There are 2 different Marius's. Great food. They are both Rodizio's.

Avenida Atlantica, 290-A (Leme) Phone 542-2393
Lots of non-working girl types here at diner here.
Noon - 1AM

Rua Fancisco Otaviano-96 (Arpodor) Phone 521-0500
12 Noon - 1 AM

Not so fast, not so fast. The one on Rua Francisco Otaviano has been closed for quite some time. That being said, the Marius in Leme has an abundant selection of succulent meats and a well prepared salad bar.
There is also a Maruis at 139 Almirante Barroso downtown. I'm going there tomorrow.

PS I was just going to start a thread on restaurants and I see that you beat me to it.

Stayawayjoe - did you ever make it to the Marius downtown?

Oh yes,I did. It is not a bad place. By day it is a churrascaria and at 6pm it turns into a nightclub for the office workers. It is unusual in that it operates from 6pm to 1am, quite a difference for the late night partying that the Brazilians are noted for. Wednesday night is singles night. It is a good place to go for that transition period before Help or the boites in Lido open, that is if you are not already at a termas. It is very inexpensive also. It included a buffet of appetizers-sandwiches, sushi, etc. I had 4 drinks and my exit charge was a meager R30. Youngish crowd, perhaps 20-35. Only drawback was the LOUD music. And very crowded.

Stayawayjoe, thanks. Sounds either like a good place to pig out prior to hitting 4x4 or a place to wind down (if that is possible in Brazil) afterwards.

MARIUS (Leme)
Overvauled, overpriced and food is so so.
Four of us had dinner there in march
the seafood side. first, it cost us with one bottle of white wine $380R. thats one weeks rent in Rio.
service was not to great. Fish was not that great buffet had a OK selection let me put it this way anyone ever had Sizzlers.
the place was nice, My favorite Rest is Tanaka in Logoa. it's a sushi rest and the food is great, very nice interior marble floors waterfall etc...well, the four of us had dinner and it cost us $150R I think we had about 50+ pieces of sushi with beers and service was rated A.
Coming from california, a elegant place like that would easily run us $1200R.

Thanks for the tip on Tanaka...I love sushi, so I'm definitely going to hit that place next trip...I really enjoyed Marius Carne side last trip...

Rexxx,
I second the recommendation on Tanaka. Sit with your girl by the window and enjoy her along with the lakeside scenery. The shiitake mushrooms with garlic were awesome also.

What's the average price per head at Marius carne side without wine?
thanks

About 65R with two drinks is what it came to last time we were there.

The food at Marius, (beef) is so salty, it is almost enedible. Service is mediocre.

My guess for why the rodizios/churrascos bar-b-ques are so salty, is that the restaurant wants to make you more thirsty. That way you'll drink more of your favorite beverage, whatever it is? The restaurant gains more sales revenue, and the staff earns more tips.

Brazilians like to use salt in lieu of a marinade when bar-b-q-ing. They use a special rock salt for this.