Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse — Restaurant in Bridgewater Township

We were looking forward to trying this place for awhile. While looking up our local Bridgewater restaurant to make a reservation and get directions, I read through some of the reviews. One consistent comment was regarding the service, and how horrible it is. Let's say, they lived up to these negative comments. As first time visitors, we were impressed with the decor and the ambiance. The market place salad bar is extensive and gorgeous. The hostess brought us to our table within minutes of our 5:30 reservation. The service was all downhill from that point. There was a long wait before anyone came to the table, eventually we flagged down someone. The water glasses sat empty, until we had to ask for water. I asked for lemon with my water, it took four people just to get a couple of wedges of lemon... ice cubes were another torture. Before I go further, there's a definite learning curve to this operation. There are too many people running around making busy, a team with no captain. The menu is limited, expensive, and confusing. Eventually, we ordered a shrimp cocktail followed up with my wife ordering the pan seared salmon and me ordering the $92 Full Churrasco Dinner. The $92 dinner includes a special choice of six different appetizers and dessert. I chose the lobster tail option. Then it off to the salad bar, which was spot on. Btw, they give you little disks that are red on one side and green on the other. When your ready for your entree/meat, you put up the green side. While I was still working on the salad bar, my wife's entree arrived, along with the lobster tail that I expected with my dinner. The lobster tail was smaller than the shrimp on the cocktail. While I'm on the subject of the shrimp cocktail, the shrimp were tough and rubbery. It took four people to retrieve the extra horseradish that I for when the cocktail was initially ordered. All of a sudden, my sides(hot) were placed on the table before I flipped my disk to green... I was still working on the salad bar. It took three people to fix this. Finally I got into the meats. My dinner included every meat. Staff members randomly walk up to your table asking if you would like some of whatever is on their particular skewers. I wasn't entirely thrilled with the fact that they're walking from one table to another with the same skewers of meat. The beef in garlic was a hunk of mostly fat. The ribeye and chunk of chicken were fine. Strangely enough, the only meat that they didn't volunteer, was the filet mignon. My wife's Salmon was perfect, even if we didn't get to eat our entrees together. Finally, after ordering my dessert, it took four people to figure out where it was. By the time I finally got the piece of Tres de Leche cake, let it go that it didn't look as nice as the picture. To land the plane, this place isn't worth the effort, or the $$. When I'm paying $92 for a dinner, the food better be spot on, quality and timing. With staff members all over the place, I shouldn't be searching for my filet mignon and dessert, and begging for ice and lemon wedges. Fogo de Chão is an overpriced, overrated chain restaurant... with a gimmick. We Will Not...

My son and I are experienced in rodizio dining having been to churrascarias in NYC, Ironbound, Nazareth and Horsham PA;  we were anxiously awaiting the opening of Fogo in Bridgewater. I ordered the Best of Brazil, my son ordered the full dinner.

Among my favorites, of course, the perfectly seasoned picanha, the moist and delicious pork chop, the very tasty garlic steak were all memorable. The little cheese rolls were divine. The mashed potatoes were a definite miss.

My son loved the double lamb chops, which he said were also perfectly seasoned, of course the picanha which he loved, the bone-in ribeye, the filet mignon and the pork chops. I must admit that I took a little taste of his different meats and enjoyed it immensely. It convinced me to ask for the full dinner next time.

I am not a big eater at all, but the cuts of meats available are way too good to miss. My son, however, eats enough for both of us and after he finished dinner he hung in there for a wonderful dessert,  the chocolate brigadeiro which is nirvana for chocoholics like my son.

One suggestion: Tell your server how you like your meat cooked before you turn your chip green.

No restaurant can exist without completing the dining experience with good service. This is where Fogo shines:

Christina, our main server, was gracious and welcoming with her buoyant personality.

Special kudos to Makayla who was attentive, professional, and one of the finest servers I have encountered... and I mean that sincerely. Even though she was training a new server, there was never a time that we didn't have our glasses filled, and clean plates produced when requested by my son. She represents everything you would want to promote your brand. A definite keeper.

I saved the best for last. Steven is not a server. He works in customer relations for Fogo. I have never met someone in that capacity before, but I think it is a fine idea and I applaud Fogo for hiring him.

He noticed that we had clean plates, came over, introduced himself and inquired what meats we would like... apologizing to us thinking we hadn't eaten. I smiled and told him we were doing fine, and I inquired if he could ask our server to bring me some coffee... astonishingly, he offered to get it for me. How very nice of him. The coffee was really good. Being early, before the dinner rush, he was able to chat about the restaurant.

I plan to make this my fall and winter go-to restaurant for rodizio style dining. So Steven's explanation as to the ebb-and-flow of the restaurant....(we enjoy going off hours, I don't drive in the dark,) insofar as crowds... the information was invaluable to me. My son and I are on the autism spectrum and tend to avoid crowds.

His suggestions regarding brunch were also something I want to consider. He impressed me so much, I decided to definitely come on a Tuesday when he is there. He was kind to both my son and myself, above and beyond anything I would have expected. Bravo Fogo....

In closing, I find the food to be of excellent quality, the atmosphere is chic, trendy, warm and cheerful.

I gave Fogo 5 stars because they deserved them, and...

Words can't express the shame I felt after eating at this location. I have been eating at Fogo De Chao for over ten yers. From Maryland to New York. This location in BRIDGEWATER, NEW JERSEY, although conveniently placed is one of the worst experiences that you will find. Let me walk you through the entire evening from start to finish. To find the video of this review please visit R.E.D. PODCASTING at youtube.

From the start of the evening, my wife and I walked in without a reservation. A male host asked us for our appointment time. We reply, we don't have one. He replies you'll have to wait about five minutes. The restaurant is clearly EMPTY. Another worker, female, takes his place and then asks us are we being helped. AFTER TAKING TWO CUSTOMERS BEFORE US! I reply, we aren't. She takes my telephone number enters it into the system, walks back and says your table is ready. Why take the number?

She walks us to the very back of the restaurant and sits us at a table by the kitchen, which is fine. The waiter asks have I been here before? I reply, yes, 6 times. He goes on to explain every thing on the menu in detail, which is also FINE. At a restaurant like this, you order your drinks, and then head to the salad bar.

The options in the salad bar here are so limited compared to other FOGOS. I asked about the candied bacon, he tells me they only serve it here on the weekends! I reply, can we get some. He replies, yes from the kitchen. He brings the bacon back, and it is covered, baptized, in chilli flakes. I coughed dramatically because the taste was covering my table side meats to the point where I couldn't taste the steak!

The waiter returns and then says he will take care of it. Five minutes later, he replies the bacon is out, and he can't get more because they all have chilli flakes. When our table side meats come, they are dried out, overcooked, depressed, and the food that was rare is easily still alive. It was still blood on certain meats. THE SERVICE KEPT ASKING US WHAT MEATS WE WANTED NEXT. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO KEEP SERVING ALL MEATS UNTIL WE SAY STOP.

After eating burnt chicken, spicy bacon, and drinking tap water with modest bread, rice, and beans. We abandoned the restaurant before dessert which was said to be complimentary. We left the restaurant and will not return anytime soon to this location. $165.15 was our bill. The customer service agent told me that the location has only been opened for one month and that he apologizes because many customers have complained. And that there has been a learning curve with cooking the food at this location.

That's all fine.....but you still took my almost 200 dollars. This location needs help from other locations. To train, to stimulate, and motivate the staff in ways I can't even begin to list here. Have fun at another location and DO NOT WASTE TIME GOING TO THE FOGO IN BRIDGEWATER, NEW JERSEY. I am very REASONABLE when it comes to making reviews, I hope this helps you folks save A...