Terra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse - Omaha — Restaurant in Omaha

The Good: Amazing service staff, friendly and easy to get a table. Very nice atmosphere and laid back. The buffet table with hot and cold options was awesome. They had this avocado cumber salad that was perfection. The chicken, pork, and shrimp were cooked perfectly. Their pineapple was served with a coating of cinnamon sugar that caramelized the outside in an astonishing flavor explosion that was incredible.

The Bad: I had an Omaha sour that was very meh, however, there was clearly much care into the presentation of the drink. That’s a negative in this case as it’s trying to hard. Call me simple but I don’t need my whiskey sour to be served in a coup glass. Add that it was not properly shaken, instead they layered the drink together and we arrive at meh. A whiskey sour is a shaken cocktail not a damned layered cocktail. On the other hand, my wife got the lemon drop blueberry martini that was absolutely delicious.

We sadly were harassed by 6 flies that loved our table more than the rest in the establishment on this occasion. Our table was next to a window where the window sill had some lobster bisque stains on it so perhaps our insect friends were just trying to enjoy the left over debris.

The Ugly: Someone is committing steak crimes in this kitchen and they need to be arrested by the steak police. The chef running the grill for the beef needs to go back to school. Every single cut of beef was dry and gray. After a serving of pichiania and sirloin devastatingly were dry and gray I had resting disappointment visible on my face. Then came the last cut of beef for this evening, a filet mignon. My hopes were high. I asked our Gaucho serving the filet if they could cut the most pink they can off the cut of beef. When I was met with gray dry meat I was shocked at poorly they were monitoring the temperature of the beef as they pull them for service.

Our server seeing my rather obvious disappointment asked me if they could do anything for us. I asked for the most pink slice of beef they can legally serve me.

A fresh clean plate was placed in front of me, and a shred of hope kindled in my heart. Surely requesting they not commit more crime against steak directly to a server would result in redemption for the kitchen staff. Alas nothing came, and I do mean NOTHING.

Gauchos roamed with more gray dry cuts of beef that the folks at Jack Links would not bother to include in their bags of jerky. We requested the check and that same fresh plate I was given left was taken by the same server who gave it to me with the final spark of hope I had for the kitchen staff’s redemption.

The Conclusion: For a total of $170 (with tip) I was able to have a great salad, succulent seafood, delicious chicken, pineapple unlike any other I’ve ever had, and the attentiveness of the staff was on point.

A little more time and care into listening to your diners preferences for how they desire a steak to be cook is needed if they will continue to charge what is an OUTLANDISH price for such absolutely abysmally cooked cuts of beef.

Recommendation: Rodizio in Lincoln, NE is well worth the drive for a far superior dining experience.

I will not be back to this “steakhouse” unless they give me a comped meal. They are trying too hard to be a fine dining establishment, and while the service staff is attentive they need to CARE about the product (the food and drinks) they...

My review will be broken down into multiple parts.

First, food. Seriously, this place has the most delicious food. The meats are incredibly tasty, the variety is impressive and even the sides are so numerous and of high quality that you COULD have an incredible experience just with them. But back to the meat. They are so well prepared and the staff has such an incredible attention to detail that my wife (well done) and I (medium rare, as God intended) are able to get the perfect temperature. Just typing this review makes my mouth watering!

Second, service. I have no idea who hires and trains the staff, but give that person a freaking medal. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, is polite and helpful. From the hostess to the wait staff to the meat delivery heros, they are friendly and incredibly competent. AND they have great memories! My wife and I are recognized when we go and employees take the time to chat. They remember our preferences. They make us feel welcome. All while providing exceptional service. The tables and, most importantly, the sides serving area, are the cleanest i have ever seen in a restaurant. It is truly impressive. And the staff works seamlessly together to maintain this. I once witnessed a server dropping a glass while bussing a table (accidents happen) and the area being swarmed by employees to quickly clean up. I have never experienced service of this high a quality anywhere else.

Third, special circumstances. End of June I broke two bones and shattered my elbow in my left arm. Since then my wife and I went to Terra Gaucha like 5 times (protein helps the healing process. ) Everyone was so considerate and helpful! From offering to carrying my plate to get sides to cutting my meat for me to just showing concern, the experience has just been incredible. Heck, I had a craving for their food shortly after my accident when I was not yet comfortable being out and about. My wife called and asked if take-out was possible. They put together a "care package " that was just incredible. I really appreciate everything Terra Gaucha's staff has done for me.

I could go on and on and on about how amazing this restaurant is. One of these days I will need to meet the owner and manager, just to shake their hand! If you want great food and service, run, don't walk, to Terra...

If you don't have an amazing experience, its because you worked at not having one!

Omaha, which usually is not seen as a bastion of high-end, high-service, high-quality food -- is changing. The presence of Terra Gaucha proves it. The restaurant sits at the site the former Charleston's Steakhouse (which moved about a mile away), and is a stones throw from several other high-end competitors. I think it is going to do just fine. I really think its going to thrive.

I've been to several Brazilian steakhouses over the years -- Texas de Brazil in Memphis a couple of times (ironically, I've never been to the Omaha location in the Old Market), Fogo de Chao in the Chicagoland area, and one whose name escapes me in Denver ... this one blew them all away.

Its not just the food -- which is amazing all by itself. It is the attentive service staff and the atmosphere as well. Every time I got up, someone re-folded my napkin. Clean plates were always offered. We never waited for a different selection of meat. It was attentiveness as if I was an oligarch and this was my personal staff. Giovanna, our server, was one of the most professional servers we've ever encountered. She and the entire team totally made our experience!

Drinks? I ordered a Pisco Sour. I haven't had one this good since I was last in Lima! Others in my party tried the Mexican Espresso Martini and the Espresso Martini. All were fantastic.

ALL of the meat options were amazing -- not a loser among them. I tried many (but not all of them), beef, pork, and chicken -- there were just too many offerings. I will definitely need to go back.

Overall, our party spent nearly 2 hours -- and we never felt rushed. It was a birthday celebration -- and even though none of us had saved room for desert, we took a piece of cake home to celebrate the next day. It looked delicious!

Strongly suggest this restaurant -- book a reservation, plan on spending some time, dress up a bit, and enjoy Omaha's latest culinary delight!

My photo is from my excursion to the salad bar -- with only a smattering of the offerings available on my plate (I wanted to be sure I had room for the main event -- the meat...