Fogo de Chão

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Rooted in the Serra Gaúcha, Brought to the Table

Fogo de Chão traces its origins to the mountainous Serra Gaúcha region of Rio Grande do Sul, where the founding brothers grew up on a traditional Southern Brazilian farm and learned the art of churrasco over open fire. After formal churrasqueiro training in Rio and São Paulo, they opened their first restaurant in Porto Alegre — a wood-structure churrascaria built on an obsessive dedication to quality and deep respect for their family's culinary heritage. That first location drew politicians, businessmen, and celebrities from across Brazil before the concept expanded to São Paulo, then crossed the Atlantic to Dallas, Texas, in 1997. Today, the National Harbor location in Oxon Hill, Maryland, carries that same flame.

The Churrasco Experience

The heart of the meal is the full churrasco service: gaucho-trained servers carve fire-roasted cuts tableside, moving continuously through the dining room. Signature Brazilian cuts — Picanha (prime top sirloin), Fraldinha (bottom sirloin), and Costela — anchor the menu, joined by indulgent options like Wagyu New York Strip and Beef Ancho Bone-in Ribeye. Alongside the churrasco, a freshly curated Market Table brings seasonal produce, salads, and authentic sides to the table, making the Brazilian steakhouse format as much about abundance and variety as it is about the fire.

Bar Fogo rounds out the experience with Brazilian-inspired small plates and cocktails — including the Caipirinha, Brazil's national drink — giving guests a lively alternative to the main dining room.

A Wine Program Worth Noting

The National Harbor location holds a 2024 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, a recognition that reflects genuine depth and curation in the wine offering. Fogo's own Founders Tribute Wine Collection pairs directly with the menu: the Jorjão Reserva Malbec from Mendoza alongside Picanha, the Eulila Red Blend from Chile's Cachapoal Valley with Lamb Picanha or Costela, and The Sonhadores Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley with Filet Mignon or Wagyu. The program is built around South American producers, staying true to the Brazilian steakhouse identity while reaching across the continent for complementary bottles.

Group Dining and Private Events

The National Harbor location accommodates private parties, group dining, catering, and takeaway — practical infrastructure for the waterfront destination it calls home. Whether the occasion is a corporate dinner or a celebration, the format scales naturally: the churrasco service is inherently communal, and the space is designed to hold a crowd without losing the warmth of the tradition that started on a farm in southern Brazil.