When a Snack Isn’t Enough: Try a Steakhouse in Greensboro

It is 6:40 on a Tuesday. Lunch was a granola bar, the pretzel bag on the passenger seat was almost empty, and another snack is not going to fix it. On a night like that, Leblon Churrascaria on South Holden Road is a straightforward answer. The full rodizio costs $49 and includes meat carved at the table by gauchos, plus unlimited trips to a salad bar with more than 24 hot and cold items. Gauchos keep bringing different cuts while the card on the table stays green, and flipping it to red pauses the service. For anyone looking for a steakhouse in Greensboro NC that can handle real hunger, that is the short version.

Quick Facts — Full rodizio: $49 per person – Salad bar only: $28 – Kids 10 and under: $19 – Meat selections: about 10 – Serving Greensboro since: 1995 – Parties of 10+: call ahead

Why choose a steakhouse in Greensboro when a snack won’t do?

A snack is built to hold someone over. A steakhouse dinner is built to finish the job. The difference at Leblon is how the food arrives. Instead of one plate from the kitchen, small portions of different meats come to the table one after another, so the meal fits however hungry the table is. Someone who wanted a light dinner can stop early. Someone who skipped lunch can keep going.

There is also something steadying about sitting down after a long day. Plates are warm, the next skewer is already on its way, and nobody has to decide on an entrée while running on empty.

Leblon says it has served Greensboro since 1995, and its website currently shows a 4.5 Google rating from more than 2,500 reviews. Guest reviews there include one diner who came in alone every Thursday for two months, and a couple who celebrated a first anniversary on their first visit to a Brazilian steakhouse and wrote that they could not wait to return.

How does a rodizio dinner work at Leblon?

A churrascaria is a Brazilian restaurant built around churrasco, meat roasted over fire. Rodizio describes the rotating tableside service. At Leblon, that means nobody chooses one cut and waits for it. Several cuts arrive throughout the meal.

Gauchos carry skewers of roasted meat through the dining room and slice portions right onto the plate. Each guest also has a card. Green side up means keep bringing meat. Red side up means pause. The card can be flipped as often as needed, which is what makes the pace personal at a shared table.

The salad bar is included with the full rodizio, and Leblon’s OpenTable description says guests can visit it as many times as they like. A full dinner, then, has two parts working at once: the salad bar at the guest’s own pace, and the meat coming to the table whenever the card says green.

What meats does Leblon serve, and which should come first?

Leblon’s OpenTable description lists about 10 meat selections covering beef, chicken, lamb, pork, and sausage. The description says each is seasoned and roasted over direct fire while turning slowly on the skewer. The lineup can vary by night, so asking the server what is coming out is a good opening move.

Start with picanha. It is the top sirloin cap, the cut most closely tied to Brazilian churrasco, and it is traditionally roasted with its layer of fat left on so the fat bastes the meat as it cooks.

Guest reviews shown on Leblon’s website also name prime rib, bacon wrapped tenderloin, flank steak, ribs, pepper steak, chicken, and lamb. Flank steak is a lean, beefy cut that is at its best sliced thin across the grain. Grilled pineapple and seared cheese come around on skewers too. The pineapple is worth taking, since its sweetness gives a break between rich cuts.

What is on the salad bar?

Leblon’s website lists more than 24 items and describes the salad bar as much more than salad, with hot and cold dishes. Its OpenTable description adds cheeses, fresh salads, and Brazilian hot dishes. The spread can change, so what is available on a given night may vary. For guests who do not eat much meat, the salad bar alone is $28.

How much does dinner at Leblon cost?

The full rodizio is $49 per person, the salad bar alone is $28, and kids 10 and under are $19. These are the prices listed on Leblon’s website, and they can change.

Desserts and drinks are not included. Leblon has a Caipirinha bar, a wine list, and a bar menu. The caipirinha is traditionally made with cachaça, lime, and sugar. Parties of five or more also get an automatic 18% gratuity. The salad bar only option makes it easy to bring along a friend who is not hungry for meat.

A few examples help with planning, all before drinks, dessert, tax, and tip:

How do you pace a rodizio so you don’t fill up too fast?

The most common mistake is loading up at the salad bar before the first skewer arrives. When the Greensboro software studio The Iconfactory wrote about its annual holiday dinner at Leblon in 2006, its advice was simple: go light on the salad bar to save room for the prime rib.

A better plan:

• Take a small first plate from the salad bar.
• Flip the card to green and try one slice of each meat that comes by.
• Flip to red after the first round and decide which cuts were the favorites.
• Flip back to green and ask the server for those cuts by name.

That way the last plate of the night is a favorite, not just whatever happened to arrive.

Do you need a reservation, or can you go tonight?

Reserving is the surer route. Tables can be booked through the reservations page on Leblon’s website, on OpenTable, or by phone at 336.294.2605. Parties of 10 or more should call instead of booking online.

Leblon’s website does not spell out a walk in policy, so for a same night table, calling ahead is the quickest way to know what is open. One guest review on the homepage also recommends making a reservation before coming.

What is the atmosphere like, and what should you wear?

Leblon’s OpenTable listing describes the ambiance as casual, and the website does not list a dress code. Work clothes after a long day are a reasonable choice. Guest reviews on the homepage mention birthdays and a first anniversary, so the room also suits a small celebration, not just a weeknight refuel.

When is Leblon open, and where is it?

Leblon serves dinner seven nights a week. The website lists dinner hours only, so it is not a lunch stop.

It is not a late night option either. On weeknights dinner ends at 9:00, so arriving by 8:00 leaves at least an hour to eat without rushing. Saturday has the longest window of the week, five full hours. Friday also closes at 9:30, an extra half hour after the workweek.

The address is 106 S Holden Rd, Greensboro, NC 27407. Leblon serves diners from across the Triad, including Winston Salem, High Point, and Burlington.

On a night when heading home sounds better than sitting down, Leblon’s website also has an Order To Go page.

Skip the Snack and Book a Hearty Dinner in Greensboro

When the snack is gone and the hunger is not, a full dinner is the better fix. Among dinner spots in Greensboro, this Greensboro steakhouse is built for exactly that kind of night: meat keeps arriving at the table, the salad bar is always open, and the card keeps the pace in the guest’s hands.

The next step is simple. Check the hours, plan to arrive by 8:00 on a weeknight, and book a table on the Leblon reservations page. For a group of 10 or more, call (336) 294-2605. Arrive hungry, keep the first salad bar plate small, and let the gauchos take it from there.

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