Nando’s PERi-PERi

Tried this place for the first time last night and was not impressed, especially for the price. First, it was crazy busy, which was one of the reasons we decided to give it a go. However, we realized most people were only eating here because the other places had a wait of 45+minutes. The mixed concept of server vs serve yourself was off putting. Because the place was so busy, staff and customers were continuously running into each other.
Next, we ordered their signature chicken breast w/​one side each and a pitcher of Sangria. Total = $ 49. The Sangria was made w/​a splash of red wine and wait for it… Fanta and Sprite, hmm. Overall, it was okay but made for very expensive soda. The food arrived pretty quickly, but was also an expensive disappointment. The «butterflied breasts» we’re tiny and under flavored for all of the hype. In short, the food was nothing special.
Finally, the layout is terrible. We were lucky enough to be seated right in front of the bathrooms, one drink station, and food distribution/​kitchen area. Yes, they are all next to each other making for severe congestion and constant near accidents. However, we did find this the most rewarding part of the whole dining experience — waiting for the inevitable collision.
In conclusion, overpriced for mediocre food so opt for a true restaurant in the area with dedicated servers.

Awesome atmosphere with a blend of rustic wood and Portuguese tiles. It feels more casual than a restaurant because you order at a cash register, but the service was phenomenal and more of a team approach than one waiter/​waitress. I think four different people checked in with my party throughout my dinner.
Most importantly – the food. It was phenomenal. The hummus appetizer was both played beautifully and tasted delicious with a unique spicy sauce to sprinkle on the hummus. And the spicy ¼ chicken bone-​in was a wonderful blend of spicy, citrus, and juicy meat. I will absolutely come again and highly recommend it. Oh! And the price! It was MUCH cheaper than the restaurants surrounding it in one loudoun. The value you get for the price makes this five stars in my book.

I got the wrap it was really good, fries were amazing. I loved trying all the sauces, the hot sauce was my favorite and it was more like a medium. Next time I’ll just get the chicken, that seems to be their specialty. It looks amazing. It was a little pricey but it was a great atmosphere and the service /​staff was awesome.

I went to this spot alot the first year it opened, A LOT. The chicken is excellent, sides are average to below average, and the place is cramped and poorly thought out.
I don’t go here anymore, and I’ll tell you why. THEY KEEP RAISING THEIR PRICES. They were overpriced to begin with and it’s only getting worse. I get that it’s a chain and they’re just following orders from corporate, but they’ve simply priced me out. $ 15 for a chicken breast and a couple of sides and no drink? I know this Loudoun, richest county in the US per household but sorry my last name isn’t Rockefeller ffs.

I used to work right around the corner from the Nando’s in Dupont and there was always a line around the corner at lunchtime. I went and remember thinking it was okay but certainly not worthy of the wait.
Now, there’s one locally and I’ve heard people rave about it so I figured I must’ve missed something. I ordered the chicken breast, medium and found it mostly average — certainly not better than any chicken breast I could’ve made at home (if not worse). The sauce is mostly just slathered on so the breast isn’t really marinated and didn’t have a ton of flavor. Got the fries with it and I must say, the portion size is certainly not a typical American portion. The sauce options are great and it was fun to try each of them — I think the medium is more like a mild and hot more of a medium but I tend to like spice.
In the end, I was still hungry and felt the meal was mostly meh.

First time here just over a week ago and food was great along with the service. Will defiently have lunch here again.

Omg!!! Best chicken ever!!! I have never been here before and had the chicken breast sandwich with the medium sauce! It was a perfect spicy and the fries were Delish! The service was fast and amazing. It was perfect for lunch and we were in and out with full tummies!

It’s a quaint little place for all the chicken lovers around. They have spices from Mild to xxx Spicy! The seats are quite dirty and they need a good cleaning for sure! Foods decent so always good to give something new a try!

Love this place ate at the one in Springfield and took my friend here for lunch for the first time they loved it great for lunch

This was my first time after reading and hearing so many great things. I didn’t really know what to order and I think I ordered the wrong thing. I was a little disappointed after all the hype… but will most likely try it again.
I ordered the ¼ chicken breast ‘medium’ with a side of rice. The chicken was not super spicy but was had a nice kick to it. I didn’t taste any real flavor or spice — just the heat. That was disappointing. The chicken was a little dry. The rice was boring.
My husband had the same chicken with the side of rice with the sauce. The rice were okay — a little limp and the sauce was underwhelming. I was surprised they charged and extra .75 for a side of spiced up mayo! Really… it couldn’t be included. He also go a side salad which looked good but hard to eat in the tiny bowl it was served in.
We also got a side of garlic bread which was good — hard to make bad garlic bread.
I was told I should have ordered the butternut squash and one of the other flavors of chicken. I guess I’ll go back another time and order that next time! Live and learn…

I’ve visited the Nando’s in Pakistan and it was more formal than the American version of Nando’s, having said that… I definitely enjoyed this version a lot more! It’s a very casual environment with a lot more variety on the menu :) I ordered the vegi wrap with chicken and it was delicious!
Do give this place a try if you can. it’s worth it :)

I love Nando’s in general, but this location genuinely makes me happy. Located at One Loudoun, it is in a new area, and very clean. The service here is cheerful and prompt. I like being greeted and welcomed with a smile, and that has happened on both occasions I visited. I brought my family, who were from out of town, last Friday evening. We were literally all starving and very disappointed that we couldn’t eat at our first choice, Uncle Julios, due to an outrageous line! I suggested Nandos because I knew the food would be fast, fresh and hearty. And I was right! We ended up ordering it to go and eating outside because the weather was perfect for a summer evening, and the square was lively with families and kids and teens. I ordered my usual, the ¼ chicken– which is a leg and thigh. I then ordered the Portuguese rice as my side. Yum! I love the fire grilled flavor, and of course the sauces are what makes them as popular as they are. I only dare to try the medium and lemon herb sauces. And the medium has plenty of kick! I also decided to have my chicken marinated in the mango lime this time. What a great choice. It really made me feel like I was enjoying a vacation meal! I will be back and maybe one day I’ll try something else!

I love nandos. It is a very nice chain. The food is pretty good but nothing amazing. The décor of the place is amazing. It makes me happy, so I go :) this location is really busy and you will have to wait to sit down. I mostly get take out

Wash your hands before you eat because this place is finger lickin good! I am almost afraid to tell you how good it is because I want to keep it for myself. It can get very busy.
Sides are good too.

Five stars for the Peri Peri sauces alone. I like how Nando’s has a combination of both counter and table service. It’s a laid back atmosphere and you don’t have to deal with slow waiters or waitresses to get your order. However, if you do want the service, they will provide it. There hasn’t been a single thing on the menu that I’ve ordered and haven’t enjoyed. I tried the chicken liver for the first time today, and it was dry, but still good. It was a nice change from ordering my usual lemon & herb wings with a side of rice. Expect to pay $ 10-​$ 15 for your meal, but it’s very much worth it. This place is also good for groups and sharing a large platter can also save you money. But my favorite part about this place (besides the sauces and the food) are the cool tables that make you feel like you’re sitting in a cage/bird’s nest.
There’s also free wifi! I just guessed the password correctly, but I’m sure you can ask the cashier if you can’t figure it out.

First time eating here and really wanted to see what the hype was all about. You are seated by the host and order at the counter whenever you’re ready. From several other Unilocal reviews and recommendations from friends, we ended up ordering a whole chicken (mango lime) with garlic bread and butternut squash/​grilled corn as sides. In addition, we got 12 chicken wings (6 medium, 6 mango lime) with Peri chips. It took about 15 minutes for the food to come out and everything is grilled to order.
The chicken was grilled perfectly, not overcooked and dry. Flavor was on point but had to put some of the hot sauce to give it a little kick. Wings were pretty good too especially with the hot sauce. As far as the sides, the garlic bread complements the chicken well. The butternut squash and fries were good too but didn’t really stand out.
Overall, the experience and food was what I expected. I definitely would go here again. Next time, I want to try peas and coleslaw for the sides. If I’m in the mood, perhaps I’ll try something on the veggie menu.

I have always been a fan of Nando’s. They have the best chicken !
What stood about this place was its ambiance. I guess lot of thought has gone into designing the interiors (especially the round booth seatings). I found the ambiance better than other Nandos.

Although this is a chain, I was impressed by the quality of the food, the cuteness of the interior, and the helpfulness and overall attitude of the staff.
Atmosphere: bright, modern, rustic. I like the long wood tables, high tops, and especially the wonderful round (colorful) booth seating. Unlike most other restaurants, here you’re taken to your seat, you decide what you want, then you go up to order at the counter. There’s a marker that ‘saves’ your table, and helps the staff find it when they deliver your food later. Condiments, silverware and drinks are also self-​serve — though staff are happy to help, if you’ve forgotten something.
Food: You prettymuch have to get the yummy chicken if you come here. That’s the main point! You can order different levels of spicyness, and you can continue to customize that by adding some of the mild, medium, hot, x-​tra hot, or DANGER sauces. I made a mistake and got a salad that had chicken in it… unfortunately that chicken seems to be different than the «main course» chicken — and nowhere near as good. But I did try my friend’s quarter chicken. The side selection is also great — I loved the macho peas and the squash with corn (which was spicier than expected). The veggies are plentiful and fresh. I also really liked the hummus appetizer, especially the Peri Peri sauce that came with it.
Service: From the hostesses to the counter to the runners and ‘helpers’, everyone was super friendly, patient and polite. They helped me find what I was looking for and pack up my food to-​go when I needed a box.
As far as quick-​serve spots go, I would have no problem making Nando’s a regular occurrence…

I really like this particular Nando’s location, as the décor has these cool floating nest booths. At this location, a hostess seats you, you go order at the counter, pay, and return to your table to plop your numbered chicken on the table. Utensils, sauces, and drinks are located at a self-​serve table.
If you’ve been to the other Nando’s then the food is pretty much up to par with other locations. If you haven’t, it’s chargrilled chicken that has been basted with a spiced marinade during the cooking process. There’s extra sauces (sauce = peri-​peri) available table-​side of all flavors and spice levels to tailor it more to your tastes as well. Mushy peas is probably one of my more favorite sides to get here.

My bf and I tried eating here 2 weeks ago, but they were just in-​training and left the door open… Besides that mix-​up, we decided to give this location a try on opening day (6÷25÷14). I’ve dined at other Nando’s in Maryland, and I was curious to see how their newest held up.
Here’s how ordering works:
Wait for the host to seat you. When you are ready to order, you go to the front counter, tell them your selection, and give them your table number. A server brings out the food to you when it’s ready (There is a station to grab various sauces, utensils, water, etc., while you wait).
We ordered a whole chicken meal (herb & garlic flavor), which came with 2 large sides. Our sides were Portuguese rice and mashed potatoes. It was happy hour (4−6pm), so we were able to grab a pitcher of sangria for only $ 5.95! What a deal! It’s pretty sweet tasting, but I enjoyed it. They also have beers for $ 2, I think? We got an order of garlic sticks (delicious!) as well for around $ 3.95.
Regarding the food, the chicken was very moist and flavorful. I think it was even better than the chicken at the MD locations. I tried some sauces, but they didn’t blow me away; the chicken tasted fine as is. The potatoes were kind of plain, but the rice was pretty good! I wish the sides were larger, they seemed to be «small/​regular» rather than «large».
Another cool thing is the décor in this location; it’s interesting and there are egg-​shaped booths for larger parties. The aesthetics make for a unique dining experience.
Overall, Nando’s did a good job serving us. We didn’t have to wait for a table because they weren’t too busy early in the evening, and our server was a friendly and helpful guy.