Fogo de Chão Brings Brazilian Flavors to Santa Monica
The very best of Brazil right on the waterfront near one of LA’s most popular landmarks? It’s happening!
Fogo de Chão, the 45-year-old internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil known for its elevated churrasco dining experience, has opened its eleventh Southern California restaurant in Santa Monica today, April 7. The new restaurant is located at 1551 Ocean Avenue and joins existing Fogo restaurants across the LA Metro area, Orange County, and San Diego. As part of their introduction to the community, Fogo will donate 10% of its first week of sales to Westside Food Bank, an organization that provides nutritious food to over 150,000 people in the local community. The new restaurant is situated in a prime location, just feet away from the Santa Monica Pier where millions of tourists look forward to visiting every year.
All photos credit of Fogo de Chão.
Designed in partnership with architecture and design agency Innovation & Design in Architecture, the new restaurant features an enclosed patio with oceanfront views and an expansive dining room centered around an open churrasco grill, offering guests a 360-degree view of gaucho chefs demonstrating the Culinary Art of Churrasco by butchering, hand carving, and grilling high-quality cuts of protein, creating a craveable salty bark. The Santa Monica restaurant also showcases a seasonal Market Table, a lively indoor Bar Fogo area ideal for all-day happy hour, and private dining spaces available for guests to reserve for any occasion.
“As we continue expanding in Southern California, we are excited to bring the Culinary Art of Churrasco to the heart of Santa Monica,” said Barry McGowan, Chief Executive Officer of Fogo de Chão. “Opening our 11th location in the region is a significant milestone, and Santa Monica’s vibrant culinary scene, stunning coastal beauty, and dynamic community make it the ideal setting for guests to experience the bold flavors, premium ingredients, and genuine hospitality that define the Fogo experience – just steps from the iconic pier and ocean views.”
Fogo de Chão redefines the dining experience with the Culinary Art of Churrasco – from its signature fire-roasted proteins with an expertly seasoned, salty bark to its blistered fresh seafood offerings that bring bold flavors to the table. Beyond the Churrasco experience, guests can enjoy Bar Fogo offerings, featuring all-day happy hour with handcrafted cocktails, premium South American wines, and an indulgent selection of shareable dishes such as Queijo Assado, a Picanha Burger, Lamb Lollipops and more. Whether savoring Churrasco or gathering for a lively Bar Fogo celebration, Fogo delivers an unmatched experience of flavor, ambiance, and authentic Brazilian hospitality.
Leading the Santa Monica team is General Manager Stephany Rodarte, who started her career with Fogo in 2015 as a server in The Woodlands, TX, and most recently served as a leading General Manager at the Woodland Hills restaurant. Rodarte and her team look forward to becoming part of the Santa Monica community and providing over 100 local jobs for talented individuals committed to delivering an exceptional experience to all guests.
Fire-roasted cuts, the core of Fogo’s experience, include guest favorites such as Bone-In Ribeye, Lamb Chops, and the house specialty, Picanha —the prime part of the top sirloin. Fogo Santa Monica offers a range of menu selections and prices to fit all occasions, including:
- Full Churrasco Experience – The signature prix-fixe menu selection that includes all premium and classic cuts, plus the fresh and seasonal Market Table & Feijoada Bar and authentic Brazilian side dishes.
- Indulgent Churrasco Experience – In addition to the Full Churrasco Experience, guests can enjoy their choice of enhancement (Butter-Bathed™ Lobster Tail, Black Truffle Butter, All Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, or Roasted Bone Marrow) and a decadent dessert, in addition to the Market Table and Brazilian side dishes.
- Single Churrasco Cut Experience – For a lighter meal, dinner guests can opt for continuous service of one fire-roasted cut in addition to the Market Table and Brazilian side dishes for $38 per person.
- Weekday Lunch – Includes the seasonal Market Table & Feijoada Bar, plus family-style service of Brazilian side dishes for $18 per person. Guests may choose to add a single cut of fire-roasted meat or have the Full Churrasco Experience.
- Weekend Brazilian Brunch – Includes the Full Churrasco Experience combined with Brazilian-inspired brunch items like Braised Beef Rib Hash and made-to-order waffle and omelet stations
In addition to these options, the menu also includes the following:
- Indulgent Cuts – Guests can enhance their experience with a 20 oz. Wagyu New York Strip that is carved tableside on a Himalayan salt block to complement the cut’s intense marbling and buttery texture. A decadent, dry-aged 32 oz. Long Bone Tomahawk Ribeye or 24 oz. Wagyu Ribeye is also available to order for the table.
- All-Day Happy Hour – Guests can enjoy $10 Brazilian-inspired cocktails, $8 glasses of South American wines, and $5 Beer all-day every day, in the dining room, patio and bar. Additionally, all bottles of South American wines under $130 are half priced all day every day.
- Bar Fogo – The Santa Monica bar offers an elevated experience with a warm, timeless design and dedicated bar staff designed to allow guests to linger while enjoying smaller, shareable plates like a $10 Picanha Burger or Lobster & Shrimp Tacos.
- Inclusive Menu Options — Guests can discover options for all dietary tribes from vegan to pescatarian and more. These nutrient-dense dishes include entrée alternatives to the Churrasco experience like Chilean Sea Bass, Seared Tofu & Black Bean Pasta and Cauliflower Steak, or shareable seafood options like a jumbo shrimp cocktail to blistered Whole Fresh Fish.
- Fogo To-Go & Catering — Bring the Fogo experience home with individual churrasco entrees, à la carte offerings, full-service catered events with on-site grilling and ready-to-eat or ready-to-grill options.
- Group and Private Dining — Whether celebrating a special birthday or hosting a corporate meeting, the Santa Monica location has a dedicated sales manager and offers customizable menus, beautiful private and semi-private dining spaces, and complimentary A/V equipment.
A dining experience for all ages, children six and under enjoy complimentary dining at Fogo Santa Monica, and ages seven to twelve dine at half-price for the Full Churrasco Experience.
About Fogo de Chão
Fogo de Chão (fogo-dee-shown) is an internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil that elevates the culinary art of churrasco – the art of roasting high-quality cuts of meat over an open flame – into a cultural dining experience. Fogo is famed for its prix fixe Full Churrasco Experience that offers a continuous selection of premium cuts butchered daily by gaucho chefs, simply seasoned and grilled to create a craveable salty bark, then carved tableside. The naturally gluten-free-Market Table offers a selection of seasonal salads, charcuterie, exotic fruit, superfoods and more. From celebratory to everyday occasions, Fogo provides selections for every daypart, including All-Day Happy Hour at Bar Fogo, Weekday Lunch, Dinner, and Weekend Brazilian Brunch. Guests can enhance their experience with offerings ranging from a shareable Wagyu New York Strip, South American wines, and more. For locations and to book a reservation to experience the fire of Fogo, visit fogo.com
