than 6.

05/05/07

Not worth the hype.

by msrolly

I don't understand all the rave reviews... this place is so not worth all the hype. The buffet was terrible- very limited and almost everything was tasteless. The macaroni salad was awful, the cabbage salad was terrible, and the rice wasn't cooked through. The fried sweet plantains were a huge disappointment- arguably my favorite part of latin cooking, By Brazil's version was way too sweet and it had some alcohol flavor that lingered. The meat was pretty good and the waiters were fairly attentive. Personally, the buffet is not worth the $12 they charge and if you want the bbq, you have to pay for the buffet. My husband and I spent $67 on our meal- that's for the bbq, one soda, and no dessert. It's really a rip-off. The place looks like some cheap pizza place; again, nothing you would expect for a $70 meal. Don't make the trip out to Torrance for Brazilian- go somewhere else.

• Pros: good steak
• Cons: overpriced, very limited buffet

10/20/06

Brazilian BBQ at it's best!

by peppermintcure

I am a regular at this spot and I never ever have any complaints. The buffet is absolutely delicious! I don't know what's up the so-so reviews from some users here, but I think that the food is incredible. Never have I sampled a bland item on their menu and the meat is delicious! The only thing that isn't so great is not being able to consume more. I have a nice beer (Xingu) with my dinner and I have to say I felt like I dined like royalty. The music in the background is very relaxing, feat. Antonio Jobim and Astrud Gilberto. I can't say enough about this place. The bartenders are so friendly, as well as the owners. You can even sign a little guestbook they have at the front counter. This place rocks!

• Pros: Service, food, variety
• Cons: Limited parking, can be crowded at times, not too big

09/30/06

It was ok.

by patchin1

I guess mye expectation was a bit too high?

I went there on a Thursday night. Not many customers there.

The buffet: it is expensive for $15.

The BBQ+buffet: it is very expensive for $25.

The service, as most reviewers mentioned, are good. The pit master brings the meat very often. May be too often because there is no way I can consume all the meat he brought to me. Now, the problem of a place like this on a not-so-busy night is that the meat get overcooked and very dry. The sirloin, cube rib, and tri tip are all way too dry. The only exception is chicken. It was very jucy and tasty. I loved that. However, if you ask the pit master for rare meat he would do that for you.

They season the meat with rock salt so the outer pieces are too salty.

I think this place is good on a busy night and if you really want a lot of animal protein!

08/24/06

glorious food heaven! great service too

by poestar

I just wish I had a bigger stomache.

This place has been renovated and the ambience really has warmed with the rich hues and its friendly atmosphere. It's a pretty spacious and the set-up is good for business, couples, families and groups. It's really nice all-around. The food is really, really good - if you want to eat your heart out and dine on great qualities of meat (c'mon, WHO serves freshly bbq'd prime cuts of a serious variety of meats for $25?!), then you cannot be disappointed in this restaurant! The place is friendly and it really does, yet does not feel like a buffet. Oh, the salad bar is great, and they carry a bunch of side-type dishes in the buffet as well - very yummy! =))

I mean, you can go to Black Angus for the same price, but for the ambience, the fun of watching the servers coming around with skewers of freshly bbq'd meats of all kinds, and so many varieties of food, including the salad bar... ummmm, there's no comparison! I obviously love it!

• Pros: food, people, ambience
• Cons: i always get over-stuffed. ;o)