Nando's Mexican Cafe — Restaurant in Chandler

Came here with my family while on our spring break vacation at the recommendation of a relative who lives in the Phoenix area. He met us at the restaurant and we were sat down at a table on the outside patio which was nice. However, the atmosphere was about the only halfway decent part of our experience - but even that isn’t saying much because where they sat us was less than ideal due to being sat in the middle of a crowd of people with not enough room for people to walk between the seats and other tables. The chips and salsa were rather bland while the spicier salsa was more just hot like Tabasco rather than flavorful. The server we had must have been new, at least I hope so because the incompetence was notable. He struggled with taking our drink order, even with me ordering a water that was forgotten until I requested it a second time. My wife’s raspberry margarita had hardly any alcohol in it, which is saying a lot because it doesn’t normally take much for her to feel anything considering how infrequently she drinks. It took a good long time for us to even get our meal orders, and that was for only those that managed to get them when the server brought a tray out the first time. My father-in-law and my teenage daughter both had to sit there for the next 20 minutes waiting for their food while everyone else ate. Eventually, my father-in-law got his meal, and then we waited yet another 15 minutes beyond that for my daughter’s food… by which time everybody else was already well and done with their meals. my wife’s crispy chili rellano was soggy and bland, my son’s steak tacos also had no real seasoning to speak of and came out with no onions even though he specifically requested onions and lettuce. He had to ask for a separate cup with onions which came out rather late as well. My own carne asada tacos were bland as well, which pretty much was the theme all around - little flavor or spice to speak of at all. I had to take my littlest daughter out to the fountain in the shopping center before we got the check because everything was so delayed, but I told my wife that they should comp both of the extremely late meals, but even then they only ended up comping one of them. Overall just a horrible experience and it was an embarrassment for my wife’s uncle who was the relative that recommended Nando’s. He felt terrible about it, paid for the whole meal, and apologized profusely for the recommendation, but we absolutely don’t blame him. It is my hope that this review is taken to heart and that this restaurant finds ways to improve. They left our whole family extremely disappointed and...

Someone needs to figure it out how to address issues...

On my way home, I called my wife and asked if she wanted me to pick something up. She wanted Nando's so I told her to call it in or order it and I'd stop and get it.

I get there, give them my name, wait a few minutes and they bring my food out. I take it, don't check it (my mistake) and drive all the way home with my headache and the food.

When I get home, my wife asks where the rest of it is. My taco was missing and her Carnitas Fajitas was missing. I get back in the car and start the 20 minute drive to go get the rest of the food...but, I thought I should call first and let them know I was coming back for it.

Joe, who I think was my favorite waiter, put me on hold and then came back and asked what I was missing. I knew for sure it was carnitas or fajitas but didn't realize that's exactly what it was. He came back to tell me he spoke to the manager and that the manager had helped package it all up and I got everything I was supposed to. He didn't really know what to do because the manager had given it to me. He asked if it was maybe still in the car. Nope. He thought that I got it. I didn't. I'm driving around with a headache just wanting to be done but my wife's food is missing.

With no remedy and the manager according us of getting everything, I left it at, I'll never go back to that location again based on this experience, thanked him and hung up.

I call my wife, offer to go get food anywhere else but I'm never going back there because, according to them, I got my food.

By the time I get home, my wife's on the phone with the manager, Alexis, who doesn't offer a solution other than that "must have been the previous manager" and no, hey, come back and pick it up, let us make it right, etc. So my wife's calling the general manager tomorrow but if he/she is training these guys, they probably don't care either.

Meanwhile, I'm going to lay down and see if my headache will go away. On an empty stomach and out $20 worth of food and a $7.19 tip. Dumb.

PS - now, I checked my email and they've refunded the order. No call or notice but I got an email saying a refund is in progress. Still dumb. All I wanted was a, "hey, NP, let's remake that and we'll have it ready.". I REALLY liked Nando's but how it was handled REALLY irritates me more than going back...

I have to update my review after my experience today. I came in to enjoy a nice lunch with my husband only to be frustrated and disrespected! Let's start off with the dirty plates and cups which I quickly set aside and we should have left then. The waitress came over and wanted to get our drink order and I let her know that we needed a minute. After about 10 minutes I went up to the bar and let her know we are ready to order. She seemed to have an attitude and said with a tone "oh, well I was just taking care of other things" She came over finally and then we ordered 2 appetisers a lunch plate and a to go plate. She brought us the cheese crisp tray and we let her know that we didn't need it. We had to tell her 3 times and she rudely took it away and then she proceeded to talk about us laughing and twirling the tray to other employees and the manager. I felt so disrespected at that point and again we should have left but didn't. At this point we did get our appetisers and watched multiple tables get their food way before us when they had come in way after us. I thought they had just forgotten about us. Finally the food came out and the manager took it to the wrong table. Ok...it happens. So we ate kinda, as some items were cold and stale and others were extremely hot! Then I asked the waitress for a to-go box and some extra salsa to take with the leftover chips and she just brought me the box. I asked again for the salsa and she rudely said "I can't give you any to go, that's the policy." I said since when? We have been coming here for years?? She rudely said it's always been the policy and that everyone else wasn't doing their jobs right so she can not let me have any salsa. My husband was pretty upset at this point with the entire ordeal so he looked at the manager and she quickly started telling him about the salsa issue. He then took off to the back and wouldn't come back out so we could inform him of all the issues. (which I'm sure he knew since he was part of the issue)! This is entirely unprofessional and disrespectful on so many levels. You don't treat a paying customer like this. It seems that there are different employees and manager in today. Service has gone downhill and everyone seems put out,...