Boteco

Had my New Years party here and was very satisfied. The service was great, bottle service were awesome prices and our waitress gave us shots on the house. The music was damn near perfect, it never slowed down or gotten to the point where I didn’t wanna dance to a certain song. Overall experience was phenomenal.

Cheeseballs are really good, just like the ones you find at Brazilian BBQ but smaller. The carne asada fries are delicious as well, loaded with everything delicious like cheese, meat, sour cream, etc. The fried yuca fries are pretty good… first time I had them and I really enjoyed them. It was chewy and has a sweet flavor. I really enjoyed happy hour here!

Sort of a brazilian sports bar lounge theme.
The wednesday happy hour is a great deal: $ 4 for all drinks and beers as well as food items.
The brazilian cheeseballs are great.
They are putting in pool tables soon.
They have about 12 different beers on tap.

Came here for a friend’s birthday dinner. Super nice servers, not crowded at all. If there’s no parking, I opted for the huge, free lot on the other side of Garfield and just walked over.

Save your time and money and go elsewehere. I was in the area with my bff and we decided to get a drink and an appetizer. We walked in the restaurant and there was a handful of people in there, we decided to sit at the bar since we were not planning on ordering a full meal. We must have waited about 10 minutes for the bartender to finally give us a drink menu (again, the place was empty and there was another person behind the bar stocking the beers). We decided on ordering a beer each, and we also decided on ordering their little cheesy bread bites. I had to literally flag down the bartender because she was too busy gossiping with the waitress. We finally received our appetizer about 30 minutes later which I thought was mediocre at best. We decided to pay and leave, I dont think I will be back. The service was horrible and the food was whatever, I wish it was still cuban bistro.

All Day Happy Hour Wednesday
My friend brought me here for dinner and drinks. I really needed a drink after an insane day at work so to find this place close to home was nice. The interior is much larger than I expected from the outside and it was comfy. We sat at a table by the bar, got our drinks and ordered food.
Garlic chicken, chicken empanadas and kale salad. The kale salad is HUGE. It was way more than enough for the both of us and for happy hour price? Can’t beat that. The empanadas were so good especially with green sauce and the chicken was indeed very tasty. My friend can handle some intensely spicy food so we got their house hot sauce and holy set yourself on fire. It was very hot but really tasty so it’s one of those things where you want to stop but you can’t and you should because you will regret it later.
Definitely will come back and try more of their tasty bites!

Happy hour all day Wednesday. Perfect for those games on Wednesdays. Their prices at the bar is actually pretty good outside of happy hour too. There’s always seems to be room in the bar area. Big TVs everywhere. Friendly bartenders.
On Friday and Sat nights, They turn the restaurant part of the restaurant into a dance floor. That’s kind of neat. It’s a pretty chill lounge. Predominately a Hispanic crowd during the late nights, but everyone is friendly.
Highlights, STONE and GUINNESS on tap. Good prices, good happy hour menu. Great sports bar.

Came here for a birthday dinner on a weekday evening. The place was pretty dead. Until I looked it up on Unilocal I honestly had no idea this place was supposed to be a Brazilian restaurant. Except for maybe a couple appetizers, nothing on the menu really struck me as a particular ethnic food, rather just the same kind of generic dishes you can get at plenty of places. Definitely not authentic if that’s what you’re looking for.
The food was alright, nothing special. I tried some of a salad, some steak (was bland), and a couple of the appetizers. Shrimp cocktail was alright, a little watery. Those pear shaped jalapeño poppers were extremely greasy and I didn’t eat more than one bite.
I wouldn’t come here again to dinner specifically, but they do have a pretty good happy hour deal so I’d be open to coming here for drinks. There are tvs all around anyway (really loud btw) so it really strikes me as more of a sports bar than a nice place to take someone for dinner.

I had boycotted this place simply because I loved Cuban Bistro so much that I wanted to hate this place. Until last Tuesday when a friend invited us to Taco Tuesday. Truth be told, I didn’t even know that this was the same place because I had never bothered to check out the name.
Anyhow, I swallowed my pettiness and walked in. I liked the vibe as soon as I walked in. I couldn’t believe the transformation. Hubs and I took a seat, as we waited for our friends. While we waited, we ordered the Jalapeño Croquetas. They were a mix of jalapeño poppers and potato balls with shredded chicken. And the fact that they were only $ 4 for 3 was pretty good.
Having never been to Taco Tuesday before (they offer Carne Asada, Chicken, and Carnitas), we opted to try one of each. First, their carne asada was way too salty. I couldn’t even enjoy t. The chicken was a tad dry, but the salsa verde made up for it. The carnitas though. Sweet mother! Those were excellent. And we all agreed. We all ordered one more taco each, and it was carnitas. If I go back, I may get all carnitas, they were that good.
The drink specials during Happy Hour are pretty good. The only thing we had to watch for was when we got our bill, the server did not give us the HH pricing. When I brought it up to her, she went to fix it. But she only fixed 2 of the drinks, not the other 4 for our party, so I had to send it back again. She was apologetic, but it made me wonder if that was the «norm» to charge full price and then wait to see if anyone catches it.
I’m a little old to be «hanging out at bars.» But if I do, this is definitely a nice place to do it at. The crowd is a little older, so I didn’t feel out of place. Many of the people here were couples, or groups of friends. But there were also a lot of singles out there watching the game.

I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it. I chose this destination to host my 22^nd birthday hang-​out because it was close and convenient to my friends. But honestly, I prefer heading down to industry/​heights and WLA than anywhere in between. I like Monterey Park and SG though :)
There isn’t a vast selection of food to fill your belly and the food they had were not nutritious. Their website is also misleading in that it’s not frequently updated. For example, I found out that the martini I’ve been eyeing on their website was no longer available. Too bad I didn’t get a chance to chill at the bar– it looked so futuristic!

Came here on a Thursday around 7:30 pm for a girlfriend’s birthday dinner. Maybe because it was a Thursday… when I stepped inside to confirm our reservations, there were only two parties inside and the restaurant was completely empty. There were one server working and a bartender. The waitress came up to me ask I told her that we had a reservations for a party of 6, friendly waitress just directed me to sit anywhere I want. When my friends arrived, we started off with three shots (jagerbomb), 3 of their specila mojitos (regular mojito, brazillian fruit mojito mixed with pineapple juice, and a berry mojito), and ordered a Ceviche, Hummus, and their Chicken empanadas.
Jagerbombs– tastes like the standard jagerbomb shot.
Ceviche– Served in tall glass martini, with fried tortilla chips… presentation was nice
Chicken empanadas– Came in TWO HUGE PIECES. IT WAS GOOD! served with some sort of green dip. I think it’s cucumber with cilantro. it was quite refreshing.
Hummus– the hummus was nothing special, served with carrot sticks, celery sticks and fried pita bread. although the hummus was only «alright» to me. i personally really like munching on those fried pita breads. they were addicting to me for some reason…
I didn’t get to try any of their main dish. but nothing really caught my eye. the bill came out to be around $ 250.00 with tips and tax. we split the bill and each of us paid around $ 50.00. I thought it was actually a really expensive dinner. for the 6 of us but at the same time, we did ordered a lot of shots and drinks. however (we hopped next door to Rabbit Hole after. and the drinks were way cheaper and I got more shots from next door for a cheaper price).

The thing about being a barely decent writer is that people will often ask you for favors.
Not «cool» favors, like «Will you be my +1 for XYZ Company», or «Do you think you can help me finish this bottle of champagne?» Don’t even hope for the «This cake is so good. It’s a shame that I can’t finish it. Would you care to take it home?»
Prepare for an onslaught of «Can you help me fill out this claim form for ABC Insurance», and «Can you help me draft a letter to the labor union/​court/​housing committee», and «Can you scribble out a thank-​you note to my soulless mother in law?»
Okay. Fine. I’ll do it. I GUESS. But I’m going to immortalize your request on a Unilocal review.
Boteco is a physical manifestation of my revenge-​writing. You feel grateful when your silent prayer for Stone IPA on tap is fulfilled, and then you feel figuratively slapped in the face when the dried-​out Sliders arrive. You feel happy that the place is initially empty when Happy Hour on a Friday begins, and then you feel sad that the place continues to be empty as Happy Hour closes. You feel lucky that you snagged street parking, and then you just feel drunk because hey, Gin and Tonics are only $ 4!
When Boteco asks you to visit, just remember that it’s more of a favor.

I came here for a birthday celebration. It’s a modern Brazilian style lounge/​restaurant in the heart of downtown Alhambra. The DJ was spinning 80’s background music as everyone is socializing. The lounge has a neon-​dark, yet inviting setting with plush couches and seating with modern décor all around.
The various tapas we ordered were all delicious; we had a few sampler dishes. The Jalapeño Chicken Croquettes and Empanadas were a big hit.
The service was excellent; the waitress attended to our group with no delay and was very pleasant. The manager stopped by and chatted with us to make sure all our needs were met.
Progressing into the night, the DJ played a variety of dance music and had a good portion of Salsa/​Cumbia music that we all enjoyed dancing to.
Valet parking right in the front of the restaurant made it easy to get in and out for only $ 6. However, if you want to, you can park around the block for free. The prices are reasonable from the bottle service, individual drinks, and even the food. It was a fun time and great place to celebrate special occasions.

Happy hour prices are basically $ 4 for their draft, bottled and wine glasses, which is okay but not great since it IS in Alhambra. Call me cheap but I’m used to hh prices being $ 3 =T Also, beware of the hh food prices!!! A handful of them aren’t discounted!!! Sketchy haha…
I got the $ 6 sliders, they sounded good on paper but was disgusting when we got it. The patties were frozen, the bread was cakey, and the steak fries were the same you’d find in the frozen food aisles. They didn’t even bother to season it… lazy…
The calamari looks good and they’re on almost every table but that thing was soooo salty. Definitely wouldn’t come here again, there’s better places for food and drinks.
The only pro about this place is that they have a pretty extensive draft beer list for what they are.

My husband and I tried this place because I had bought a Groupon. It was probably one of the best deals I had ever purchased. The food was delicious, ambience was pleasant, and the staff was very friendly.
We had the Brazilian sausages and fried yucca appetizer, I had the Feijoada (huge portion of smoked meats in a black bean stew, with collard greens, rice, orange slices, and chicharrones), my husband had the Moqueca (coconut curry seafood stew), and we shared the Molten dulce de leche cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert. I would recommend all of these dishes. For drinks I had the mixed berry caipirinha (fresh raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries) and my husband had the original (lime), which were also tasty.
I wish we had discovered this place earlier because we have now moved away from the area.

Holy Pao de Queijo!
Trying to come up with a newer venue for one of my business dinners, I pass by what used to be Cuban Bistro in Alhambra. Initially I thought they had just remodeled. It looked quite different on the outside, but when I got closer, the magical words «Brazilian restaurant» appeared just below the name and I was intrigued. I had yet to find anything that came close to the amazing food I enjoyed in Curitiba and Floripa, in Los Angeles. I called my co-​worker Erika and we rolled the dice. The owner Joao was a shining example of what I have come to love about the Brazilian people: genuine, warm, and very passionate about whatever they do and who they meet. My initial doubts (after reading some of the previous Unilocal reviews), were laid to rest.
This is NOT a typical churrascaria. I love me my limitless pounds of tasty animals just like the next guy does, but sometimes I like to mix in a salad, or some feijoada. This is a Brazilian restaurant with DAMN GOOD food. The décor was modern with splashes of bright color on darker backdrops. Pictures of Pele and Brazilian life line the hallway at the rear of the restaurant in black and white. Its a beautiful lounge setting with Samba Reggae playing.
The Pao de Queijo referenced above was freshly baked and brought to the table. If you’ve never experienced this delicious cheesy bread you’re truly not living. The plate was demolished in a few short minutes, like two, maybe a minute and 45 seconds. Maybe. Next came the Coxinha a deep fried chicken stuffed dumpling. This was good as well but the texture and flavors of the Pao was still lingering.
Erika had ordered a grilled shrimp dish that included a cup of feijoada black beans, rice, fried plantains, and veggies and I ordered the Moqueca de piexe a fish stew. Being a brand new place I expected maybe not so fresh seafood, cutting corners on quality, skimping on natural thickening agents, etc., etc. As i took a spoonful of my stew the world kinda faded away. You know that feeling you get when your taste buds are doing somersaults and cheering till their voices are gone? yeah,…that’s what was happening. The flavors were a beautiful complex silky textured Samba. Add to all this the relatively healthy steamed veggies and steamed rice, I was content and happy. WE were both blown away. The Passion fruit or Maracuja mousse was a nice final touch although I would’ve preferred a little bit more of the passion fruit flavor to give the mousse a little more of a tartness.
The service was friendly, attentive, and well informed. Gabriela our server never hesitated to give her honest opinion of the menu items when asked. In fact the entire staff worked seamlessly as a team but never made themselves feel overbearing. Kudos to them! keep it up!
Overall I gotta give this place an absolute 5 stars. Probably one of the best lunches I’ve had during the work week and wont be the last.
Tudo bem! Estava delicioso!!!

I thought finally a non-​Asian place is opening in Alhambra but after this experience I won’t be returning.
The place wasn’t busy on a Sunday night.
Service was slow. Food took forever. I think they were trying to make it by being attentive and refilling our waters. Manager gave us free dessert due to the long wait.
Food comes out– presentation looks good. However the salmon was still raw inside. Breaded steak, (I think the waitress didn’t understand broken English) because we never order anything fried if there are other options, came out well– done instead of medium. Brazilian national dish (can’t remember the name) wasn’t that good. It was basically black beans with pieces of meat. Seafood curry was better but I would rather order it from a Thai/​Malaysian restaurant instead. Coconut pudding was ok.
The manager should keep the wait staff but get rid of the chef. Seriously, I never had raw salmon anywhere unless it was sushi or sashimi.
This place isn’t cheap either. It’s comparable to the restaurants on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena.

Our group was going to go to after dark around 830 ish but it was dead there so we decided to come here and try it out because we didn’t see it the last time we hit up main street and it was packed.
The décor inside was modern and very lounge like. You can sit at the bar area and watch sports on the television, or you can sit in the dining area just like a regular restaurant. We came here with 10 people and there was plenty of room to accommodate us (it’s a fairly large place).
I honestly don’t remember the names of the dishes we ordered just because they are Brazilian names, but i can say that they were not half bad. Majority were appetizers as we came here just to munch on stuff and drink.
The sausage dish with potato fries was great.
Their potato croquette dish was good.
We had the garlic shrimp which was a bit undercooked.
The empanada with minced beef was good.
The burger looks delicious but i did not get to try it.
Oddly majority of the appetizer dishes came with marinara sauce as the only sauce for the dish. Not sure if that’s a Brazilian thing, but i just didn’t get it.
As far as the service. It was superb. I hope it stays this way and not just because the place is newly opened. We always had someone looking into us. The owner was very welcoming and checked up on us as well. Friendly guy (although i forget his name).
The dining area around 11 turns into a dance floor which is always fun. The price is fair.
Check this place out.

I was quite surprised that it being a new restaurant and not a busy night, neither the waiter nor the manager came by to ask us how we liked the food.
The steak was very disappointing. And what is that stuff oozing on the side of the steak? Just didn’t look right (see pic). The steak was bland with a texture and aftertaste that left me questioning the quality and freshness of the beef. The side of Yucca that came with the dish was the only saving grace of that dish.
We also tried the heart of palms with spinach which was surprisingly tasty (see pic). However, that is not enough to bring me back to this Brazilian restaurant.
Service: 1 star
Food: 2 stars
Décor: 3 stars
Parking: Free parking structure nearby.

Brand new spot on the Main St strip.
Ahhmazingly yummy food! I especially love the Moqueca de Peixe (which is like a fish stew/​curry), its delicious.
I’m a sucker for desserts and they have the Brazilian famous Brigaderiro de colher. If you eat here, make sure you save a little room for this or you can do what I do, and eat your dessert first ;]
The décor and layout of Boteco is very modern and sleek; perfect atmosphere for a bar/​lounge and even more perfect for that after dinner drinks with your boo ;]