Amazing place to eat. The staff is amazing, the food is amazing. I have been going here for more then 4 years now and everytime we come here it is another great experience.
Andrea O.
Horrible service and the picanha was raw. The waiter was very rude. I don't recommend anyone to go there.
Lynn Schaffer
I didn't like the workers..they were rude & disrespectful to the Illuminati. Didn't even look like they were from this country & they disrespected.There is already 650 billion in damage from ISTORM because the law didn't work to stop the WEIRDOS.Keep it up and you'll surely have a TSUNAMI!!!
Natalie M.
By far some of the worst service I have ever experienced. My husband and are on a road trip. We have never ate at the establishment but the worker treated us like we had just ate lunch here.... When we walked in we saw their sign that said to wait to be seated. We waited and the woman at the register handed us a couple of menus and told us to go sit somewhere. Unsure why they even have that sign. During our meal we weren't asked if we needed anything during our meal, no water refill and had to stand up to pay at the register. Food we order: Cheesy Breads on the appetizer are tasty but far too pricey for 6 quarter size bites. The protein meal for two: Picanha which I ordered medium rare was more medium and I would have let the server know if she would have ever came around. I think this cut of meat was not a top quality sirloin . Beef sausage is a beef hot dog... I was expecting a real Brazilian sausage. Chicken was flavorful. The service sucks and the food is Just OKAY and the service SUCKS.
Crystal Kamada
San Diego has a few Brazilian steakhouses - the pricy kind where they keep bringing delicious cuts of meat to your table till you explode. Those places usually include a buffet that has traditional Brazilian dishes too, but if you're going for your money's worth, you skip that buffet and fill up on the expensive cuts of meat ?I was looking for a local place that serves those kind of Brazilian traditional dishes a la cart, and Stephen had mentioned Sabor Brazilian Grill in his hometown of Encinitas, so finally we tried it today. Our kiddo loves pao de queijo (cheese bread), so this was the perfect spot for a family lunch. On weekends they serve Feijoada, which is one of the most iconic traditional Brazilian stews, so of course we had to try that. This rich black bean stew is simmered for hours with smoked sausage and tri-tip, then served up with rice, greens, and farofa (toasted casava). There is something so hearty and comforting about this dish that feels like home. We also got the Moqueca, which is a coconut milk based fish stew served with rice and farofa. There was so much creamy chunks of cod in the rich sauce with red and yellow peppers, wow ? We also split a coxinha (chicken croquet) with catupiry cheese - pictured as is and cut in half so you can see - outer crunchy coated potato stuffed with creamy chicken and cheese- yum! We also couldn't pass up trying the Romeo & Julieta pastel - pastry stuffed with mozzarella and guava paste - simply amazing, and went well with the rich, nutty Brazilian coffee too. They have a variety of lunch specials, sandwiches, smoothies, and other plates that look delicious too, so I'm sure we'll be back to try more!#foodiesofsd #sdfoodie #socalfoodie #brazilianfood #encinitas
Shari Sewell
Enjoyed a combo plate. Very good flavor on the beef, chicken and sausage. The side of grilled veggies, rice and beans was great. Clean and pleasant service too. Only good things to say!
Marie M.
This is a long overdue review since we've been going to Sabor de Vida since we moved to Encinitas seven years ago. As I ordered catering (again) tonight, I'm reminded that I just can't let another day go by without sharing my ABSOLUTE love for their food. Apart from going to their restaurant almost every other week pre-pandemic, we've ordered catering from Sabor for many of our life events including my huge baby shower and multiple birthday parties. Everything is amazing. To sum it up, we have to-go boxes prepared every party because we frequently order more than the number of guests and Sabor always gives a generous serving. But at the end of every gathering, the food is all gone and there's nothing left to pack up. It's always a big hit with all of our guests and they won't stop raving about it. It's authentic, it's delicious, and the quality is unparalleled! At the restaurant, the service is warm and friendly, that I feel like I'm dining at a friend's place every time we visit. We've tried pretty much everything on the menu and I'm not exaggerating when I say that I like every single one of them. If I have to pick however, my favorite is prato-feito with picanha, my husband swears by the salmon dishes, and my child will fight you for the kid's chicken dinner. :) Winner winner! Their grilled sausage lives up to the hype, too. So, so good. Last but not least, I also want to say THANK YOU to Rafael. He is the best! He is awesome to partner with, an excellent communicator, and his flexibility in adapting to unforeseen changes we've had in our catering order is truly appreciated. I highly recommend Sabor de Vida for dining or catering; they are my favorite hidden gem here in San Diego.
Rafael Gama
Sabor is working hard to go out of business. You are physically there, server is next to you but thy won’t get your order. Instead you have to go online and do a Doordash-style order (even though te server is right there in front of you) that requires name, address, credit card number, zip code and so forth. Never seen anything like that in any restaurant that I’ve been anywhere in the world. The food is absolutely not worth that bizarre service.
Ursulla Noftz
I really wanted to love this place because it’s conveniently located in North County, and as a Brazilian I long for the dishes and finger foods I grew up. We spend $34 on (2) coxinhas, (2) pastel, (2) drinks, and an order of Pão de Queijo. The biggest disappointment was the Pão de Queijo at $5 for tiny itty bitty things the size of a quarter. My husband took one bit and said it taste like the premix stuff. Yuck! The coxinhas lacked flavors. I would have tried the Feijoada however I was not about to pay $18 for a dish that maybe costs them peanuts to make. The host was nice but inconsistent with the service provide and at times sounded rather abrasive. If you knew him you were allowed to order at the counter but if you didn’t you were abrasively told you had to order at the table via QSR code that was posted. I wish them the best of luck as a small business, however I will not be going back.
Veronica S.
The staff was super friendly and accommodating. The food was super delicious! There's nothing that I didn't really enjoy eating. It was all flavorful and cooked well. It was my first time here. I'll definitely be coming back!
Sabor de Vida was one of the HIGHLIGHTS of our WEDDING hands down!!! So thankful to Rafal - owner of Sabor de Vida Brazilian Grill. He was EXCEPTIONAL!! From the time he contacted us, to taste testing at the Point Loma Location, and a second test tasting for the various Brazilian desserts, he made everything SO EASY! The Food first of all, is AMAZING - high quality, healthy, and FRESH! They bring the kitchen to your venue 2-3 hours prior to the wedding, and start cooking it from scratch! So when people start coming in, they can smell the delicious food and get their appetite ready. We had 3 appetizers - tomato/mozzarella/basil sticks, chicken croquette, and beef pastel - which were perfect for craving the hunger pains prior to the reception. We also had the buffet of the steak, chicken, and delicious sausage which EVERY single guest raved about - they were impressed at how healthy the food was, especially for a wedding! Not the traditional hall catering of chicken and mashed potatoes, so they were SUPER excited about that. For desserts, we got the cinnamon-sugar covered pineapple slices, Pudim (flan), and Brigadeiro's (chocolate ganache balls) which our family was super impressed about. Guests are still coming up to us WEEKS after the wedding, telling us how AMAZING the food is! Rafal was a great communicator - he is the CEO of this restaurant, and was always prompt at answering our questions! The prices for the catering were the MOST affordable out of all the other wedding caters in San Diego, and if I were to say so myself, the food was WAYYY better. Which was surprising since other caterers were charging $50 per person with not as good menu choices - just like I said the traditional chicken/mashed potatoes/veggies/bread options. The day of - Rafael and his team delivered outstanding services and were so accommodating for us and our needs! They also provided water and iced tea, ice, as well as assisted with the cake-passing of our wedding cake! We didn't have enough utensils for the dessert, so thankful they came prepared and came to the rescue for this! They made our reception exceptional! I would HANDS-DOWN recommend Rafael and Sabor de Vida Brazilian Grill for ANY WEDDING IN SAN DIEGO!!! You will not be disappointed and your guests will be absolutely LOVE the unique, delicious, healthy, and fresh food that Sabor serves with excellence! Thank you SO much Rafael for making our day unforgettable!! He will definitely be our Go-To Caterer for future events!
Jan Koren
Th steak here is really tasty. Lots of bang for your buck.
Mr. A.
Sabor is a very casual family-owned and operated Brazilian joint. For football (what we Americans call "soccer") lovers, they'll sometimes play the games on a big screen inside. They have also converted some of the parking lot into outdoor seating for those who still aren't ready to head back inside. The staff is small in number (the young woman that served us also played hostess and bus-person all at once and did a great job!) and young in age, but do a great job regardless. Tip heavy! :)
Adriana V.
I cannot express how deeply appreciative my husband and I are to have met Rafael and his team at Sabor Brazilian Grill to cater our wedding. Throughout the many months of wedding preparation, my husband and I visited the restaurant on several occasions (both announced and unannounced) and we were blown away every single time. We knew our wedding food would be a success, and boy oh boy, were we right! BLOWN AWAY. EVERYONE. WOW. Reflecting on my wedding day, the amazing food and service bring a smile to my face. Sabor Brazilian Grill was truly the best wedding decision I made. Some detailed highlights include: 100% responsiveness, impeccable taste and quality cuisine, supreme and warm service, willingness to drive all the way from San Diego to Pasadena, unparalleled professionalism, and AUTHENTIC. WOW. I love this place and these people. I cannot recommend them enough. All of my wedding guests cannot stop raving about their dinner experience. It was truly amazing and second to none. *Chef's Kiss*
Meagan E.
Prrettyyy...pretttyyyy...decent. I sampled a bunch of sides. And all averaged soso. There's an outdoor patio set up covid style and also interior seating as well. Pros: service! Pastel dough was fried crusty and delicious. The beef interior could have used more flavor elements but was good nonetheless. The chicken croquette was very big like they should be and it had good flavor. Cons: half way into the beef pastel i discovered some surprise elements which i can only guess are chopped intestine bits. Not surprised given the culture but wish there was some heads up. Also the beef could have used some bell pepper or something to add variety and dimension. The chicken croquette while good had a creamy whipped texture to the meat rather than shredded and i wasnt a fan of that. Biggest bummer was that the pao de quejo which i came for was hard and tasted like it had been exposed in the refrigerator. Overall I wouldnt be mad to come again but I dont know that Id come out of my way.
Amazing place to eat. The staff is amazing, the food is amazing. I have been going here for more then 4 years now and everytime we come here it is another great experience.
Horrible service and the picanha was raw. The waiter was very rude. I don't recommend anyone to go there.
I didn't like the workers..they were rude & disrespectful to the Illuminati. Didn't even look like they were from this country & they disrespected.There is already 650 billion in damage from ISTORM because the law didn't work to stop the WEIRDOS.Keep it up and you'll surely have a TSUNAMI!!!
By far some of the worst service I have ever experienced. My husband and are on a road trip. We have never ate at the establishment but the worker treated us like we had just ate lunch here.... When we walked in we saw their sign that said to wait to be seated. We waited and the woman at the register handed us a couple of menus and told us to go sit somewhere. Unsure why they even have that sign. During our meal we weren't asked if we needed anything during our meal, no water refill and had to stand up to pay at the register. Food we order: Cheesy Breads on the appetizer are tasty but far too pricey for 6 quarter size bites. The protein meal for two: Picanha which I ordered medium rare was more medium and I would have let the server know if she would have ever came around. I think this cut of meat was not a top quality sirloin . Beef sausage is a beef hot dog... I was expecting a real Brazilian sausage. Chicken was flavorful. The service sucks and the food is Just OKAY and the service SUCKS.
San Diego has a few Brazilian steakhouses - the pricy kind where they keep bringing delicious cuts of meat to your table till you explode. Those places usually include a buffet that has traditional Brazilian dishes too, but if you're going for your money's worth, you skip that buffet and fill up on the expensive cuts of meat ?I was looking for a local place that serves those kind of Brazilian traditional dishes a la cart, and Stephen had mentioned Sabor Brazilian Grill in his hometown of Encinitas, so finally we tried it today. Our kiddo loves pao de queijo (cheese bread), so this was the perfect spot for a family lunch. On weekends they serve Feijoada, which is one of the most iconic traditional Brazilian stews, so of course we had to try that. This rich black bean stew is simmered for hours with smoked sausage and tri-tip, then served up with rice, greens, and farofa (toasted casava). There is something so hearty and comforting about this dish that feels like home. We also got the Moqueca, which is a coconut milk based fish stew served with rice and farofa. There was so much creamy chunks of cod in the rich sauce with red and yellow peppers, wow ? We also split a coxinha (chicken croquet) with catupiry cheese - pictured as is and cut in half so you can see - outer crunchy coated potato stuffed with creamy chicken and cheese- yum! We also couldn't pass up trying the Romeo & Julieta pastel - pastry stuffed with mozzarella and guava paste - simply amazing, and went well with the rich, nutty Brazilian coffee too. They have a variety of lunch specials, sandwiches, smoothies, and other plates that look delicious too, so I'm sure we'll be back to try more!#foodiesofsd #sdfoodie #socalfoodie #brazilianfood #encinitas
Enjoyed a combo plate. Very good flavor on the beef, chicken and sausage. The side of grilled veggies, rice and beans was great. Clean and pleasant service too. Only good things to say!
This is a long overdue review since we've been going to Sabor de Vida since we moved to Encinitas seven years ago. As I ordered catering (again) tonight, I'm reminded that I just can't let another day go by without sharing my ABSOLUTE love for their food. Apart from going to their restaurant almost every other week pre-pandemic, we've ordered catering from Sabor for many of our life events including my huge baby shower and multiple birthday parties. Everything is amazing. To sum it up, we have to-go boxes prepared every party because we frequently order more than the number of guests and Sabor always gives a generous serving. But at the end of every gathering, the food is all gone and there's nothing left to pack up. It's always a big hit with all of our guests and they won't stop raving about it. It's authentic, it's delicious, and the quality is unparalleled! At the restaurant, the service is warm and friendly, that I feel like I'm dining at a friend's place every time we visit. We've tried pretty much everything on the menu and I'm not exaggerating when I say that I like every single one of them. If I have to pick however, my favorite is prato-feito with picanha, my husband swears by the salmon dishes, and my child will fight you for the kid's chicken dinner. :) Winner winner! Their grilled sausage lives up to the hype, too. So, so good. Last but not least, I also want to say THANK YOU to Rafael. He is the best! He is awesome to partner with, an excellent communicator, and his flexibility in adapting to unforeseen changes we've had in our catering order is truly appreciated. I highly recommend Sabor de Vida for dining or catering; they are my favorite hidden gem here in San Diego.
Sabor is working hard to go out of business. You are physically there, server is next to you but thy won’t get your order. Instead you have to go online and do a Doordash-style order (even though te server is right there in front of you) that requires name, address, credit card number, zip code and so forth. Never seen anything like that in any restaurant that I’ve been anywhere in the world. The food is absolutely not worth that bizarre service.
I really wanted to love this place because it’s conveniently located in North County, and as a Brazilian I long for the dishes and finger foods I grew up. We spend $34 on (2) coxinhas, (2) pastel, (2) drinks, and an order of Pão de Queijo. The biggest disappointment was the Pão de Queijo at $5 for tiny itty bitty things the size of a quarter. My husband took one bit and said it taste like the premix stuff. Yuck! The coxinhas lacked flavors. I would have tried the Feijoada however I was not about to pay $18 for a dish that maybe costs them peanuts to make. The host was nice but inconsistent with the service provide and at times sounded rather abrasive. If you knew him you were allowed to order at the counter but if you didn’t you were abrasively told you had to order at the table via QSR code that was posted. I wish them the best of luck as a small business, however I will not be going back.
The staff was super friendly and accommodating. The food was super delicious! There's nothing that I didn't really enjoy eating. It was all flavorful and cooked well. It was my first time here. I'll definitely be coming back!
Restaurantji Recommends
Sabor de Vida was one of the HIGHLIGHTS of our WEDDING hands down!!! So thankful to Rafal - owner of Sabor de Vida Brazilian Grill. He was EXCEPTIONAL!! From the time he contacted us, to taste testing at the Point Loma Location, and a second test tasting for the various Brazilian desserts, he made everything SO EASY! The Food first of all, is AMAZING - high quality, healthy, and FRESH! They bring the kitchen to your venue 2-3 hours prior to the wedding, and start cooking it from scratch! So when people start coming in, they can smell the delicious food and get their appetite ready. We had 3 appetizers - tomato/mozzarella/basil sticks, chicken croquette, and beef pastel - which were perfect for craving the hunger pains prior to the reception. We also had the buffet of the steak, chicken, and delicious sausage which EVERY single guest raved about - they were impressed at how healthy the food was, especially for a wedding! Not the traditional hall catering of chicken and mashed potatoes, so they were SUPER excited about that. For desserts, we got the cinnamon-sugar covered pineapple slices, Pudim (flan), and Brigadeiro's (chocolate ganache balls) which our family was super impressed about. Guests are still coming up to us WEEKS after the wedding, telling us how AMAZING the food is! Rafal was a great communicator - he is the CEO of this restaurant, and was always prompt at answering our questions! The prices for the catering were the MOST affordable out of all the other wedding caters in San Diego, and if I were to say so myself, the food was WAYYY better. Which was surprising since other caterers were charging $50 per person with not as good menu choices - just like I said the traditional chicken/mashed potatoes/veggies/bread options. The day of - Rafael and his team delivered outstanding services and were so accommodating for us and our needs! They also provided water and iced tea, ice, as well as assisted with the cake-passing of our wedding cake! We didn't have enough utensils for the dessert, so thankful they came prepared and came to the rescue for this! They made our reception exceptional! I would HANDS-DOWN recommend Rafael and Sabor de Vida Brazilian Grill for ANY WEDDING IN SAN DIEGO!!! You will not be disappointed and your guests will be absolutely LOVE the unique, delicious, healthy, and fresh food that Sabor serves with excellence! Thank you SO much Rafael for making our day unforgettable!! He will definitely be our Go-To Caterer for future events!
Th steak here is really tasty. Lots of bang for your buck.
Sabor is a very casual family-owned and operated Brazilian joint. For football (what we Americans call "soccer") lovers, they'll sometimes play the games on a big screen inside. They have also converted some of the parking lot into outdoor seating for those who still aren't ready to head back inside. The staff is small in number (the young woman that served us also played hostess and bus-person all at once and did a great job!) and young in age, but do a great job regardless. Tip heavy! :)
I cannot express how deeply appreciative my husband and I are to have met Rafael and his team at Sabor Brazilian Grill to cater our wedding. Throughout the many months of wedding preparation, my husband and I visited the restaurant on several occasions (both announced and unannounced) and we were blown away every single time. We knew our wedding food would be a success, and boy oh boy, were we right! BLOWN AWAY. EVERYONE. WOW. Reflecting on my wedding day, the amazing food and service bring a smile to my face. Sabor Brazilian Grill was truly the best wedding decision I made. Some detailed highlights include: 100% responsiveness, impeccable taste and quality cuisine, supreme and warm service, willingness to drive all the way from San Diego to Pasadena, unparalleled professionalism, and AUTHENTIC. WOW. I love this place and these people. I cannot recommend them enough. All of my wedding guests cannot stop raving about their dinner experience. It was truly amazing and second to none. *Chef's Kiss*
Prrettyyy...pretttyyyy...decent. I sampled a bunch of sides. And all averaged soso. There's an outdoor patio set up covid style and also interior seating as well. Pros: service! Pastel dough was fried crusty and delicious. The beef interior could have used more flavor elements but was good nonetheless. The chicken croquette was very big like they should be and it had good flavor. Cons: half way into the beef pastel i discovered some surprise elements which i can only guess are chopped intestine bits. Not surprised given the culture but wish there was some heads up. Also the beef could have used some bell pepper or something to add variety and dimension. The chicken croquette while good had a creamy whipped texture to the meat rather than shredded and i wasnt a fan of that. Biggest bummer was that the pao de quejo which i came for was hard and tasted like it had been exposed in the refrigerator. Overall I wouldnt be mad to come again but I dont know that Id come out of my way.