10/05/2026
We’ve been looking for a Brazilian restaurant because I really miss a small, family-owned spot on Cape Cod, and it’s been way too long since I’ve had authentic Brazilian food. So, of course, we found Samba Brazilian Kitchen on Yelp Gainesville, and you know I had to try it!
Let’s start with our arrival. It honestly didn’t even look like there was a restaurant there! The building looks almost like apartments or condos, but let me tell you: this place is a hidden gem tucked away in this little neighborhood.
If it’s raining, we would recommend making a reservation because the restaurant is small inside, but it is totally worth it! They do offer bar style seating as well as outside seating. We absolutely loved the authentic vibe. We had multiple servers who all took great care of us, and I believe one of our servers was named Mateo. He was fabulous at explaining the menu to us. Kissa was telling him how much she missed the little Brazilian spot we used to have up on Cape Cod and how much we travel, and he was so friendly and helpful.
Kissa started with a Peach Bellini, which tasted like they literally squeezed a fresh peach right into the glass. It was SO fresh and refreshing!
For an appetizer, we ordered the QUEIJO COALHO, and let me tell you, this might be the yummiest appetizer Kissa has ever had! The glaze was sweet and absolutely perfect, and the cheese was cooked just right. It had that delicious little crunch without being too much. The sweetness was the little cheat I needed before my meal. 
Next up was my PICANHA GRELHADA. The steak was cooked perfectly, and the rice had such delicious flavor. The sautéed onions were the perfect match on top. We feel like sometimes restaurants skimp out on the onions, but there were SO many here that almost every bite of steak had some, and K loved every minute of it!
The steak was a little more fatty than what we are used to. Where K is from up North, they usually slice some of that off for you, so this was actually my first time having a full cut of picanha. Although, when we brought some home to our cat, he absolutely LOVED the fat.
Overall, we really loved the decor and the vibe of this place. If you’re looking for romantic date night, this is the place to go!
We can’t recommend this place enough. The friendly service, delicious food, and authentic Brazilian cuisine, spices, and flavors were absolutely wonderful. It honestly made me miss Cape Cod and brought back memories of the little family-owned place K loved there.
We highly recommend this hidden gem for your next Brazilian date night!