When in the mood for chicken unlike any other, look no further than Nando’s PERi-PERi. Upon walking into the restaurant, you are greeted by the smell of the PERi-PERi seasonings and you can smell how good the chicken will taste. South African music plays throughout the restaurant. Peri-Peri is a pepper known as the African Bird’s Eye Chilli that gives the chicken its signature flavor. The closest Nando’s is in Old Orchard Mall by Bloomingdales and Forever 21.

The chicken comes in large portions, as the 1/4 chicken breast took up almost half the plate. The Mango & Lime seasoning was very juicy and flavorful. The heat of the Medium sauce was manageable, but the chicken itself was not seasoned. The restaurant offers cups of sauce for you to dip with. The Plain…ish is chicken marinaded in PERi-PERi seasoning but grilled without any added sauce. All three sauces would be good for anyone who doesn’t like spice.

At Nando’s, the variety of sides they offer are just as good as the main dish. The garlic bread is a Portuguese roll with garlic-herb butter and grilled. The char from the grill comes through when you eat it, with the perfect balance between char and flavor from the seasoning. Mashed potatoes are hard to mess up and they didn’t. PERi-PERi wings come in sizes of six and 12. We got them with the Lemon & Herb sauce and it was average but still tasty. They definitely aren’t something I would say you have to get, but if you like chicken wings they would be good to try. The star side has to be the PERi chips that are seasoned with PERi-PERi and salt. They are very seasoned, but are not overpowering.

Nando’s strawberry lemonade was described as scrumptious by one of my friends and is a strong suggestion when getting a drink.

Chicken sizes come in 1/4 and 1/2 as well as whole legs, thighs, and breasts. The menu also features wraps and sandwiches. The restaurant also offers party-sized platters and bowls. Bowls typically have chicken and vegetables over Portuguese rice.

It is hard to tell if Nando’s is a sit-down restaurant or a fast-food restaurant. Our food arrived quickly and it is better quality than a restaurant like Popeyes.

Nando’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 a.m. every day of the week. When dining in, the restaurant does follow state guidelines and requires proof of vaccination and another form of identification for anyone over the age of 16.