Ipanema Brazilian Steak House - Ocala (FL)

5 /5 Ashley Cross: Food was exceptional, everything was fresh, hot, and delicious. We put in a reservation and did have to wait about 15 minutes to be seated still, also our server was very short with us. Beyond that the environment was wonderful.

5 /5 Cynthia Torres: I don’t normally leave reviews, but I felt compelled to after the kindness I experienced last night from the Ipanema crew. My company has been hosting our annual Christmas party at Ipanema for over a decade, with more than 50 guests each year. The atmosphere and food are always wonderful. Last night, however, their kindness truly stood out. My daughter’s car got stuck on a mound near the back entrance, not even on Ipanema’s property, but close by. I had no one to call for help, and the owner of my company suggested I ask if anyone from Ipanema might be able to assist. I approached a sweet older gentleman working in the dining area during dinner and explained the situation. Without hesitation, he walked me through the kitchen to two younger gentlemen, explained what had happened, and they immediately offered to help. I walked them out to the car, apologizing and thanking them repeatedly for their generosity. They were so humble and reassuring, insisting it was no trouble at all. Between my employer’s son and these three amazing gentlemen, the car was unstuck and back on the road in no time. I share this because they had absolutely no obligation to help — yet they did, with genuine kindness and humble smiles. It speaks volumes about the kind of people that make up the Ipanema team. Not only did our large group receive outstanding service during our dinner, but this moment revealed the true heart of the staff behind it all.

3 /5 Hugh & Huggy: I had been wanting to try out this restaurant for quite a while because so many people recommend it and I had never had any authentic Brazilian BBQ experience. But it turned out to be a major disappointment. The food was so so salty and it grossed me out quickly. They put a window around the kitchen so you can see how meat is roasted and what condiments they use and put on it. And they are very “generous” with the amount of salt used on the food. I personally hate this level of salt because it sabotages the original flavor of meat and, what is worse, it makes my body uncomfortable. Apart from that, the service was terrible. Because the meat was too salty, I wanted more diet coke but I waited for soooo long before the waitress finally came to our table to check on us. And there were so many times I almost made eye contact with her and even called her but she ended up ignoring me unintentionally. The two guys in the kitchen were pretty nice and they served meat timely and provided great service. One of them remembered that we disliked the saltiness and catered for us by giving us meat on the inside. Overall it was a mid experience to me, not mentioning that it was quite pricey as well.

5 /5 Tim McIvor: My wife and I absolutely love going to Ipanema Steakhouse, and it’s always one of the first places we take family when they’re visiting from out of town. The food is consistently excellent, and the experience never disappoints. We love it so much that we recently gave our friends a gift card to Ipanema for Christmas since it’s also one of their favorite restaurants in the area. I even had the chance to meet either the owner or manager when getting the gift card, and he was incredibly kind and welcoming. The staff here is always so friendly and attentive, which really makes the experience special. We highly recommend Ipanema to anyone looking for a great variety of steaks and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.