We came here to try something new for our anniversary. I'd read through reviews, which were very mixed, and decided to see for ourselves. We've been to Fogo du Chao, which is definitely a very upscale version of this style of restaurant. With the understanding that you get what you pay for, we did not expect something that fancy. Still, this was an expensive indulgence for us - we did not order alcohol or dessert, having only fountain pop and the full churrasco experience. For two people, this was over $100. We live a ways north of Ames, so we had over an hour drive to come. Unfortunately, we were disappointed over all. First, the good: plenty of parking, very clean, cute, spacious - it was not busy, so not noisy. The service was quick and efficient but impersonal. We never had to wait for a drink refill, but never had a, "my name is, and I'll be your server today" kind of person. Everything was very clean. Second, the negatives: We prefer to follow a keto/carnivore-ish eating pattern, so I was very excited to go to a place that seemed to emphasize meats. We did visit the salad bar at first, just to see what was there. We sampled a few of the offerings - the cucumber salad had literally no discernible dressing of any kind. A tomato salad was mushy and mealy. My husband tried the cheesy mashed potatoes and said they were dry and lacking in flavor. There was a pasta alfredo, but the alfredo sauce was ridiculously watery.  The meats, when they came, were merely okay. I don't prefer chicken, but the chicken was good, well seasoned and well cooked, and not too dry. The pork selections were gristly and tough. The beef selections - when they got to our table - were also tough and unseasoned. I like beef in almost any style, and this was okay, but nothing unique or delicious. I could have cooked it better at home. Nothing caramelized or crispy on the outside. Often, we would see the beef come out, and by the time they made a small loop in the restaurant, it was gone before they got to our table. We only got steak once, though we were offered chicken, pork and sausage several times. We had the barbeque beef, and this also was a nice flavor, but this beef was overcooked and very tough. Overall, this was not worth the money to us. I am sad, because I like this style of restaurant, and it is the only one in Des Moines, and I really want it to succeed. However, I've had better salad bar selections in variety and freshness at Chinese buffets, and I could get a huge, delicious steak and grilled shrimp at Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, etc., for a fraction of the price. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this to anyone. read more

It's been a bit since my last visit. But wanted to post that the food was excellent. Definitely bring your appetite because there's a variety and a lot. It was very busy then but very efficient & appeared clean. Lot of staff helping. I'd go back if this was my type of food. It's not. But it's still very good and I'd recommend to at least try. read more

Clean restaurant. We were welcomed by a server in the dining room, not a hostess. Our server was not very attentive, had to flag her down to get drink refills. The meat rotation people were attentive and brought what I requested. Bathrooms were clean. Cheese rolls were dry and super hard but then they refilled it and they were better. All the meat was super flavorful, juicy and served hot. The pineapple was delicious! And the Parmesan crusted chicken! The buffet was kept very clean. Overall, for an "all you can eat/buffet" I feel like it was overpriced. You can do an all you can eat sushi for less. read more

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The place felt dirty. Flies were noticed during the visit especially at the salad bar area. Lots of chicken and not a lot of beef. $40 is a lot and is probably better to try a few things at home instead. Overall, overpriced for the quality of food and service received. read more

We came here for lunch on a Wednesday and had a wonderful experience. Our server Oscar explained the process for us which was super easy: turn device to green if you want meats to come, turn to red if you want to stop, turn on its side if you are ready for the check. The salad bar is open during the entire buffet and has so many delicious options. Before we even started with the meats, our plates were full from items off the buffet. Hot food off the buffet remained hot and the cold foods remained cold. The dining area is clean and the bathrooms are clean (which is always a good sign). The servers slicing the meat were very nice and even asked us what they could bring us when they saw that we kept our device green but passed on a few meat selections. My favorites were the marinated chicken and the garlic beef. We will definitely be back and will be bringing others with us! read more

Let me start out by saying this was an amazing experience. The service at this place is top notch, Tucker our Gaucho and Jacoby were the most friendly and helpful staff members I've had the pleasure to know. They carry a great conversation and went out of their way to make sure we got everything we wanted.The food was top tier, it just keeps coming until until you surrender( for me I wait until I get the meat sweats!) The restaurant is warm ,clean, and welcoming. It was worth our 3 hour drive to get here and it definitely won't be the last! Keep up the good work! read more

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Amazing vibes, great food selection, service was great! And the waiter went above and beyond! Definitely recommend

Was a horrible experience. Never refilled our drinks and had to wait a half hour to pay my 385 dollar bill that included a 54 dollar automatic gratuity. Avoid. Over priced and service is terrible. read more

Went for Valentine's Day with my fiancé and we had a great time! It was very busy but the food was brought out often and fast. Got a drink each and it was delicious read more

This is the worst Brazilian Steakhouse I have ever been to. I have been to many, and this is fast food compared to the others. I would rather have fast food. The people come around maybe every 5 minutes, if you're lucky, and the meat is bland as well as the salad bar. Somehow they managed to make multiple foods taste alike because they all are similar in the sense of being tasteless. I will NEVER be coming here again. read more

Bring me the meats and that's exactly what they did!!!!!! Loss of a star for not having the sausage and Brazilian steak as listed as the menu. Other than that, we tried every meat on the menu. My favorite item was the mouth-watering grilled pineapple.The salad bar was underwhelming and not always stocked with all the options. The drinks were yummy and strong. Our server provided exceptional service and was very attentive. read more

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Mmmmmm.... Their salad bar is fantastic! Lots of salads, side dishes (mashed potatoes, pasta, fried bananas etc.) Cheese bread was to die for. Fantastic! Service: 5 stars! But.... the main player is the meat... and... it was not great. Lots of meats was dry, and not tender. Over cooked too... :( You can ask for more rare cuts, and there are lots of options. And the grilled pineapple was delish! read more

Brazil Terra Grill - Cheese bread - Steakhouses Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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Walked in. Nobody was there, then a MOUSE came from the kitchen area. Disgusting. Can't imagine the grossness in the kitchen read more

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Meat was either dry or too fatty! Menu does not reflect actual pricing. Service sucked! No menu also salad bar had next to nothing for sides and everything was old! Worst experience ive ever had at a restaurant...especially in West Des Moines! Will never return. I am offended that I was charged over $100 for a meal I could have received at a food pantry! read more

Service was slow. Our server let us sit at our table with a reservation for over 20 minutes before greeting us. Sides and salad bar was actually one of the best I've had from a Brazilian steakhouse. Lots of options besides salads. My favorites were the hot creamy pasta, black beans and rice. Fried bananas were not my favorite, personally. My first margarita from the bar was delicious, so was my husbands "Alex's old fashioned". Then we elected to order a second round of the same drinks because they were so good the first time, but they came out totally different and tasted awful. Had to have the waiter swap them out. Meats were very good. I would say I liked almost all of them. Even the chicken was moist. It did take them a while to come around with each of the meats so sometimes you were waiting with an open plate. They did not ask you how you would like your meat cooked (like I was used to from a Brazilian steakhouse) but most of the cuts were medium to well done. Workers and servers at this establishment are young. Very young. Maybe that's why the service wasn't the best. Food was good and hot. I wouldn't say this is the best Brazilian steakhouse but not bad for Iowa. Ambiance ranged from casual to dressy. Good for birthdays or family gatherings. read more

Brazil Terra Grill - Alex's old fashion drink menu - Steakhouses Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

bad meat that came around once every 5-10 minutes. won't ever come again. even the salad bar was nasty slop with no flavor.

Fantastic service from Tucker, Fantastic and attentive guy . Jefferson was fantastic server too,

There were 7 of us and a 4 year old. The food was awesome as was the waitress. She kept our drinks filled and cleared plates. The server coming around with the skewers of meat was less than pleasant. He rolled his eyes several times and was talking about us to other staff as we saw him point at our table. If it wasn't for that it would have been a great experience. read more

Recently came here with my family and had a great experience. We had dinner reservations and were promptly seated after arriving. To start, we visited the salad bar/buffet which had plenty of cold and hot options. My favorites were the mashed potatoes and cheese biscuits. At the table, I think we tried just about every meat they had to offer and they were all very good. I enjoyed the steaks, chicken, and grilled pineapple. They are accommodating and asked what specific foods we wanted to have and brought them out hot. Great staff serving there! The inside has plenty of large tables and booths and lots of space to move around and walk to the buffet. Outside is a patio area with umbrella tables. Overall, a great spot but can be pricey like most Brazilian steakhouses! read more

It was my favorite dining companion's birthday dinner with her dad and myself. She decided on Brazil Terra Grill. We have had them on our list for quite some time, but had never gotten around to actually going there. We went on a Monday night, so the restaurant wasn't packed, which was actually really nice. Our server explained how everything worked, and away we went. We headed right for the salad bar first, before we began our carnivore journey. There is a LOT of variety on that salad bar. There are multiple cold salads such as potato salad and pasta salad. One side of the salad bar was dedicated to making your own conventional salad, and the other side had various salads, and one end had some hot dishes. The Chicken Stroganoff and the collard greens were the winners for me. The chicken was tender, and the sauce was very flavorful. The collard greens got a slightly different treatment compared to typical southern US preparations of them, but they were still very tasty. Onto the meat! Every few minutes one of the meat men as I called them, came by with some sort of delicious meat on a spit, along with a big knife. You indicated if you wanted the meat on display, and they carefully carved you some. There were various cuts of steak, pork, and chicken. There was even linguisa sausage, which made my favorite dining companion's father very happy. Linguisa is one of his favorites. Everything was beautifully cooked and well-seasoned. It wasn't long before we waved the white flag (or flipped the red totem, in this case), as we couldn't eat any more meat. Since it was her birthday, our server was kind enough to give us a generous slice of New York style cheesecake on the house. It was delicious. We made room for dessert, and it was worth it. Brazil Terra Grille isn't cheap, but if you're looking to eat your fill of a wide variety of tasty meals, along with a very respectable salad bar, look no further. We'll definitely be back, possibly on Friday or Saturday, as they have ribs those nights! read more

Brazil Terra Grill - Some of the dishes from the salad bar. The chicken Stroganoff bottom left was delicious. The collard greens bottom right were also tasty. - Steakhouses Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Best Brazilian restaurant/steakhouse I've ever been! Great food and amazing staff. They really made me feel like I was back in Brazil with all the warm greetings! The environment is spectacular! And all the decoration was so beautiful! read more

Its been a tradition to come here every year for my sons birthday. This year we came on. Friday like years past. Wow how things have changes. 1) the quality has dropped considerably. 2) our waitress was one of the worst I have ever had! No refills and did not take away the dirty dishes. read more

The service was outstanding. Immediately greeted when I walked in at 6:35. Seated quickly and water delivered almost as fast as I was seated. Wilmer the waiter was hustling bringing different meat varieties. The meats were flavorful in the Brazilian style. Some saltier than others.if low sodium is what you like you may want to choose a different place. I find that all the Brazilian steakhouses I have been to will have you avoiding salt for a few days after because you will get a weeks worth after dining at a Churrasco. The grilled pineapple was really good. The staff was attentive and asked what type of meats I would like and how I liked them cooked. Jeff made sure I was taken care of and his level of hospitality was that of a 5 star restaurant. The ticket was 46.99 for dinner which is a little below average for a dinner at Churrascaria. If you have never been to a Brazilian steak house, lunch would be the way to try it as the price is about half, but you also have half the meats to try as well. The salad bar was average and left something to be desired. The greens were good. I give it a 3.5 overall and I would return if I have a hankering for a carnivorous outing! Texas de Brazil in Memphis, so far has been the best Brazilian Churrascaria that I have been to in the states. read more

Brazil Terra Grill - Beans rice and greens - Steakhouses Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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My husband and I were so excited about trying this place. We weren't super hungry and didn't feel like spending all the money on the full Churrasco dining experience so we ordered from the daily special carry out menu. I've read great reviews about that menu and it's only $10 so I thought it sounded great. Unfortunately, the food was terrible. Neither of us enjoyed it at all. The daily special we got included two pieces each of tri tip steak, marinated chicken and Brazilian sausage, collard greens with bacon, black beans, rice and a green salad. All of the meat was dry and tough and had no flavor except for the chicken. The black beans tasted like mush and needed some salt or seasoning. The collard greens were actually cabbage and not collard greens and had no flavor. And the salad dressing was bland. I couldn't understand why this place is so popular. The food was the worst I've ever tasted. It was so bad I couldn't even finish it. I felt like it was a huge waste of money. I can only speak about their carry out menu because I didn't try their dine-in menu but I can't believe it tastes that much different. I really hate to leave bad reviews for any restaurant, especially right now when most of them are struggling, but I believe people should know what they're getting for their money. We were so disappointed and won't be back again. read more

Brazil Terra Grill - Saturday carry out dinner special - Steakhouses Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

We went for dinner on a Saturday evening. Had steak served to us that was raw. On the other side, they only were serving well done steak in the evenings as we assume they were reheating food meats from earlier in the day. Some things weren't seasoned at all. They said they had a variety of 18 different meats but we only saw about 7 in our whole time there. We also never saw pineapple or vegetables. The salad bar was sub par at best. The best thing there was the cheesy bread and when spending the money we did to eat there we were overall very unhappy with it. The server was nice and did replace drinks for us but def not remove any plates from our table. We didn't grab a picture of the raw steak but we promise it was not just rare but actually raw. Save your money. read more

Visiting from MS--- My brother took me here for my birthday, and let's just say I'm well stuffed and the dinner was 2 days ago. Oh boy, oh boy did I love it here. Everything was amazing! I wish I took pictures of all the different meats, but I was so full that I couldn't focus lol. My top three would be the sweet pork, bbq chicken, and the pineapple!! read more

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Some of the best flavored meats I've had in years. Food always comes out hot or close to it. Some of the workers (Porter, for one) were so nice, fun, and accommodating! I will visit every time I'm in town!! Wish they'd add lamb to the menu, but so many meats to choose from! Yum!! read more

Brazil Terra Grill - The meats - Steakhouses Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

We were in town to visit my daughter who is going to Des Moines University. Service was good, but the food was not overwhelming.

If you're visiting out of state, the price is good for this Terra Grill. Usually the prices for the Brazilian Terra grills would be $70 and up with a lot of selections. Although this particular doesn't had rare - medium rare - well done variety, it's still one of the top restaurants I'll come to. Service was great from the greeters to the person in charge in the kitchen and on the floor. Don't forget to get some of them coffee candies in the front before you leave bc those are super good!!! read more

I arrived shortly after 1100 am and left around 1220 pm. As you enter there is a host station where you wait to be seated. Seating is a mixture of table and chairs and booths. I was seated quickly at a large comfortable booth. My server (Maggie) stopped by within a minute or so, introduced herself, explained the menu, and took my drink order. I ordered the Brazilian lemonade as it seemed to be highly recommended by others. If I remember correctly it's lemonade with a touch of condensed milk/cream and sugar. It was very good. I went with the lunch experience; grilled meat and salad bar. The lunch menu is a reduced menu from dinner and is subject to change. I made two small trips to the salad bar, but I was there for the meat. I thought the salad bar was well stocked with hot (mashed potatoes, stroganoff, rolls, and rice, etc.) and cold choices (regular salad fixings, multiple vegetable salads, multiple pasta salads, cheese, salami, vegetables, fruit, etc.). It was sufficient for me anyway. One thing to note. Small plates are for meat. Large plates are for the salad bar. The plates for the salad bar are not on the bar itself. They are on a large table near the salad bar, but under the window looking into the kitchen. The sides of cheese bread and fried banana (not plantains) etc. were brought to me before the parade of meat started. Today my service was spectacular from both Maggie and the gauchos. They use a red and green ended block v. a flip card. Red pauses your table-side service by the gauchos...green signals them to bring it on... Here is what I was presented with table-side today. Marinated chicken Parmesan pork (2x) Sausage (2x) Garlic steak (probably my favorite) (2x) Spicy pork (heat tasted pepper based...jalapeño maybe) (2x) Bottom sirloin (a little overdone, but the gaucho warned me ahead of time) Tri-tip (close to prime rib) (2x) Seasoned pork (2x) Grilled pineapple Spicy chicken (subtle teriyaki flavor with a lot of heat) Top sirloin BBQ pork (probably my least favorite) The portions served aren't huge, but I filled up pretty quickly because of the multiple rounds. I didn't quite make it through two full rotations... If something is too rare for you they will accommodate to the best of their ability and try to provide a more well done piece. The bark on each roasted meat was very good... Well seasoned and very flavorful. I'm not someone who likes fat...but what was there just melted away in my mouth. Refills to my lemonade and water were fine...no long waits. Service slowed a little as they got busier which is to be expected. And honestly a little break between rounds became welcome... I left very full and am bordering slipping into a food coma as I write this. The lunch option is $17.99 v. the $38.99 dinner option. Even with the reduced menu I'd highly recommend lunch if you want to check out Brazil Terra Grill and give it a test-drive. Especially if you haven't had a Brazilian steakhouse experience before... I walked away very happy and full today. read more

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Enjoyed Brazil Terra Grill on Saturday night with my husband, FIL, and brother. It was truly a 3 man meat fest because the service was non-stop and everyone was so friendly. Oscar & Tucker went above and beyond not only with our table to all interactions of other tables too.The salad bar had an excellent selection of fresh vegetables and tasty salads. read more

We reserved a table tonight to celebrate a 50th birthday with a group of 8. We were promptly welcomed and seated, and Alejandro explained the menu options and the buffet and we were off! The drinks arrived quickly, the meat selection was non stop, the food was delicious, and there was something for everyone as we all had a different favorite! (Aside from the pineapple which was a consensus excellent choice!) The service throughout the evening was spectacular! We had so much fun and enjoyed ourselves tremendously! The team really did a great job tonight, and I look forward to my next visit! read more

It's been a couple months since I came in here, but the food was SOOOO GOOOD!! Those cheese bread things are awesome. The meal I got was one of their weekday specials, and, eventually, I want to go to eat in after the pandemic is improved. The lady who took my order was very good. It was take out. CyHawkApproved. Marcy'sDinerTantrumScale 5/5- NoScreamingKids. Prices were good. Lot parking. LOVED IT! read more

Brazil Terra Grill - Their cheese bread is addictive! - Steakhouses Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Good service and great food. The ambiance of the restaurant is very nice. They welcomed the Waukee football team with open arms that I am a part of. read more

Closed at 8:27pm. Lost a large group of 8 ppl. Won't be back. Doors and website say closes at 9pm. Maybe they are out of business.

We just left from there and the food was over cooked. None of the meats were decent. If you go here make sure to have all Your teeth because your going to need it. It was like eating beef jerky. So sad for an expensive dinner. The chicken was hard and chewy and it just all seemed like it was sitting there all day. Customer service was good. The gentlemen serving the meats were nice and always came to the table with smiles. We would never go back. read more

Very excited to have a new Brazilian Steakhouse in Des Moines. I went on opening weekend and was surprised at how packed it was. It has a more casual vibe than some Brazilian Steakhouses I've been to. The salad bar had many delicious offerings. Fresh fruit, different types of lettuce, potatoes, rice, and more. The endless variety of meats were outstanding! I tried everything offered except for the lamb and I was not disappointed with any of it. The grilled pineapples they brought around were amazing! We were celebrating a birthday; they brought out ice cream and sang happy birthday. I also ordered the churro dessert which was perfect for after the meal. The only issue that night was waiting long periods of time for water and drinks from the bar. I think that once the kinks are worked out and the service falls into place it will be that much better! read more

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If I could put a negative star I would. It started off when they wanted to seat us a high top table and I asked for a 1/2 booth 1/2 table and then they proceed to seat us at a regular table and was told that there aren't any 1/2 booth 1/2 tables clean but they had just cleaned the table they seated us at and we had to wait for them to clean so they could have just as well cleaned the one we requested. Then the all meat they were serving was so dry that it resembled shoe leather and I flavor was just not good. We asked for the ribs we saw and they said they were out. We were there during normal dinner time. They say they have 18 different meats that come around and I don't think we saw any more than 10. Even the fish was the consistency if shoe leather. The meal was inedible but no one bothered to ask us how our food experience was at all. The pasta was so dry and old it just stuck together and there was no sauce. The chicken stroganoff was all sauce and no chicken. The place is ridiculously loud plus there was a screaming child directly across from us. I wait 25 minutes for the server to come back to pay. Then he had the audacity to ask if I wanted change. That is one of the rudest things a server can ask. The service was so bad. We left a tip but it was way more than was deserved... I had a horrible tummy ache the balance of the evening... It was overall one of the worst restaurant experiences I have ever encountered. Such a disappointment! read more

Brazil Terra Grill - Steakhouses Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

No menus when you walk in - just hit the salad buffet which is amazing. And then the meats and pineapple come around to the table often! So fun to try everything! Beautiful place with the best service. Enjoyed talking with the owner. It was too pricey for us to go often but a special treat for sure! read more

The food was good, but the service provided by the bartender, Lilian, was the highlight of our dinner. She was extremely attentive and on top of things. My son asked to celebrate her birthday there and she made sure he had an awesome experience. He ate the most he tried a little bit of everything and was extremely happy when we left. We all had so much fun. I would highly recommend going and asking for her, if you can. She's amazing. read more