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

I've been to several different Uncle Julio's locations and found this one to be somewhat disappointing. I went with a large group and sat outside in the outdoor patio area. We were the first table there for lunch, so I wasn't sure why the service and food took so long. Not to mention, the chicken and steak fajita lunch item that I ordered was overcooked. I had asked for medium steak and received what was more of a well done. No pink at all! The meat ended up being very chewy. My mouth was sure getting a workout! The only highlight of my outing was the fresh watermelon margarita. Perfect for a hot, summer day! read more

Uncle Julio's Ballston - Fresh watermelon margarita! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

fui ayer para mi cumpleaños con mi familia y lastimosamente nos dieron mal servicio el mesero, no imaguine que me pasaría algo así en un día importante como mi cumpleaños y no le dijimos nada al manager read more

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

Huuuuuge portions, so come hungry! We got last minute seating in a Thursday night for 10 people so safe to say it's a reliable spot. My fish tacos were great and I'll definitely come again if I'm in the neighborhood! read more

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

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We came here one Saturday for brunch with a reservation. The location was pretty quiet and empty. The host sat us at a table in the middle of the restaurant in the middle of their main thoroughfare. This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, I understand when things are busy spaces are limited but the place was empty, on top of that I was on crutches. Luckily we asked nicely to be a bit more out of the way and they were very accommodating. Our server was friendly but seemed a little distracted. There were only 3 of us in our party but for the life of him he couldn't get our drink orders right. We made the best of it and worked it out ourselves, can't go too wrong when tequila is involved. We stuck with pretty standard dishes, enchiladas and fajitas. Everything was cooked well and flavorful, especially the enchilada sauces. Overall everything was good and we would probably come back again. read more

The customer service was great the food was amazing everything was delicious nice and fresh the staff was very polite, we met the manager he was cool the the place looked beautiful read more

I wanted to update my prior review. This location seems to have improved and been better with regard to quality. It's definitely a go-to location of mine for Tex-Mex fare. I do think that the service can vary as can the crowdedness of the establishment, but when I want to avoid either I will do a takeout order. read more

I'm giving this five stars just for the carne asada. That was definitely one of the tastiest steaks I've ever had in my life. And I didn't even order it, but luckily my SO had a heart and let me eat a good amount of it (I barely touched my chicken tortilla bowl after having a bite of the carne asada). It was soooo juicy, and perfectly cooked. However, my chicken tortilla bowl was okay, like a glorified chipotle chicken bowl. Still, enjoyed it the next day for lunch after taking it home. The chips and salsa were pretty tasty too, very fresh. Our server was also pretty attentive to our needs and the food came out relatively quickly. Lots of space in the restaurant. Would def come back here. read more

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Come for the food, not the margs. We had chips, salsa, queso, fajitas, tacos, roasted cauliflower bowl, and the Caesar salad (we recommend it with the jalapeño ranch dressing!) and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals! The service was very good/attentive. We each also had "the" margarita. The quotes around "the" are on the menu. If you like an extremely sweet margarita with no discernible alcohol then this is "the" drink for you. For me, it was "the" only margarita I had in my life that I could not finish. No one at our table ordered another mixed drink. read more

Uncle Julio's is a Chain with 29 restaurants in seven states. There are good chains, mediocre chains and bad chains and then there is Uncle Julio's, which is an unmitigated chain disaster. The restaurant we came to is located on Fairfax Drive in Arlington. Do not go here. No parking is available. We have not been here in years since it was Rio Grande and this experience reminded me of why we have not been here. Why is it when the food takes 50 minutes to arrive the patron has to ask for the manager, rather than the manager come to the table and explain what is going on? The manager explained other tables received their food quicker than we did because they ordered fajitas, which come out quicker. Good excuse, except guess what we ordered; chicken and filet mignon fajitas. Duh! Then after our food arrived, a passing waitress dropped a serving tray right on out table spraying water and whatever everywhere! The young girl who dropped the tray apologized and summoned the manager immediately. The manager arrived and helped clean up and brought my wife a fresh set of chicken fajitas. Guess how long it took, less than five minutes for the chicken to arrive. Why, because it is not fresh chicken cooked in-house. It is the kind of chicken you buy in pre-cooked strips that is the cheapest available. My wife asked for extra cheese and after all this, we were charged for the cheese. You would assume we would have received maybe some discount or receive something comped like in real restaurants. Nope, nothing! Also the Filet Mignon fajitas arrived with a very small amount of meat, overcooked, was not freshly prepared and certainly was not worthy of the title Filet Mignon. My wife talked to the restaurant manager when we left and mentioned that nothing was discounted and the manager appeared shocked at the request. She said she would see what she could do. No forget it, we need to escape this place as soon as possible. No, too late, not interested, we are done. Never to return. After this mess we recognized that the only person who stepped up was the young girl who dropped the tray. The manager was worthless and our waiter was almost as bad. Not recommended! The service at Uncle Julio's is terrible and the food is not freshly prepared and certainly not better than Taco Bell. Much better Mexican alternatives to Uncle Julio's are available: In Arlington for Mexican go to El Paso on N. Pershing Drive, Mexicali Blues in Clarendon or La Union on Wilson Boulevard. The food at Cafe Rio in Seven Corners is also a significant upgrade over Uncle Julio's. In McLean for Mexican go to El Tio on Center Street. In Falls Church go to the Lee Highway El Tio location. read more

The absolute BEST guacamole ! My favorites are the guacamole & the chicken & steak fajitas. They give the largest military discount. read more

Solid tex-mex option in the Nova region. A good amount of outdoor seating which is also a plus during the covid era. They only accept reservations for indoors, but had to wait about 30 minutes on a Friday evening, which I didn't think was too bad. To start out, there is a QR code to scan which allows you to view the menu on your phone. I shared the chicken fajitas with a friends. Chicken was cooked right, and plenty of tortillas along with the fix-ins were provided. Pico de gallo, guacamole, sautéed peppers and onions, rice, and black beans were all delicious. Service was also on point. They provided complimentary chips and salsa which were quite addicting. I left feeling full and satisfied. Definitely will return at some point. read more

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

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Coffee came out lukewarm other than that food was phenomenal. Fajitas come out with sour cream guacamole and cheese a little chintzy on all. Tortillas being made in front of you- very cool! read more

This has been one of my favorite restaurants for a long time. I think I've been coming here for about a little over 10 years. I love the atmosphere of the restaurant, the music and the beautiful painting in the bar area. Back in the day they use to have a stuffed bull head it was pretty cool and kinda scary at the same time. The food is pretty straight forward, my favorites are the steak or chicken fajitas, camarones de diablo, cheese and onion enchiladas, mamacitas nachos and the quesadilla. Those are pretty much the basics that are a good thing to order if you're new to the restaurant. I also love the fish tacos. The tortillas they make in house are light and fluffy. However with that being said I've seen the quality of food sort of roller coast throughout the years. It really depends on the day you go. Sometimes the food can be a hit or miss. But one thing that has been consistent is service! Every time I go everyone treats us so well. I honestly love when you get to know the servers or they are enthusiastic. I don't think I've ever had a bad one. Sometimes it's maybe a little slow even though the restaurant is empty but it's nothing to complain about. I personally think the drinks are much more better than the food. My favorites is: frozen strawberry margarita, Paloma, tres amigos and margarita w patron. The worst I've had was the raspberry margarita because they don't strain the seeds out, so the seeds get suck in your teeth or down your throat if you're not careful. This restaurant is great for groups and happy hour. The atmosphere of the restaurant is something I enjoy the most, it's lively because the music and the decor. Sometimes I just order drinks and munch on the in house made chips and salsa, which is amazing!!!!! Sometimes I'll have guacamole or queso with it. But the salsa alone with the chips is satisfying enough. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Its one of the best Mexican restaurant in the area. read more

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Curbside pick-up has been a great option for my family to ensure we can enjoy great food and drinks, while maintaining social distance. I did curbside pick up after placing an order online. The online ordering process and payment was simple and the full menu was available. We ordered the steak and chicken fajita kit for 4. It came with all the fixings for a fajita dinner at home. We also got the Jalisco (shrimp) fajitas and a few swirls to go. When I got there, my order was ready right on time. The team had the check out set up outside and were wearing the appropriate PPE. All the food was great and I especially enjoyed the swirl margarita. I will definitely do curbside again for a quick and easy family dinner. read more

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I was in DC last weekend and my fiancé suggested Uncle Julio's. It was my first time. Both the food and service were excellent. The chips, salsa and guacamole were fresh! We ordered filet mignon fajitas for 2... it was more like fajitas for 4! We took home yummy leftovers. Also with all the current restrictions were were impressed with their pleasant and upbeat staff. When you check out they bring the bill in leather folder w/ card machine. We were told they got those before the pandemic-- but they are perfect. The server doesnt have to take your card and come back. It's perfect for one less point of contact. Overall our experience was positive. If you are in greater DC area, this is a fine Mexican option. read more

Uncle Julio's Ballston - Filet Mignon Fajitas for 2 (so much food) - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This place was on my regular rotation for carryout since the pandemic.  I was ordering from here once a month.  No more.  It has gone downhill.  Last month and yesterday, my beef enchiladas (which is what I always order) were smaller, the meat not flavorful, and worse yet, the topping of cheese, sour cream, and cilantro tasted off, like it was sour or spoiled.  It's time to revisit La Union for some real home cooking plus they are a mom-and-pop restaurant.  Too bad, I used to like Uncle Julio very much. Their new recipe for beef enchiladas is terrible. read more

Uncle Julio's started us off with amazing warm tortilla chips... That's what I like. My drink was good, but pricey. UJ made me a believer in carne asada. I tried it at Sardis.. No comparison! Their most popular selections seem to be their fajitas. My chocolate pinata experience (for my birthday) was cool though the server/chef seemed distracted by his friends at the next table. I didn't realize, but the chocolate pinata is enough for 4 people. I was only dining with one other person, so I had a lot to take home. It was good with sweet fruit, sturdy churro pieces and whipped cream, complete with dipping sauces. Our regular server was awesome. Great suggestions and patience with us, lol. I like this place and would come back. read more

Uncle Julio's Ballston - Thin, crispy restaurant style tortilla chips that I like! Lightly salted and warm! Complimentary... - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Food is always tasty. I love the drink menu here and prices are affordable. You really can't do wrong coming to Uncle Julio's. read more

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Went a few weeks back for lunch. The server was rude and when we asked for vegetarian options she told us - this is a Mexican restaurant - we don't have vegetarian options. The manager had to swap her out b/c she was visibly rude. Granted we were speaking in Hindi - so an ignorant person might assume we have never travelled outside of Ballston. The condescending tone and message has been annoying and entertaining ever since. 2 stars - food was not great. Service was even worse. read more

I am not sure I understand the low ratings from others as I am a fan. And apparently other are as well as this place is ALWAYS packed ... with a crowd waiting at the door. My family and I love the steak fajitas ... and usually order multiple double portions (For Two option) when visiting. The meat is always tender and juicy ... the various sides are fresh ... and then you wrap it all up in their warm, house made flour tortilla's (which are so delicious you can eat it them by themselves) ... YUM!!! Of course, before you even get to your meal, you need to hold yourself back from devouring several bowls of free, fresh made chips with their chipotle salsa. Trust me, you need a lot of will power. The atmosphere is loud and vibrant ... and a lot of fun for everyone. To avoid the lines ... use OpenTable. All of their restaurants in the area are registered ... and you will not have to wait much at all. Enjoy! read more

We arrived super early in the dinner hour so there weren't many people there. The place is huge and has lots of seating. The service was great and my drink was super cool. The food was not as good as I had hoped. The chips and salsa were amazing! I recently moved to the area from El Paso TX so my taste buds were geared up for some authentic Mexican food but the meal tasted more like processed TexMex. read more

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Uncle Julios..... This is definitely a place you go to for the experience, so you can drink the drink everyone is talking about and have the dessert that is out of this world with the presentation. You are guaranteed to have a good time because the drinks are strong and the prices are right. Although the food is ok and the presentation outweighs the taste it is still an experience you won't forget. If in the area see what everyone is talking about and check out Uncle Julios after work. #unclejulios #shawnturns46 #fallynsfoodieexcursions read more

Mexican restaurant with a nice interior and small outside seating area facing the road but with food that leaves more to be desired. The highlight of this place is definitely the fresh chips they serve for free. Otherwise, all the meals are mid. Very salty, no flavor. Big difference from like 4 years ago when I last eat at this restaurant read more

January company lunch- so I ordered the steak fajitas on their dime. The lunch size order is 5 oz of meat, but the regular size order is 6oz. $6 more for 1 oz extra meat. I wasn't paying so what the heck, but with the homemade flour tortillas, sour cream, and guacamole the lunch size was more than enough. Everyone waited for me to finish eating lol. I'm a slow eater and it was a lot. I should've skipped the tortillas.... had to unbutton my top button to drive home lol. The meat was perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked. Guac was bomb- company also ordered two table side guacamole and chips as an app which is the real reason for the unbuttoning. Guac and their delicious light not greasy chips. However, I tasted about a tablespoon each of the rice and beans and was not a fan of either. Some places they are both really bland, here they tried too hard. Too much seasoning that would've competed with the amazing carne asada. Don't mess with my meat. And where were the peppers and onions? Practically non existent. I wouldn't return, because I'm used to $1.25 tacos in Los Angeles where you can find real, authentic, Mexican food, not this yuppy stuff. Yes the meat was good, but it should be when it cost more than $20. If the company decides to feed me there again, I would get the same, nix the tortillas, rice, and beans, and ask for a bed of lettuce underneath the meat instead and just mix it up with the guac and stuff. Also, why do I need four dishes for one meal? Zero table space. Service took a while but we were a group of 9. Clearing empty stuff though they were very quick, and asked several times if everyone was doing ok and to check for drink refills. This place is SO loud- high ceilings, barren feeling, music on the speakers... and all customers conversations echoing. I had to get up to go talk to my HR rep because we couldn't hear each other. That was noon to 2 pm on a Thursday. The quesadilla and tacos looked very unimpressive for their prices, and the the two gents that ordered them (one got one, one the other) both left hungry. Not my cup of tea if I want real Mexican food. Wouldn't spend my own money here or recommend, unless you are only looking for carne asada meat and guac, and want to drop $25 on a lunch. Nothing else seemed worth it. read more

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

The short version: if you're in the mood for a sit down Mexican meal, Uncle Julio's is a good option although might eat into your wallet a bit. Uncle Julio's is your run of the meal Mexican chain in the Ballston area. Kind of pricey, but the food is pretty good. I've mostly been in for lunch, and my go-to is the chicken fajitas or a burrito bowl (these are solid and more reasonably priced). Their flour tortillas are really good. Salads are truly massive, but I'm usually not impressed with the flavors. Tableside guac is delicious if you wanna splurge. An even bigger splurge: the chocolate piñata that's filled with chocolate, churros, and other goodies. Servers are usually friendly but a bit aloof-- this is a large restaurant-- and often the food takes some time to get to the table (read: don't go here if you're in a hurry). read more

It was a terrible terrible food. The steak cost 29 dollars it was dry no flavor and the website shows completely different when you having it in front of yourself. Trust me the environment is terrible. The chairs were dirty and ripped disgusting for the amount of money I paid I was expecting better food and a better place to sit down.. But the food and the place very disappointed. read more

This was my first time coming here after hearing great reviews. I made reservations hours before on Open Table and was seated as soon as I arrived with my friends. Our waiter greeted us within 2 minutes of sitting down. He gave us recommendations on drinks and different food options. The drink (The Swirl) was absolutely amazing!!!! We didn't like the free salsa that came with the chips they give you.... it's an acquired taste. He suggested the Cowboy Queso and I must admit, I LOVED IT!!!!! Very flavorful!!! For an entree, I had the Chicken and Steak fajitas. The steak was a little chewy but everything was flavorful!!!! The payment option was very unique. Electronic!!! I love it!!!! read more

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I haven't been to Uncle Julios in over 10 years. What a fool I've been.. They literally have the BEST TACOS I've ever had.. Thank You!! I will be back soon.. Oh and the Gaucamole was AWESOME read more

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

Food was delicious and service was great. Popped in while we were in town and enjoyed lunch here and portions were generous.

Hi Foodies...I'm back! I'm not new to Uncle Julio's however I am new to Yelp! I went here today for lunch to kill time because I wasn't in a rush to go home after taking care of some personal business earlier in the morning. And with it being Taco Tuesday, I had to come and order tacos with a swirl on the side. Tacos are tacos to me, so you really can't mess this up unless the meat isn't seasoned properly and the hard shell tacos are stale. Needless to say they were awesome! I ordered the beef crispy taco tex-mex mixta; which are 2 beef tacos with beans and rice. Ordered a side of sour cream and went to town. The moment I bit into I was in heaven...chewing slowly enjoying every bite. It was amazing! I mean I get my Mexican fix weekly, especially on Tuesday's. I expected it to be busy because of the mid day lunch rush. My food came immediately and piping hot. My bartender was very attentive to my needs and very friendly. I've had stronger frozen beverages before so this swirl wasn't too shabby. I did see a roach crawl on the wall as I packing up to leave!! YIKES!! So glad I didn't see it before my food was served to me and while eating. I do expect cleanliness from every establishment I visit. If I don't see it I can't complain about it....ya dig! All in all...I'll visit again if I'm in the neighborhood. read more

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

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Atmosphere - 3 Service - 5 Food - 4 Uncle Julios is a bit pricier than most Latin restaurants I've been to (probably because it's located in the city). Where the score drops a bit is the fact that my party had to yell in order to hear each other. The music was incredibly loud and it, for the most part, drowned out our voices. The food itself has my vote of confidence and serves as a good example of classic Latin cuisine. The beef enchiladas I ordered were filling and well-seasoned. Can't go wrong with Mexican rice and beans either. read more

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

I don't know what it is about this place, but Uncle Julio's has a place in my heart. From happy hours to Friday lunches, I've always had a good time here. Though it loses a star for how unexpectedly pricey it is, it definitely earns the other four. The sangria margarita swirl is a classic, the endless chips and salsa are fantastic, and I've liked every dish I've had here--fajitas, combos, you name it. It's definitely more fun with a group--I highly recommend the tableside marg or guac, as they're made fresh in front of you. I wouldn't come here if you're in a rush, and if you have a big group during the warmer months, call ahead. This is a solid place for Mexican happy hour food and drinks! read more

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

We were walking the town center and saw this rustic Tex-Mex place. We decided to sit outside and so we ordered margarita, chicken enchiladas and chicken pechuga that originally came with pork but we substituted it with beans. As we were ordering, the waiter served us a whole bucket of nachos and a cup of spicy salsa. When the food came it looked fresh, hot and the proportions were generous. The margarita was good, the enchiladas were tasty as well as the beans and Mexican rice. The chicken pechuga was glazed with melted butter. It tasted awesome. The service was also quick. Great restaurant when visiting the Reston town center area. read more

Uncle Julio's Ballston - Chicken enchiladas, nachos and chicken Pechuga De Pollo - Tex-Mex Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Excellent from start to finish! The hostess was gracious and efficient, guiding us to an outdoor table on the large patio on a beautiful night. The patio had a nice ambiance, relaxed and not too close to the street. Matt was our server and gave us good advice on what to order. The chicken fajitas arrived sizzling and delicious, and our special appetizer, the Quesa-Birria, was very tasty too. The tortillas arrived seconds after we requested them. We were far too full to order the chocolate piñata, but that looked good too. Did I mention the Perfect Patron margaritas? Perfect as well! On our way out, the hostess gave us a warm smile while wishing us a good evening. read more

Customer service = good Time from order to delivery = good Cost = Good Flavor = pretty great So you're probably asking yourself, if all was good (pretty great in one instance) then why only two stars? Simple...my guacamole not only had onions, tomatoes, cilantro and of course avocado...it also had the sticker from the avocado :-| Not okay. In an effort to not ingest any surprise non-food items, I resorted to eating my tacos with a knife and fork, but, only after inspecting every morsel. I returned the offending guacamole to the restaurant where they were apologetic, gracious and offered to replace. read more

Our server was excellent. Food was great, daughter really loved it. We ate outside, nice weather so it was awesome. read more

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

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If you like cold and bland food this is the place to go. Our waiter was very nice and the staff overall seemed happy and helpful. However, the food was terrible. The drink menu is mostly margaritas but they were all out of every flavor although it was 2 pm and there were no more than 10 customers in the restaurant. My fiancé and I both got tacos. The tacos were incredibly dry and underwhelming. On top of that the rice we got was cold. I've never been served cold rice in my life. Neither of us finished our meals. There are incredibly better and authentic places to go if you want Mexican food. Save your money and help out a smaller, local business which has 100x better food. read more

Ordered takeout on Uber eats. Half my order did not show up. The part that did was missing items. Terrible performance.

What happened to Uncle Julio's lately? Did the owner change in Texas? I really hate the changes they made recently. My favorite fajita now has less meat (beef & chicken), less guacamole and the chopped tomatoes and onions, instead they added unwanted sour cream and shredded cheese to the plate. To make the matter worse, they raised the price too. My favorite regular flan was removed from the menu. Instead they now serve coconut flan. It was tasty but did not have the dignity that the regular flan had. The signature drink "Swirl" had much less alcohol in there. No wonder there were so many open tables on a Friday evening. This place used to be packed with people all the time for a long long time. But not any more. This location may become the first Uncle Julio's in the DMV area to close in the near future. Too bad. read more

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