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| Goodge Street (Average rating: 4.07) Parking is considered N/A due to this branch being in Central London.
Lifetime Ratings (10-50 Combined Visits from 8 Nandoers):
| Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 4.22 | 4.33 | 3.94 | 3.78 | Meaning | Good stuff. Very polite | I had only just got back with my cutlery and sauce. | Above average, noticeably tastier than normal | Very clean, newly furnished, impressive artwork and lighting |
Individual Ratings: Submitted by: Gary 
Date of last visit: Mon 23/01/12 How busy was it?: A few tables occupied Time of day? Weekday lunch
Number of visits?: 10-50 visits!
Additional comments: Courtesy of the Rate Your Nandos team I was fortunate enough a 3 course meal at the Goodge Street branch. I was served by the wonderful manager Minty and decided to order Halloumi cheese, together with butterfly chicken, chips and spicy rice. For the first time in my long-serving Nando's custom, I ordered a desert too: Gooey Caramel Cheesecake.
After ordering me and my companions sat down and the food was with us very soon. The butterfly chicken looked scrumptious, it was fairly big and was completely doused in marinade, just how i like it! It was cooked to perfection and delicious. However I was a bit disappointed with the halloumi, the two pieces seemd a bit unloved, small but as I was starving they were gobbled down with little fuss.
The peri peri chips and rice were steaming hot, something which is important to me! Freshly cooked peri chips together with the delicious butterfly chicken created a concoction of flavours in my mouth, and to be honest this was probably the best butterfly chicken I have ever eaten.
Feeling satisfied after my meal I waited for the dessert but it didn't come - I'm not sure how desserts are supposed to work at Nando's but I ended up having to go to the counter and ask for the cheesecake.
My expectations of the dessert weren't too high as after all this was Nando's, the source of tender juicy chicken in my life for the past few years. I was shocked to see how small the slice was, the menu price is £3.95 for it! However it was absolutely delicious and again I wolfed down every morsel of it.
Overall the meal was thoroughly enjoyable, the staff were friendly and checked several times to make sure the meal was okay and were happy to give extra mayo when asked for. The manager was extremely welcoming and is clearly running a tight ship here - I am a regular at this Nando's and I almost always leave feeling extremely happy with the service levels there.
Thanks to Minty and Rate Your Nando's for the prize and I hope you enjoyed this review!
G | Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 5 | 4 | 4.5 | 4 | Meaning | Wow, I feel incredibly welcome! Recognised if you are a frequent visitor | 5 - 10 mins - Some conversation had begun | Great - Very tender, piping hot, not at all burnt, dripping in sauce | Very clean, newly furnished, impressive artwork and lighting |
Date of last visit: Tues 03/01/12
Number of Visits?: My first visit!
How busy was it? Half full
Time of day? Weekday dinner
Additional Comments: I had been previously warned by another previewer that if you give a bad review to this store Marc makes you go in to have lunch with the manageress, a level of quality assurance I appreciate. Close to Oxford street and Regent street shops this friendly small store is ideal for the break in your shopping spree, The staff were very obliging throughout and were tolerant of the length of time we spent there. Its a well presented store and it has a good level of art work and object d’art. Its a long narrow store with the till and serving counter at the front and the beverage and sauces next to the till area. The toilets are a bit more hidden being in the cellar but were clean and well sized even if a bit bland.
The mixture of beaded lanterns and red branch effect lampshades added a nice touch as well mood lighting at a correct level. I liked the patterned backs of the soft benches and this was complemented by the subtle level of music in background. The chicken was cooked very much to my liking and the breast was marvellous, I did come across a bloody patch next to the bone in my leg which when the waitress was alerted she swapped it for another piece straight away without hassle.
Parking I would say is impossible at this location due to its city centre nature. | Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | Meaning | Good stuff. Very polite | 5 - 10 mins - Some conversation had begun | Above average - noticeably tastier than normal | Very clean, newly furnished, impressive artwork and lighting |
Date of last visit: Tues 03/01/12 How busy was it?: A few tables occupied Time of day? Weekday Dinner
Number of visits?: 5-10 visits!
Additional comments: The first ever Rate Your Nando's Contributor Dinner was held at this fine central London branch and it was the perfect chance to meet some fellow Nando's fans after almost 2 and a half years of Rate Your Nando's.
The last time I'd visited Goodge Street, some ugly scaffolding was almost camouflaging the branch but luckily now that has been removed and Nando's is far more visible.
Our table was ready for us and the party sat down after a quick drink across the road in a pub which shows football incidentally.
It was the first time I'd ever had 'Altogether Now'. My only issue with it was that more pitta would have been useful as both plates had excess houmous and red pepper dip leftover but no pitta! Everyone ordered their main courses after the starters and the 3 tills were used to maximum efficiency, great stuff. Food arrived swiftly for most members of the party apart from Dom's which was such a big order (half a chicken, double breast burger, large chips and halloumi) that it obviously took a while to get it together!
Unfortunately part of my chicken leg was slightly bloody which did put me off finishing it. The breast was great and the large peri chips (once again, too many for me to handle) had lots of peri salt on them.
Dinner was followed by the team's Nando's quiz which went down well as 3 pairs battled it out in dramatic fashion.
That gave everyone time to find room for dessert. The only problem was that choc-a-lot cake ran out (they had 3 left but 4 people wanted it) and there was no stock of another dessert so some second choices came into play. There was no clotted cream with the cakes which I saw as an improvement although it was evidently down to no stock rather than a change in the menu.
All in all, everyone left extremely satisfied and there were smiles all round.
Looking forward to the next RYN Contributor Dinner (see the Events page for more info) and thanks so much to Goodge Street Nando's (particularly to Minty and Lei) for all their help! | Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 5 | 4 | 2.5 | 4 | Meaning | Wow, I feel incredibly welcome! Recognised if you are a frequent visitor | 5 - 10 mins - Some conversation had begun | Average but needs more peri spice | Very clean, newly furnished, impressive artwork and lighting |
Submitted by: Priya
Date of last visit: Wed 14/12/11 How busy was it?: Almost full Time of day? Weekday lunch
Number of visits?: 10-50 visits!
Additional comments: The staff were extremely friendly and cheerful, although the restaurant was busy the queue to order food moved extremely fast which fitted around my lunch hour and always does reflected in how long it took for the food to arrive. The location is particularly useful as it is not too far from Great Portland Street station. I personally love how all the food comes together even when there is a large group of us, (the veg and the meat which is rare occurrence elsewhere).
The staff ask you quite quickly after your food has arrived if everything is to standard which is useful as this saves me having to wait to grab the attention of a member of staff.
Although there is no student discount the stamp collecting makes up for this. I have now worked my way through 6 entire stamp cards - even as a vegetarian!
The best part about the restaurant itself is the unique decor (the sinks) and ample space towards the back allowing there to be enough space to eat comfortably without having to be asked to move every time someone wishes to pass.
Keep up the good work :) | Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | Meaning | Wow, I feel incredibly welcome! Recognised if you are a frequent visitor | 5 - 10 mins - Some conversation had begun | Nando's fit for a King - The very best | An exceptional Nando's |
Submitted by: Adam Nicol
Date of last visit: Mon 24/09/11
Number of Visits?: My first visit!
How busy was it? A few tables occupied
Time of day? Weekday lunch
Additional Comments: I decided to go to this branch because I'd read the good reviews and it was on the northern line. I had no idea where it was though, Goodge Street station is about a 10 minute walk away, and I had no idea in which direction, luckily my friends knew where it was and we soon found it.
It seemed very small from the outside, but once we got in I realised how far back it went, and that it wasn’t that small at all, we were greeting by a Nandoca as usual and got led to the back of the restaurant where we were told to choose whichever table we wanted, since it was almost empty so we got a table for four and sat ourselves down.
I must say, one of the people in my party had NEVER been to Nando’s before (She got a really dirty look from me for that) so we had to explain how it worked, although she got medium when I told her to get extra-hot :(.
There was no queue to order food as it was empty, I wasn’t really concentrating on the Nandoca serving me but I don’t think she had the jolly smile that the Nandoca’s at my local Wood Green branch always seem to have :( I swiftly ordered my Butterfly Chicken, Extra hot with chips and garlic bread, got my stamp and headed to get my drink and cutlery. I struggled to find the straws! They were hidden behind the drinks machine and I expected them to be over near the cutlery and napkins! There was sooo much sauce and plenty of Extra-extra hot bottles, some branches only seem to have one or two of them for crazy people like me.
I sat myself back down and waited for my friends to return, didn’t take long (Apart from the girl who hadn’t been before, I think she got confused about something, bless her) we had a nice chat for a while whilst I checked out the décor and the general atmosphere of the place.
I don’t think anything in particular stood out and made me wow, I could just tell, I’m in Nando’s, and it looks like Nando’s should. They did wash our table whilst we were ordering food, so it was nice and clean. But yes this branch is very thin, so if you’re an extremely obese person, I think it’s better to go to a wider branch like Southbank Clink Street.
The food arrived in under 10 minutes, well mine and one of my friends did, my other two friends had to wait another 5 minutes, whilst I had to fight off the urge to start eating, which I didn’t do too successfully as I was gorging it down in under a minute, sneakily eating chips before I just decided, what the heck and grabbed my knife and fork and got stuck in.
My friends meals eventually came so we all got started eating, with me trying to judge what the newbie was thinking about her medium chicken. One of my friends requested some mayonnaise when the Nandoca came over to ask if we wanted anything, and she immediately got it and bought it back to us.
The chicken was slightly dry and hard to cut up, but as we all know, a bit of extra-extra hot sauce on it and it just tastes heavenly. The garlic bread was done to perfection, not too soggy, not too burnt just right. The chips as well were delicious, not burnt and crispy, or cold and soft, just perfectly chippy, although I do wish I’d asked for some Peri-Peri salt on them but dipping them in extra-extra hot sauce is just as good, the salt dispenser on the table was actually in one of the ones that used to have pepper in with the five holes, so when I tried to put some on, far more than I wanted came out all over my chips, upsetting. The piece of chicken was large (I remember one time I got butterfly chicken and it was a tiny piece!) I actually struggled to eat it all; I’m getting weak in my old age. The portion of chips wasn’t the largest I’ve had, but I’m used to getting large portions or two portions, so I can’t really judge how it compares to others.
My friends finished their meals long before me, I guess I’m a slow eater, I’m not sure what I thought of the waitress removing my friends plates from the table and leaving me with just mine, It made me feel greedy and lonely with everyone just watching me eat, but I suppose the removal of my friends plates just shows how quick the staff are in this place.
As upsetting as it was, I could not fit a desert in after all of the food, so we sat and chatted for a while whilst we took advantage of our bottomless drinks, before eventually departing and venturing out into London. | Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 3 | 4 | 3.5 | 3 | Meaning | Not bad. Did everything I asked of them | 5 - 10 mins - Some conversation had begun | Average but with lots of peri-spice | Standard Nando's, nothing bad, nothing exceptional |
Submitted by: SK Date of Visit: Sun 28/08/11 Number of Visits?: My first visit! How busy was it? A few tables occupied Time of day? Weekend lunch Additional Comments: Despite having taken a knock (see scaffolding outside) this Nando's is thankfully a solid restaurant. Our table of 5 had begun to talk to each other, but luckily the food had arrived in good time. The chicken (1 whole medium and 1 hot) was well-sauced, though slightly overcooked. Though the ambience may not have been as solid as the food or as other branches, and the music became slightly irritating by the end of our meal (A Portuguese cover of U2's 'Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' was noted by our group, if that's your scene), this well situated Nando's delivered an up to scratch meal. | Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 4 | 4 | 3.5 | 3 | Meaning | Good stuff. Very polite | 5 - 10 mins - Some conversation had begun | Average but with lots of peri-spice | Standard Nando's, nothing bad, nothing exceptional |
Date of Visit: Wed 10/08/11 Number of Visits?: 2-5 How busy was it? Half full Time of day? Weekday lunch Additional Comments: Goodge Street Nando's is fast becoming a favourite with the Rate Your Nando's team, the staff here are fantastic, especially manager Minty! The branch has not been affected by the London riots and has been open as usual. There was no queue when we ordered and our peri drizzle with houmous was served almost instantly. We needed some time to munch it and our mains then arrived as we got to the end of our starter (this branch is ranked as the top for service in London for a reason). The food was impeccable (see photo below) and I decided to get some Halloumi to accompany my half chicken and 2 peri chips which went down perfectly. The only current issue with this branch is the scaffolding which masks it slightly as you are walking down the street but luckily a recently erected large colourful banner saying 'Nando's, open as usual' is now in place to help Nandoers find their way to peri-peri heaven. In other news, this branch offers a free jug of sangria on Monday evenings to anyone who orders a platter (full, meal, wing) and there is a secret in the recipe which makes it different (and obviously better) than that served in other branches across the conutry. This is one of the best branches in central London, check it out! | Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | Meaning | Wow I feel incredibly welcome! Recognised if a frequent visitor | I had only just got back with my cutlery and sauce | Great - Very tender, piping hot, not at all burnt, dripping in sauce | Very clean, newly furnished, impressive artwork and lighting |
Date of Visit: 08/07/11 Number of Visits?: 2-5 How busy was it? Almost full Time of day? Weekday lunch Additional Comments: I decided to visit Goodge Street on my lunch break which turned out to be a great decision. I would say that timing is crucial at this branch as I was seated straight away (table for two) on arrival at 12:30 but by 12:45, that would not have been possible as the lunch break crowd started to pour in. The branch is a 5 minute walk from Goodge Street Station in the heart of central London. Impressive chilli lighting greets you as you walk in although there is currently scaffolding on the building so be careful not to walk past this Nando’s without realising! There was a small queue to order and my friend’s food actually arrived at the table before I did! Impeccable service! The food was great too, a satisfying half chicken with 2 peri chips although I have seen more generous chips portions on recent visits to other branches such as Lewisham and Borehamwood. The staff were very friendly and I engaged in a very interesting conversation with branch manager Minty, we look forward to hearing from you guys! This is definitely a top branch to visit in central London. | Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | Meaning | Good stuff. Very polite | I had only just got back with my cutlery and sauce | Above average, noticeably tastier than normal | Very clean, newly furnished, impressive artwork and lighting |
Date of Visit: 04/08/09 Number of Visits?: My first visit! Additional Comments: A pleasant Nando's. Service was good and the staff were friendly. Food speed was the top point. Would definitely recommend this branch.
| Friendliness of Staff | Speed of Service | Quality of Food | Decoration and Cleanliness | Rating | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | Meaning | Not bad. They did everything I asked of them. | I had only just got back with my cutlery and sauce. | Very tasty, lots of peri spice, not at all burnt. | Standard Nando's. |
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