New owner recently and the hot/cold buffet has been pretty good. We've been dining here for years - initially in Hartford and more recently in Meriden since moving out this way. Recently the black beans had more pork in them than beans which made it hard to get only beans for my really picky 6 year old (who I can at least talk into eating rice and beans and salad for dinner there). They make a stewed chicken that is to die for. Their grilled meats are great - not too salty. Overall we just really enjoy the ambiance and people who work there. read more

No more all you can eat for the meats. The premise of a restaurant like this is for it to be all you can eat. Its no longer ayce, and it's expensive for what it is so I will mourn the loss. read more

Had this for take out for the first time. Pretty tasteless. I ordered the rice and bean steak combo,. 20 dollars for no flavor and very oily. It was fast to prepare though. read more

The food was really tasty variable food selections. And the meats are delicious and tasty as well. I will definitely go back, mater of fact tomorrow. read more

When Banana Brazil first opened up, the food was excellent and has been up until last year..at least for me. The portions became smaller and they have become pricier. I can tell when there is a different cook too. Who ever the main cook was in the beginning was excellent! The brisket was so tender, well seasoned and delicious. Last night I decided to order from them because it had been a long time and I wanted to treat myself. I was very disappointed and pissed off because the vegetable rice( first time having it) was rancid! I couldn't eat anything else. It was like I was given what came out of the garbage. I won't be ordering anything from there again! For the amount of money that you have to pay,..NO!! They need to do better! I hope that I find another..cleaner..Brazilian restaurant that is serious when it comes to the quality of their food! read more

Banana Brazil advertises itself as a buffet, but it's important for potential customers to know that you pay by the weight of your bowl or plate, not a flat fee. This pricing structure might catch some off guard, especially if you're expecting a traditional all-you-can-eat experience. That said, the food was excellent--everything was well-seasoned, and I have no complaints about the taste. However, I couldn't shake the feeling of being misled by the 'buffet' signage. $43 was the bill for two plates. read more

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From the outside, it's not pretty. Paint's worn, the buildings around it are unkept, and the neighborhood isn't the nicest looking. Once you go inside though, it's a completely different story. there's a giant grill with a bunch of spits with all matter of meats. there's a buffet around the entire left side and plenty of seating to the right. They put their efforts into the inside, but they put even more effort into the food. And I must say, it's pretty dang tasty food. We did per-pound at their buffet and got a wide selection of pork, beef, spicy sausage, and other lesser identifiable meats and sides. We ate our fill and then some! Each food very well seasoned, well cooked, and delicious. The chef was more than happy to pile on the meats and even offered some spicy peppers that were marinating in a large jar next to the counter. Very spicy but had a nice sweet flavor which was kind of unexpected. Overall, it was delicious food in a not so great looking locale from the outside. A diamond in the rough, and a great place to try if you're looking for well cooked meats. I will make the trek to this place again, for sure! read more

Banana Brazil - Meats, sides and veggies by the pound. a smattering of tasty foods - Brazilian Near Me - Meriden, Connecticut

Summary: Great Food, clean tables / dishes / utensils, Clean bathrooms, and very friendly service! The details: Ahhh Banana Brazil. All the good things you want from a restaurant are here. When you come to Banana Brazil in Meriden, you will most likely have Matthew behind the register greet you with a friendly smile. Food is weighed here, but I swear, there is quality in every ounce on your plate. They have a variety of foods, different types of rice, pastas, and meats on the line -- I've tried it all with 0 regrets. Before reaching the cash register, you'll probably meet Valmir, the meat guy. (Can you tell I come here much?) Valmir has tons of steaks, chicken, and bacon wrapped chicken on sword-like-skewers ready for you to choose from. Hidden just around the corner is the seating area. If you observe, you will see other workers immediately cleaning up after people leave their tables. Did I mention that Matthew will bring you any fresh-squeeze juice if you asked for it at the register? Yeah, that's service! Have a hankering for something sweet? Don't leave without taking some Brazilian desserts with you! Matthew will show you the variety there. read more

Banana Brazil - a plate of food on a table - Brazilian Near Me - Meriden, Connecticut

I've only done takeout here, but multiple times. I'd avoid the buffet for the most part, and just get as many cuts of meat as you can. They charge by the pound anyhow, so best to get the "good stuff" and augment the sides on your own. The various cuts of beef are delightful, as are the ribs--be sure to ask for medium rare otherwise you get pieces that are way overcooked. I only wish they had more options, especially since there are an overwhelming number of chicken choices, and I'm just not a fan of chicken at these places. The staff is friendly and there always seems to be a decent number of regulars at the restaurant. read more

I'd questioned the exterior look while passing it, but the smell of a bbq convinced me something good was inside.... Very clean inside, plenty of seating available. The staff was very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable of their products. Buffet style dining with amazing selections of meats (the liver and onions are so good) From the grill I sampled the spicy sausages, beef ribs, chicken and pork ribs The roast pork fried rice was delicious, honestly everything I ate was delicious! Great drink selection I've been back twice this week just to make sure it was consistent. It's priced per pound so if you eat like me and get the Brazilian flan it's easy to have a $30 tab, but worth it read more

Second time visiting. The staff are so friendly. The food is always full and hot. EVERYTHING tastes great. The only downside is that I can't stop eating. Definitely worth the visit. Huge selection of meats as well as drinks and other foods. Very cozy and clean dining area. read more

Banana Brazil - people sitting at tables in a restaurant - Brazilian Near Me - Meriden, Connecticut

Food is delicious and a must try. There is a buffet but it is no longer all you can eat. You get a plate and they weigh it and you pay by weight. That part was a little disappointing. read more

We all had the buffet either bbq for $25. There was a great selection of meats. And the salad bar is excellent except the watermelon is off season. And ask for rare or medium steak otherwise you get meat that is quite dry. Payment is collected on the way out. The toilet is in great condition. read more

Banana Brazil - TV showing soccer in the dining room, can't expect anything else - Brazilian Near Me - Meriden, Connecticut

Hands down the best Banana Brazil in the state. The staff is very friendly and the food is always fresh and delicious! I highly recommend!! read more

Banana Brazil - a plate of food on a table - Brazilian Near Me - Meriden, Connecticut

First off very polite and nice staff. They're super chatty and was real fun to talk with. The buffet area is small but all the food there is sooo yummy! I tried at least everything once. They also have a grill with steaks, pork, chicken, etc. and the steak is just to die for. Super juicy and savory I had to get seconds. The price is extremely affordable too for really good food. I wanna go back so bad, soon! read more

As much as the food is good... it is not a buffet anymore... you have to pay per pound even if you dine in

I was initially hesitant based on the price, I've never found a Brazilian steak house so cheap. It made sense after we ate there. So firstly it's all buffet style. You go to the salad bar and walk to the counter to select your meats. The items from the salad bar that should have been at least warm were room temperature and clearly hadn't been switched out. Gross The meats were all over cooked and they didn't even ask your preference for how done you like anything. When I say dry chicken I'm not kidding it was DRY baby. Steak was all well done. I almost shed a tear when I took a bite of my short ribs and they were like chewing bubblegum, not even close to done. The last slap on my booty was how they charge drinks and dessert ala cart and at a big up charge. Overall just bad ‍ read more

You can definitely get your proteins on here. The ribs and chicken on the buffet are really good. Plantains are a must. Some of the meats on the grill are over cooked and salty. What I had: The chicken with bacon was over cooked. The spicy chorizo was over cooked Sirloin (medium) was pretty good Pork shoulder was good Round steak was very over cooked and tough They have some good looking desserts, drinks, ice cream from Brazil. Was kind of disappointed they didn't have Caipirinha but they only had beer. read more

Excellent place to get a really good meal. Fantastic variety. Fast and very courteous!!! read more

Been here a few times already it has been a great experience every single time. I remembered this food from my youth. My parents visited this place, they were from NY and they couldn't believe how inexpensive it was for the same food and on top of that it was unlimited meats! The atmosphere is clean and fresh, well lit, and plenty of seating. Feels like home away from home to me. This place gives Meriden a new choice beyond just Mexican, pizza, and Chinese. It also brings a new culture to the area. If you need to order take out you can pick and choose what you want to go. See for yourself! read more

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CLEAN I always check out the bathroom before I eat at a new restaurant, and this one was sparkling. The entire restaurant was spotless. Food is good, not amazing. Very tasty and friendly staff. You are not going to be waited on and it is not fancy, but the staff is very approachable and the owner is very nice in explaining all of the meats and food that is offered. I ate plenty and never felt like the staff was upset I was eating too much of the all-you-can-eat. Keto heaven. Nice service, spotless facility, salt hangover the next day. We will go back without a doubt. read more

Really, this place is a sort of ketogenic heaven. For $15 you can have... short ribs chicken w/ bacon sirloin pork shoulder spicy sausage bbq pork chicken hearts banana peppers tiny South American crazy peppers brazilian-style pico de gallo and fresh lime slices while keeping that gluconeogenesis rolling. Yes, the chicken w/bacon was so dry I could barely chew it. Some stuff sits on the grill too long before you ask for it, some stuff doesn't. That's how it works. Here's how you get into the flow: you go back for more short ribs, and then more sirloin and sausage. And then the second round of chicken w/bacon may be better. read more

Great food. If your in the mood for meat like steak and chicken this is the place. Its always fall off the bone and has a fresh smoky flavor. You can pick the portion size you want a well. The deserts are also great. The service was friendly. The inside was clean with a large dining area. The area that its located is a bit less fancy but not dangerous. read more

Not impressed at all. I have heard so many good things about this place but surprisingly it was nothing great. Not the cleanest place and the food was not appealing. read more

Don't let the location or the outside appearances scare you off. This spot is by far one of the best I've been to in the tri-state area. For the price and the quality of food, amazing! All you can eat as well... girl, go get you some! The deserts were delicious as were the fruit drinks. The staff were very kind, courteous, and knowledgeable about what they're serving. Everything is phenomenal, come on thru! read more

The meat was tasty and perfect. I would recommend any time. Specially in family. There service was very nice and humble

The food is delicious. I don't understand people criticizing the outside of the building. It is a historic building in the downtown of a city. The variety is great as well as the value. My only negative comment is that the food tends to be overly salty. I definitely recommend it. read more

A lot of the bad reviews here are undeserved. They offer food by the pound or a buffet for $15 (last I checked). Glad this restaurant came to town to add some variety. Lot's of pizza places and Chinese places here, glad to add some Brazilian. The best meats here are the regular sausage, the steak, chicken in bacon and chicken hearts. They also offer a hot food bar and a cold food bar. The hot food bar consists of a meat and fish usually as well as vegetables. Tonight they had butternut squash and mixed vegetables in the hot bar. If they have the pork loin try it, it's delicious. As far as the rotisserie costing $2 more - Not true. If you're paying $20 for a meal here it's certainly a meal for two. Typical cost for me (and I load my plate with meats) is $15. Also, they've recently add labels. Their desert selection is good but as some have noted isn't included in the "buffet" and typically isn't at similar Brazilian restaurants. read more

We came here on a whim one night after deciding not to go to another place and I am so glad we did. The family that runs the place is so nice and hospitable, they genuinely want you to enjoy your meal. It's a very clean and neat restaurant with a huge selection of beverages (bottles and cans). You enter in, grab a plate, add your sides and then add grilled meats at the grill station (if you've added the grilled meat option WHICH YOU SHOULD!). I like this approach because you can get a bunch of different meats at once without having to wait for the meat parade to make its way to your table hahaha! The side dishes we had were all so very good. The meats were amazing! The guy who was slicing up the meats was more than generous in the helpings ( I think he knew i wasn't going to let any meat go to waste) and asked if you wanted other meats and what kind of doneness. I asked about an item in the case on the meat counter - it looked like an Indian samosa, just larger, called a coxinha, a croquette. The owner said she would have a fresh one made for me and 5 minutes later she brought it over piping hot from the kitchen. It was filled with chicken and cream cheese and spices - DELICIOUS! I had 3 plates of sides and meats. Stop by and give this place a chance - you'll be glad you did! read more

Great place! The atmosphere is pretty cozy, a nice hole in the wall to grab a bite to eat with some friends. Highly recommend paying the extra few dollars for the barbequed meat. The steak and bacon-wrapped chicken were soo good and I went back for seconds..and thirds.. lol. They were super generous with the portions and everyone was friendly there too. Would definitely recommend it :D read more

Banana Brazil - The barbequed meat is totally worth it!! - Brazilian Near Me - Meriden, Connecticut

I first visited this place earlier in the year, before COVID-19, and it was decent. Came here again last night and had one of the worst experiences I've ever had at a restaurant. First, the food looked like it had been left out for a very long time, and it was cold. Second, the outside tables were disgustingly filthy and had not been cleaned, so we chose to dine indoors. Third, when I used the restroom to wash my hands, I noticed there was no soap in the dispenser. When I notified a worker, he told me to use the hand sanitizer dispenser in the front because they had mixed hand soap in with it, then head to the bathroom to rinse my hands. Weird, but clean hands are better than dirty ones. Later, after a few bites of my food, I became nauseous and we decided to leave. We later equated my sickness to the fish that had been left out so long. The one pro (not so much) was that they had a staff member serve you your food from the buffet , that way there's minimal guest contact with the food. But, as we were eating we noticed several of the employees from the back serving themselves at the buffet without gloves or masks. All while speaking loudly to one another, over the unserved food. Beware of this place. read more

My wife and I end up going there because everything else was close on a Sunday ,they are open until 11pm which was a plus , at first the price was a bit expensive for a buffet without seafood and desserts and no drink included in the price of $17 per person. However, we decided to stay base on the fact that we were hungry and wanted soul food. The hospitality was Great ! The food was good just a bit salty and you can't beat the fact that you can eat as many times as you like and you are offered multiple meats options such as steak, fish, pork, chicken etc. I would recommend going there on a empty stomach to get your moneys worth. read more

If you're looking for Brazilian on a budget, look no further than Banana Brazil. Their freshly rotisserie'd meats are supreme. I especially enjoyed their short rib and their sausage. The short rib was wonderfully tender and both the spicy and non-spicy sausages were juicy and well-seasoned. Unless there's something you're dying to try, I'd suggest against filling up on the ready-made stuff that's laid out. Chances are, they're not as fresh as they could be and y'all should really be going for the meats anyway! Side note: Drinks are not included with the buffet price, but the buffet is already such a steal. I'd gladly pay $1.50 for their guava juice (even if it really does taste like Kern's) to wash away all that char-ry meatiness. read more

Finally got to try this place. It was delicious! The meats are the star of the show. They have steak, pork loin, chicken wrapped in bacon, sausages (spicy and mild) and a few other meat options. I asked for some medium rare steak and the gentleman put some on the spit for me. The pineapple from the spit is amazing. We enjoyed the buffet too. My party was too full for dessert but a few bought flan for later. It's not a waiter service, you go up as much as you like. Everyone was super welcoming and we can't wait to return! read more

Such a let down. No kale or tomatoes on the salad bar. Fried Chicken wings were cold. Fire pit was small, meats were "eh". They have only one skewer of steak and it was overdone, chic breast was dry, chick wings were marinated in something odd and the ribs didn't have the same flavor.. I wonder if they use different charcoal.. oh, and they had no olives. I didn't even Finish my plate, meanwhile In Waterbury I'm good for 2-3 plates. On the upside it's much cleaner and wayyyyy better decorated than Waterbury or the Danbury locations. But if it is steak you want, Waterbury is the best location. Plus the fire pit guy in Waterbury knows how to cut and trim the meat, Meriden they just hacked the shit out of it. read more

When I saw there was a banana Brazil I got excited, the one in Waterbury is delicious. This one however tasted like old picnic/barbecue food. I went last year and have not been back since. Contemplated giving it another try possibly earlier in the day. However their prices are kind of high for the quality of food. I was told by a friend who recently went, the food tasted old. The only thing I could think is still smh. read more

Amazing value AND taste! ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET WITH MEAT WAS ONLY $16! Buffet is nice-tonight was two kinds of rice, fried plantains, various vegetables and salad options. The buffet had some meat on it, but the fresh roasted churrasco was AMAZING. The short ribs were flavorful and tender, garlic sirloin tasty, and I really liked the spicy sausage. My boyfriend and I went up for two rounds of food and left with happy bellies. BTW they sell their BBQ by the pound, so next time I'm heading to a party, I'll pick up some of their meat for a platter of goodness. read more

Horrible. 20.00 for cold buffet food. The barbecue consist of chicken, steak. The cheapest chicken and steak you can buy. I got sick an hour after earring here. They make you buy drinks from the cooler and also pay for desert. The worst buffet I've ever been too. Also, the neighborhood sucks. I left my iPhone on the table and these idiots near me were eyeing it. Horrible experience read more

Stopped in Saturday night to try it out. (Bought a Groupon Buffet for 2) Building is old and was worried when I saw it from the outside. Went inside it was completely renovated and very clean and nice. People were very friendly. Lots of different Chicken- Pork-Beef- Sausages to chose from. Dozens of side dishes, rice, beans, vegetables,pasta etc. They even give drinks included and desserts. I will be back-plenty to eat well worth it for the $$$$$ Check it out! read more

Happened to be in the area and found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Glad that I did. Went for the all-you-can-eat BBQ + buffet for $15. Good mix of meats (best we're short ribs, wings, chicken hearts, and spicy chorizo). Best from the buffet tables (when fresh out of the kitchen) were tostones, madura, Brazilian black beans with oxtail, and roasted chicken. They had some interesting fruit drinks (cashew the best). Desserts that we tried (flan and tres leche - to go of course as too full) were just OK. Would return if in the area. read more