I'll preface my review with this is a chain, Tex Mex, 5 star. Not "the best meal of my life" 5 star. I love that they gave each of us our own salsa with massive baskets of chips. The salsa was smokey but not spicy. All of us got fajitas except for one who got the chicken tortilla bowl. Zero complaints other than the fajita steak comes out well done no matter how you order it, but that's the nature of beef strips served on a hot plate that they continue to cook on. Service was fast and friendly, portions were large and tasty. Tex Mex isn't my favorite cuisine but they did a good job with it and exceeded my expectations. read more

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

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The new queso is crap. I was a loyal costumer, purchasing a pint size of queso blanco every time I would get food from here. It was my favorite Mexican restaurant by far. Now I'm never going back. They need to bring back the queso blanco because the tan stuff is disgusting. read more

I really don't know what is going on with the terrible customer service in this neighborhood. Tio Julio must be hiring from the same pool off bad servers and bartenders. Sat at the Bar, waited a few minutes while bartender handled the couple arrived immediately before me. As he dropped some chips and Salsa in front of me a woman sat down next to me. Took her drink order before even glancing back at me. Hope he saw me leaving. Another place I'll be skipping henceforth. read more

Man .... Uncle Julio's went DOWN hill pretty bad. They definitely precook everything open on their orders. It was really weird the food came out SOOO quick ( looking around everyone's order also) all the meats probably were sitting under the heat lamp like buffet trays. Yuck. I used to love it here. But no more read more

We have loved patronizing Uncle Julio' s for well over 20 years. We have typically received fairly good food whether in the restaurant or delivered to our home. With the change in management, they must have recently changed their options for family pack appetizer and no longer offer the queso option - which has been a favorite for years. So I opted to get a small appetizer of queso. When it arrived, it was in a small black container - not even 1/2 full for $9.50. It was so small that I called the store and spoke with the manager -he said they only give 4oz for a small - but I'm not sure it was even 2 oz! I snapped a picture, as it was so drastically different from their past practice. read more

Pleasantly surprised! Honestly was t expecting much, which isn't fair but we had a wonderful and delicious meal. Restaurant was packed on a Saturday night in the summer, but we were seated quickly. Chips and salsas were tasty and fresh. Service was friendly. We ordered a bunch of meals- quesadillas (very generous portions), ensalada with jumbo shrimp (nicely done and fresh), tacos and enchiladas. We were all very pleased. Watermelon margarita and frozen margarita with sangria hit the spot. Manager came by to check on us. We'll definitely be back and will come back hungry! read more

Great neighborhood feel accompanied by the awesome watermelon margaritas. Accented by awesome friends. Highlighted by a fantastic service. read more

Fajitas were sooo good (ordered chicken & skirt steak)Serving is pretty big & can make 2 meals. The swirl marg, original marg & queso blanco on happy hour were also super good & at a good price. Fun vibes for a girl's happy hour/dinneralso love complimentary chips & salsa. Service was fast and it wasn't hard to get a table on a Friday during happy hour! read more

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Terrific, fast service. Delicious food, and plenty of it. Very authentic and unique 'real' Mexican dishes. Had a great meal and a great time. read more

We are from South Texas - so I know good Tex-Mex. Love the flavors that we get from UJ's! Always delicious and always hot/fresh! We actually haven't ever eaten in the restaurant-just take out. But who we HAVE interacted with have been friendly. Tip: if you want refried charro beans you can ask for them. ;) read more

Picture this 7:30 Monday night 20 people at a table for a double birthday party celebration. 1 waiter 9 different bills to pay all between the amounts of 25 to $200. Now that you have the setting let me get to my experience. As drink orders were being taken the waiter Abdul was told how the bills would be split and that one drink would be added to my bill bit everyone pays for their own food. Ok here's where the problems come in. We sat for almost 20 mins before drinks came out a total of 45 before food came out and we still didn't get everything I had to get up from the table and ask for the tortillas. And other condiments for everyone. And hour before we got refills on our drinks no water was put on the table. And our waiter was no where to be found. Now how was the food you ask? Nasty cold subpar you go at your own risk read more

Wow. Just wow. This place is beyond amazing. I got the Carne asada, and it was absolutely fantastic. My dad agreed. Sadly, the curse of being full struck, and I was forced to slow down to save room for the chocolate pinata. The fajitas were "very good" and "delicious," according to those around me. The cheese fondue hit the spot. I got the strawberry lemonade, and it was amazing, but drink it slowly. The sweet in it builds up. The strawberry margarita was very fresh. There was table-side guacamole and the chocolate pinata... The chocolate pinata. It's so amazing that it needs its own paragraph. And it's just what it sounds. It is a pinata made of chocolate, full of churros and fruit. The pinata choolate itself was about a centimeter thick. It came and- IT WAS GIANT The waiter handed me a wooden stick and asked me to do the honors. It took two hits to crack the pinata! It was sooooooo yummy. And I have officially ate my weight at this restaurant. Even though just about every table was full, our food came fast, and our table was visited frequently by the waiter helping us get anything we needed. She was very respectful. For such amazing food, the price was average. This restaurant was very clean and, overall, an amazing experience. read more

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We visited this location on a Sunday afternoon, it was quiet and perfect. The service was great, we had our waiter all to ourselves. There wasn't a wait for our food, and our margaritas came from the bar in minutes. We ordered the Guadalajara Fajita platters and they were delicious. By the end of our meal the restaurant started to fill up and become more lively. #HappyEating #GoEarly read more

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

Traveling on business and as I often do...look for a spot that seems to be poppin. Well as I was down the street from George Mason University, I landed here at Uncle Julios. I walked in and took a seat at the bar...seems like a cool place, it wasn't crowded but had the feel of something like Chevys or a typical chain restaurant...they had a large selection of tequilas...that was good ...then they brought me some chips and salsa. The chips were nothing special, and the salsa was lacking some kick and seasoning I looked at the menu...nothing jumped out at me...but I thought..hey let's try the surf and turf fajitas..that sounded good...when I got it..disappointment set in The meat.. skirt steak was sliced wrong..we all know you slice against the grain!..cmon uncle Julio! The shrimp...well first the bacon on the shrimp was burned..which then led to a dry rubbery shrimp All in all just a bit lack luster...if I had it to do again...think I would've landed somewhere else...Uncle Julio...fixing the quality control and improve on the seasoning will go a long way to getting better than 2-3 reviews ...the young ladies behind the bar were good...but they're not responsible for the quality of the food...thats all I'm saying read more

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Me and my party of 6 ordered 2 tex mex combination ($17+ each) and a two person order of fajitas ($40+) and an order of 3 hard tacos ($17+) all of which was made to perfection. The waitbstaff was helpful and brought our food out in a timely manner. We had a child with us and they provided a high chair and accommodated our needs the whole time. Bathrooms were clean as well and the place was very clean and very anesthetically pleasing. 10/10 I'll come back here whenever I'm in town read more

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

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Here in Arlington for work several weeks ago and wanting Tex Mex food I chose UJ as I had eaten at other locations in Rockville Maryland and Dallas. Compared to the others this place lacked the energetic vibe so I'm giving it a 3.5 rounded to 4 stars. The young female bartender who started her shift around 4 was nice and engaged in conversation since I was a business traveler. I always order the same entree whenever I dine at a UJ and the entree at this location was comparable to the others regarding portion size, taste and quality. read more

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Uncle Julio's never disappoints. Their fajitas are particularly good. One of the best Tex Mex places in the DMV. And should you ever find yourself in Fort Worth, do yourself a favor and eat at the original location. read more

This is a great place for a drink with chips and salsa! Margaritas here are very good. Aka Happy Hour! I gave 3 stars because the margaritas were so good! The food is underwhelming. I ordered the fish tacos and thought they were bland and the fish was very smelly. I sat inside but it looks like there is ample outdoor seating once the weather turns. read more

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

Remind me to invite Unc to the family reunion. He's alright with me! The chips and salsa will show you how little self control you really have. Once I got past that, I started with the bacon wrapped habanero shrimp. It was flavorful with some real heat. Fortunately, I had a nice mango lemonade to keep me at bay. For entree' I had the enchiladas. Just two was enough to satisfy me, but I saved some room for the churros. These were small, bite size churros that come with a dark chocolate dipping sauce. On my second visit, I got the steak fajitas which were solid. Mexican is not always my first choice, but I remember a coworker telling me about this place and I'm glad I listened. My only complaint is that the chips and salsa on my second visit were not nearly as good as the ones from the first visit. The chips from the second visit seemed like they were bottom of the barrel. Also, I made reservations here on both visits and had to wait a short while. Neither was an extremely long wait, but just something to note. Aside from that, go there and enjoy yourself! read more

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I had Mexican on my mind and lunch was the perfect time to pop in and satisfy my craving. The service was great as the intro and offer to take a drink order was prompt and timely. Chips and salsa arrived shortly after and the chips were still warm to the touch and not heavily salted. I am a creature of habit when it comes to my Mexican delights and my typical order at Uncle Julio's is tried and true. For starters, splurge a little and get the Tableside Guacamole. Beyond the fact that it is entertaining to have the guac made in front of you with the freshest ingredients, you can control what they do and do not add, as well as how spicy it is. I love a chunky guac and the sweet lady who made it did not miss a beat. You know its chunky when you occasionally break the chi just trying to dip and scoop with it. Always, always delicious, no matter the location. My meal of choice is Flank Steak Fajitas. The meat is always tender and juicy and cooked to the ask of medium/medium well considering it still cooks a tad bit as they bring if out on the skillet plate. The generous helping of peppers and onions are a good compliment. Just in case you didn't know you can get black beans as a side if you do not like refried or pinto means. Portions are generous as well. Lastly, I cannot forget about my deliciously refreshing drink, the Grand Swirl which is a beautiful combo of their swirl marg with a shot of Grand Marnier in an inverted lime peel, worth every dime if I do say so myself. The location is huge so you do not have to worry about dining too close to thy neighbor. The decor is applicable as it is festive. The location easy to find as it is located directly on the corner and parking can be at a premium depending on the time of day since the closest option is street parking. read more

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

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Good food. Lively environment so not the best place for a quiet business conversation but it's great for family or a group of friends from work. I love the fajitas and their freshly made guacamole done at the table. read more

We were visiting from out of town and wanted some Mexican food. We didn't have a reservation so they seated us outdoors which was pleasant because the weather was nice. Drinks: slow to arrive and personally think over priced for the small pour. The margaritas can be compared to the quality at Chilis (which I don't care for either) Appetizers: queso blanco was delicious as were the chips and salsa and the house guacamole. Entrees: food was generally good and tasty but arrived cold. Service: Slow. The tables seated around us arrived after us and had all eaten their full 3 courses and we never received our food. We waited more than 40 minutes for our entrees which is unacceptable especially when you have small children at the table. We never even got dessert (which I was looking forward to) because it had gotten so late. There was no reason for this delay, the restaurant was empty. It's a one and done for us. read more

This is our go to Mexican place in Arlington, Virginia. We loved the fajitas. It has a great atmosphere and the servers are always so kind to our grandchildren. My son-in-law loves taco Tuesday. Everything on the menu is delicious. It has a beautiful atmosphere. We always have fun when we're here. You've got to try their margaritas! read more

Could've done better at home. Crunchy corn wraps for an enchilada don't quite cut it, as does unseasoned beef and chicken. I really can't believe some restaurants can get away with stuff like this, pick a few main dishes and own it. Won't be going back. read more

Had lunch here recently. Really good chips and salsas! We split the pork fajitas with honey chipotle glaze. A little sweet for our taste but the meat was tender and the grilled veggies - especially the onions - were great. We would definitely recommend. We will be back. read more

Reservations for a party of 11, we weren't allowed in to be seated until everyone arrived. It was hot outside. We weren't even able to order a drink. This must be something new - I have been here before with a smaller party and we were able to be seated and order while we waited. When we got inside we were seated right away at a table that had been there all by itself the whole time we were inside. The food and drinks were very good as was the initial service. Once everyone got their food our server disappeared. I'm guessing he took a break because we didn't see him until we asked another sever for our checks. My guess is that they're short staffed. Still a fan, but there are a lot of options in this area. read more

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Nice crispy tacos (ground beef a bit dry). Didn't realize the tacos dish comes with rice (nice!). Well packaged. We had a party on the rooftop with orders from Uncle Julio's and had a good time. read more

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

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There prices have skyrocketed over the last ten years. A carne asada use to cost a little over $22. Now it's $40!!! Now you get such a small portion compared to what they used to serve. I remember I could only eat about half and now they only giving you half for double the price... I use to love this place but I rarely even eat here bc it's so pricey. read more

I love coming to this place during weekdays lunch time because their chips & salsa and steak fajita are amazing. Also, they give service members 50% discount if service members are in uniform and have an ID. (Note: if you come here in civilian clothes, they wouldn't give you a military discount even if you have a valid ID). This was a bit odd; I'm only a service member when I am in my uniform? Last time I checked, I'm a solider 24*7. During the weekday lunch hours, you can park in the garage for free. Make sure you get your ticket stamped by the host/hostess. (Note: there is a charge for weekends, etc.) Fresh blueberry mojito was amazing!! Honey chipotle Chicken fajita was interesting, but I think I will go back to their steak fajita. Overall, it is a good place to go for Mexican food. read more

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

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I wish I could give them 0 star , This restaurant use to be my fav Mexican Restaurant but this location omg horrible, service 0, orders cup of coffee was cold .. food they served but without we have to look for server to ask for that also . read more

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

Definitely try a fajitas dish because their tortillas are so good! I had the Carnitas Fajitas and it was a generous serving. read more

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

Everything was absolutely delicious! My friend and I had dinner here while she was in town and had a great time! The staff is absolutely the best and we really enjoyed the atmosphere that was fun but also family friendly, can't wait to go back and try more of the menu! read more

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

I recently enjoyed the evening at Uncle Julio's with a friend. We had a nice time catching up in the outdoor patio. The service was decent, the waiter was friendly and responsive to our needs. I thought the food was decently plated and cooked with attention to detail. I had the carne asada. To drink I partook in two patron margaritas. The wait from the time we ordered to service was reasonable. The homemade tortillas were delicious. My only complaint is the sides were a little small. I think that this is a great place to meet friends and grab a bite to eat and a drink. I will reopen provided that I'm in the area. The restaurant has three added benefit of having a parking garage on site and it's walking distance to the metro station. read more

Filthy tables and chairs outside. Almost all chairs had bird poop on them...major health hazard. This is from one small section of the table. Clean this place!! Not coming back. Going to report them to the health department. read more

I've had better fish tacos from the freezer! The size of the fish pieces was minuscule and barely filled the taco. The slaw on top was tasteless and there was not enough sauce. Had to drown these bland tacos in the chip salsa to make them edible. The best thing about this meal was the free chips for the table. read more

Uncle Julio's Ballston - Grilled Fish Tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I've visited a couple times already but on Monday night I had an amazing time! Food was delish and fresh had the fajitas for two and had a couple of the margaritas of the month. Our server Barzon was knowledgeable and the manager Mauricio was very attentive, super friendly, and funny! He stopped by to greet us and came back a couple times to check on us to make sure we were taken care of! Overall a great experience but I do believe they need to change the music to a more upbeat Latin music! some of the songs were kind of a mood killer! Will be returning more frequently hope the next time I won't be listening to don't speak by no doubt... read more

Food is great! Every time I go to Arlington I have to eat uncle Julio's. Service is great and so is the food!

Good drinks, good food. I like their margarita menu. The drinks are potent. The table made guacamole is top notch. The food and service is general is above average. read more

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

Mae, the manager was awesome!! When she found out that I have been going to Uncle Julios Rio Grande Cafe since the early eighties as a kid, and I have NEVER had a swirl as an adult, she gave me one on the house!! It was amazing!! If you have never had one, do yourself a favor and get one! Our waitress however was not very attentive. I went to go find her to place our order because she hadn't come by. Then a VERY long time went by as we waited for two quesadillas. Quesadillas do not take long to cook, so I have no idea why it took so long. The restaurant was not busy and there were plenty of servers, so I can only assume that our waitress was MIA again. The food was amazing. The swirl was amazing. And the decor reminded me of the original Rio Grande Cafe in Bethesda before the current one was built. I will definitely go to any Uncle Julios that I come across and I am super happy that they have popped up all over!! read more

Uncle Julio's Ballston - Two swirls!! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Amazing guacamole. Crisp, fresh chips. Chicken and steak fajitas with huge portions and tortillas with a perfect texture. Friendly service. Honestly, I was a little skeptical going in. It's been years since I was at Uncle Julio's. But wow, really great experience and would totally go back. read more