Great spot for Brazilian-style dining. The meats were excellent, well cooked, flavorful, and…read moredefinitely the highlight of the experience. Service was also very good, attentive and friendly, and the overall atmosphere was lively and pleasant. The buffet had a decent selection, though it was a bit hit or miss. Personally I skipped the sushi, as the fish looked a little darker than expected. But maybe that's the colour of raw salmon in Brazil. Cocktails were very good, though they did come with quite a bit of ice. Parking on the street is very challenging, but you mainly come here on walk, since this area is quite touristy and offers many stores nearby.

My friends and I ended up eating at Carretao after took a nice bike ride from Sao Conrado to…read moreIpanema (highly recommend, btw). So we worked up an appetite and were ready to scarf down some meat. We were seated immediately and the waiter was quick to take our drink orders. I love how casual Rio is; people dining around us were in swim trunks and bikinis. So laid back--great vibes. The meats alone were pretty great, but the salad bar/buffet was a little underwhelming. I tried some sushi but it was not good. The sides that come to the table were also sub-par. I usually find myself munching on way too much bread because of how good it is, but that wasn't the case here. I really liked the steak with cheese and of course the picanha. Carretao is a great place for rodizio and the price isn't too bad. Though if I were back in Rio they wouldn't be my first choice.

Before checking out Ipanema Beach for the first time, my buddy and I checked out Frontera for…read morelunch. This Brazilian restaurant was recommended in my guidebook for its buffet so we decided to give things a try. Upon walking in, I was impressed with the aesthetics of this restaurant. It's a large restaurant with nice, wooden booths and the decor is similarly impressive. The World Cup was going on while we were there and they had the game playing on a projector. Now let's get to the good stuff. This is a large buffet with a ton of options. We're talking all different types of meats, sides, appetizers, desserts . . . I would guess that there were at least 100 items to choose from. For someone who loves variety, I was in heaven. With the variety, the quality was there too. One of my favorites was the churrascaria-style meats that are carved in front of you at the buffet. To wash it all down, I ordered two fresh juices. This is truly a feast and one of my favorite dining experiences I had in Brazil.

Buffets are super popular in Brazil. We came to this one in Ipanema for lunch. Given Rio's…read moreperpetual sunniness this is probably not a place I'd choose again for a daytime meal given how dark the interior was. Food-wise there was a lot of selection ranging from rice and beans to many types of meat, salads and sushi. You can pay by weight or choose the all you can eat option for a flat rate.

While I'm generally allergic to buffets, friends wanted to congregate here so I conceded. And, I…read morewas pleasantly surprised. Guests pay for the weight of the products selected. What a novel idea. Pay per kilo. I like it. It's quite clever as often I only want a snack. I wish we could pay by kilo for things at the market that are not produce. Wouldn't it be cool to pay for only the bread you would eat in one sitting? The choices are various and not all things are prepared equally. So, try to be distinguishing and sneak a bite before you buy. I kid. The cornucopia of choices will always bring me back.

And here I was worried that I could not find food to match my healthy diet. After 15 years spending…read more6 months a year in Brazil this is by far the best self serve restaurant I have ever come across. I have never seen so many great options and varieties of foods. Together with a friendly staff I wholeheartedly give it 5 stars.

Amazing sushi in Brazil. We had the Roasted Sushi, Spicy Sushi, and the Salmon with Lychee…read more It was good to try sushi with a local fruit twist (passion fruit in the roasted sushi and lychee with the lychee salmons obviously). We also had the Brazilian Sake which was served in a very interesting overflowing square cup! The experience was fun, atmosphere was good, the food was healthy and really good and price was reasonable. We were surprised this place wasn't already on Yelp!

Great sushi spot for a group…read more We ordered the set of 100 pieces. Now let me be clear... this isn't top quality sushi, but it's good enough. No bad salmon/tuna here which can be an issue with lots of sushi spots. They also have plenty of sake options.

A really nice meal. The meat cuts were smexcellent. Really happy to see picanha as the first of the…read moremeats to come out and regularly. Really loved the flank steak too. And the filet in mushroom sauce at the buffet was great. Had some salad but ended up not eating the rest of my buffet selections and stuck with the meats

I went on vacation back in June for my girlfriend's birthday, and we decided to go to Brazil…read moreCopacabana to be exact. While in Brazil, you learn quickly that the locals love steak and I love steak so figured this would be a fun trip. We decided to come to Carretao which is a rodizio style Brazilian restaurant. Once seated inside the weight staff try the very best to explain to us how everything works. You're given a disc which is right on one side and green on the other side as long as the green side is showing the staff will continuously bring different cuts of delicious meats to your table and slice you off some samples. There was an open salad bar, which was loaded with fresh salads and little appetizers, but the main attraction was the never ending Daisy chain of meats. I was in heaven, and I enjoyed every moment of it. My only complaint about this restaurant was that I definitely bought my appetite and after sometime, I noticed that the staff stopped coming to the table with the prime cuts of meat, but would only come with the less desirable cuts this didn't bother me too much because I definitely ate more than my fair share lol. I would absolutely come here again. The price was amazing. The staff was friendly and at the end of dinner we got some delicious dessert shots, which were quite a treat.

We were looking for cheap caipirinhas and pizza and found both! The drinks were so strong that I…read moremay be over-enthusiastic about the pizza but it was really good and service was fast. Good sign: we were the only tourists. Definitely a local hangout. Check the arithmetic on the bill, but otherwise good, clean fun!

We asked our tour guide to take us to a place for locals. Although the per kilo bar looked really…read moregood, we wanted to try the local picanha with all of the trimmings which could easily have fed 5 adults. Overall I liked the experience!

Very nice, clean laid back buffet style restaurant. Large variety of food to choose from…read more Everything was good and I tried a lot of different items. Beef with a white cream on it was different and very good. Picania with salt and roasted garlic 5 star.

I love the variety of food here and they always strive to keep the good in the buffet fresh…read more Lunchtime on weekdays is a madhouse!

Around lunch time this place was busy and I was in a hurry/very hungry so I stepped inside ready…read morefor a kilo meal. The food array was super fresh and delicious looking - almost all the options were vegetarian which made being healthy easy. There wasn't a single item I tasted that I didn't like. Quinoa, avocado with tomatoes, okra, etc. Super tasty. Another plus, you can enjoy your meal from one of their shaded sidewalk tables. I had a very normal amount of food - in other words, my plate was not piled high with items. You'd think it was though when I went to pay. My meal cost me R$80. I was shocked. The food may be super great and fresh but the prices are over-the-top abusive. I won't be back unfortunately.

A small restaurant that only opens for lunch, pay by kilo, with the reputation so high it is always…read morecompletely packed. In my opinion, it's just too trendy and that's it. Food is fresh, not much variety. They serve same menu for years if not decades, including desert. Eating a little bit of almost everything will make you feel shocked when you realise the meal costed 75 reais alone, without drinks and service. Juices are really fresh with several options, the mango mouse amongst the desert options is one of the high points of this place for me, with pieces of coconut inside sunk in a tiny cake. I would rather go to one of our popular juice houses in Rio to eat something healthy with a really fresh juice. You will also probably pay 10% of the price for the same satisfaction than going to celeiro restaurant (they don't even have a menu for you to browse what you could feel like eating, when even many juice houses have - read my review for BB lanches). A final statement: I have been there several times before and was never impressed. I went there yesterday and stick with the feeling it is too expensive for what you get. There are tons of options around that would make you happier for you to have lunch, but maybe that's the place to go if you want to try and meet some Brazilian celebrities. Baring in mind the dress code is not formal at all, so you can get your flip flops and go without dressing up for a buffet style restaurant where you are going to pay a very high price for it.

Good casual spot for a sit down dinner. Located off the main commercial block, Avenida Ataulfo de…read morePaiva, Sushi Carioca offers a good respite for fresh rolls and koni. The tuna koni was quickly prepared and the nigiri was better than most. This place fills the void in local, non fast food sushi with a nice ambiance as well. Easily a spot someone in the neighborhood would frequent regularly. Delivery is also offered and plenty of outdoor seating.