Favela Grill Steakhouse — Restaurant in New York

Brazil is my favorite country that I've ever visited, and I can count on one hand the number of restaurants that serve moqueca in NYC. So I was stoked to check out Favela Grill on a chilly night and chow down on some seafood in palm oil stew.

Sadly, Favela missed the mark on this dish--and on most of their dishes.

Caldo Verde: This was our best item, and it came piping hot and delectably creamy. But Caldo Verde is Portuguese, not Brazilian...so it's odd that it was on this menu

Salgadinhos Sortidos - Trio of fritters. The Bolinho de bacalhau (codfish) was easily the best, while the Coxinha de Frango (chicken) was disappointingly dry and the Bolinho de aipim queijo (yucca with cheese) lacked seasoning

Bife à Palito: Big portion, yes, but completely bland. How do you screw up grilled sirloin at a Brazilian restaurant? I was drowning each piece in green sauce to give it flavor

Moqueca de peixe com pirão: Sigh. Where to start? First off, this dish was $34 with just fish, and they make you pay an extra $6 if you want shrimp. I've never had moqueca that didn't include both, so to have to pay extra was a disgrace. Second, the vegetables were severely lacking: moqueca should be loaded with onions, colorful peppers and herbs, but we got very few onions and no peppers of any kind. The overall portion was also rather small, which just made me long for my days in Rio even more

A bad service note: We ordered two orders of Pão de Queijo (10 pieces x 2) to go when placing our dinner order. We confirmed the order twice with our initial server, then again with another server halfway through the meal--so three times in total. We needed these ready by the time we left as we were bringing them immediately to a party afterward and were already running late. By the time we had paid our bill, the buns still hadn't arrived. We escalated this to the manager, who insisted we never placed this order--leading to a tedious back-and-forth argument. The manager finally decided the order must've gotten lost between server rotations, and we ended up having to wait an additional 22 min after paying in order for the pastries to be ready.

Not nice. To his credit, the manager did give us a complimentary mousse-type dessert to make up for the trouble, but we never got to try it.

Think I'll stick to West Village's Berimbau for my moqueca fix. Or maybe I'll just bite the bullet and go back...

Step into the vibrant world of Favela Grill, where the flavors of Brazil come alive in a symphony of taste and laughter. As you enter, you'll find yourself in a gastronomic haven where the culinary stars are fried prawns, beef stroganoff, and churrasco, each dish a masterpiece that could make your taste buds dance the samba.

Now, let's talk about the queijada - the name alone might sound like an enchanting Brazilian dance move, and in a way, it is. With each velvety bite, you'll feel transported to the sun-kissed beaches of Rio, where the ocean's breeze mingles with the aroma of freshly baked banana cakes. And oh, the ice cream! It's like a carnival for your mouth, complete with flavors that rival the kaleidoscope of colors in a Rio parade.

But let's not forget about the drinks – Favela Grill knows that a good meal is the perfect companion to good wine. Speaking of companions, the caipirinhas and juices are like your Brazilian amigos, always ready to lift your spirits and keep the party going.

As the sun dips below the horizon, Favela Grill transforms into a stage for the lively beats of live music. Picture yourself swaying to the rhythm of the samba while indulging in your delicious meal. The staff here doesn't just serve food; they deliver a slice of Brazilian warmth and hospitality that's so genuine it could put a smile on a rain-soaked cactus.

And speaking of smiles, it's hard not to grin from ear to ear when you realize that all this splendor comes at prices that won't have your wallet doing the samba. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a curious local, the calm ambiance and tasteful decor provide the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable culinary escapade.

So, if you're ready to trade your fork for a maraca and your everyday worries for a carnival of flavors, Favela Grill is waiting with open arms and a caipirinha in hand. Just remember, at Favela Grill, every meal is a celebration and every bite is a step closer to the...

I went to dinner and the service was really unprofessional. We waited at least 120 minutes after our appetizers were served before we asked the status of our order since we had 2 children who were hungry and had to go to school tomorrow. So we were told by the bartender who was servicing us that our table has 7 orders and that we should be understanding. Then states that "I am only the bartender". Why would a bartender be servicing our table. Then to make the evening even worse the bill was divided amongst 3 of us. The bill was 5 and change and I gave 140 in cash and they disregarded the cash that was given them and charged our card over 7 hundres and change. When this was addressed the bartender and our table waiter became disgruntled and unapologetic and also told other customers at the bar that we were difficult customers. This was my first time coming here and I wish this didn't happen because the atmosphere, cocktails and food were great. And I usually don't write reviews but I think it's fair to warn customers' about this bartender and waiter. I was also told by my nephew who lives in the area and frequents the place, that they are new to the establishment so hopefully the managers can see that their customers were and are mistreated and they need to address their staff training related to...