Chima Steakhouse is a chain restaurant in Tysons corner, and for my birthday, I visited it for the third time!

The first Chima Steakhouse originated in Uberlandia, Brazil, located in the state of Minas Gerais. On their website, they go into some of the history about the legends in Brazil. “In South Brazil traditional gauchos (cowboys) would consume a diet that consisted almost entirely of beef. The meat is seasoned, placed on skewers, and slow-cooked over a wood-burning flame. Historically, gauchos were known for their generosity and hospitality.” 

So what’s it like?  The concept of a Chima Steakhouse is really unique. Once you are seated, you are provided drinks and given the freedom to explore their extensive salad and soup bar, price already included in your reservation. You can grab as much as you want, with delicious options like eggplant salad, smoked salmon, corn street salad, couscous, rice and beans, and more. When you’re done exploring their salad bar options, they have a nice soup bar with options like creamy vegetable soup and more.

Once you’ve built your plate full of unique delicious options, you can return to your seat and flip over your table chip. Each person is given a paper chip, one side confirming you would like to be served, and the other side saying “No, thank you.” As you dig into your salad bar goodies and or soup, the rodizios will start to bring out the meats!

 At Chima, they serve multiple meats, like ribeye, angus steak, flank steak, pork, sausage, lamb chops, chicken… and it’s all so well seasoned and cooked with care. I’m not that much of a red meat person, but everything at Chima, I promise, was delicious. When they approach you, they ask you for what temperature you like, slice it off as you grip it with your complementary tiny tongs, and there you have it. Likely, before you can finish it though, you’re already met with another rodizio asking if you’d like a cut of another meat, cooked in a way you might’ve never thought of, like lamb chop wrapped in bacon. 

While it’s not all about meat, it is the majority of Chima. My grandmother is a hardline vegetarian, however the first time I went to Chima Steakhouse, it was with my grandparents and my parents, and she LOVED the salad bar. She liked the soups, loved the bread, and enjoyed my absolute favourite: the grilled pineapple. My mom has tried to recreate the grilled pineapple at home, but we just can’t get it right without a rotisserie grill. It’s spun on a rotisserie skewer, seasoned with cinnamon and brown sugar, and I’m absolutely obsessed with it. If you go, you have to try it! Not only that, but the grilled cheese with honey. And no, I’m not talking about a grilled cheese sandwich. It is quite literally a piece of cheese, grilled, with (optional) honey poured over it. Bonus points if the honey spreads onto the meat on your plate, because sweet and sultry is everything.

They don’t have much for desserts, but their cheesecake was delicious. When told it was my birthday, they gave me a birthday cheesecake (along with my ordered cheesecake to go.)

They’re always friendly and accommodating. You can get desserts to go, but unfortunately, they don’t offer to-go boxes for your regular plates. The experience at Chima is unique, and it’s one I’d recommend.  It’s definitely a luxurious treat, but it’s worth it!