All You Can Eat Dining And Steakhouses In The Panhandle

There is one thing we know about Amarillo, and that is we love food. When we find out a favorite restaurant is closing, it is big news. We are also thrilled when we find out that we are getting a new place.

Especially if that new place is something Amarillo has never seen before, we got great news back in February that Amarillo was finally getting a Brazilian Steakhouse. That is when we found out that Ponto Gaucho, a Lubbock restaurant, was getting a location in Amarillo at 7609 Hillside Rd.

They were moving into the place that House Divided left empty late last year. A Brazilian Steakhouse is something we have never seen, so Amarillo was getting excited. Oh, and seeing the photos on their website, I personally was, too.

I was able to get my family an invite to their soft opening over the weekend. They were then set to have their ribbon-cutting on Monday and officially open for business on Tuesday, June 30.

A Tour of the Gaucho Experience

From the moment we walked in, we were taken care of. There were constantly employees checking on us. Not in an annoying way, but in a genuine way, they wanted to make sure we had everything we needed.

We started by ordering drinks while being walked through the extensive salad and hot food bars. The salad bar had so much to offer, from salads, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and specialty cured meats. Then their hot dishes consisted of rice, black beans, mashed potatoes, stroganoff, and soups.

Really, that was a lot being offered. My granddaughter was thrilled with that selection and would have been happy with just that.

We loved just about everything and went back for seconds of the smoked salmon and asparagus. We didn't want to fully fill up because I have been drooling from day one about the meat selection.

Tableside Carving: The Green and Red Card System

The system is beautifully simple. Each guest has a double-sided card at their table. Flip it to green, and the gauchos (the meat carvers) will continually stop by to slice premium cuts directly onto your plate. Flip it to red, and they will pause to let you digest—though they still check in to make sure you haven't slipped into a meat coma!

The Meat Selection and Table Service

There is so much food, and it's delicious. Our favorite that we asked for seconds of was the beef Picante, a spicy beef. All the beef options were tender and flavorful.

The lamb chops were to die for. The chicken was Laila's favorite. I tried just about everything brought my way. The pork ribs were fine, just not my favorite. I'm a bigger fan of the beef, that is for sure.

Saving Room for Dessert

We are not quitters, so when we finally got our fill of the main courses, we actually decided to try dessert. My daughter chose the crème brûlée . She swears she never had it. We figured we would share. The crème brûlée provided a flawless, sweet finish to an incredibly rich meal.

The service is top-notch. There are so many people walking the floor to make sure you are well taken care of. The gauchos, the ones slicing the meat at your table, are quite friendly and will make sure you don't leave hungry.

Ponto Gaucho is certainly on the pricier side, but given that it is an all-you-can-eat, high-end culinary experience, you will absolutely get your money's worth. Amarillo finally has a Brazilian steakhouse, and my family was incredibly thankful to get a sneak peek. We will definitely be back!