Now may be a good time for San Antonians to stock up on stretchy pants. Fogo de Chão, a popular Brazilian steakhouse chain known for its all-you-can-eat grilled meats, is opening a North Side location, at 5546 N. 1604 W #160, on May 26, according to a company bulletin.

Following the lead of other Fogo outposts, the new restaurant will bring theatrical flair to the dining experience. Servers, dressed as guachos, will slide picanha (prime top sirloin), roasted chicken, and lamb chops directly onto the plate while guests enjoy the hectic action from the open live fire kitchen.

Many of the restaurant’s fans are just as enamored of the huge salad bar as the never-ending assortment of grilled meats. The Market Table (in Fogo-speak) features leafy greens, seasonal soups, cold-smoked salmon, black pepper candied bacon, feijoada (black bean stew), and pão de queijo, Brazil’s famous cassava-based baked cheese rolls.

Fans love Fogo de Chão's Market Table as much as its meats.Fogo de Chão/ Facebook

The location will also have Bar Fogo, serving smaller a la carte small bites and cocktails. The menu mixes Brazilian classics like caipirinhas with mocktails, South American wines, imported beer, and tropical takes on standards like an old fashioned made with muddled caramelized pineapple.

First founded by brothers Arri and Jair Coser in 1979, Fogo de Chão has since grown to over 70 locations in Brazil, the United States, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. The first San Antonio outpost in the Shops of Rivercenter, at 849 E Commerce St. #393, opened in 2009.

San Antonio has had a mini churrascaria boom in the 2020s. Locally owned chain Chama Guacha is building a new location on Houston Street, already home to Texas de Brazil. In 2021 Mexico-based chain Bovino’s Churrascaría chose San Antonio for its first U.S. location. It never reemerged after a supposedly temporary closure in 2023.

After its late May debut, the new Fogo de Chão will be open Monday through Thursday, 11:30 am-10 pm; Friday, 11:30 am-10:30 pm; Saturday, 11 am-10:30 pm; and Sunday, 11 am-9 pm.