Rio’s Churrascaria

Great resturant with a view overlooking the bay! The salad bar is great with a good selection of different salads, eggplants, tomaotoes, olive combinations, cheeses, etc… After the salad bar, the resturaunt start bringing out the meats. They had a great selection of roast beef (delicious), salmon, steak, chicken, lamb and other meats. Also a nice selection of wines. The only downside is the price, which works out in the evenings to fourty dollara a plate, without drinks or desert. For five of us, it was over $ 300. Great resturaunt highly recommend!

Worst Churrascaria experience of my life!!! Please avoid this place at all cost.
This past Saturday y wife and I took my in-​laws to this place thinking it was actually Porcao, well it’s clearly not, I trully beleive the owner must have lost the franchise or something similar. Let me point out the experience:
1. We had 5:30 PM reservations, when we called on our way to confirm the address they told us they were actually opening at 6PM, that we had to wait, no apologies given.
2. As soon as we sat down on the table the waiter informs us that they have lost their liquor license, therefore no alcohol could be served that if we had our own bottle we could have used it, but they never informed us of this.
3. I asked to speak to the manager to complain, a waiter came up to me said he was the manager «in charge» that the actual manager didn’t show up ant that the owner is in Brazil, so they are pretty much managing on their own! What?
4. Started at the cold bar, what a terrible selection for a Rodizio, they actually had imitation crab meat, I didn’t expect to see something like this at a place with this reputation and price tag.
5. At every Churascaria or Rodizio I’ve been the side dishes are amazing, here they served french fries, something that I thought was cassava french fries, onion rings and fried bananas that all looked old and out of a freezer package!
6. The meat it self tasted better out of my backyard grill, and they only gave us like 4 different selections, a dried out filet mignon, flank stake, prime rib and chicken mignon, where was the lamb, the pork and the other cuts of meat all Churrascarias usually have?
7. Dessert? we didn’t even bother looking!
8. I thought of leaving no tip, which they actually automatically added to our Bill, but they waiters don’t have the fault, even though some of the meat servers had a really nasty attitude.
They claim they are still Porcao, they even still have pictures of celebrities at the entrance who actually visited Porcao, but they shouldn’t even call themselves a Churrascaria, I;ve been to many churrascarias in South Florida and even to Porcao in Rio de Janeiro, this doesn’t even come close!
Please avoid this place at all cost! I never write reviews but after such an experience I really don’t want anybody to have to waste their money in a place like this, I truly feel they will be closing out of business soon!
Sorry about the long review, hope it is worth your time reading it!

ABSOLUTELY THE WORST RESTAURANT EVER!
I have never been so disappointed by a restaurant in my whole life like I was last week at Porcao (Rio’s).
Rodizio? All you can eat? Being so full that your pants explode??!
Descriptions of Porcao that I had looked forward to experiencing for my self for weeks before I finally dined at the restaurant on a very special occasion. I guess if I had to describe Porcao I would use words like «still hungry» «hurry up ’cause my shift is ending» and «Could you please stop ignoring my table and serve me some food!»
For the first hour I unfortunately dined at this bullsh** restaurant I was only served TWO of their countless number of meats. In that same hour I was asked if I was FINISHED and if I was «ready for the check» FIVE times! Before I began my meal they explained the rules: GREEN means pile it on! and RED means hold off for a bit. Apparently their servers don’t know the rules or are just too lazy to walk to the tables by the window with an ocean view. I sat there, hungry, yet still patient, waiting to be served as I saw the other tables getting heaping piles of meat slammed onto their plates. I even saw the patrons waiving off the waiters saying «NO, thank you» and the waiters eagerly continued to pile it on. Meanwhile, I sat there like an idiot who payed $ 40 per person to be teased with decadent meats that never reached my table! Another 20 minutes went by and all that they brought to my table was french fries and onion rings… (I’m not kidding)
Luckily a family came and sat behind us and I was able to call the waiter over whenever he took them meat. That’s right, I had to call him over… He would serve them and turn his back to us and try to walk away with a slab of god-​knows-​what without EVER offering us. I was left hungry and dissatisfied. I was asked if I was finished NINE TIMES and had to beg for food. I called the next day and told the manager my story and they were kind enough to refund my gratuity. I have called 3 times since then and they have yet to fulfill that promise.
I am sure other people have had better experiences at this restaurant than I had… But any restaurant that you have a ⁹⁄₁₀ chance of being treated with proper service is not worth one cent of anyone’s money! Much less $ 40 a plate + included (unearned) gratuity. Too bad one star is the minimum, if I could give it zero stars I would.

EEK! A few months ago I went here, I am posting now because I am new to Unilocal.
After reading a few reviews from other sources I went for dinner one Saturday night.
I could probably write a two page blog on my experience but I wont. Everytime I think of this place, I get angry!!!
THIS WAS THE WORST DINING EXPERIENCE I EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!!!
Food was terrible, manager’s were horrible and very rude, and that is all I am going to say. If anyone would like to know more details, I would be more than happy to share through email. It was so bad, I do not want to post about it.
BAD, BAD, PLACE, BUT they probably will not make it to much longer!!!

(note: I wrote this review for Porcao, which changed it’s name to Rio’s, it’s still the same place, thus I decided to copy the review here)
This will be my longest and most detailed review, because I believe this restaurant and the «Brazilian Churrascaria» style needs a good description, specially if you never went to one. «Churrascaria» means «Grilled Steak House», and the serving style they call «Rodizio» means that they keep feeding you until you commit suicide or your pants rip at the seams (and you have to run for cover). The price is fixed per person, and it is «all you can eat». And they mean it.
Start at the sumptuous salad bar, that has all types of greens and also some soups, fish, calamari, beans, etc. The salad bar is an event by itself. Hint: try the Palmito (hearts of palms), it is a true delicacy. Next try the Pao de Queijo (Cheese Bread) that they give you at the table, and get ready to flip your token from RED to GREEN (this signalizes the waiters to start the barrage of meats on your plate). After you got rid of the healthy stuff that was on your plate, and the token is green, just enjoy the meats that the waiters bring hot and juicy right off the grill. You tell them which meats you want and how much at each serving. After about four pounds of meats (and other grilled items like salmon, veal, turkey, etc.), put your token on RED and get ready for desert. That’s all, easy right? To make it even easier here is the summary in list mode:
1) Get ready: Don’t eat anything for a few days, you will need the empty space in your body, and never tell your Vegan friends that you are going to Porcao, they will burn you at stake or flog you in a public park.
2) After you get seated ask for a Caipirinha to drink. This is a typical Brazilian drink made with sugar, lime and Cachaça. Note that Cachaça is alcohol made out of sugar cane, the same that they use to power 50% of the automobile fleet in Brazil. Yes, it is that powerful. If you pour the drink in you car’s tank you will be able to drive at least 15 miles. In other words, it’s almost too much for any carbon based life form to digest. That’s why I usually ask for a Caipiroska, it’s the same but made with Vodka instead of Cachaça, thus easier for anyone not used to Cachaça.
3) Take it easy on the Salad bar. The main attraction of a churrascaria is the meat, not the greens. Although Rio’s (Porcao’s) Salad bar is spectacular, try to control yourself, ok? Half a plate is enough. And get some Palmitos!
4) Let the meat parade begin. I love Picanha and Fraldinha, but they also serve everything from Filet Mignon to Ribs. Try a bit of each and decide which one you will focus on. Note: try the Brazilian sausage (linguiça), it’s unique, and very hard to find anywhere else in the U.S.
5) You also get some side dishes: black beans (way better than any Mexican beans you ever tried), white rice, fried bananas, Mandioca frita (fried sweet potatos), Polenta frita (wow!), fries, cheese bread (Pao de queijo). Try them all, with moderation.
6) After you are full and ready to explode, thinking about how much an emergency surgery to unblock your intestines will cost, start contemplating deserts. My favorite: Papaya Cream with Cassis. Don’t ask, just try it. Better than kissing Jessica Alba. And your wife won’t mind half as much.
7) Now, if you are still breathing, try the Brazilian Cafezinho (Coffee). It’s very strong and has more flavor than any Colombian or African variety. But it’s powerful, you probably will be awake for about 37 days and will glow in the dark for at least 24 hours, but that’s Ok, you made it and you deserve it.
In summary: don’t miss Rio’s (Porcao) if you are in Miami. Friendly staff, great food, some nights they have a live band and Samba Dancers (you will never be the same after you see a Brazilian Mulata shaking her booty the Samba way, thus avoid looking if your wife is next to you, injury will happen and pain will be inflicted). Rio’s (Porcao) is the standard to beat by all other Churrascarias. Period.