Agora Churrascaria

Went here few time in the past .
Come back today after… 10 years for Father’s day by my Daughter invited us .
They are still same, great food, amazing salad bar, some of soups … and My favor still is Brazilian cheese bread ball, the Flan cake is creamy and the passion fruit mouse cake is so delicious one of desserts.
If you love steak and BBQ meat, here is a good choice this Brazilian Restaurant all you can eat, enjoy meat with wine, nice restaurant, amazing service, romantic music… is here.

Went here for Father’s day lunch
For some reason, they didn’t have prime rib today. Odd. Shouldn’t you have prime rib, especially today?
Tip: if you feel scammed because you were filled up by the salad and breads during the wait. then. don’t eat it? I’m fine with sitting there looking bored and passing time talking with my people. Eventually the good cuts will come out. (YMMV if you have an event to attend to afterwards, but for a sit down dinner for a family event I was totally fine with waiting as long as I needed)
Servers were very attentive for my party of 5. We left our little green papers up the whole time, so the waiters came by every few minutes or so.
I recall that today we were offered filet mignon, their «special» meat, the skirt steak, the lamb, the BBQ chicken, and the pork sausages. Today’s Tri-​tip beef looked kinda over done.

Meat on a skewer, what could be better?!
More meats. Lol
I’ve been to Agora a few times in the past and it has always been a place to celebrate for me. This time around, it was for the sale of my house.
I really like the ambiance of this restaurant. Classy and casual, all at the same time. The dim lighting makes for an intimate dining experience, but once the meat starts coming, the action begins.
This is a Brazilian BBQ feast, but before the meat, let’s talk about the buffet spread. It’s Delicious. Salads, seafood, meats, garnishes and hot food. Yum.
Here are some of the items I tried;
*Mussels — good, but on the salty side.
*Salmon Crudo — Yum!
*Apple salad — Delicious.
*Shiitake mushroom salad — The Best item from the buffet. OMG! So Flavorful and it taste lot like a piece of meat. YUM!
*Shrimp cocktail — Good, but the horseradish is at the opposite end of the buffet.
*Chicken Stew — Very good!
But don’t fill up on the buffet, we’re here for the meat!
As the card on your table says
«Sim, por favor»
Let the meat parade begin =)
*Top sirloin — their signature meat and for good reason, it’s very good. I got a medium rare piece and it was perfect.
*Skirt steak — not my favorite cut of meat, but this was very good. Yum.
*Pork tenderloin — hmmmm pork! Enough said.
*Beef tenderloin — tender but lacking in flavor.
*Pork sausage — Porkalicious!
*Beef wrapped in bacon — just okay.
*Lamb — the first one I got was so good (medium rare) yum. The second one was way over done, not good.
*Tri tip — cooked perfectly.
*Chicken thigh — just okay
Service was okay.
The guys with the meats came around frequently enough, but they came back with the same meat we already had. It would be 2 or 3 visits before we got a new meat to try. We got the lamb as our first meat, it was so good, we kept waiting for it to come back. We had to ask for it (as our last meat) for it to come out. Disappointingly, it was too well done. Not what I was hoping my last bite would be.
Skewered meat was so good, I can’t wait to come back =)

Do not go. Has some ok points but overall you walk away feeling scammed. Easily over $ 60 per head for «all you can eat salad». Our bill ended to be close to $ 500 for 6 adults and 1 child.
Quick summary, after seating you, they instantly try to fill you up with cheese bread, sugared bananas, and a full salad bar (which is a nice spread). But 30 mins in, still not a single piece of meat was offered to us. We were a table of 7 so hard to miss. There were several long moments where we were literally all looking around for a waiter with any skewer of any kind. Saw same thing happening to the other tables. After asking two different servers for meat which got us nothing, I had to literally chase down the manager for service.
Rest of evening, they mostly offered us decent tri tip, small burnt chicken thighs, nothing special sausage and low grade beef wrapped in fatty bacon. Any and all the other types of meats might as well have been on the endangered list. Totally defeats the point of going to a Brazilian steakhouse where variety and quality are big reasons for coming.
Did I mention this was Saturday night of Father’s Day weekend? Full staff and we ate at 5:30pm so place was not even full yet. So you almost feel it’s intentional by design.
So in summary, initially no meat, then only the same low grade meat, and slow unresponsive service… for the price, you’re better off going to a nice full service steak house like Ruth’s Chris.
BTW, I give two stars because staff was nice, including manager, décor was nice, higher grade meats were good if you could get a bite and salad bar was nice.

Agora Churrascaria is a great Brazilian BBQ establishment to dine at whether it be for a group setting or for special occasions. From the outside looking in, the venue is fancy, dimly lit, and quite large. For about $ 53 per person, it’s pretty much all you can eat. They offer a buffet which include a full salad bar, breads, hot/​cold side dishes, as well as hot soups.
The waiters might be a bit slow at first with regards to bringing the meats out, but once the first one came, the ball kept rolling. Like any standard Brazilian restaurant, they offer a variety of steak options like Tri-​tip, Sirloin, Filet Mignon as well as pork and chicken options if you like that too. I would encourage you to try everything to get your money’s worth. The drink menu is definitely worth checking out as well. Other than that, the service was top-​notch!
If you happen to be in the Irvine area and in the mood for some good Brazilian bbq, bring some friends and go to Agora.

Cheese bread!
Salad bar is amazing.
My favorite meat there is the sirloin cap!
I gave it 5 stars because it fulfilled my requirements when it came to food and service.

Staying in Irvine for a little get away decided to go on Unilocal for local restaurants and naturally being Brazilian this was my first choice. They valet park everyone so make sure to have cash for a tip. We got there right when they opened at 5 and were seated right away. Salad bar was beautiful and everything tasted delicious ! Meat started coming and it also was all seasoned very well. We even asked if they had lamp chops and they went to the back and made some especially for my husband wow! Esteban and Omar were awesome ! Lastly the manager Jaqano not sure about spelling came to see how everything was and chatted with us about Brazilian beer and actually gave my husband one to try ! I’d highly recommend this restaurant but they get busy so make reservations for larger groups !

Just horrible. Meat was either over cooked and dry or so rare it was still mooing. Also, no flavor. I don’t think they know how to spell seasoning.
Servers were not helpful at all. When I asked them what kinds of meat they had, they said chicken, lamb, pork, beef. Aren’t they trained to describe the various cuts of beef at the most basic level like strip steak, sirloin, etc? The wait between rounds of servers showing up with the meat was very long. I actually had to go back up to the salad bar to get something to eat while waiting for the meat.
I don’t know how they stay in business.

Like the food! However I got in trouble with my company because they decided to add extra tip onto my company card. It didn’t match the receipt I had submitted to the company. I ended up having to pay my work to cover their extra charges.
Everyone, check your receipts when you dine here against your credit card statements. They like to tip themselves a little more.

This is an amazing place to go for a special occasion! The Brazilian BBQ is excellent!
The salad bar is truly one day of a kind with an enormous variety. The smoked salmon was so fresh and delicious!
The meats are all cooked so perfectly! The food is truly special as is the ambience and service!
Highly recommend this special place if you want to go somewhere for a celebration or just to an amazing special meal!

3.5 stars
I was looking for a steakhouse in the area and decided to try out Agora Churrascaria for Brazilian BBQ. It’s a typical high-​end AYCE Brazilian joint where you get an endless amount of meat, so come hungry and ready to eat! They have about 10 – 15 different kinds of meats. My favorites were the skirt steak and picanha… So juicy and tender! The tri tip was really tough… My least favorite of the night. All the rest of the meats kind of fell somewhere in between… Decent but not great. The salad bar is okay.
Service was great and the meat servers come to you at a rapid pace so make sure to flip that button over to the red side if you want a break! $ 52/​pp for dinner. Large parking lot available.

You have to think of Agora as a place you take out the family out after a long week of work or a night out with your buddies for a bachelor or birthday party. It’s no first date place, or a quick bite to eat. It’s all you can eat Brazilian BBQ, it’s upscale, it’s elegant and fancy. You have to put on a nice, clean shirt. And it doesn’t hurt to starve a meal before you get there. You save a place like this for a special occasion, that is exactly what this place represents, perfectly sitting near the airport for hungry travelers and wealthy Irvine residence.
Before you start on any of the delicious meats, make your way to the buffet line to get your vegetables and rice. I recommend the white rice, tasty and sweet, it had a little something that really sets it up a notch. There’s an assortment of foods you can get, but try not to fill up on that, especially when you know the stars of the evening will make its way around. With that being said, I have to say that the servers are a bit slow to come around. They don’t have as many exotic meats as other similar restaurants. They don’t have as much smoky flavors on their meats as they do at some of the other Brazilian AYCEs in SoCal. For a local place, this will do. Always a favorite of mine, the tri-​tip is excellent, also you should get the sausage, if they ever make it your way. Agora is a good one, but I expected more for an upscale restaurant.

Not sure what all of the negative Unilocal reviews are about. Came here for dinner tonight, it was my first time. The customer service that my boyfriend and I received was excellent from the moment that we walked in the door. We had a reservation for 8:30 and were seated immediately. Our server was very attentive and made sure that we had water and wine at all times throughout the meal.
As far as the food goes, it’s literally amazing. We tried probably 7 – 8 meats, all of which were cooked to perfection. Super juicy and full of flavor it was just out of control good.
I loved the salad bar as well. There’s so many fresh options from cucumber salad to shrimp cocktail. Also there’s hot items like mashed potatoes and rice to go with your steak. I will be back!

If you are a big lover this is the place for you. This place is definitely overpriced… but who cares when you can meet all the meat you want!!!
The parking is horrible but they do offer valet so you’ll be OK! The bathrooms definitely did not match the restaurant atmosphere which usually tells me a lot.
If you want to learn a little bit about Brazilian culture you’re not going to get it from this restaurant. To me this is just a place to pick out like all you can eat sushi but with nothing but me. If you want to learn about meats and how many styles are this is definitely the spot.
To get you out of your comfort through I recommend asking for the chicken hearts those are definitely fun and extremely delicious.
I normally skip on dessert since I packed myself so much food that I have to rule out but I really do recommend you makes room for dessert here. Try the mango sorbet.

After moving to Orange County after a long trip in China, I wanted to eat something completely different from Asian cuisine. Agora Churrascaria definitely suited my need.
It’s a bit expensive, but the quality of the meats definitely justifies the price.
The skirt steak, tri tip, chicken hearts, and black bean stew all were excellent, and the service was very good, too. I really enjoyed how the servers would walk around with different meat on skewers and ask if wanted any of it, similar to going to a Cantonese style Dim Sum restaurant.
It was a fun, delicious experience, and I definitely will return to Agora Churrascaria now that I have moved to Irvine.
YAY!

When you are heading to a Brazilian BBQ place it really boils down to one thing: the meat. While it was a pleasant experience and the waiter was very attentive, the reality is the meat was really not good. It didnt help that I was basically given a dull knife as I hacked away at what I was hoping to be tender meat.
I think I tried most of the options from sirloin, skirt, tri-​tip, beef ribs, pork sausage, leg of lamb and chicken. Nothing stood out at all. Seriously. I sat there hoping one of them would separate from the rest but that wasnt the case.
Salad bar was ok but nothing memorable here either. There were only a few dressings and the smoked salmon was super oily.
All in all, I’m never returning because the core product wasnt good.

Skirt steak is all you really need to know. Just kidding, but not really. The skirt steak is really phenomenal, but their other options are just as tasty.
It was my first time here and I came through for a friend’s birthday. For $ 50 a person, you get buffet options and meat offerings, which is all you can eat until you flip your card. Each person is given a card to signify hungry (green) or full (red), which helps the meat servers know whether to come by the table or not.
As soon as you’re seated, the games begin. We started with grabbing our first plate of buffet offerings. I recommend the beans (since they are cooked with bacon), salad bar and whatever your heart desires, but don’t pack your plate here. Leave some room for the meat!
The servers walk around with swords of skewered meat and will cut you the piece that you desire if you ask. I prefer my meat medium at most, so I asked for medium rare if it was available. Favorites across the table was the skirt steak, lamb and I believe it was beef belly. My favorite was the skirt steak, but it only came around twice. Oh well, there’s always next time. At least I’ll know now what to load up on :)

Who doesn’t love boatloads of meat delivered directly to your table? I know I do. Makes me feel like a Viking or something. Anyway, we took my dad here for his birthday and had a really nice time. Got a nice table near the door and a big rock wall. Interesting décor in this place – kind of a strange mix between modern and something out of the ’60’s. Not bad though, and comfortable chairs to boot.
But you’re probably wondering about the food: meat, salads, and sides. We started off our night with a trip to the salad bar, keeping in mind that we were about to load up on beef. The salad was fresh, but hey, it’s a salad – and we’re here for meat.
Which brings me to the sides. They were plentiful and tasty. I tried not to indulge too much, but the potatoes were really good. Others in my party preferred the mussels and salmon. The bananas (or were they plantains) were also very good, but I’m a sucker for bananas.
Now for the meat. Boy was there a lot of it and the servers just kept bringing more and more whether we requested it or not. While most of what I tried was pretty good (I didn’t have any chicken hearts or legs of lamb), I took a liking to the bacon wrapped beef, tri-​tip, and filet. My wife really liked the sausage, and others in my family preferred the top sirloin. All in all, a really unique, fun, and filling meal. A great meal to experience at least once.

How can you serve cold cheese bread. Asked for it to be warmed up and it came back exactly the same temperature.
Chicken hearts were dry and overcooked. I had to ask for this specific dish since they didn’t put it in the rotation of meats and kept bringing out the same things… Once it came out, they only served my table and didn’t offer it to anyone else. Poor service. The other table looked over at us and commented that they had wanted chicken hearts too. Honestly, they weren’t missing out.
Selection of meat — all were pretty lean cuts during lunch and not much variety. Chicken was the juiciest… But who is really trying to pay $ 35 to eat just chicken.
I liked the salad bar better than the actual cuts of meat. Either way it was all disappointing. I would rather pay more and go to Fogo De Chao in LA!
I would say this place is far from «the best steakhouse in Orange County.»

Out of the three big brazilian bbq places (M Grill, Agora, Fogo), I’d say this was my fave out of the bunch. The main reason is that their meats are all cooked to perfection (slightly raw, for those of medium or medium-​well folk) and extremely tender. Do try to come early, as they run out of certain items (no more salmon doh!) towards the end of the day. I think my favorite of the bunch was probably the filet mignon or the beef skirt steak, though you really can’t go wrong with any of the items. Even the chicken was tender and delicious, a feat that I haven’t quite seen M Grill accomplish just yet. Side note though – the selections veer more towards the «too salty» side as they are VERY liberal with sprinkling big grains/​flakes of salt on top of the meats.
They do fall behind in terms of their cheese balls, as I feel like M Grill takes the cake on that one – though I like the cheese balls from other lesser known brazilian bbq places moreso than M Grill. The cheese balls here were cold and dinky looking when we first got them, and inner chewy texture was dry and not so chewy. The second batch we got was a dozen times better, but still couldn’t quite compare to other locations.
Their salad bar is also lacking, as I feel like the other two locations give more goodies. The focus here is more on simple, basic items such as the different types of lettuce, tomatoes, and other goodies – even their seafood is separated in terms of «stewed mussels, stewed clams, etc» instead of «seafood stew» or something that the other joints offer. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I think it’d be nice to at least offer fruit or a cheese platter, which I did not see – papaya and pineapple would have been great after such a heavy, meaty meal.
Overall – yes, they fall behind the two big shots in terms of salad bar and cheese balls, but we all go to Brazilian BBQ for the meats, which is Agora absolutely shines. If Agora was closer we’d definitely be coming here a lot more than the other two LA locations. This is a must try, and you OC people are very lucky to have such an amazing Brazilian BBQ joint in your hood!

Unglaublich tolles Restaurant! Wer hier mal in der Nähe ist, der MUSS hier hin!
Ambiente ist toll, die Auswahl groß und das Fleisch ist der absolute Bringer!
Die Kellner bringen absolutes Highclass Fleisch direkt zum Tisch und es wird (wie in Brasilien) direkt vom Spieß auf den Teller geschnitten.
Ich kann mich nicht erinnern wann ich mal so viele verschiedene Fleischsorten an einem Abend hatte und noch dazu alle zur Perfektion gegrillt…
Absolute Empfehlung!