Rodizio Grill Annapolis | Brazilian Steakhouse Restaurant — Restaurant in Annapolis

We've been here a few times. The first time they were good but had some clear new place problems, like the sausages that were served so dried out they were mostly crunchy, and everything was slow because they didn't have enough staff yet. Most of the staff, and the manager, was really nice. We decided to hold off reviewing until later, to see how they addressed the minor issues we observed and pointed out. The next visit they had addressed some of the issues, but the one gaucho who appeared to have the personality of a toad, and almost refused to say what he had on his skewer, remained. It wasn't perfect, but better. Still growing pains. We went back again today. This time, we struggled to find clean plates at the salad bar, yet despite the time it took to sift through 10 plates for a clean one, we were all working on our second plates and our kids were begging for water before the server brought out one water (that's right, 1 water for a table of 5), saying the other drinks were on the way. He had already heard the kids and said several times that drinks were on the way, but they sure took their time! They must have had to dig a new well out back first. Eventually we did all get drinks and the refills were faster during the rest of the meal. Really not sure what happened. Plates piled up at least three high before anybody took them. Plates of their polenta and bananas and cheese bread ran out but nobody refilled. We asked for refills and sometimes got more but not every time. My husband only got the salad bar and was not impressed. He said the smoked cheese might have been good, but it was wet and slimy. The pasta alfredo was just ok. A lot of the food was pretty good though. No more crunchy sausages were served. The cheese bread and polenta were yummy, though hard to get. The real kicker was that after all of the, whatever that was, tonight (not sure I can even call it service), a 20% gratuity was automatically added to the bill. The gratuity wasn't included in the original bill that was brought to the table. It was added after the card was provided, and only noticed upon reviewing the final slip (where there were all of the usual blanks for you to add your tip). If one were to absently add the tip and go, the server would get 20% PLUS what you added. We've been to places before where they automatically add 20% for a large group, but this one felt very sneaky the way it was quietly added in right at the last step. It had potential as a closer to home and slightly more affordable Brazilian steakhouse, but after tonight, I doubt we'll return any time soon. Service next door at red Robin has been much better (and more consistent) in our experience. However, if you are there and really want the Brazilian steakhouse experience, rodizio is ok. Just think of it as the Walmart of Brazilian steakhouses and you should have appropriate...

First word, unfortunate. Second word, tragic. Unfortunately tragic. That's how I would summarize my experience today, on Mother's day on what should have been a pleasant experience. I have eated at many Rodizio grills. From Chattanooga, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale and Naples FL. Never had a problem with service or food. It's not better than Fogo De Chão but the variety and unique meat options they presented always made me want to go back. Is it pricey? All Brazilian Steak houses are, that wasn't the problem. I would pay money for good food and delicious service. The problem is I came to this establishment in Annapolis Maryland expecting the same level of service, flavor, and competency, but found none at all. Imagine going to a restaurant and you ask for a menu item but your server did not know or had never heard of it. Imagine asking for a medium rare cut of meat and the server did not know what medium rare was. Imagine your table dirty with no one clean it for at least 30-45 minutes. Imagine ordering a drink only to never get it because your waitress gave up serving the table because they felt stressed. Imagine asking for food items but you are told they ran out of appetizers and steak and its still 7 pm on Mother's day. Imagine seeing a manager fight with other customers as they shared why they felt their table was neglected. You do not need to imagine, I am telling you now it all happened within a 2 hour block of time today. The customer isn't always right, but a restaurant needs to always be prepared. Especially on a holiday. I did not feel like anyone was competent, I saw no leadership, the food from the salad bar to the meat was not prepared well or with flavor besides the chicken. And let me tell you as a Brazilian, if the chicken is better than the steak then we have a problem. The holiday ruch can't be used as an excuse, you are not a mom and pop shop, you are a chain and a respectable one. It was just tragic and unfortunate because I thought I was going to get the same experience I always got but sadly now I know that this location is not worth it at this time. Perhaps someone will read this and take time to go down and retrain their staff. However, as a Brazilian Steakhouse expert, I wish to warn anyone to be careful when coming here, and you might as well go to Fogo de Chão. I will continue to eat at Rodizio Grills where I have already been to since they haven't failed me yet, but this location has already failed me and I can't pay 200 dollars for bad service and food. I have a hard enough life and my mother is already upset with me. She literally told me we have to do Mother's day over because today it didn't happen. She will not accept that we came to this place and wasted our time and demands I take her to Fogo. Truly embarrassing, sad, tragic, and...

I have had the pleasure of visiting several Rodizio restaurants both in the United States and Brazil, owing to my wife's Brazilian heritage. Regrettably, the Annapolis location did not live up to my expectations, failing in both the authenticity and quality aspects.

Wait Time Between Meat Servers: One significant drawback of this restaurant is the extended waiting time between meat servers. Those familiar with Fogo de Chao would understand the concept of meat servers continuously offering a variety of cuts, giving patrons control with the "Do not serve meat" indicator. While it's true that Fogo de Chao comes at a slightly higher price, this same practice is seamlessly executed at the Brazilian-managed Rodizio Grill in Orlando. Unfortunately, the Annapolis location falls short in this regard, leaving patrons waiting for their next serving.

Food Quality: My wife's experience was particularly unfortunate as she suffered from food poisoning after dining here, leading to an unpleasant night of illness.

Authenticity: The lack of authenticity in the culinary offerings is quite glaring. I would argue that this establishment should be marketed as a "Brazilian-inspired" restaurant rather than a true Rodizio experience. The only genuinely authentic elements were the Farofa with bacon and a few select meat cuts, such as "maminha" and "picanha." Everything else on the menu seemed out of place for a Rodizio restaurant, including offerings like Spicy Chicken, which is far from traditional. Even the feijoada, a Brazilian staple, disappointed, resembling nothing more than black beans with some form of meat, both in appearance and taste.

Service: The one redeeming quality of our visit was the pleasant hospitality displayed by the servers and meat carvers. It's evident that they do their best to make diners feel welcome, despite the shortcomings of the establishment itself.

In conclusion, the Annapolis Rodizio Restaurant left much to be desired and warrants...