You can't go wrong at Uncle Julio's from what I can see. Got seated and at a table and the waitress was Extremely happy to see us, in a good way though. Just like a good waitress, she attended to our needs and made sure our food came out in a timely manner and it was correct. She checked on us periodically to see if we needed refills or anything else. The only downside was that the margaritas were a lil WEAK! read more

We go to the Woodbridge location about 3-4xs a year. This place oozes of traditional Old Spanish flare! The aroma, colors, layout, and music being played welcomes all of its guests that come here. Every single time that food comes out of the kitchen to the customers table, the aroma of the food item fills the air and with a quick wiff of the aroma that fills the air, makes one wonder: "Ooooo, i wanna try that!" This place is great for families and large groups too! The portions are enough for two to share. The only downside to this is: Service: can be slow when under staffed. Servers: some lack in proper training, some show no interest, where some show great interest. Cleanliness: needs work especially the restrooms. Come here to explore and sample the food, sounds and great experience of Mexico too! read more

Honestly, drinks were lame... the runners who bought out food were so rude... lost my appetite... the music was horrible played rock the entire time. The piñata chocolate took 45 minutes.. I was just so irritated at this point. read more

I've been coming to this Uncle Julio's (when it was Rio Grande) since the early 90s and it has always been fantastic until the past few years. The past few times we visited, the salsa was just not the same smoky delicious and warm fresh made salsa as before. The rice recipe has changed over the years and the beans just don't have the same oomph. We used to love to come here to have the Cadillac platter with lobster for special occasions but that is gone too. At least they haven't gotten rid of the Swirls but it feels like if the profits dip, they might. I ordered the Carnitas and they fell apart because they didn't double up on tortillas (cheap) and at least one was filled with chunks of fat. GROSS! Service and Ambiance OK - but again the past few times I noticed the dining room wasn't constantly filled like it used to be. It just feels corporate now instead of a small franchise that served the absolute best Tex/Mex I ever tasted. read more

We went to celebrate my daughter's birthday party this past Saturday September 24... it was a group of 10 of us!!! We got to the restaurant at 5 pm, when I got to the host Stand I was greeted by the manager!!! I ask her for a table for 10, she ask me if I have a reservation I told her no.. Then she said that she didn't have space for us!!! That the earliest that she could get us in was 8 pm!! Basically telling me that I had to wait 3 hours! The restaurant had a lot of empty tables that they could of just put together! This was really disappointing... we love love uncle Julios but this was ridiculous we would never go back to this location!! I have work for service industry over 15 years and I never since such a thing!!!! uncle Julios in fairfax read more

Always good for a crowd. It's loud. But I love their salsa!!! They charge for sour cream, which stinks. But the food is always good. And the service is also always good. read more

So I have been trying to find the best Tex-mex place after moving from Texas to here in Virginia and I think I found it. My boyfriend and I went to try Uncle Julios after trying two other places and coming up short with the real feel and taste of tex-mex. This place blew our minds! We couldn't stop talking about how amazing the house made flour tortillas are! We got the steak&chicken fajitas for two with the said amazing flour tortillas and the chicken was so yummy but the steak? Flawless lol it was cooked perfectly and so tender I could pull it apart to put it in my tortilla. There was a small mess up with our waiter forgetting I ordered queso but he was so apologetic and brought it out right away! My only complaint is that the queso maybe could've been a little less thick, it was still super good just could've been a little less on the thick side. But other than that, we'll still be coming back here no doubt. I do wish they had the green salsa like other tex-mex places but that would make them more than perfect! lol read more

Uncle Julio's - Steak fajita taco - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

If you guys want service this is NOT the place to go. So disappointed with the service. The food is honestly really good but the service so lackluster that it's not worth it. Hopefully they do something but unfortunately service trumps food in the case. Do better. read more

Worst service I've ever had. Waited 30 minutes for a pickup order. Horrible inattentive staff

The sangria margarita is one of my favorite drinks here and a must order. The yellow Queso is also absolutely delish and the fajita deal is fabulous read more

Uncle Julio's is my go-to "fancy" Mexican restaurant in the area. Yes, it's a chain restaurant but the food is consistently good at this location. Best part of this particular one is the service. On my last trip here, the waiter hooked us up to no end- from giving us boxes & containers (a lame thing, yeah but I love their chipotle ranch), extra chips and salsa to go and giving us extra cheese for free (usually like almost 2$), the guy deserved a big tip. Best things to eat here: taco salad, honey chicken fajitas, nachos, queso, tableside guac, chicken enchiladas, pretty much anything. Not a huge fan of their ground beef so thats the only thing I can't recommend. Pace yourself with the chips and salsa; they are addicting. read more

I ordered a frozen sangria as well as chicken & steak fajitas (without beans or rice) for dinner. Complimentary chips and salsa were brought by the waiter. I was not a fan of my drink. I expected some fruit, but there was only a single slice of lime and the taste of the sangria slush didn't impress me. The chips and salsa were OK, but I had better. The salsa was too watery and lacked flavor. The fajitas were quite enjoyable. The chicken and veggies were cooked well and the steak was prepared medium-rare like I had ordered. It was a nice portion too, so I definitely did not leave hungry. The waiter was a bit pushy to hand out the bill and get us to pay, but overall him & the rest of the service staff were friendly. read more

Uncle Julio's - Steak & Chicken fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The review is based on the service provided rather than the quality of the food served. We visited them on Sunday evening and wanted to sit outside. The hostess informed us that there is about a 10-minute wait for an outside table, I told her that we are here with a newborn (and actually showed the baby carrier that we had with us) and a toddler. She said, yes it is about 10 minutes. We agreed to wait and stepped outside after providing a cell phone number to be notified via text. 17 minutes later with no update, I stepped in to see how long it will take. The hostess told me that she doesn't know how long it will take. Another lady (who I am assuming was the manager, not sure) approached and said that waiter and cleaning, waiting tables and getting food from the back, so she doesn't know how long it will take. I told them that they should have told us at the beginning instead of telling us it is going to be only 10 minutes (if it was only me and my husband, I would probably be less upset, but with a two-year-old and a newborn waiting is completely different "experience"). Anyways, we ended up just leaving, and the upsetting part was that there was no hint of an apology. I almost felt an implicit condemnation - "don't come out with kids if they can't wait." Most probably will not visit this location for a while. read more

Although the service was great, the food was really not more than average at this spot. The chips with the salsa were a bit soggy. For the main course I got the chicken enchiladas & split it up & I tried the red and white sauces. Both were ok, but the chicken was over-cooked and really chewy. Possibly I ordered the wrong thing off the menu, so it might be worth a return trip. The margaritas were great though, and a good deal with a few dollars off the regular price during happy hour! Give it a try, I might have just not gotten their best menu item, because their menu is huge & has a variety of selections! read more

Uncle Julio's - Chicken Enchiladas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I love Uncle Julio's!! This was the first time I visited this location. For starters walking into the restaurant, it was crowded but the hostess was very nice. We were seated immediately. Our server greeted us with a monotone voice and personality. I didn't mind that, but what I did mind is that I had my friend's special needs son with us and yes he does make loud noises and abrupt sounds and movements which can be a little different for some. But he is an 8 year old boy and my server kept looking at him as if he was a monster. While we waited for our drinks I asked our server a few questions about the kids menu and he was helpful, but he kept looking at my friend's son, I felt like he was uncomfortable with him during the whole time he helped us. My food was plated beautifully, it tasted good not great. I'm glad the I've been to other Uncle Julio's location, Because if this was my first time visiting this franchise, I would probably never go again. read more

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Great food. We enjoyed ourselves. Only issue we really experienced was the server brought an out dated beer to my boyfriend. read more

Uncle Julio's - Our food. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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This is a great spot for some decent Mexican food. Very busy on Friday evenings so if you have more then two in your party be sure to make reservations. For the food we first ordered ceviche as our appetizer and let me tell you something, that dish was fabulous! Very well seasoned and has a nice garlic kick. For our main course we ordered the steak fajitas and it was perfect. The steak was medium rare and it was cooked to perfection. The fajitas for 1 is more then enough for two people. Be sure to also try there drinks. I'll definitely be back for more on the menu. read more

Uncle Julio's - Steak fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I've been to Uncle Julio's a few times since moving to Arlington. Although I'm not really a big fan of many of the Mexican places in Nova, I'll say Uncle Julio's is closest to what I like. They've got qualit food and drinks, and a lot of options to choose from. I've mostly gotten the margaritas as drinks, which have always been pretty good and didn't feel like they were skimping on the tequila. For food, we've gotten the tableside guac and the queso a few times which have all been really good. I'm also a big fan of their chips and salsa. The chips are super thin and the salsa has a sort of smoky flavor to it. For entree, I've mostly gone with the fajitas - most notably the Guadalajara, which I recommend. One thing I feel like no one ever pays attention to is the way the meat in fajitas is cooked. Rarely do you hear a server at a Mexican restaurant ask you how you want your beef cooked in your fajitas. And what's more? They cooked it correctly. Big points there. If you're looking for Mexican cuisine and drinks that are above the rest in Arlington, I'd say come to Uncle Julio's. It is a bit pricey, but it's worth it to actually enjoy your meal. read more

Uncle Julio's - Guadalajara - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This place gave a lot of food for around $20. I got the Juanita's Platter, which included two enchiladas, a hard shell taco, and I think a chimichanga. The enchiladas were pretty good but mainly a cheesy american flavor. And the taco and chimichanga were both pretty flavorless. The salsa they provided was pretty flavor. Aside from the food, our waitress was really nice, and the decor was good. read more

Worst restaurant meal we've had in years. We've been to this location numerous times over the years and always found the food to be outstanding. The last meal will be our last. The chicken fajitas were tasteless and rubbery. I'm not sure what they've changed but the result was almost inedible. It's very sad that what was once a great local place has become a place to avoid. Never again. read more

Good food, great time! I came here for after-work dinner and Libations with a group of co-workers. This place was packed, which was surprising given that it was a random weeknight. Nevertheless, the service was prompt and attentive. I ordered a Cadillac margarita, and beef and chicken tacos. I love their margaritasb I just hate that they come in such small glasses. Especially for 10 bucks a pop. The taco really good. I also like that they offered crunchy tacos, because I'd been craving those all day. Don't get me wrong; authentic (soft) tacos are cool, but sometimes I just need a little bit of crunch. These tacos delivered. Definitely calmed my craving. I wasn't too crazy about the chips and salsa though. The chips were paper-thin and the salsa was extremely watery... it was like dipping my chips in spicy tomato water. No thanks. This location is conveniently located across the street from the Ballston Metro Station. The accessibility alone is enough to make want to cone back. The food, the drinks, and the service....even more so. read more

If I could give this shit no stars I would. I made a reservation for 9:15, got there at 8:55 The bitch in the front tells me that it's not time for me & my family to be seated & we need to go outside and wait Obviously it's not ready, but checking in would be the best thing to do so we can be seated as soon as possible. I had to ask if the table was ready after 9:15 because we still didn't get a damn text. the entire experience was Ghetto as shit. Rude as shit. No customer service. Even from the fucking manager. We waited 20 min after our reservation just to be seated, and another 25 min to be asked if we want a fucking glass of water, AFTER WE ALREADY TOLD THE MANAGER about the experience with the host. I would never come here again. It's ugly as shit inside and dirty lol looks nothing like Annapolis. entire staff is trash. read more

I am a big fan of Uncle Julio's! I've been going to this chain for over 8+ years now and I always enjoy it! I have dined here with both family and friends on many occasions and its great for both types of outings. Situated in a popular part of Arlington, it's common that you will experience a bit of a wait if you go during peak times - but that is something to be expected. During the warmer parts of the year, this location has great outdoor seating if you want to dine and/or drink outside! I've had a wide array of food on the menu and I am a fan of it all. I recommend starting with a cup of queso and tableside guac (especially if you are in a group). Their salsa is absolutely delicious and you will honestly probably fill up on chips before your food comes out because of how addicting the chips/salsa/guac/queso combination is. If you can manage to save room for your meal I recommend ordering one of the following: steak quesadilla, fajitas (portions are large - I normally do fajitas for 1 split between 2 people), or tacos (fish, steak, or chicken). If you're looking for great mexican food at a reasonable price - definitely check out Uncle Julio's! read more

Uncle Julio's - Steak Fajitas for One - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Horrible service. Made a reservation and the hostess claims that there was no reservation under our name. Went back to my car to get my phone to show her the text and when I came back she said that she suddenly found our reservation however she then told us to wait 20 mins because we "just" arrived. I am upset that this employee did not actually look for our information and had us wait outside for so long especially because one of our guests is 7 months pregnant. Ridiculous. read more

I've been to this location a couple times and each time I thought it was okay. I ordered the guac as an appetizer and for some reason, it tasted kind of like meat (which isn't a bad thing just a bit peculiar). I also ordered the cobb salad which is just your standard salad. Everyone else at the table got the fajitas, carne asada, salmon, etc and they all had the same impression. They give very large portions but the food is alright. The chocolate piñata is a lot of fun for the table too but I definitely think the activity of breaking the piñata is a lot better than what is actually inside. read more

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ROACH BUGS AT THE FAIRFAX ARLINGTON LOCATION !!! Do not come here. I entered the bar and immediately after I sat down there was a cockroach under my menu. The bartender was very apologetic and embarrassed about the situation. At this point we had ordered drinks, but decided to leave. The customers on our right and left all saw this as well and left. The bartender gave them their meals for free. The bartender asked the lady manager twice to come speak with us. The manager would not come out of the kitchen to address the situation even though we could see her from our seats at the bar. We asked the host for the corporate number which he gladly gave to us. We talked with a host he had expressed to us that there had been a roach problem all day. This is a huge health code violation and the lack of initiative from management is unacceptable. Do yourself a favor and don't eat here! read more

The chips were greasy and the salsa was too smoky tasting. The enchiladas were good, but their idea of 20% tip was actually 25%... Sorry, don't think I'll return. read more

We came through for brunch a few weeks back and left stuffed and happy! That's a winning combination in my book. We had a reservation and were sat in the main area by the window and had a great view of the entire restaurant. There were plenty of people laughing and enjoying each other's company. Uncle Julio's definitely has a nice family vibe to it. We grabbed a couple of beers and of course we had to get the chips and queso. Their queso is soooo freaking good. We devoured it in no time and had to hold ourselves back from ordering another helping. I ended up ordering the steak & chicken fajitas. The amount of meat I was given was outrageous. I was able to put it all down but the meat put up a good fight! Both meats were cooked to perfection and were really juicy. Made for a great finger lickin' experience! Looking forward to round 2 with those fajitas! read more

20 minutes sitting and not a glass of water, they never passed by the table and when we were leaving the restaurant all talking together in the host area. read more

I came here for a surprise birthday party for my cousin. Our reservation for 30 people was at 8pm and we didn't get seated until almost 8:15. Also we were place at 3 separate tables in the main area that had to be walked through to get to the bathroom. It was a short wait for us to get chips to our table and for our waiter to rake our drink order. The server was helpful in helping us to pick out what was good to eat. The portions are large and the food is delicious. read more

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We booked our reservation through Open Table. It was Valentines Day and the restaurant was packed. We arrived 25 mins early approximately. I requested if we can be seated early. Was told that they were getting our table ready. 20 minutes later, we were still waiting. So we asked the waiter when that table will be ready. He said since we had a 7pm reservation, they have to honor that. Well why didn't they say that in the first place when we first checked in?!? What really ticked me off was when 7pm rolled around, we didn't get seated. We finally got seated at 7:20pm. So what was the purpose of booking a reservation? I understand that it was Valentines Day and a lot of people were out that day to celebrate. That was the reason why I made the reservation. Bottom line, the host have to be honest with their patrons. That way it manages our expectations. Nobody wants to wait 20 minutes after they were told initially that they getting a table ready. A patron who was waiting for his TO GO order was told that his order will be out in 3-4 minutes. He was waiting as long as I was awaiting to be seated. The food was good. However, my salsa and my fresh guacamole appetizer was served on was warm bowl and plate. Sure way to spoil my cold food!! Not a fan of this location. I will try other locations because the food is good. Customer service and quality of food reflects what rating you get. So it's a 3 out of 5 stars for me! read more

Ordered through Grubhub, and half my order was missing. Not to mention, I ordered chicken fajitas and got chicken and steak combo fajitas with raw vegetables and rubbery steak. Incredibly disappointing. read more

Good Mexican Resturant's are a hard find and we found Uncle Julio's. A clean, great service and food that was prepared with care. I had the Juanita's Platter with a hard shell beef taco, a chicken enchilada, a beef enchilada and a spicy chicken tamale, served with pinto beans and rice. The chips were delicious, thin crispy with a flavor to eat with or without their home made salsa consisting of fresh vegetable, and spices adding a flavor I haven't experienced in a long time! If you are ever in the Arlington, VA area this is a place to go! read more

Uncle Julio's - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Terrible service in several aspects. We made a reservation Uncle Julio's for a Mothers' Day brunch because they had outdoor seating. When we got there, the reception told us that there was only one waiter for the outdoor seating so they would not be seating any more diners. We asked whether more staff could be devoted to serving outdoors, she said absolutely not. When we asked how long the wait would be, she said indefinite. We agreed to sit indoors. We were led to a table that was less than 2 feet away from another table. We asked for another table that was 6 feet away from others. The waitress said no. After we insisted that they comply with social distancing, she talked with the manager (BTW, this location has plexiglass, but only for the reception and the manager, not to separate diners!). Finally we got another table. We then had to wait 15 minutes to flag someone to take our drinks order. The worst part? Absolutely no one, not the receptionist, the waitresses, the waiters, the manager, wished us Happy Mother's Day! Not safe and not courteous. OK, the food is excellent. But we are not coming back. read more

I'm shocked that I haven't written an Uncle Julio's review. It's one of my bf's favorites, so we go there pretty regularly. The chips are good and never-ending, but the salsa is meh, it's very smoky. He swears by the carne asada and it is really good. I usually get some kind of fajita combo of shrimp/chicken/steak. The fresh margarita of the day is usually really good, although I try to get the "healthy" margaritas. There are two of them and they are both tasty. The tableside guac and chocolate piñata are fun for a group, but expensive. Service is usually pretty fast and they take reservations on open table. read more

While the food at this restaurant is outstanding, the service needs work. As you will agree, the manager of the restaurant, Leo, should not be harassing patrons. I would recommend that management evaluate Leo, the manager of the restaurant, and provide training in the areas of hospitality. The rudeness, harassment, and tone of this individual was unacceptable. I cannot believe that this type of treatment is permissible in an established chain of restaurants such as Uncle Julio's. What an unpleasant and demoralizing experience. UPDATE: More than 3 weeks have gone by since this horrible experience and while other reviews are responded too pertaining to quality of food as noted on this board, as of 04/13/2021, no response from the restaurant, management, or its leadership has occurred to discuss what happened. I am beginning to feel like the problem stems more from corporate, the company's leadership, accepting everyday bad experiences like the one my family received on 03/20/2021 as normal. read more

I'm more at a 3.5 star rating. The food, like all locations, is quite delicious. But the service was just slow. Six of us went for brunch on a Sunday morning. We had a reservation, but they were pretty empty at noon. We were seated immediately even though not all of our party had arrived. That allowed us time to nosh on chips and salsa while we waited. And we did wait. Several times we had to ask for thanks like refills, or even to order. The waiter seemed to have trouble gauging what we needed, especially when we had finished eating and had to ask for the check about 10-15 minutes after our plates had been cleared. They do have a brunch menu of Tex-Mex dishes, and the full menu is available as well. I went with a trio of enchiladas that came with a side of rice and beans. I was happy with my meal and even eyeing others' dishes for ideas for second next visit. I would also point out that they seemed kid friendly. We had a 12 month old with us and there were several other parties with small children as well. read more

This is the second location we go to in va. First one in Gainesville and this one in Fairfax corner. I don't understand what is the story of the tortilla bread , you feel you want to beg them to bring some to your table they bring the first four after the food we were 3 people eating fajitas and waited another 10 minutes for someone to ask for tortillas of course the meat is cold now. And when we asked to box our food asked for tortilla again the answer was we'll see if there is any tortilla made. I feel we take it for free not pay If anyone know any location don't make you wait on the tortilla please post on my comment But the waiters are friendly and very kind. If you want to go there may be don't order fajita Or bring your own tortilla with you read more

Overall, Uncle Julio's is a disappointment. The wait time was 45 minutes, so we sat at the bar. Chips and deliciously smoky salsa were promptly served; this turned out to be the high point of our meal. 40 minutes later, our entrees arrived. My platter was one misstep after another: a dry and crumbly tamale, enchiladas with no flavor in the meat or red sauce (how is that possible), and a boring Americanized taco. One positive was the green sauce which I actually thought was really good, but that wasn't enough to save the underlying enchilada which was dry. The portions were also ridiculously large; this $18 platter should serve two normal appetites. The bar was very short staffed, but the staff were friendly and worked really hard. Still, the short staff meant it was really hard to get service in a timely manner. Overall, the experience was not nearly enough to make me want to come back. read more

A solid 2.5 that really hit the spot for me today. After a fairly crummy day at work, I was looking to stuff myself with meat, carbs, fat, and cheese. I also wasn't in the mood to go very far, so today seemed to be the perfect day to try out Uncle Julio's a block away from home. Now, when we go out to eat, we typically try to find somewhere that will give us at least an above-average dining experience--today was not one of those days. I just wanted something gorge-worthy. We'd only been to Guapos, and this place seemed to be pretty much the same thing. The interior looked about the same, the menu had essentially the same items; in fact, my husband keeps inadvertently referring to this place as "the Guapos just down the street." When our waiter asked if we'd ever been here before, we answered "no...but we've been to Guapos." He answered, "we're much better." The house-made tortillas were slightly better than Guapos. And the smoky salsa was better and had a more intricate taste than the regular salsa you get at Guapos. We ordered the pulled chicken quesadilla and the Juanita platter, with one beef taco, one beef and one chicken enchilada, and one pork tamale. In stark contrast to the light crispy tortilla, all of the wrappers on our food was dry with a stale texture. The beef was regular ground beef that you could get at any supermarket. The pulled chicken was pretty good, and the cheese was thick and a bit dry. Overall, it was the kind of food that you could just gorge on without much thought or particular appreciation. I'd have to agree with our waiter, that Uncle Julios is at least slightly better than Guapos. But essentially, it's the same thing. If you like this kind of food, I can't imagine there are significantly better options elsewhere. A-OK in my book. read more

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