A Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in Novato on July 31, bringing the popular Southern fast-food franchise to northern Marin. This new site marks the 83rd location in California and the 1,800th location in the United States.

The menu includes popular items such as the Chick-fil-A nuggets, milkshakes, and lemonade, which have prices ranging from three to five dollars.

The menu also includes the “famous” chicken sandwich, which is featured in the company’s trademarked slogan, “We didn’t invent the chicken, just the chicken sandwich.”

That Saturday afternoon brought long lines, but with it fast service and a family-friendly atmosphere.

The tables were packed with families, couples, teenagers, and kids. Orders were placed at the cash registers at the front of the restaurant, but the employees delivered each meal to the respective customer at their own table.

The restaurant offered amenities such as free wifi and a playground for children, as well as a drive-thru attached to the exterior of the building.

 Chick-fil-A was very clean inside, and employees frequently walked through the restaurant to ensure that there was minimal trash littering the floor.

Chick-fil-A offers freshly squeezed lemonade, home-baked biscuits, and seven different sauces to go along with the meal choices.

While the food lacked a savory taste, what was absent in salt was made up for in sugar. The chicken had hints of sweet barbecue, but didn’t have the crunch that is typically associated with chicken nuggets, and the waffle french fries seemed to be fried and salted only lightly. They, too, lacked a crisp texture and salty taste.

The Chick-fil-A in Novato is open Monday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. It is located off of Highway 101 near the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center.