Long before Barbacoa and company hooked Tokyo's meat-eating masses on churrasco, basement big boy Tucano's served as a conveniently located but still attractively hidden sanctuary for Shibuya carnivores in the know. Operating in a spacious location up on Dogenzaka for well over a decade now, this colourful eatery has remained a local favourite and is also renowned for its steamy samba shows, which take place three or four times every week.
Most of the chefs and waiters here are Brazilians, ensuring the kind of authenticity that keeps regulars coming back for Tucano's amply seasoned, juicy sticks of meat. Past customers have included the Brazilian national football team, but on a regular day you'll see everyone from salarymen to families with small kids crowd the tables. The churrasco itself includes beef, pork, chicken and lamb varieties – 14 kinds in total – with the chicken heart apparently a particular favourite. An all-you-can-eat churrasco and buffet dinner, complete with everything from salad to feijoada, goes for ¥4,800, while the weekday lunch deal is great value at ¥2,800. At night, the above-mentioned samba performances (at 7.30pm and 8.30pm) are complemented by bossa nova gigs – consider opting for one of the all-you-can-drink cocktail deals to make the most of the experience.