For my wife’s recent birthday trip to Oklahoma City, we decided to try Rodizio Grill, a Brazilian steakhouse located directly across from the Hampton Inn & Suites where we were staying in Bricktown. This was Charity’s first Brazilian steakhouse experience and my first in over a decade.
Despite not having a reservation, we had no problem getting a table since it was a cold evening with no big events in the area. We came early, around six, and the line was much longer by the time we were leaving.
This OKC newcomer has only been serving Bricktown since 2022 but has already earned an impressive 4.7 star rating on Google off of over 2500 reviews.
The Brazilian Steakhouse Concept
Rodizio Grill operates without a traditional menu. Instead, diners pay a flat rate of $49.99 per person for the full dinner experience, or $29.99 for salad bar and sides only. The restaurant uses the classic Brazilian churrascaria system: each table receives a marker to flip between red and green, signaling whether you’re ready for more meat or need a break.
Waiters continuously circulate throughout the dining room carrying rotisserie spits loaded with various cuts of meat, carving fresh servings directly onto your plate whenever your marker shows green.
The Meat Selection
The cordeiro stood out as our clear favorite—lamb marinated in garlic, mint, and white wine that was easily the most tender and flavorful lamb I’ve ever tasted. The marinade balanced perfectly with the natural richness of the meat without overwhelming it.
I found the maminha (tri-tip sirloin) somewhat dry, but the bife com parmesão more than compensated with its excellent Parmesan crust. The frango agri-doce deserves special mention—chicken cooked in a sweet and spicy gaucho sauce that delivered exactly the kind of bold flavors you hope for at a Brazilian steakhouse.
Now, about the coração de frango temperado: chicken hearts are apparently traditional at Brazilian steakhouses, and I was feeling adventurous despite my reservations. The flavor was bold but not enjoyable to my palate, and the texture was bizarre. Charity took a hard pass on trying that.
The linguiça pork sausage was good but not particularly memorable. The presunto—a lean ham with sugary glaze—hit the sweet-savory balance well, and the jumbo shrimp were excellent. Finally, there was some kind of coconut white fish that was surprisingly delightful even though neither Charity nor I am crazy about coconut.
The Salad Bar Exceeded Expectations
Here’s something that might surprise first-timers: the salad bar was honestly even better than the meat selection. Rodizio offers both cold and hot bars, both massive, with genuinely delicious options rather than the typical buffet afterthoughts.
The hot bar included assado, feijoada (a rich black bean stew), macarrão (an excellent pasta dish), purê de batata (creamy whipped potatoes), banana fritas, and pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread). The cold bar featured fresh vegetables, prepared salads, cheeses, and various Brazilian-style preparations. The buffet selection alone would have been enough to keep me satisfied even without the parade of meats.
Drinks and Dessert
We started with glasses of moscato before Charity switched to a fruity cocktail recommended by our waitress—a cherry and pineapple creation that she thoroughly enjoyed. I tried a caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail made with cachaça (liquor distilled from pure cane sugar) and lime. While I definitely preferred her fruity option, my drink was refreshing and offered a unique flavor profile worth trying.
For dessert, we shared pudim de leite, a Brazilian flan that arrived complimentary in honor of Charity’s birthday. The custard was creamy and delightful, and accompanied by a kitchen drumline and Portuguese chorus of “Happy Birthday,” much to her dismay.
The Service Experience
Our waitress had a fantastic personality—friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive to our questions about the various meats being offered. The meat servers moved efficiently and were pleasant when carving portions. However, our water glasses ran dry more often than I’d expect at this price point.
The Real Challenge: Ambiance and Value
Here’s my honest assessment: when I’m paying $175+ for dinner, I expect a quieter, more intimate atmosphere. By its very nature, Rodizio Grill can’t provide that experience. The walkways stay crowded with servers delivering endless meats, creating a bustling, almost cafeteria-like energy level.
The self-service buffet component feels incongruous at this price point when you’re hoping for a romantic evening. Getting up multiple times to navigate crowded buffet lines doesn’t match the fine dining experience the bill suggests. The food quality is largely excellent, but the operational model and ambiance don’t align with the premium pricing.
I found myself wishing for a different setup—perhaps a digital ordering system at each table where diners could request specific meats plate by plate, eliminating both the buffet trips and the constant parade of servers. That would allow for a more relaxed, intimate dining experience while maintaining the variety that makes Brazilian steakhouses appealing.
Final Verdict
I give Rodizio Grill 4 out of 5 stars. The food quality ranged from good to excellent, with several dishes genuinely impressive. Our waitress provided great service despite the organizational challenges. The value proposition makes sense if you’re focused purely on the amount and quality of protein you’re consuming.
However, this isn’t the restaurant for intimate, quiet dinners or romantic celebrations. The operational model creates an inherently busy, loud environment that conflicts with the fine dining price point. We had an enjoyable evening and have no real complaints about the restaurant itself—it simply wasn’t the vibe we were hoping for.
Will we return? Probably not, simply because at that price point we’d rather explore other fine dining options during future visits to Oklahoma City. But if you’re focused on protein consumption, enjoy lively atmospheres, and want to try authentic Brazilian churrascaria-style dining, you’ll find some genuinely excellent food at Rodizio Grill in Bricktown.
