PAY WITH CASH ! I They took the liberty to charge 20% to my credit card without my consent despite I had already tipped them in cash. However, I will come back because their chicken is amazing :D! read more

Any time someone asks for a restaurant recommendation I send them to Nando's. Not only is the chicken moist and deliciously seasoned, the prices are phenomenal for what you get. Fans of spicy food be warned, however: the "hot" chicken is not all that hot. Luckily all their sauces are available to add as you see fit! The red pepper dip appetizer is a must-have. Together with a 1/2 chicken and 2 sides, you have plenty of food for a couple. I am surprised by all the comments about bad service at this location, because I have always found the staff to be friendly and helpful. read more

I had an amazing time at Nando's in Silver Spring, MD. I went with colleagues and we spent the evening dining on many of the delicious dishes available at Nando's. The chicken was spicy, the roasted corn was delicious. The favorite from everyone is the garlic toast, hot and crisp. The olives and peri-peri nuts were a great appetizer to go along with cold drinks before our meal. The salads were fresh and appetizing, there was a great selection for our large group. I can't wait to go back and feast again!! Kudos!! Did I mention the service, A+ service, with a very attentive staff. read more

On the return trip from DC to Columbia, MD at the very end of last month (6/14), we stopped by this restaurant to grab food for our visiting family, extolling the virtues of their flavorful, fast and reasonably priced fare. Upon opening up the food at home, our order of wings was halved, and fries were missing for my sandwich. I assumed it was an error in that we ordered our wings with two different kinds of sauces and saw how that could easily happen. Disappointed, I phoned the restaurant immediately, the manager took my email address, and assured me when he had the opportunity, he would send a voucher. As we love their food, a voucher would have been a welcome reimbursement. 3 days later, no email. I contacted customer service via their website and received no response. On July 2, 2014, I contacted both facebook and their online customer service to request that this matter be settled in a fashion that would satisfy me. The following day I received an email stating that they didn't have my address, but that the online form did pick it up this time and that they were mailing a voucher to me at my home address. It is now July 17, and my confidence in this establishment is officially shot. I have never had a concern so brazenly ignored by a restaurant that made an error with food for our family. Don't waste your time going here. There's a bounty of choices in downtown Silver Spring that value loyal customers and provide excellent food and service. read more

I have to say, after hearing so many positive things about Nando's, I was fairly excited to try their food. Maybe it was an off day, maybe this location just isn't good, I don't know -- But it was terrible. I have absolutely no intention of going back. The four of us ordered the Full Platter with "Portuguese Rice" and fries. The chicken was dried out. the fries were no good. The only good thing in the meal was the rice, and it was only good because everything else wasn't. Very disappointed. read more

so, chicken is their specialty. yep, that's what they say. chicken is their specialty. really? really. i find that hard to believe after eating there. the chicken was moist and hot and came out promptly, but it didn't taste like much. yeah, yeah...i know, it's really supposed to be all about the sauce. ummm, OK. if you say so. with their spice meter on the menu ranging from mild to ZOMG beware/be careful/your lips might catch fire!, you'd think they'd be more flavorful and well, hot. nope. maybe if you're very sensitive to spice, but otherwise it's just meh. not exciting in heat OR flavor level. even my friend's 3-year old ate her chicken with very little trouble with the [pitiful] spice (and she was eating from her mom's plate of spicy chicken, not from the kiddie menu). the sides were just as weak, for the most part. corn on the cob appeared small and overcooked; "chips" (french fries) large and overcooked. my side of portuguese rice was probably the best part of the meal but while it was better tasting than the chicken, it still wasn't that great. it had lots of color and ingredients, but could've used a little more flavor. no one at our table tried the coleslaw, mashed potatoes or [new] macho peas, though the macho peas passing us to go to another table at least looked good. wonder if they tasted good. after a disappointing meal i got a little excited by the dessert option of wild blueberry ice cream and ordered a scoop. good lord can these people get anything right? i think dessert was even more disappointing b/c even though i could tell the ice cream had good flavor, it was ruined by the stale/freezer burn taint. you could tell by the way it was served that they must pre-scoop it and have bowls ready to go, but however they store it (possibly uncovered?), it significantly spoils what would otherwise be a very tasty treat. if all this food disappointment weren't enough, the service/system kind of blows, too. while we were greeted and seated promptly, the rest went from mediocre to bad. if you're not familiar with the 1/3 counter, 1/3 server, 1/3 self-serve system NPP has, it can be confusing/off-putting. you get seated and are given menus, but then when you're ready to order you have to go to the counter/cashier to order and pay, giving them your table # so they can bring your food to you. they give you your cups and you self-serve for beverages at a soda fountain in the dining area, as well as you collect your own napkins/silverware/sauces/etc on your way back to your table. ok, fine. but then if you want extras or dessert, they tell you your server will get that for you. yeah, good luck with that. what server?! i got a better arm workout trying to flag down servers than i do when i go to the boxing gym. they were few and far between, and seemed to have blinders on when they walked. we waited almost 20 minutes b/w finishing our meal and getting a server to even come to our table so we could order dessert. FAIL. NPP is so popular in DC and this newest MD one got a lot of hype leading up to its opening. but, the food just doesn't cut it. i think it's all about location, decor (the actual restaurant is very nice and even the bathrooms have a cool design - and are clean!), ambiance (nice music and genial crowd) and buzz. i'm not a believer, after trying it for myself. i've much better [food] for the same price, in less appealing establishments and i'll go for that over this, every time. read more

This is by far the worst Nando's location in the DMV area. Understaffed, terrible customer service, no silverware for takeout food, incorrect order given, the list goes on. Avoid if you can. read more

At first I hated this place. But after giving the one in Bethesda a try and getting familiar with the food I love it. The food is great, the staff and service is improved since 2011. Make sure you get the fries with Perinase read more

YUM. I am such a fan! I used to visit the DC metro locations more, but love this Silver Spring location as it's bigger and not as hectic. The staff is friendly and the place is organized and energetic. Try the boneless chicken breast--just be mindful that the sauce selections are spicy (and you can always add more later). Enjoy! read more

I had not visited the Silver Spring location of Nandos for some time. I thought the portions were not sufficient for the money. Today I was pleasantly surprised to find the restaurant staff helpful and friendly. The food was delicious and came out quickly. The portions were satisfying. Michael especially was very attentive to our table, clearing dishes promptly and offering refills when appropriate. read more

I love Nando's. I first had it in London and was so excited to see Nando's come to the DC area. A medium heat chicken sandwich with added pineapple makes me a very, very happy girl. Add on some mashed potatoes and a starter of the olives or roasted red pepper dip and I'm all set. Their salads are really good, too. We took my mom there and she had the squash & couscous salad, which she still raves about months later. read more

I love Nando's - please come to CO! Ate here tonight with some co-workers. Great food, service, fun music and atmosphere was just the pick-up we needed after traveling most of the day! read more

First I want to start off by saying I love the food here. However the customer service at this facility is unacceptable. I am willing to overlook the waitress forgetting but not if I asked twice. One waitress came out to our table and asked if everything was ok and if we needed anything else. We asked for 1 glass of ice and 1 glass of coke with ice. We waited 45 minutes. We finished our food. I went inside to ask about the ice and coke again. The waitress said she forgot and she'll bring it out right away. We waited again for about 30 minutes. Another waitress came out and I mentioned that we asked for ice and soda. The waitress with a bit of an attitude said, you can get ice upfront, maybe that's why. Her tone was as if we should've known that. However, the waitress before said she would bring it out to us. I'm disappointed with the service here so much so that the food is beginning to taste bad. I will not be coming back. read more

Cannot describe how i feel about this place, from the cashier to the food, she was rude and rushed, being that there was not another customer behind me, i dont get that ;S, then i order white meat, was dry and although the flavor was good it was a very small breast, i made the mistake of ordering coleslaw, i love coleslaw, have had it at several pollerias before, and this one HAD ONIONS!!!!! I almost threw up when i bit the onion cut in big chunks, the menu does not say it has them, but anyways who does that???? Their spicy rice is good but you have to like hot to eat it, the mashed peas are just ok, not to mention that the waiting time was over 30 min for take out, one thing i noticed since i waited that long and was sitting in front of the gril is that the chicken is precooked, they just put it in the grill for like 5 minutes to get some marks and serve it, so why is there such a delay to give the food to the customer??? read more

Umm I have mixed opinions about this place. I have been to their other location in DC and the food was great, the chicken was cooked at the right temperature, right amount of seasoning and deliciousness but for some reason here the chicken was burned. I had asked for a medium spice but unfortunately I got hot hot hot chicken breasts. Not good for my digestion. The mashed potatoes were very good and the music and entire ambiance of the place for a rainy day like this. read more

I brought eight friends to the Silver Spring Nando's for lunch yesterday. The food we received was OK, improved by the sauces they offer on the side. Service was horrible. At first, the server brought only eight of nine meals. We asked him about the ninth meal and he said he would check. After 10 minutes, I tracked him down at the kitchen and he said he would get right on it. I could see that it wasn't being prepared. After a few minutes, I asked the manager if she could confirm that the missing meal was being prepared. It was not. She was apologetic, but ineffective. Everyone finished their meal long before the last plate was served. Spent $130 to take friends out for lunch, and I expected a lot better than the insulting service we received. Ridiculously bad service, and unapologetic about it. read more

Went to the restaurant during lunch with few of my coworkers. I haven't been to the restaurant in months and it seem different. Food is still good, but the service was very poor. First the cashiers didn't seem happy and were rushing through my order. After ordering me and one of coworkers got our food pretty quick. Unforuntaly my other coworkers had to wait 45 min for their food. I eventually walk over notice the food was under the heat lamp and i told the manager my coworkers have been waiting for a while. He said "its coming, its coming" he didn't seem to happy and just went back to what he was doing. 15 minutes later the food came. Me and my coworkers are defiantly not returning to this location and will go to other locations in the downtown area. read more

I love nandos! My friend and i went for dinner and it was the best! Highly recommend. I should come ariund this area more often !

i really genuinely don't get the hype around this place. i have been twice, and while it's not bad, it's A) pretty expensive for what it is and B) your sides can sometimes be a gamble (though the peas aren't bad). i have never had juicy chicken here - it's always been dry to my taste. the sauces are OK - i think the "purely" south american/peruvian spots (don pollo in bethesda, i'm looking at you) do way better in this category. go to a strictly peruvian-style place instead. read more

Delicious food. Ordering/serving a bit of a process you have to get used to. Take out waits are long, yet there is no comfy waiting area, just a mosh pit next to the grill. read more

Went here for the first time a few weeks ago. Delicious! I got 1/4 chicken (too small) and a side of corn and the Portuguese rice. The chicken was yummy - perfectly flavored, especially with some sauce, and the rice was great... Literally to the point where I had to order another large portion of the rice to go. I would come back. Three stars because it is pricey for the portion size... read more

Ok, let's talk about the interesting steps of service. So you walk in and the hostess seats. She's wonderful, happy and accommodating. She asks you if you want table or booth. "Booth!" Duh, It's much more comfortable than the cushion-less chairs. You get sat with copies of the menu. You decide what you want and then you go up to the counter to order. The girl at the counter asks you what your table number is and you have no idea... Thankfully your dining partner paid attention and was able to answer promptly. There's a "tip" line on your receipt. You put down +20% because you're a nice person, you're on a first date with a cute girl who wanted to come here and you're expecting a good experience! You ordered the dark meat combo with a side of french fries and coleslaw. The cashier hands you a cup for you to fill at the soda fountain. There's a station by the condiments for you to wash your hands. You grab silverware and napkins before returning to your booth. The food arrives and they gave you a chicken breast... Your lovely date mentions it to one of the food runners and another one is brought to you momentarily without any questions. The chicken is well spiced and tasty. Unfortunately, the coleslaw is watery and the french fries are under seasoned. You finish your chicken and then take the bowl that the cashier handed to you to the "yogurt" machine for dessert. It tastes like vanilla ice cream. Oh well. You leave with your date and life goes on... Wait, what was the tip for? read more

Last night 5 of us headed to Nandos, Silver Spring for dinner. Normally, we would not make the trek from Bethesda but two of us sharing the same origin as Nandos (South Africa), we were nostalgic enough to undertake such a journey. Most of us had the chicken in varying degrees of spiciness; one of the kids had a vegetarian salad. Without deserts or alcohol, the check quickly rose to $80-something dollars with tip - certainly more than what we expected. The chicken portions were very tasty but a little on the small side. It seems Nandos was simply using small chickens. The sides, however, were generous. The atmosphere was lively, especially with some homegrown music and décor. Having read a Yelp review about the ordering system - that is prepaying like in a lunch cafeteria and not running a tab like in most restaurants - I too think this is a little cumbersome and inconvenient when we added desert and had to pay again. The table of 5 next to us got up and left after waiting for service that didn't come - clearly they didn't understand the Nandos ordering system and were waiting for a waiter to take their order. We will certainly be back but were not so thrilled that it will become a weekly affair. P.S. Since most of us had the chicken, we now realize we would have enjoyed more chicken for less money if we simply ordered the family-style whole chicken(s) instead of each of us ordering one quarter chicken parts. read more

Tried this place based on another yelper's recommendation and I loved the food here. I would almost say I loved the appetizers more than the chicken. We tried the Red Pepper Dip and the Spicy Mixed Olives -- Red Pepper Dip was GOOD. I love olives, so the olives were good too. The chicken was good too, they have all these different sauces you can get on the chicken. If you like spicy (I'm Korean and I like spicy, but I can't do Thai spicy), then get the Hot. Also, do NOT get the Portuguese roll. We were so disappointed by the Portuguese roll -- think plain white bread roll. Definitely will be coming here again. read more

Can I just tell you how happy I am that Nando's came to Silver Spring??!! The mashed potatoes are awesome--easily the best I have ever had--and I could go to heaven with a bown of minty peas--the perfect cooling antidote to HOT chicken (hot is my favorite there...and it certainly is...). I've been probably once a week since they opened in September. I love Nando's!! read more

I LOVE Nando's Peri Peri's food and ambiance. I also love that you can wash your hands over by where you can get your silverware. Something about that makes me happy. This location is good, but I have found that they can be really slow at getting your food out to you at times - I have seen other tables that ordered after me get their food first and they have taken forever to bring me my food while my friends already got theirs. I think that the service at the Nando's in Chinatown is a better. But, I always love the food when it does arrive. I am sad that Nando's in general has stopped serving their ice creams - the spicy chocolate and the blueberry. If anyone from the company is reading this PLEASE bring back the ice cream! read more

I was unimpressed with the veggie wrap that I got. Couldn't actually eat the whole thing because I really didn't like the taste. However, everyone else seemed to love their food, so I will be back to try something else. read more

The food here was just OK. If I could give it a 2.5 I would. We got the chicken thighs with rice and pea mash. The chicken had a nice char and flavor but the rice was bland and the pea mash was just ok. Also got the quinoa salad with chicken breast. The salad was fresh and had a nice portion of avocado, butternut squash and quinoa and the chicken was juicy and sauce (medium) was alright. Nothing to write home about. The menu seemed very Americanized and the only thing about our visit that seemed to have any cultural influence was the music. read more

Surprisingly, they have a few excellent vegan meal options. Good service at this location, nice ambience as well.

The ordering process is a little chaotic and there is a long wait to get your food, but the chicken is flavorful and moist and the sides are delicious. read more

addictingly delicious!! reasonably priced. beautifully decorated resturaunt, so much wall art & decor to look at. everything here tastes really good. Definitely the place to go if you like delicious spicy flamegrilled chicken!! read more

After my bad experience, I came back and the food was perfect! Chicken was juicy and tender, macho peas were the right consistency, etc. Maybe they got a different cook! The music they play is always pretty, catchy, and makes us want to dance. Nando's is the best. read more

I was on hold for about 15 minutes when I walked into the place the manager comped my meal for the inconvenience a 5 star rating for service and food. Thank you walter read more

i like this place :) a good standby for something different in Silver Spring. The atmosphere is pretty nice and you get your food pretty quickly. It's also fun to choose the sauces! My fave side is the grilled corn - so good! read more

Eh.. I've had better and I've certainly had worse. The staff had difficulty taking orders/didn't seem to know the menu. The atmosphere would be nice when it's not lunch hour.. it was super loud. If you like spicy food, it's probably worth a try! read more

Honestly, I'm really surprised to read the issues in the other reviews. I've been to this location at least 7 times in the past year and have never had any issues with my food. When I've come with my friends, I've always ended up converting someone to Nando's. Maybe it's my taste buds, but I don't think I've had more flavorful chicken. I've ordered to go twice to bring for my parents, and they love it. My parents are INCREDIBLY picky eaters, like they rarely find restaurant food to be good. At least good enough to the point where after they eat it they still hold the same opinion. My parent's really enjoy the food here. I think the rice is a bit salty though, but apart from that, it's great. I always go between the two spiciest chicken seasonings. Whenever I'm in town, this is definitely on my list of places I need to visit before I leave. I just wish they would expand. read more

"Putting the chic in chicken" reads a sign above the open grill. No kidding. A self-service import by way of South Africa, Nando's Peri-Peri serves its fast and sometimes fabulous food in a Penn Quarter space that bucks the usual corporate design formula for pendant lights that look like shooting stars, splashy African art and chairs that resemble Eames pieces. The signature ingredient is grilled to order and served at whatever degree of zip you desire, from a simple lemon-and-herb baste to "extra hot," which is true to its word with an emphasis on birds-eye chili peppers, or peri-peri. The eating is sublime no matter your choice, since the chicken (available as wings, a quarter, a half or a whole) is fresh and first marinated in vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Adding to the pleasure are generous side dishes (I'm partial to the sweet and creamy coleslaw and yellow rice speckled with minced bell peppers) and such novelties as the chicken liver and feta salad. Trust me, you'll love it. You'll also appreciate the big public sink in the middle of the dining room, for freshening up if you've used your fingers instead of a knife and fork. Less amusing: salads that sometimes taste as if they were pulled directly from the refrigerator (they're freezing) and spacey clerks to take your order at the counter. Even so, this is the rare chain (800 locations in 30 countries) where you might find yourself wanting to linger; the music combines African and Portuguese rhythms; there's wine to be had; and the booths are padded in leather. A++++ read more

Very friendly and accommodating. I had a special request and they were happy to do it without hesitation. I'll come back many times.

Awesome food and service. Very flavorful!!!! Makes you want more with every bite. Surprised at how affordable it is for the amazing quality and quantity of the food. Definitely should go here!!!! read more

Overall, Nando's is pretty good. I like their "macho peas" side dish, the chicken breast wrap, and the hummus. The only reason I gave 4 stars rather than 5 is that their coffee is incredibly small (6 ounces?? with no refills??), and the service takes about 25 minutes during lunch time. read more