Nando’s

a bit of a funny story before i begin the review, growing up i lived beside a nandos for 13 years. never tried it once!
my significant other had some nandos brought in for a xmas dinner at her work, and i remembered that this location had been recently opened, so i put it on my «hit list»
this location is a bit confusing, we went after done shopping at wal-​mart and noticed that i couldn’t drive straight into the plaza, so i hooked a right to go to the side street, the only entrance for the side street is for the back receiving and is no way connected with the main parking lot of this establishment. lots of parking, lots of room to sit in the restaurant, very clean and very happy staff.
the atmosphere of this place is pretty awesome, its not very bright, and has alot of darker colors and tones to the restaurant. we were greeted almost instantly and brought to a table, we were told to look at the menu and come up to the order station with our table number. after looking at the menu we went up to the station, and proceeded to order our food, the young lady who entered our order couldn’t have been nicer, was very informative and explained a couple of things about the restaurant along the way, as well as the spice chart for the Peri-​Peri heat scale. food was ordered with an ETA of 15 minutes. we sat back down after getting some bottles of sauce and our utensils (very smart move on the resturants part to have this station). the food came in about ten minutes and it was utterly delicious. i was very happy with all of the flavors and the levels of heat that i had ordered. my significant other was also very happy as well. our plates were cleared within a minute of us finishing them, which is always an amazing service to experience.
my only two negatives about this restaurant, which brought it down to four stars, is that, on the dessert menu they have «Portuguese custard tarts\nata\natash» listed at $ 2.50 each… now I’m not an idiot, but normally they should be able a dollar, maybe $ 1.25 depending on the bakery, to further point in the menu it states, «A traditional Portuguese custard tart. The name’s hard to pronounce, so we call them ‘Natas’!», i find that quote to be a extremely dumb and makes me question why they needed to explain this? the second thing was that the potatoes were from a box, and not done from scratch, which was still flavorful but disappointing. i also read someone elses comment that the portions are small, i would defiantly agree with that statement, but the flavor and quality is defiantly the wild card in this and makes up for the portion.
defiantly will be back, maybe not for nata’s, but for some Peri-​peri chicken :)
FULL DISCLOSURE: the extra hot, is pretty spicy, i was very happy with this heat level

One of the best restreraunts I have ever tried in my life. The chicken was cooked to perfection, the garlic bread was superb and you will never ever leave nandos thirsty thanks to the free reefels.

I really do enjoy Nando’s and I’m glad more of their restaurants in this chain are opening up. This location, in particular, appears to be rather new and it really looks great. The interior is pretty modern and clean, as well as the dining area and facilities. For those who have never been, Nando’s serves up Portugese chicken but for most to enjoy.
I had what I always have… half chicken with fries. I really like the chicken at Nando’s because of how well they get the sauce coating the chicken. The plate is about $ 16, which is pricey, but good food. The portion size was alright as my chicken did look a bit small and the sides seem to be smaller than I can recall. However, the chicken meat is moist with perfect skin and the sides are done well.
As with most locations, you are given a table number and once assigned, you can then go up and order your food. You’ll also pay for it here. Server will bring it out. Fast comes out hot and quick.

Wow! Where do I begin?
A friend ordered a half chicken (knowing that it comprises of a leg and a thigh) and got the tiniest thing I have ever seen. Looked like a quail. I mean the plate even looked too big for that piece of chicken. It just looked weird. Looked more like a baby quail. lol
We inquired with the server, hesitatingly, he said «it does look smaller than usual, but I’ll go get a manager for you» and he took away the plate. Several minutes later, a man showed up with the plate, dressed in business casual attire, whom we assumed was the manager (he didn’t introduce himself) and reiterated our disappointment about the size of our food, but qualified it with «we don’t choose the size of our chickens.» It’s true, and what’s more, Nando’s is not a chicken restaurant specialty (check the website): it’s all about the sauce. If you want good chicken, don’t go there. If you want ok sauce, may be pay them a visit, but I recommend you bring your own chicken, or you’ll leave hungry, and confused.
So, we were given another «half chicken» which supposedly remedied the issue. Mind you, the (manager?) never returned to see if we were ok or reassessed how we were doing with his supposed intervention.
Of note, they’re racist too! So watch out if you’re Roma. When the server came to give us the second piece of chicken, he said: «Sorry. We weren’t trying to Gyp you or anything.» WTF. That place needs some serious sensitivity training — cultural and professional.
Rude!
So…
Professionalism: one star (zero, if I could)
Sensitivity: same as above
Nando’s sauce: two stars
Nando’s chicken: Ah, what chicken?
Ugh!

The place has a sink in the dining which is very convenient. The chicken is very tender and the sauces are great. The sides could be larger.
Despite going to the front to order and getting your own utensils the staff were on point and very helpful.

I wanted to try this place because the atmosphere looked great and the menu seemed tasty. I ordered the chicken skewers, mashed potatoes and coleslaw. The potatoes and slaw was good however the chicken had very little flavour — other than some hot sauce which really tasted like Franks hot sauce. I expected WOW this is good but didn’t get that. The big big con in the meal was the chicken was undercooked. In fact the second skewer I started to eat I had to spite out — it was pink RAW CHICKEN! bad!

Out of all the Nando’s we’ve visited, this is by far the best! They did such a nice job on the inside that it’s actually a nice restaurant that you’d want to go and have dinner. There’s a lot of reclaimed wood, very high ceilings, beautiful round booths for large groups and a nice sitting area while you wait for take-​out. Great atmosphere!
What can I say, Nando’s is consistently good. Last time I was there, I picked up some grilled wings and was served by a really nice girl named Iesha. The staff at this location is so friendly and they always give you enough hot sauce, napkins, disposables, etc.
I’m reluctant to give it five stars just because, as everyone knows, Nando’s is a bit on the pricey side. I think 4.5 stars is fair.

If you’ve ever been before to a Portuguese chicken restaurant/​take-​out, then you know what we’re talking about. just think of Nando’s as the same, but the place is way nicer, on a trendy but relaxed atmosphere (this also comes with a price)
Food is great, although I agree that some of the sides are a bit small, but the flavors are pretty good, and the Peri-​Peri sauces you can try are excellent… if you’ve never had this kind of chicken before, I would suggest to order your food low on spicy sauce, and you can always put more hot sauce as you discover what your optimal level is.
As some others put said it before, you sit down, choose what you want to eat, then go and pay for it, then your food will be brought to your table. Don’t let this put you off, because that is the traditional way these type of restaurants work, and come and try if for yourself.

Simply amazing! I loved the service and food that was served to my little one and husband. I was greeted right when I walked in and was seated quick. The hostess explained how everything worked very clearly, which makes the experience a lot more better.
The art work around the place is beautiful as we walked around to see it. We were told they were brought from south africa which is pretty cool!
We had bought the classic plate which includes one whole chicken, a large side and some garlic bread for about 30 dollars which is really good for feeding 3 hungry people :) I had also met with the manager Melissa and she is the sweetest person.
Overall, this place is really good and I would recommend it to my family and friends.
p. s. reading all these bad reviews will not summarize the experience I had. You should go and check this restaurant yourself! You will love it. The only bad thing I would say is that a couple of portions of sides are not too filling but still good.

I loved that place for 3 visits! I even wrote a 5 star review that i am now editing. I guess its a hit and miss. Came today on a Friday night got a cold chicken sandwich asked to warm up the meat, got barely warm tiny piece of really dry chicken inside. Tomato inside was rotten I couldn’t eat it, and took it out. Terrible. Last 2 times i also had a chicken sandwich so i know how its supposed to look/​taste like. Really sad experience. I am going to give it another try maybe but i guess not late evening when food is going bad

Yippee! A Nando’s right by Sherway Gardens! I have been to their location in Mississauga and the chicken there is delish.
It’s a bit of an odd setup where they seat you and give you a table number but you then have to go to the cash to order and pay and then they bring your food and drinks over.
We ordered the quarter chicken dinner with choice of one or two sides. They also have family meals where you can share sides with a whole chicken if you like.
The potato wedges were good as were the veggies. The chicken is always good. And that peri peri sauce yum yum … I could and did put it on almost everything! Definitely coming back!

As stated in my first review, I’m back for chicken on the bone. I had a ¼ chicken (Breast and wing) with hot PeriPeri sauce. It was delicious although after the skin us removed, very little sauce remains. But that was easily remedied with a side of extra hot sauce on the side. As I stated — delicious. So why a review of ³⁄₅.
Sides. I had a small salad which consisted of (yes I actually counted) 3 cherry tomatoes, 4 thinly sliced cucumbers and 22 pieces of mixed lettuce. This was priced at $ 4. I also had a premium side of PeriPeri Beans for $ 6. It was tasty and delectable but the potion side was in a bowl that would have been better for a side of extra sauce. So I’ll admit that taste is not an issue here. But value for portion size will become a determinant decision issue for future visits.
So taste is ⁴⁄₅. But portion size for sides and cost are a ¹⁄₅. I hope a re-​evaluation of dishware will occur.

Well, we won’t be coming back.
Nando’s just opened up in one of the newly built stores across from Walmart and Sherway Garden. We usually go out for dinner on Sunday’s and since we were passing by we decided to give it a try. Let me just say that the set up/​service of this restaurant is rather odd/​ineffective.
We were greeted at the door and taken to a booth where it was explained to us that we could look at the menu and decide what you wanted, but then you had to come up to the cash register to order but someone would come to serve you your food. For the 3 of us with glasses of wine it came out to close to 100 dollars which for a place of this calibre is kind of ridiculous (and I/​we are people who are used to spending lots of money on dining out and quality food). The annoying thing is that you have to pay for your meal at the beginning when you order it, before you have received any food or service… and it asks you for a tip! This was irritating, as you are expected to tip before having any type of service…
Anyways, had a hummus and red pepper dip to start with pita, and 3 peri peri chicken wings. Both of these apps were pretty average. We all had some form of the peri peri chicken with a couple of sides each. The chicken was average and one of us thought it could have been cooked longer. One of my sides was the cole slaw which was absolutely drowned in mayo and super soggy. The portion sizes weren’t too big actually, you would get more from a basic chain restaurant like Swiss Chalet!
Getting a waitress to get you water or something is very difficult, most were talking to each other or nowhere to be found. We decided to try the pasteis de natas for dessert, and I was already expecting them not to be authentic of very good. Just to get a waitress to come and ask for 2 de natas took 10 minutes, and it took close to 20 minutes for them to bring them to us! We had to get up and ask a waitress where they were and were told «oh she wrote them down» and then they came out a minute later with mumbled apologies. People are certainly right that the whole service and ordering situations here are a huge issue.
The two pasteis de natas were small, had almost no browning on top, lacking in flavour with soggy bottoms. Overall this was one of the more unpleasant restaurant experiences I have had in a while. It was just too much hassle, strange, overpriced and just not very good. If you are looking for an affordable dinner seriously just go to Swiss Chalet or something instead LOL. And if you are looking for authentic Portuguese food in Toronto then certainly do not come here!!!

This place sprung up so quick I didn’t even know it existed for sometime until I finally realized it was there so I decided to try it out.
I’m not entirely sure how to start this review as this place truthfully confused me… I do believe its a Portuguese Chicken place but what kind of establishment I cannot say, It appears to be a mixture of cafeteria and restaurant with a touch of fast food which is needless to say a little off putting, I will explain further ;)
Let me start by saying the décor is rather impressive considering they claim to be going for a more casual and family atmosphere… I feel like its way more trendy and modern but beautiful none the less. The layout of the place is where I feel it starts to fall short though with crammed tables and large, almost useless horse shoe booths that offered nowhere to hang jackets. This made the space seem a little cluttered and confusing with inconveniently placed main arteries and walkways that made for a fair bit of traffic around the self serve touch screen pop dispenser. This is another thing that put me off a little, I expect to see something like this in a fast food place not a restaurant, they had a full bar so I was baffled to see this machine there and where it was which was as I said causing so much traffic that many people were opting out of getting their drinks to wait for an «opening».
A rather metro gentleman escorted myself and my friend to a huge horse shoe booth located at the back wall beside the self serve pop machine which I felt was kind of a waste as a larger group could have sat there but he told us how the whole thing works and essentially you walk up to the bar and order. From there you can also order from a small and I will say horribly overpriced and unimpressive selection of wines or you can serve yourself at this «handy» machine they have provided for you. The same area as this machine also has ALL of your cutlery and dining needs including sauces and condiments so you can imagine how busy that small, confined space gets. I was actually shocked when someone brought the food to the table as I was expecting to cook it myself at this point lol!
Anyway, on to the food which I am going to say off the top is WAY too expensive for Portuguese food especially! We ended up getting the variety platter to share and it was basically a shit load of chicken… pardon my language but that’s the truth of it. A giant wad of meat to digest and because it was all chicken there was no variety… even the different sauces tasted very similar to me. The two sides were TINY and nothing to write home about.
I usually adore Portuguese chicken so for me not to like this was a rarity and at the price they are charging I really wasn’t impressed so unless there is some unforeseen reason to return I probably won’t be

Well. The food is consistently decent and it’s very family friendly. The staff are friendly and they try really hard.
The problem is that they are painfully slow. And be prepared for them to mix up your order.
I feel that after thIs much time in business, they should have had the bugs worked out by now.
We keep coming back because we all like the food, but I wish they’d get their act together.

Absolutely love this place. They opened about a month and a half ago and I have been here 4 times already. The décor is comfortable and colorful. The staff is friendly and engaging. The price is appropriate for the quality. I have ordered the familia pack every time I go and switch up the sides. Favorite side that you have to pay extra for is the Peri-​Peri beans… super delicious. The chicken is amazing as well. Overall a new go-​to staple for the Etobicoke area.

Great service. Good was beautifully spiced. Nice atmosphere. Enjoyed the menu options. Loved ordering and paying up front. Allows plenty of time to enjoy the meal and leave when you’re ready. Congratulations and well done!

I’m not sure if our experience had to do with our table location but we had a horrible Saturday night experience.
We sat at the high table near the kitchen. The service was non-​existent. We ordered the Variety. The chicken was good and plentiful. But it took 35 mins to arrive at our table. And that was after we asked a random staff member to check.
When I paid for the food, I asked for two glasses of water. The lady pointed at the soda machine and stated someone would bring us our glasses. We had to stop a staff member and ask for water after 10 mins of waiting. She then proceeded to give us a large bottle of water (chilled) from behind the cash register. Not sure if the staff knows how the restaurant is to run.
Again food is good. I’ve been to other Nando’s around the world. This location does not have the quality of sides I’ve seen elsewhere. But chicken is fine.
Once we were ready to leave, I asked for a to-​go container. the guy must of forgotten and that took another 5 mins.
1−½ hours later we were done and out the door. Will I be back… yes. This area needs more restaurant choices and I do hope their service gets better.

The portions were smaller then I expected

Mediocre management