Taurinus Brazilian Steakhouse, San Jose

Taurinus Brazilian Steakhouse, which celebrates a half-decade in business, combines the flavors of outdoor campfire cooking with the comfort of an indoor dining room. The restaurant takes its inspiration from the churrasco cooking style of southern Brazil's gauchos, who would gather after long days of ranch work and sear sizable cuts of beef above a roaring fire pit. At Taurinus Brazilian Steakhouse, the pit is replaced by a grill, although smoldering mesquite charcoal still lends a smoky flavor to the meats while sealing in the succulent juices. Servers wander the dining room carrying skewers of more than a dozen different meats, stopping to carve cuts of pork loin, leg of lamb, and bacon-wrapped filet mignon tableside.

To let servers know to hold off on the all-you-can-eat servings of meats, diners flip a card from green to red. This break also provides an opportunity to peruse the salad bar's selection of crisp vegetables, imported cheeses, and hot side dishes. Meanwhile, diners can refresh their palates with a slew of drinks, including beer, sangria, and caipirinhas—Brazil's iconic cocktail. The steak house even features a number of international wines stored in a walk-in, climate-controlled cellar that extends all the way to Brazil.