Texas de Brazil - McAllen — Restaurant in McAllen

There are meals that nourish, and then there are meals that proclaim. Texas de Brazil does not whisper its merits, it bellows them—proudly, gloriously, like a chorus of trumpets at Caesar’s triumph.

I began, as one must, with the salad area—a stage not of mere lettuce and cucumber, but of exotic overtures. Hearts of Palm, ivory spears tender as sonnets, evoked the fragility of moonlight. Roasted Jalapeños snarled with fire, a green fury that thrilled the tongue before vanishing into smoke. Malagueta Peppers, small yet mighty, detonated like grenades of spice across the palate—proof that dynamite comes in crimson packages. Then, Brazilian Vinaigrette, tart and invigorating, a bright citrus wind cutting through indulgence like truth through a liar’s tongue. Farofa, humble toasted cassava, dusted the senses with a nutty whisper of earth itself. Chimichurri, emerald in hue and feral in aroma, clung to my thoughts as ivy clings to stone. To balance, the gentle neutrality of Jasmine Rice—each grain a pearl of quietude—followed by Feijoada Black Beans, smoky, soulful, the very heartbeat of Brazil ladled onto my plate. And then, a revelation: the Lobster Bisque, silken, golden, a liquid sonnet so decadent it felt illegal.

But, alas, these were merely prologues. The true opera began when the skewers appeared, carried forth by gauchos like priests offering sacred flame.

The Picanha, crown jewel of Brazil, entered with pomp—juicy ribbons of sirloin kissed by salt, fat cascading like liquid gold. Then Garlic Picanha, as though the gods themselves had whispered into the flesh; it struck the tongue with the fervor of lightning upon a storm-tossed sea. The Brazilian Sausage, robust and fiery, was less meat and more declaration of independence. Barbecued Pork Ribs, lacquered in smoky sweetness, tore apart with a tenderness that made time slow.

Leg of Lamb and Lamb Chops—ah, lamb, the poet of meats—sang with herbaceous clarity, a pastoral hymn to rolling fields. Yet when the Lamb Picanha arrived, it was no hymn but an aria: deep, robust, redolent of earth and eternity. Filet Mignon, soft as velvet and sinfully rich, became still more illicit when wrapped in bacon, the smoky embrace of pork elevating tenderness to the divine. Its cousin, Filet Mignon unadorned, was purity itself, the Platonic form of beef.

The Flank Steak, though humble in reputation, revealed itself as the workhorse hero: chewy yet flavorful, each bite a ballad to persistence. Then came Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon, a marriage of the modest and the indulgent, its smoky saltiness conquering the senses. Spicy Sirloin swaggered forward next, bold and brash, a gunfighter of flavor. The Parmesan-Crusted Pork Loin, meanwhile, wore its armor of cheese like a knight in gleaming mail—crunchy, salty, irresistible. Parmesan Drumettes followed, golden cherubs of poultry, kissed with umami and innocence.

And then—the Beef Ribs. Titanic in scale, biblical in flavor, each shred a sermon in smoke and marrow. It was less food than sacrament.

What drink, what potion could rise to such an occasion? The Brazilian Strawberry Caipirinha, jeweled crimson, sweet yet bracing, muddled strawberries singing of midsummer dreams. But with the extra shot of Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur, it transformed—nectar fit for Dionysus, lush and intoxicating, as though raspberries themselves had been spun into velvet. And then, the Daou Reserve 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon—a wine of structure, depth, and sonorous gravity. Its tannins marched like legions, its fruit soared like banners, and together they elevated every bite into eternity.

In the end, I was not merely sated—I was reborn. Texas de Brazil is no restaurant; it is a cathedral, a Colosseum of flesh and fire, a place where mortals are granted fleeting access to ambrosia. I left not waddling, but floating—anointed, as though baptized in smoke, salt, and splendor.

And so, my verdict is simple: dining here is not just eating—it is bearing witness to the very triumph...

Brazilian steak houses have to rank up there when it comes to excessive indulgence. Skewers of meat brought to your table, sliced or carved right on to your plate. Endless sides and a fancy salad bar all housed in a glass and wood environment. It really is something you should experience at least once. So, let's get into it.

A wise man once sang, 🎶Everything is meat, meat, meat. Everything is food.🎶 It seems he was talking about establishments like this. Ripping the bandaid off, yes, you are going to pay a pretty penny to dine here. We went for the more affordable lunch offered between 11 am to 2:30 pm, which is about 30 dollars a person. That gets you the full unlimited salad bar, sides, and meats. However, that doesn't include drinks or dessert. You can also just stick to the salad bar itself for about 23 dollars.

The Food. So you have quantity. How's the quality? I'd say excellent. Starting with the salad bar, you have your usual fair, like the mixed greens and Cesar ingredients. There are also cheeses, smoked meats and salmon, slaws, cold shrimp salads, black beans, and white rice. You can very easily fill up on the salad bar and not be disappointed. As for the meats, I clocked about 10 being offered during lunch. Top and bottom sirloin, flank steak, filet mignon, pork ribs, spicy sausage, and several types of seasoned chicken. The beef is all flavored with only rock salt and usually comes to the table medium rare to medium. All of it was juicy, tender, and delicious. I didn't have any chicken, I was there for the beef mostly, but Parmesean crusted and bacon wrapped were a couple of the options offered. The BBQ pork ribs were a little dry but tasty, and the spicy sausage is a personal fav. Aside from the salad bar, other sides brought directly to the table are cheese rolls, garlic mashed potatoes, French fries, and grilled bananas. All of them are tasty, but those bananas are stupidly addictive. I must have ordered at least 5 refills of those. A full bar and wine options are available, though we didn't partake, as well as numerous dessert options, but the bananas were more than enough for myself.

Service. It was fine, if a little inconsistent. While we had a main waiter, mostly you can flag any server off the floor for assistance. Also, considering that it wasn't that busy during lunch, it sometimes felt that it took a while for the next rounds or meats to make the rounds. Minor quibbles. Mostly, everyone is polite, professional, and respectful. It was nice to see the manager making the rounds as well.

Atmosphere. Very nice. High ceilings with huge glass windows give you a nice open feeling. Everything is warm wood furnishings and colors. It's just a nice environment to be in.

For the average 9 to 5 blue collar family, this is most likely a once a year, special occasion type experience. I envy those really blessed to afford to eat here more often. It's a good thing it's attached to the mall so you can walk down the food when you're done. Very...

This past Friday night was my husband and my anniversary. We thought we would have special dinner at your establishment.

The experience of this date night was a disaster to begin with. When we walked in and checked in with the hostess, we were greeted with the weakest hello and hardly any eye contact. I gave the young girl my name for the reservation. While we waited for her to find it in your system, there was no pleasantries exchanged. We stood there ignored. The girl barely spoke up and mumbled for us to follow her. When she took us to our table, I asked if we could have another table. There were plenty of other tables. She stared at us without responding. I asked again and she said nothing. So I said, “No?” She just shrugged and shook her head. So we sat. And waited 15 minutes before flagging a waiter from across the room. Waitress number 1 came over and asked what she could do. We said we’re here for dinner. She took our beverage order and went away. We never saw her again. Those drinks never came. We waited some more and waitress number 2 came. Only spoke Spanish, which is fine so she grabbed another waiter. We explained what we were here for. He weakly explained the process. We served ourselves the meal. As we waited for the passadors to bring the meat, we noticed we being passed by and ignored from some of the men. We even saw several new tables and how quickly they were being served. We were still waiting for our drinks. Had to ask about them again. Waitress number 2 came back with one drink. My husband had to ask the second one. Waitress left and realized she served the wrong one. My husband had taken a sip before she came back and picked it up. She probably served that to the other table. We couldn’t stand being there any longer and got up to pay because we knew it would take a while to be given the bill. We walked to the hostess area and ask to pay. Again, the hostess with the weak chin stared at us, figuratively and literally speaking. Finally my husband payed and I noticed there were 5 waitress/waiters just standing behind the bar area.

I have never in my life a worst experience. We have been to Fogo de Chao in San Antonio several times and thought how fortunate we were to be able to recreate our honeymoon meal here in the Valley. We drove all the way from Harlingen through McAllens terrible highway construction, only to be incredibly disappointed and angry. I cannot understand what we did that deserves that kind of treatment. And to be honest the food wasn’t to our expectation. If this night was an example of the typical service, I highly suggest your manager visits another churrascaria, learn proper customer service and...