Rubaiyat Rio

Man what a bust. I came here 3 weeks ago and had one of the best steaks ever and gave this place a glowing 5 star review despite the fact my wife had one of the worst steaks ever– I assumed she had just made a bad choice of cut. On my return tonight I ordered the same as last time– the baby gold, medium– while my wife got the picanha medium and a friend also got the baby gold medium. All three came out medium-​well to well done. But more importantly, the quality just wasn’t that good. We complained to the waiter about it being overlooked and he brought out another baby gold this time truly cooked medium and it was better but still nowhere near as good as last time.
We got the tuna tartar appetizer and I did not like it at all– lots of onion and lime juice which is not what I’m looking for in that dish. The others liked it ok. Sides of purée de baroa and piemontese rice were good. Service was fine.
After 2 visits with a total of 5 meals ordered, 1 was outstanding, 1 was terrible and 3 were ok at best but certainly not worth the price. Im going to put this place on my avoid list because it’s just not worth a crap shoot.

First off let me say the location is perfect they’re right next to the horse track and if you’re lucky enough you may get a glimpse of the statue of Jesus.
When we first arrived it wasn’t very crowded so we were able to get a table right away. All the waiters don’t speak a lick of English so for an American it’s difficult to order. Luckily my wife spoke Portuguese and was able to translate everything I was requesting which was nice. Okay so I order the empanada expecting something spectacular from what I’ve had in my many times in rio the empanada arrived I tried it & it was just plain awful I will never try the empanadas at Rubaiyat Rio again beware you should just order dog food yuck they were that bad.
So after the appetizer my wife and I were real hesitant because we had already placed orders for the entries for myself it was the ribeye steak which was highly recommended by the waiter and my wife had the sea bass. The ribeye steak was very dry I asked for it to be medium and they brought it out well done I can’t believe they could do that for such a popular restaurant I was expecting higher quality. As I ate the ribeye it was chewy and hard to swallow definitely will not listen to the waiter if I ever go here again very disappointed.
So two things ordered two things were not up to par. My wife ordered the sea bass and again they missed on cooking the sea bass properly the chefs added absolutely zero salt after my wife told me, I tried a bite and it was very dry and tasteless my wife was very disappointed and wanted to leave at this point. I really wanted to like the food and really hoped that it was just a bad night for the chefs the dessert was awesome no complaints there, but all in all only one of the four items we ordered we’re truly edible I think there’s something going on in the kitchen to where there is no strife to live up to their highly reputable food and atmosphere. I wish I could give them a second chance but I’m extremely skeptical to do so.
The customer service was good there was no problems and no miscommunication at least from a customers standpoint this review is solely based on the food itself.

Upon walking in to Rubaiyat Rio, the first thing you notice is the incredibly open and beautiful space. Very high ceilings and a large, open floor plan paired with great choices of wood and pleasantly warm lighting already set the experience up nicely. Outside, the spacious patio sits less than ten feet from the rail of the horse track (the restaurant is located at the Jockey Club). If you show up earlier in the evenings, like before 8pm, you can even experience the race up close and personal!
Rubaiyat is, at its core, a steakhouse. The menu heavily features steak, and the steak that they serve is raised on their own farm in Minas Gerais, the state north of Rio. In addition to their delicious steak, however, the menu features a healthy selection of seafood, salads, and other foods. While I almost always opt for a steak option, I have several friends who have ordered other things. Their sea bass, for example, was delicious, and the lobster was quite a presentation, in addition to tasting marvelous.
This is a great place to come to celebrate something. They can accommodate groups, but beware: the prices are among the highest in Rio (you will easily spend R$ 250−300/person). It is definitely worth it!

The closest to fine dining you’ll get in Rio! High quality meats, seasoned to perfection and cooked to exactly how you like it. They bring the steak out rare in a hot iron grill and you can leave it there until it’s cooked to your satisfaction (see pic). GREAT IDEA! I strongly recommend the Kobe Beef… it will change your life!
The standard side that came with the steaks is a hollow potato puff but you can order other sides like cream of spinach, several types of rice (I like Biro-​Biro, rice with egg), and other veggie dishes.
Wine selection is pretty good (South American, some US, and European wines) and the cocktails are very boozy and really good. I recommend the lychee martini and the strawberry caipirinha.
Ambiance is fancy and the service is top notch. They have someone who speaks English so don’t be afraid if you don’t know Portuguese. But the price might scare you, about $ 100 per person.
BTW, this is a restaurant right by the horse race track. If you want to dine al fresco, ask for a table outside, right by the track. Look up race schedules and you might even get a free show with lunch/​early dinner.
Obrigado!!!

The food and service are sublime, combined with the beautiful outside terrace with view of the jokey club it must be one of the best places in Rio.

Love the environment, great out door space next to a race track. Food was OK, an expense account palace but I wouldn’t want to pay for it. A place to try for special occasions.

Solid 5 star resto… I am familiar with this group of restaurants, having dined at Cabana Las Lilas in Buenos Aires years ago. Rubaiyat in São Paulo has been an institution for years. I jumped at the opportunity to dine here when I learned they opened a location in Rio.
Impressive location directly in front of The Jockey Club with awesome ambiance adds to the dining experience. Excellent and attentive service. Focaccia bread is great, including one piece shaped like a pretzel. Ribeye came out a perfect medium rare and was served with a chimichuri sauce and onions. For the side dish I ordered their puff potatoes. Good pour of a good tasting Malbec. With dessert and complimentary dessert plate, bill came to $ 65 US with tip – same meal in the US would easily cost $ 90 or more.
Definitely ask for a table outside overlooking the race track. Would return here without a doubt.

After several visits, I can’t say that we would return to Rubaiyat. The prices are astronomical while the food quality is disappointing.
Our last visit was with a large group and most were not happy with their food. One lady refused to eat hers as it was unappetizing. Some was not served hot. I had the famous «baby gold» beef which was under-​cooked, tough and flavorless. My spouse had the Treasure Chest of seafood. The seafood was fresh and high quality (lobster, octopus, squid, etc) but was grilled on a hot plate with about a gallon of oil. There was no particular seasoning or flavor, just lots of oil. We tried the crème brûlée dessert which was runny and cold, but otherwise tasty.
At one stage during our dinner, the kitchen, which is in full view and teeming with uniformed chefs, turned black with smoke and hysteria as something burned up on the grill. One gets the impression a lot of money has been spent on the décor, the wine list, and the ingredients but that the kitchen staff do not know how to cook. This is a problem for a restaurant.
Service included a vast army of well-​dressed waiters, but in typical local style one had to work pretty hard to get a glass refilled or anything like that. The staff just are not trained to be attentive to what customers might need in a restaurant.
Considering main dishes run $ 100 – 200 each, a diner here will have high expectations, but they are not met. One gets the impression nobody in the kitchen actually knows what any of these dishes should taste like. Rubaiyat sells itself as a beef restaurant, but it offers neither Brazilian churrasco nor great Argentine steaks. The menu is a long and confusing mix of too many beef dishes and a bunch of other items.

Excelente. Comida, visual.
Do mesmo dono do Cabana de las Isla de Buenos Aires, o tradicional Rubayat de SP chegou ao Rio.
Comida argentina com. vvoas opções de carnes, bem servidas. Entradas como empanada e costelas são ótimas.
Visual eh o destaque. De frente para a pista de corrida do jóquei.
Não cobra taxa de rolha para duas garrafas.

Maravilhoso! Perfeito para ocasião especial como aniversário de namoro, casamento etc. Tente chegar até 20:30 para dar tempo de assistir alguns páreos de corrida. Dependendo do dia acaba 22:30 ou 20:40. Reservas até 20:15. Média por pessoa de 180 reais com entradas, prato principal (dependendo da fome e do prato dá para dividir) e sobremesa. Dicas: suco de tangerina muito bom e pedindo chá no final vem prato com docinhos.

É a segunda vez que venho ao restaurante. O lugar é muito agradável. Arejado, amplo, mesas grandes e um varandão com uma vista muito legal. A comida é cara, mas tem qualidade, com opções de carnes e acompanhamentos muito bem preparados e carta de vinhos bem escolhidos. O que faz a nota cair um pouco é o serviço. Confuso. Muitos garçons e ainda sim alguns pedidos errados e demora para trazer alguns ítens. Mas, desde que fui pela primeira vez há 2 meses, notei uma melhora neste quesito e torço para que eles continuem o aperfeiçoando. É um bom restaurante.
O custo médio por pessoa saiu 180 reais. Com entrada, bebidas (incluindo alcoólicas), pratos principais, sobremesas e cafezinho, enfim, refeição farta.

Vim ao Rubaiyat depois de várias indicações de amigos e naturalmente estava com expectativas altas. O lugar em si é incrível, a beira da pista de corrida de cavalos. O atendimento também é muito bom, mas a comida deixou um pouco a desejar diante do preço cobrado. Pedi a carne especialidade da casa (baby beef) mal passado, mas a carne veio ao ponto. Vale a pena pelo ambiente, mas definitivamente não é a melhor carne do Rio. Se vierem, não deixem de conferir o banheiro da casa.