I love Nando's. Only been a few times but it hasn't failed me yet. All the sauces are great. The chicken is always moist. I recommend the two leg combo if it's your first time. Service is pretty quick. I've only been to the one in Gaithersburg and sat outside, the view of the water is nice. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Outside. - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Disappointed. It was peak dinner time, around 7pm. They were completely out of whole chickens. They had a very limited selection of menu items left (we were only able to order wings which were the smallest wings I'd ever seen). Additionally, over half of the sides were unavailable- with the only ones available being the heavy carbs - mashed potatoes, bread, Mac and cheese, and fries. This is not ideal for customers with either dietary restrictions or those trying to eat healthier vegetable sides. For the number of people in our party, the table we were seated at was way too small to the point that we had to share plates because they don't all fit on the table. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Mashed potatoes - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Where to start?!?! Food here is always pretty good. We got the chicken, which has great taste. You can choose from so many flavor options, fries, rice (yumm) and corn on the cob - My favorite!!! The only bad thing was there's a bad smell when you walk in not sure what it is but maybe check it out. read more

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Delicious, well prepared meal this evening from here. The waitstaff proved friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. The meal arrived exactly as ordered. The restaurant is clean and not too busy to effect service. I will dine here again soon. read more

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Today 09/19/2026 I ordered on their website for order at the table at the Rio Gaithersburg location. It was terrible I waited along time almost an hour. No one checked on us. The whole time they placed my order as to go pickup. I had to ask them "excuse me where is my food?". They realized and it didn't say table order. They ask for receipt and it indeed showed I ordered table order at table 8. I ask to plate it and they said they can only do 2 dishes. They didn't even compensate for my wasted time. Such rude service today. Usually I order here all the time so I know what I'm doing. It's your system glitch so the restaurant should do something about it instead of one free side of fries. Although the waitress that helped us was nice but the man that was the manger in Green shirt seem to not even care. He was the one that told the waitress to not serve us on a plate. I would of asked for a refund and walked out. But luckly my daughters and nieces wanted to stay and eat because they were hungry!!!!. So thank them that the $88.88 was still with your business even though your staff could care less. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - My receipt proof I ordered for table 8 - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

The service here was exceptional during our last visit here. The young man stationed outside to seat people and clear the tables was very pleasant and hard-working. During this visit, we got our standby order of 12 wings and 3-piece thighs. Both dishes were perfectly cooked and delicious. We will be back. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Three piece thighs - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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We arrived just before noon. We were immediately greeted by a host/cashier. She was polite and helpful, just didn't smile. I had a question about a discount, the manager said it looked fine, I would just need to order at the register. Overall it was easy to place our order. One issue was, the cashier forgot to add two sides we had asked for twice. She did get our customizations to the salad correct. Lesson learned is: listen when the order is repeated back, and double check the receipt. Later when I asked about the sides, the cashier missed the opportunity to ask me to order them. Instead, she just said that I didn't order them, instead of saying something more positive and again, asking of I would still like to order them. The food was presented well. Everything looked fresh and colorful. The Kale Salad and our Two 1/4 Leg Quarters were properly prepared. Everything was fresh tasting and a good portion for the price. The manager checked on us several times. He was always smiling and attentive to us when engaging us. read more

Today we have dinner at Nando, the service is getting worse, and the is no napkins, they substitute it with bathroom towels:(

I had such an a amazing experience at the Nandos in College Park, I decided to go to the Rio location to try another one of their chicken bowls. Let me tell you, I LOVE the menu addition and hope they keep the bowls forever. I ordered the classic bowl this time, which had corn, hummus, rice, chicken, and some greens. Alone, it was a little bland but I added one of their signature sauces and it was perfect. The rice is so flavorful and I just really enjoyed the dish overall. The portions are also really generous for the price. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Chicken Bowl and 1/2 Chicken with Corn on the Cob and Sweet Potato - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

We walked in from the lake side and step in line. We get told we have to talk to the host. There was no signage saying as much and inexplicably there's no host at the patio lake side where all the guests walk in but, ok sure.... I walk to the front with my SO. The patio is empty but every table has very clearly been dirty and left for an indiscernible amount of time. The inside also has tables scattered all over that need to be clear but have been sitting for who knows how long. There's maybe 6-8 people TOPS between the 2 tables inside and a couple people at the register,in the whole place. I go to the front, the woman asks if we need a table, I said yes and we would like to sit on the patio. She tells me it's going to be 15-20min. I let her know there's nobody currently on the patio and tables are open. She tells me that not for a wait, that's how long it will take TO CLEAR A TABLE--15-20min to clear and reset a single booth on the patio. Keep in mind, places like Guapos down the way, that are packed to the brim, have 25min wait if you Specifically want patio seating but that's because it's literally full and the inside has a 10-15min wait because it too, is literally full but here we are, in a place that was probably busy 40+ minutes ago, now with just over a half dozen humans in the building, tell me it's gonna take 15+ minutes to walk over with a bus tub, throw everything in, wipe a table and wipe the seats...on a party of 2. I had even offered to clear my own table (hell, I'd have cleared one for the other couple, too) and was told "it's necessary to wait 15-20min" I glance over at the waiting area and there's a single 2 top who I assume was also just told the same thing and they look to be debating on just leaving. We start debating on leaving. I watch the host go back to standing at the podium, no guests in line, she's not getting anyone to clear anything and again, that's abundantly clear that nobody has been clearing tables for at least 30+ minutes, she's not personally going to start helping clear which is standard in restaurants when there's no rush at the door. We decide this is a sh*t show and leave. This is also right up there with 2x I've ordered for pickup, waited the 30-60min, come to pick it up and not a single aspect of the order was done....why?....im told "we ran out of chicken"--no call to see about changing the order or cancelling, nothing. We enjoy nandos food. That isn't the issue at all. The service has gone WAY downhill over the past few years. As someone in the industry,currently in a 1Star fine dining venue in DC, and someone attempting to be a patron, it's disgusting to have a sea of tables left sitting for what is very clearly long periods of time. It's ridiculous that it would take anyone 15+ minutes to clear people's trash and wipe/reset a single table--that wouldn't be acceptable if it was slammed to the gills, so for the place to be empty as it was, it's either incompetence, laziness, lack of leadership leader or any/all of the 3. Extremely unimpressed and further reinforcing why I had avoided nandos since the 2 prior times, my orders were left for me to discover....a chicken place....had no chicken and let me come in at my pickup time to discover I have no food. Last night was my "give another shot" moment. I have literally overseen A "charity diner" comepltely run by kids 12-15 and with 30minutes training and the fact they've been out to eat with their parents, managed to run the diner for ~80 cover without a hiccup at the host stand or the entire FOH and BOH. So why grown people in nandos struggle with this, is perplexing. I think places get way too comfortable resting on their name recognition and in trade, throw anything resembling service out the window. I expect that from monopolistic mega-corporations and banks not a restaurant. The economy is bad, times are weird, people are choosing how to spend their finite time and dollars--if you can't clear the most basic bar that anyone from French Laundry to Waffle House or the random roadside diner all clear, you are failing and need to do better. read more

The wings were tasty but literally the smallest wings I've ever seen in my life. Comically small. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - 6 Wings & Chips - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Order a take out and it takes 1 hour just to hear your name called. Funny how people who sit in order and they got their food just like that. read more

It happened again. This is about the sixth time I've ordered a whole chicken platter and received a 1/4 chicken breast with no wing. I specifically specified today when I ordered to make sure each breast quarter has a wing. When I got home, one breast quarter did not have a wing. This caused me a problem since the person eating the 1/4 breast quarter wanted the wing, and no wing. What's up with that? Next time I'll be sure to check my order before I leave. read more

Always enjoy nandos! The chicken is tasty and flavorful and they have a variety of dishes including vegetarian options--this time I tried the sweet potato and halloumi wrap which was very tasty! This location is especially nice along the water at the rio with outdoor seating. You order via QR code and food comes pretty quickly. Also, try the naughty natas--they are divine! read more

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Today we came for dinner. We were delighted to see the service is getting better. Congrats... Keep it up....

Really very excellent but really overpriced too! The brownie for $3.69 is the size of my toothbrush head! I love the food but it is expensive for what you get. I look at it as a treat. I love the chicken livers. They are really really very good. The Portuguese tarts are really good too. The garlic bread is yummy. Because I eat up the food so fast, I can't say anything else except well. OK the mashed potatoes are really good, the brussels sprouts are not bad. There is definitely a kick to their food and spice, but there is a menu offering to leave the Perri Perri sauce off. I just wish that they would allow you to leave it on the side as Choice on the DoorDash menu read more

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I order from Uber Eats. The food was subpar. I ordered the Peri Ranch Crunch salad with chicken breast and a quarter chicken with mashed potatoes. The salad was mostly wilted with a half portion of chicken breast. What happened to the other half? The cole slaw was warm. The other meal was extra regular. Never again... read more

We just found this place yesterday, and it's my new favorite. The food is excellent and very reasonably priced. We got delicious food served on real plates with real silverware. The chicken was moist and so flavorful and the sweet potatoes were amazing. Everyone who worked there was so friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this restaurant. The only downside - there's not one in my area! read more

Visited Nando's for lunch with my husband, despite the windy weather. Nando's has always been a favorite. Tried chicken skewers with fries - mango and lime flavor, and lemon and herb. Both were incredibly tasty, but the lemon and herb stole the show! Crispy fries added a perfect touch. Kudos to the delightful server for quick and attentive service. A windy day couldn't keep us away from this flavorful experience! read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Chicken Thigh Skewers - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Came here on vacation and was instantly impressed! We were greeted right away and had amazing service! Our meals came out hot, fresh and fast! Absolutely wonderful, flavorful food and desserts for a great price! Will be back! Thank you! read more

First time ever trying Nando's to see what the hype is about! I was not disappointed! The food was really well seasoned and cooked for a relatively fast food joint! The flavors were there and you don't feel horrible after you eat it! Will definitely be trying more in the future! read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Chicken - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I love Nando's. I absolutely love how fresh the chicken comes out. My favorite chicken. I just wish there were 2 lines for ordering.... One for people that don't know what they want and another line for regulars that know exactly what they want. I waited in line 15+ minutes (with just 2 people ahead of me) because people are asking the people taking the order a million and one questions. This happens at every single location so my grievance isn't at this specific location but I'm hoping Nando's will take this feedback because that's what is holding me back from giving Nando's 5 stars specifically. Thanks! read more

A few things annoy me about this place. - The serving system is a joke. Why am I expected to tip serving staff when I, the customer, am doing all the work? Customer has to jump up and go to the counter to order (or worse, use a QR code). Customer has to retrieve silverware, condiments, and drinks themselves. You will see a host/server maybe twice during your entire stay, (once to seat you, once to deliver food to your table) but why am I expected to tip when I'm serving myself??? - They discontinued the mashed peas. I really liked this item. it was a side dish unique to the restaurant that had some fiber and nutritional value. - The $3 barely baked brownie is a joke. It tastes like a Little Debbie cake and it's half the size. at $3 it costs more than a whole box of Little Debbies. I will likely continue to order take out there but the eating-in experience is irritating. read more

N is for Nando's: Nando's has high quality chicken and sides. I feel like it's priced higher than it should be even before inflation was high. But I do know I'll get quality. The issue I have at this location is in general they seem disorganized. Last time, I was there on Thursday, September 22, the host said they are encouraging people to scan the bar code at the table and order from there. I was starting to do that from outside table but was confusing and had questions. Additionally, I was ordering for my friend since he was coming from work, and we were both seeing a movie. Ultimately, since I had questions, I just went up to order at the counter, which was what I wanted to do in the first place. I ordered my friend's item, and the side he wanted was out. So, I texted him, and he called me. I think he settled on the world famous French fries...haha. I got the chicken, corn on the cob, & seasonal brussel sprouts. I never had their brussel sprouts before, but they were great. I knew about the great chicken & corn on the cob. The thing that pissed me off brought me down to 3-stars and was due to the disorganization. They brought his wings with my sides on them. I snapped saying those are my sides on my friend's plate, and I'm waiting on my chicken. The guy goes to check on the chicken but have to wait a few minutes. When the guy comes back with my chicken, my friend walks up, and explain they are disorganized here. They put my sides on your wing plate. So, I grabbed my corn cob & brussel sprouts (at least was in ceramic container) and put on my newly arrived chicken plate. As I said the food is very good, but the disorganization was annoying. To me, they are overpriced by about $3, but I know I'm getting solid quality and a healthy meal if I make good decisions on the sides. Additional positives is I like the outdoor seating area by the Rio Lake. The restaurant & restrooms are always clean and atmosphere is pretty good inside although can get a little noisy at peak times. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Menu with the sides I had texted my friend since they were out of the red skin mashed potatoes he knew he wanted - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Accepts both cash and credit card. Tons of free parking in the town center. We came here one afternoon to try out their food. Given that Nandos is a popular chain throughout the DMV area, we wanted to give this location a try. First off, be sure to download their Nandos app. You can choose any table (indoor or outdoors) and just order your food on the app and they will send the food over to your table. We order several dishes from their grill chicken salad bowl and their chicken thighs platter. The grilled chicken bowl was okay. The chicken was a bit on the spicy side even though we asked for no spicy so it might be a good option for kids. The chicken thigh platter was the weakest dish I had. The chicken thighs were boneless, but were VERY small. It's was a bit of a joke when the dish came out. Wished I would have known this and order something else such as a sandwich. I ordered fries and rice w/ the platter. Both sides were okay. I'm not sure what the crave is for Nandos. I think the star is the variety of sauces. However, the chicken is very dry and their portions are bit on the small side. The one positive thing about this place is the staff were very hard working and treated customers fairly. Otherwise, not a huge fan of Nandos. But if you like places w/ various sauces, this place might be worth it for you. read more

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I have nothing negative to say about this place. The service was impeccable. We sat, even before we settled, the server asked if we wanted water. The food came in after we placed our electronic orders. You scan the QR code menu, place your order, pay with your credit card "as a guest" and food came out as expected. Five stars to this branch! Kudos to the management, you hired wonderful people. Keep up the good work! read more

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This is NOT peri-peri chicken. Peri peri is Afro Portuguese chicken. The skin is crisp and the chicken is moist and tender. None apply to what I received. In addition, it doesn't look like the photos you advertised. I will be returning my order. The chicken is undercooked. I'm not sure why it's different in the US. I've been to Nandos in the UK as well as South Africa. This is nothing like what I've had outside the US. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

The Nando's at Rio Lakefront is a real great location for the restaurant, and its right by the lake and boardwalk so you can get some pleasant views! We had a party of 8 and decided to dine in here for a Saturday lunch. For food, I got the Full Chicken Platter - Lemon & Herb Flavor, with 2 Large Sides: Fries and Macho Peas. Most of the time I have Nando's, the chicken comes out juicy, well-seasoned, and delicious, as it did this time! For added flavor, it's very convenient that they have their tasty signature sauces in bottles on the side. The Macho Peas were a nice refreshing slightly-healthier side, the combination of pea's, mint, and various other herbs is a nice palate cleanser between the flavorful bites of chicken. Unfortunately where this location falls short is the service. To start, you have two options when it comes to ordering: You can either order through scanning a QR Code by the table, or you can walk up to the register to order. I definitely recommend using the QR Code as it is much quicker, but for those who prefer to walk up to the register, like some of our party members, the service is extremely slow and you will be standing there idling for a while before you even get to put the order in. Next, sometimes the food takes a while to get run out, or there are issues: The wrong orders were brought to our tables a couple times, which isn't a huge deal. But our table's drinks came quite late after we had already received our entrees, it would've been preferable if the drinks came earlier or at the same time. Lastly, two of our party members flat out didn't receive their food even waiting 20 minutes after everyone else had already received theirs, so we had to flag someone down to check in on the order. All in all, the food and the location are spot on, but the service could use some improvement. I appreciate that the QR code ordering option is there to help expedite the process, but there is still a baseline of acceptable service to be upheld in terms of the staff. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Full Chicken Platter with Fries and Macho Peas - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Fantastic food and it came out quick! Although it seemed a bit disorganized among the workers (we were told to take one table, then another waiter came up and told us to sit at another table, and when we went to order food other people were seated at the place we were told to sit??.. ) Anyways we ordered the two whole chicken platter which came with two sides. It was enough to fill 4 hungry people. They have a lot of sauces and their chicken is very juicy. I love their garlic bread but their fries are soggy. Another time I went i wasn't really craving chicken. I ordered their chicken bowl which was delicious and i didn't have to get my hands dirty. Unfortunately it was not very filling. read more

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I was so disappointed this past Sunday with Nandos. I actually visited here another time for an event and loved the food to the point that I thought it would be great idea to bring my mom here for a casual lunch. I don't know if it's because it was busy but the taste of the food was NOT IT! This is why I always stick with what I know for sure is good. So my mom got the 1/2 chicken (xtra hot) and a side of fries and a salad and she loved her food! I got the garlic sticks to start (4.5/5), it was delicious and slightly crispy and buttery. Also got the nandocas choice which is a grilled chicken sandwich on garlic bread topped with Coleslaw (1.5/5), fries with perinaise (4/5) and side of peri Mac (3/5). The chicken was so chewy and so big compared to the bread, i was only able to take a few bites and then threw it out. The flavor was good but the texture was horrendous. The coleslaw also was not good at all. I'm surprised this sandwich is listed as one of the favorites on the menu. The fries were good but I think the food was sitting under the warmer too long as they waited for my Mac that it didn't taste fresh/hot. The macaroni barely had any cheese. My mom literally thought they forgot to add cheese. We also got the lemonade poncha (5/5) and the rose sangria (3/5). The rose sangria was just okay, it had large chucks on mango cut in it and it just didn't taste like it was refrigerated. My mom loved the poncha and I've tried it before and it's really good. The service was good, they were very busy when we arrived but nonetheless everyone was very nice. However, i guess it was so busy several employees including the manager walked by a table across from us several times that had dirty napkins on the floor the whole duration of our dining experience and i believe towards the end someone picked up 1 napkin and left the other. I don't know if I'm being picky but that was so disturbing to me. I just think in the future I'll stick it to my usual order of the 1/4th chicken breast and perinaise fries. read more

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so amazing! the food was incredible! the service was impeccable! I'm so sad I don't live in the area because I would come back all the time! you're crazy if youre bit hitting this up for lunch or dinner! a great spot and very affordable read more

We do not have Nando's in California, so I was super excited to see one here in MD! The portion sizes are big and the sauces are good. I really like the chicken thighs with garlic bread sizes. read more

I got seriously hooked on Nando's when I was living in the UK and seek it out every time I'm back in the DC area because it's not available in North Carolina. Tasty, delicious chicken! I got mine to go today, a half chicken with cole slaw and roasted veggies. A very keto lunch that was yummy, filling and very low carb. Packed in appropriate containers to keep it moist and hot. As well, it's not going to spill. The portions are quite decent and the chickens are large. Nando's is serving dine-in, at least in early November 2020. That may have changed. [Review 14264 overall, 1588 of 2020, number 586 in Maryland.] read more

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Ok I understand the hype of Nando's now... I'm from CA so I had only tried it once in 2018 before moving here this year, but this time it was so much better than that previous time!! I got the full platter with peri-peri chips (i.e. fries) and garlic bread as sides + an order of the Portuguese rice to share with my bf and we were pretty stuffed. The chicken was SO JUICY and the sauces were incredible... I forgot what the sauce was called, but my fav was the creamy ish orange-red one. The garlic bread is also fkn delicious, so flavorful and perf amount of crunch. Fries were pretty standard but it truly smacked when dipped in the spicy sauce. The service was also great, food came out fast as well. There is a decent amount of outdoor seating, and lots to see at Rio so it's nice to walk around and digest after eating ^_^ read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Full platter (sides: peri-peri chips and garlic bread) + regular side of Portuguese rice - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Nando's at the Rio Washingtonian Boardwalk is a very easy choice. I usually go here after watching a movie at AMC, so it is a short walk away. Food is consistently good, if you are with a group I would recommend going with the Full Platter or the Wing Platter. The Full Platter is a whole chicken with two large sides, so it is enough to feed a group. After you get your table, you do have to go up to the registers and order yourself with the menu that they hand you, so don't expect a waiter to go up to you to get your order. I highly highly recommend the carrot cake for desert, it is one big piece of cake that can be shared and I can say it is the best carrot cake I've personally had. If you come here in the summer I also recommend eating outside, there are booths and tables and it overlooks the lake so it is very nice. read more

Nando's Peri-Peri - Wing Platter - Portuguese Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I really enjoyed my Nando's chicken at Pike and Rose, so I decided to give this new Nando's a try. This Nando's Peri-Peri is located at Rio shopping center. It is a few steps down from the movie theaters. I was warmly welcomed by Fatima and she took my order right away. She is a gem! She has a huge smile and was very sweet. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. I found myself in awe of the lovely lighting and interesting wall art. My chicken was delicious. It was juicy, tasty, and cooked to perfection. My redskin mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious. They just melt in your mouth. My one disappointment was the Caesar salad. You pay extra to have that as a side. There was a lot of wilted lettuce in my portion. There was a nice amount of shaved Parmesan cheese and delicious bread crumbs. The dressing was tasty, but who wants to eat that on wilted lettuce? I would definitely go back to eat there. I would ask for Fatima and I would check my salad before leaving. The chicken is fabulous! read more

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The Nandos chain has not disappointed me to this date. I ordered at the counter and had it to go. The restaurant was clean and employees were on their A GAME. I love their peas and their hot wings. They prepared my ordered fast and my wings were good. I love their garlic bread too. If only parking wasn't so congested I'd come here more often. read more

Waited 1 hour for my and my wife's meal when everyone else in our party received their meal after only 15 minutes. I understand that you ran out of chicken, but nobody told us there would be a wait prior to ordering or while waiting for our order to arrive. Very very disappointed. The lead of the runners was sympathetic and I absolutely understand that it wasn't his fault, but we should have been notified of the wait. Went to check on our order 3 times while waiting and was told ours would be sent out next, however many many more orders were sent our prior to ours. Our food came out while I was talking to the runner about a refund (which I would still like) so decided to take the food (since they would not allow me to have both refund and food. Colossal waste of time here. read more

I love nandos. Really, nothing beats their fries with perinaise sauce. No joke, I buy that sauce by the bottle. This location has a small outdoor patio area to enjoy a meal in a more pandemic friendly way. Fries held up to the Nando's standard! Unfortunately they were out of fruit for white sangria when I visited, even the red sangria is as sweet as juice anyways. read more

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Ambiance was nice. Restaurant was clean. I was even greeted quickly and seated at a table. I was given a menu and told I could order using the QR code on the table. That didn't work and I didn't see the greeter/server again to place my order. I went to stand in line to order my food. Line was long and slow. I ordered the chicken wrap, which was tolerable. Coleslaw- was SO salty. It was not good. This was my 1st visit to this location and probably the last. Staff members seemed dazed and confused. The gentleman that gave me my order was pleasant and after I sat down, eventually a server came- he was nice too. read more