Nando’s opening date pushed back

The wait for a sit-down Mexican restaurant in Maricopa will extend a bit longer.

Tim Shaughnessy, co-owner of Southeast Valley mainstay Nando’s Mexican Café, said his group anticipates a spring opening of the restaurant, which will be the company’s fifth.

“We’re looking at April ’23,” Shaughnessy said. “Fingers crossed. We had some setbacks with the city and plans had to be resubmitted, but we’re super excited.”

Shaughnessy previously said Nando’s best-case scenario for opening was January 2023, and the worst-case was March. He said the building, which will be between Planet Fitness and IHOP, is “getting ready for framing.”

Nando’s will span just under 5,000 square feet and accommodate as many as 170 diners indoors. A 900-square-foot patio will seat another 60 people and be available for large parties or private gatherings, Shaughnessy said.

He added that Nando’s will be a significant job creator, hiring 50 to 60 employees, about half of whom will be full time. Management positions will be filled internally, according to Shaughnessy, but there will be employment opportunities for residents.

“We hope to hire a lot of local residents and school kids as bussers, hosts and servers,” he said.

Restaurant hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. The bar will parallel the restaurant’s hours unless it is determined there is enough demand for extended bar hours.

Nando’s was founded in 2003 in Gilbert and has added three other restaurants – Mesa, Chandler and Queen Creek – over the last 18 years.