A 39th Anniversary Dinner at Churrasco Brazilian Steakhouse — and Why Great Restaurants Like It Are Part of the ORI Lifestyle

Palm Springs in the winter is a scene: packed sidewalks, valet lines, and tourists snapping photos along the Walk of Stars in front of the Marilyn Monroe statue. Palm Springs in August is a different city entirely. At 110 degrees, the same streets we know so well from in-season were nearly empty — which turned out to be the perfect backdrop for a quiet, special night out. We'd chosen Churrasco Brazilian Steakhouse to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary, and going in the off-season meant we got the place almost to ourselves.

First Impressions

We arrived right at opening, 4:30 in the afternoon, and had the restaurant to ourselves for those first few minutes — long enough to take it all in before the dinner rush arrived. Churrasco is a beautiful space: well-designed, immaculately clean, and clearly ready for the evening the moment the doors opened. Address for your notes: 450 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262, currently sitting at 4.3 stars online, phone (760) 409-7555.

How a Churrascaria Works (For the Uninitiated)

Neither of us had done a proper Brazilian churrascaria before, and part of the fun was learning the rules as we went. Most of the meal is buffet-style, and the spread is genuinely impressive. One side is dedicated to the finest charcuterie display we've seen, along with Brazilian salsas, sauces, and flavors we didn't recognize but were excited to try. Another section holds fresh fruits and vegetables in bright, lighter preparations. The hot bar was well equipped — risotto, salmon, potatoes, and other amazing dishes. And then there's the cold side, with the salads you'd expect alongside surprises like ceviche.

Then comes the real show. Each of us had a small round disc on the table — green on one side, red on the other. Flip it to green, and servers dressed in traditional gaucho uniforms start coming by with long skewers of meat, slicing off a taste of whatever they're carrying: prime rib, tenderloin, sausage, chicken breast and thighs, lamb, and more. They keep coming back every few minutes with something new. Our advice: pace yourself and take smaller portions than you're tempted to, because everything is worth trying and you'll want room for the next round. When you need a breather, flip the disc to red and the gauchos will pass you by until you're ready again.

The Food Actually Delivers

It would be easy for a restaurant built around spectacle to skimp on quality, but Churrasco doesn't. The shrimp ceviche was wonderful, and the mushroom risotto might be one of the best we've had — high praise, since we're serious risotto people. The lightly pickled cucumber was simple, beautiful, and refreshing. Linda couldn't stop talking about the deviled eggs and the sausages off the skewer. Every cut of steak and chicken that came to our table was excellent, and we ran out of room long before we ran out of things we wanted to try. We're already planning a second visit just to work through the rest of the menu.

We skipped the wine list — which looked excellent — in favor of sharing a Caipirinha, the Brazilian cocktail made with fresh muddled strawberries and Brazilian rum. Think of it as a cousin to the margarita, with a perfect balance of sweet and alcohol-forward.

The Real Star: The Service

The food and the presentation are wonderful, but what made the night was the service. From the moment we walked in, we were taken care of — and that didn't change as the restaurant filled up around us. Our server, the bartender, the manager, and every gaucho who stopped by the table were all locked in on making sure we had everything we needed. It's the kind of hospitality that turns a good meal into a memorable one.

Since it was our anniversary, we decided to share dessert. Our server brought out a tray with six options — tres leches, molten lava cake, crème brûlée, cheesecake, and more. We went with the vanilla cheesecake with raspberry sauce, and a few minutes later it came back out with "Happy Anniversary" written across the plate in raspberry syrup. We were too busy enjoying it to remember to take a photo before it disappeared — you'll have to take our word for how good it was.

Know Before You Go

• Address: 450 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262
• Phone: (760) 409-7555
• Rating: 4.3 stars online
• Expect to spend: around $200 for two people
• Distance from Outdoor Resort Indio: about a 30-minute drive
• Our take: Worth every mile and every dollar — grab some friends, block out a couple of hours, and go slow so you can try it all.

Why This Matters If You're Thinking About Owning at ORI

Nights like this are exactly why we love telling people about life at Outdoor Resort Indio. A one-of-a-kind dinner like Churrasco isn't a special-occasion trip you have to plan months in advance — it's a 30-minute drive from your coach. That's the real value of owning at ORI: you're not just buying a beautiful site in a resort that was just named the #1 Best RV Resort in the USA in the 2026 USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards. You're buying a home base in the middle of one of the best dining and entertainment regions in the country.

Owning or renting at ORI puts you within reach of over 1,000 restaurants across the Coachella Valley, from casual patio spots to destination experiences like Churrasco. Add in more than 100 golf courses, four casinos, and a steady calendar of live entertainment, and it's easy to see why so many owners treat their ORI site as their primary basecamp rather than just a winter stop. The resort gives you the luxury coach community and amenities you're looking for — and the valley around it gives you a reason to keep coming back, in every season, not just the busy ones.

If a quiet August dinner in an empty Palm Springs can feel this special, imagine what the valley has to offer once the season turns and everything opens back up. We'll see you at the resort — and maybe at Churrasco, where we'll be working on round two of that menu.

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