Nando's PERi-PERi — Restaurant in Dunwoody

2 stars. One for the food. One for Stephen. That’s it.

I’ve had issues at this Nando’s every single time I’ve gone. Every single time! Missing items, incorrect orders, long waits, staff who seem confused or overwhelmed, and just generally poor service. But this last visit was the worst yet.

I placed a large $150 to-go order an hour in advance so we wouldn’t have to wait (the food is never ready when they say it will be and I absolutely hate when they waste my time). When we arrived, no one acknowledged us. Cammy, who was working the front, ignored everyone — not just us, but a full line of customers waiting for help. She stayed behind the bar, doing nothing, while people looked around wondering what to do. No greeting. No updates. No sense of urgency. Clearly in the wrong profession.

After 10 minutes, I flagged a manager named Jose. Instead of listening or apologizing, he gave a snarky “It’s grab and go, just so you know.” First, since when? That’s never been the process when I’ve ordered. Second, even if it was, maybe try explaining that to the line of people clearly confused and waiting for assistance while the hostess does absolutely nothing?

I found a bag with my name on it, opened it, and it was someone else’s order (another person with the same name). Jose immediately tried to blame me: “Oh, maybe you ordered from the wrong location.” I didn’t. What actually happened is that someone else had already walked in and taken my food because no one checks or verifies anything (you see why it shouldn’t be “grab and go”?).

This was a large order, and there was no genuine apology. No drink offered while we sat wasting our time AGAIN while they remade it. No comped item. No effort to make it truly right. Jose muttered “sorry” and disappeared, and we were left waiting again. (Stark contrast to the previous manager, Trip, who helped us during a different visit when our order was messed up, as usual).

The only person who handled things with care was Stephen, who works in the back. He apologized, remade the order, and actually checked to make sure it was right. Even then, it took over 40 minutes, and items were still missing the first time it came out.

This location is just sloppy. Sticky floors. Dirty tables that don’t get wiped fast enough. Managers yelling at staff in front of customers. People standing around being ignored by staff. It feels like no one takes pride in the place or wants to be there. They really do not give a damn at this location.

I love Nando’s in DC, so I was excited when this place opened, but I don’t know why I bother. The food here is pretty good, and Stephen deserves recognition for stepping up. But this Atlanta location? A total mess. If this is what the brand experience looks like here, maybe they shouldn’t be operating in...

Nando's has a lovely interior and beautiful artwork along its walls. However, this particular location is in urgent need of staff training, both in the front and back of house.

Upon arrival, I was left waiting for a couple of minutes before being seated. Once at my table, the waitress briefly introduced the menu but seemed rushed, making it difficult for me to absorb what she was actually saying. When I inquired about the restaurant's top dishes, she informed me that ordering was self-serve via QR code or at the bar. Opting to order at the bar due to the hurried service, I placed my order and paid, but was not given a beverage cup, which I had to request before she walked away.

Having worked in hospitality, I often assess cleanliness, especially at beverage stations. Unfortunately, the Coca-Cola dispenser was not properly maintained, revealing mold underneath the ice chute, raising concerns about the soda nozzles. Consequently, I chose to pass on drinking their soft drink.

My meal arrived promptly, but it was the wrong order. The waitress failed to check back with me after delivering my food, and I realized I had no cutlery. Once again, I had to approach the bar to request plastic utensils; due to the fact that the beverage station wasn’t sanitary. When I needed ketchup for my fries, the waitress merely pointed me towards the condiment station instead of offering assistance to bring me some. The ketchup bottles were also unclean, forcing me to sift through them to find an acceptable one.

When I finally dug into my meal, I found it lukewarm, and the fries were cold. I typically don’t send food back, so I ate what I could. I was pleased when a manager checked in on me and I shared my concerns, but I still left uncertain about the overall experience.

Despite finishing my meal, the waitress never returned to follow up. I had to seek out someone to ask how to dispose of my plate, to which I was told to leave it on the table. Throughout my visit, I noticed back-of-house staff conversing casually in the dining area, with one employee clearly eager to leave for the day. This atmosphere felt unwelcoming and detracted from the potential of the restaurant.

In summary, while Nando's has the foundation to be a successful dining spot, significant improvements in staff training and cleanliness are essential to enhance the overall guest experience. It's no surprise that the neighboring restaurant was bustling while this restaurant struggled to...

Ok so I am about to be super judgy, so forgive me. Lol. I still gave it a 5 star because the food was soooo delicious, the staff were so kind, the ambiance was beautiful, and i WILL be back. Theres plenty of free parking so thanks for that. The food as mentioned tasted so fresh so flavorful. Just absolutely delicious. Yet it didnt look at filled as the picture showed at all. But def filling & worth the flavorfulness. The service was great. Noone was inthe front so it being my 1st time, i had to walk & speak to the staff before i can seated. U must order inthe front or via qr code. They missed my dessert which was ok because they replaced it & was given a complimentary free app nxt visit. That was sweet. Every staff that passed my table briefly spoke w/me w/kind words or atleast greeted me. Now my down side is there was a runner or not sure who wore his pants below his buttocks. Now to each its own but i tend to purposely stare atthe buttocks because i never understood it. I guess everyone has their own fashion liking now my issue was the brown stains. It was just so disgusting. How are ppl ok w/that. I made sure to look intensely lol 😆 🥴😵😵‍💫😳 now to have many brown stains and to have ppls plates on your hands and every so often you are lifting those pants. Ilk!!! Also when returning bottles itll be nice to wipe them. Diff tables had those sauce bottles in their table just licking their lips etcetc touching these bottles and they would just put the bottles inthe back table w/o wiping. This is 2025 hasnt ppl learned sanitary yet. My plate was broken as well. I know that's usually a NONO. Most good restaurants will immediately toss that out. Not only was it broken but u can tell from the wash over & over it peels. U dont want to be eating this! All along i thought it wasa shadow from/of plate but it was the raw ceramic because the outter coat was off/gone. Idk these are just 3 of a few judgmental factors i have. But overall that foooood was absolutely delicious. And hoping this will give the establishment better protocols inthe upkeeping & grwth. Im giving this place the benefit/doubt because i truly see the high quality potential. The decor even inthe bthrm is very pretty btw. Ill def be back. With more...