Food is decent. Highly recommend the 3 Tamales, Robertos plate, and the Fajita dishes. Service is decent depending on the days. If it's busy, you may be waiting for a long time without a lot of support. But out of the restaurants by the lake at Rio this one has the best ambiance. Outdoor dining is great during good weather. Drinks are on point. Greatly recommended!! read more

See all

They had a really good Carne Asada that I am still thinking about weeks later. I came here on a random weekday night for dinner to dodge the traffic, and loved that I could just walk in and sit down. Without a reservation. I really liked the chips and salsa that they give for the table. The chips were warm. The salsa was unique and flavorful, and it got refilled after I finished the first batch, and was brought another round, which was great. Must've been hungry. I also got the free guacamole for getting the app and that was a good addition to the spread, but the star was definitely the Carne Asada. It was just cooked really well. The flavor was amazing and I totally would go back to just get that again and the chips. The waitress was good. The ambiance is quite nice actually. And you can pick where you wanna sit and the degree of lighting. There were areas where it was better lit, and then there were areas that were more dimly lit and something in between. People seem to just be having a good time without much fuss. Bathrooms were clean. Parking isn't the easiest, street parking or find a garage, but it's also not too far from the Bethesda metro station. Hoping to come back, not too far in the near future! read more

I stopped by Uncle Julio's the other night and grabbed a seat at the bar with my husband, and honestly--10/10 on service. The bartenders were super attentive, and friendly. Food came out fast and was so good. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and exactly what you want when you're craving Mexican tacos done right. The only thing keeping this from being a full 5-star review is the women's bathroom. For a place that clearly takes pride in its hospitality and food, the bathroom felt like an afterthought--messy, poorly maintained, and definitely not on the same level as the rest of the restaurant. There were no paper towels and the sinks were either out of order or clogged. If they fix that, it's an easy 5 stars. Otherwise, bar service and food? Absolutely worth the visit! read more

See all

I gave Uncle Julio's another chance, and unfortunately, it was a terrible experience. We tried reaching out to management after our visit, but no one responded to emails or returned calls, which is really disappointing when things go so wrong. I used to come here once a week, but now there are plenty of other Mexican restaurants that do a much better job -- like Guapo's, for example. It's sad to see a place I used to enjoy fall so short, and we won't be coming back. read more

See all

Visited for the first time in a long time and things were just as I remember, simple and straightforward. Nothing will blow you away but it's decent. Fajita portions seemed small and their queso was not good at all. Margaritas were blah and guacamole was lacking flavor. Service was good and the place was clean. Nothing memorable but wasn't expecting it to be. Living in San Antonio has ruined me for other Tex Mex. read more

Uncle Julio's - Fresca Salad - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

See all

As far as chain Mexican restaurants go, I think Uncle Julio's is one of the better ones. All I ever order is tacos (and sometimes enchiladas) and I will say that the amount of meat you get on the tacos here is more than at rival Guapo's or Urbano. What set this location apart was both the service and the quickness of how fast our food was ready. The tacos (picadillo and carnitas) were really good and we went through two baskets of chips (because why not?) Since I have eaten tacos in Mexico, it is hard to give chain restaurant tacos a perfect 5 stars so I think 4 is fitting here. The value is good and the location was easy to find. I noticed families having a good time and everyone eating here seemed happy. Overall I recommend this spot if you crave mexican food. read more

Uncle Julio's - Picadillo tacos - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

See all

I've been a few times and the food is good but a little overpriced. So this review is specifically about taco Tuesday! It's an incredible deal. You get chips and salsa like always. The taco Tuesday deal is around $12 a person. You get a platter on a lazy Susan with two types of meat, tons of toppings, and three tortillas per person. It's a lot of food and for the price you can't beat it! read more

Uncle Julio's - Taco Tuesday for three people - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Came here to celebrate a coworkers going away during lunch. We were a party of five. The place was nice inside and it was way bigger than I expected. It was kind of empty ... we ordered a few drinks, a couple of apps and a few entrees (not everyone ate a full meal). The server was attentive and brought out waters and chips and salsa (both mild and hot salsas were great), right away. I had the steak fajitas (came with peppers and onions), with all the side condiments, rice, beans, cheese, guac. My fajita plate did not come out sizzling as is customary in other places, but the steak was flavorful and super tender, it was pretty good. One coworker ordered the Shrimp with bacon and she was raving about it, says it's delicious. Another coworker ordered something but I can't remember what it was. We all had a variety of drinks, which were all pretty good too. I think the drinks were fairly priced but the food could have been a few dollars cheaper (at least for lunch). Still the food and service were both good. read more

See all

Walked here with friends, had a marg and chips n salsa. Sat inside. There was outside seating as well . Very clean ! Food was super good. Better than I remember. Absolutely recommend for date night and groups. read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I went to this location during happy hour. They have really great deals for happy hour. I orders the steak and shrimp fajita with black beans and rice and it was delicious. My friend ordered tacos and they were good. I did order from the happy hour bar menu for a traditional margarita and I also ordered my all time favorite Cadillac Margarita which was good. The restaurant itself is big , relax atmosphere it was pretty empty this day during happy hour. I will definitely return again. read more

See all

I'm a big fan of Mexican food. When you get it from a place that is as close to authentic as you can, it's always good. My coworkers one day decided to order out as a whole. When they told me where they were ordering from I was in. I took a moment to look over the menu and after looking over it for some time, I decided to go with the Tex-Mex Combination Dinner. This comes with a beef enchilada with agave queso sauce, chicken enchilada with creamy hatch chile sauce and one crispy beef taco. This comes with a serving of rice and you can pick your beans. Either black beans or charro beans. I went with black beans. All we had to do was wait for the order to arrive at work and we could all chow down. I appreciated how they packaged this. The taco came separately from everything else so not to be soggy when mixed with the other items on the menu. The food was delicious and I downed that whole thing during my lunchtime and fought the sleep that was trying to creep in. When I ate all this for lunch, I had no idea I would be full for the rest of the day. read more

Had choices tonight and darn it regret the choice we made coming here! They are getting 2 stars because their gaucemole(prepared at table) and chips are worth it. I ordered enchiladas and they totally screwed up my order, had to remake. Wouldn't you know it, screwed up the redo. I probably should have asked for the Manager at that point because the Waiter basically didnt seem to care. Wont be back...guacamole wasn't that great read more

Usually they are on point but today was rough. I went during hh to order a drink and takeout. It took them like 15 mins to even greet me at the bar, then i got a boy who seemed unaware of how to take orders, use the system or listen. I ordered fajitas for 2 to go and queso. 15 mine later they bring me 2 steaming plates of fajita i was like oh that was supposed to be to go can it be boxed up? The guy said to go? I said yes then he asked the bartender if i really ordered to go he said yeah before the guy moved this sizzling plate out of my face. Then i wait another 15 mins and have to ask what happened to my food then they go back and grab it like i was a walk in customer. So i go home and...no queso. Ugh! I came here to use my birthday dollars toward a good meal but instead the whole process stressed me out read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

The food was nasty they didn't have rice and beans that would go with quesadillas. The service was trash I asked for a drink and the waiter said he would ask the bartender if they had the alcohol to make it and if I didn't ask he waiter he wouldn't have told me they did not. We were the only black people in the seating area and the waiter didn't even come check on us but 1 time. I have never written a review but this place is the worst for food and service I have ever been to. I would definitely not recommend a this place to anyone. If I could give no stars that still wouldn't be enough to show how dissatisfied I was with this restaurant read more

Located at the back corner of Bethesda Row with paid parking garages and street parking nearby. This location has the same feel of others I've been to and similar to many large-chain Mexican places. The menu and food is typical and solid, but nothing that stands out. The free chips and salsa is always a plus! They make their guacamole table side, which is nice to watch. The steak fajitas were cooked well, not overcooked like many Mexican places. I've been here several times and the service has always been good. I've even been here with large parties of 10+ with kids and they've always been accommodating. read more

See all

Generally a good staple Mexican restaurant. Chips and salsa were great. The fajitas for two had large portions of steak and chicken which were really good. My Roberta's combo was okay, not great. I asked my server what it was comprised of and she could not describe it. Needs some training there. The place is very loud despite being half full. Everything echoes so you'll need to listen carefully and speak as if you're at a nightclub. read more

See all

I ordered about $100 worth of food from Uncle Julio's in Bethesda, and when my husband got home, nearly half of the order was missing. The restaurant said they could either remake the food if we drove back (which would've taken over 30 minutes) or issue a $30 refund. We chose the refund, but it was never processed. I've contacted the restaurant five times over the past month with no response at all. Incredibly disappointing. Not only did we pay for food we never received, but they also completely ignored multiple attempts to resolve it. Poor customer service and no accountability. read more

It's a large restaurant with plenty of space for large parties. I'd recommend making a reservation to avoid any long waits. I tried their dry aged steak and quesadillas. Both were excellent. Steak was cooked to order which was medium rare. This was a pleasant surprise bc most places including steakhouse tend to cook medium rare order closer to medium. The steak and cheese quesadilla was toasted perfectly; the steak was also tender and generous. The veggie and sides were fairy standard; nothing exceptional. Their seasoned rice was dry IMO and small. I've had much better at many small mom and pop Mexican and taco joints. Overall was very good and I'd return next time I'm in the area. read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

See all

Hi! I think this is the best thing in downtown Bethesda! The Chipotle Salmon entree is awesome! I have it at least twice a week. The staff is very pleasant and very knowledgeable giving full menu options. The setting is nice and very comfortable. Very nice ambiance. Food is great! read more

Uncle Julio's - Yummy! - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Used to LOVE Uncle Julio's and my go-to Tex-Mex restaurant for the past 20 years since I was in college, sadly the quality has gone down with subpar food and staff. We waited over 20 min for a table outside and I spotted an empty table. While the staff was apologetic as they had to move some folks from the uncovered tables to covered areas, I think they could have sat us a bit sooner and our toddlers started screaming and getting antsy. The complimentary chips and salsa were nice as it's sadly rare to come by these days. The salty chips were fine (not warm) and the 3 types of salsa were pretty spicy, I enjoyed the more mild tangy and sweet brown salsa. It's so rare to get fresh table side guacamole and appreciate the effort, it didn't quite hit the spot with a bold onion and tomato flavor. The Veggie Fajitas weren't sizzling and there was no steam, the veggies were lukewarm and seemed undercooked and disappointing. The fresh warm flour tortillas were the best part! There are only 3 tortillas now, they used to be 4. The Red Sangria was pretty bland and tasted like wine about to go bad and not well-balanced. The Mezcalero with mezcal, passionfruit and pineapple juices was booze forward. It wasn't well-balanced. Our waitress was a bit apathetic and not that friendly. She seemed to notice that I didn't like the Mezcalero as I quickly ordered the Red Sangria afterwards, but didn't say/do anything about it. The Kids Meal was surprisingly pretty solid and generous with a bento box of cheese quesadilla, rice, beans, and nachos. More than enough for a toddler and good for a teenager. Maybe it's this location of Uncle Julio's? Sadly, won't be returning. read more

See all

We used to go VERY frequently. Not sure what's happened, but the quality of the food has changed. The fajita beef was very tough, the chips and salsa was terrible and the rice was mushy. I doubt we'll be going back. read more

Uncle Julio's is the perfect spot to come to for a group lunch with the coworkers. They know the working lunch group crowd and can get you in and out quite quickly. The lunch combo menu at this location is on-point and much more reasonable than their dinner menu (Uncle Julio's is a bit overpriced after lunch). Fajitas are always a great go-to. read more

Used to be my go to for alright Mexican. The last few times almost every article has been horrid. Spoiled food sent, much of it hardly edible and tossed out in disgust. Queso, guacamole, pinto beans... how almost every piece can end up disgusting startles me and I had to post on the recent changes. read more

Our party consisted of 4 adults and 2 children. Not a big party by any means but since we all had varied tastes and 2 of the adults had been here before, we came here since it was walking distance from where we were. My first impression was that this restaurant is big, indoor and outdoor seating is an option. Bathrooms were big, nice and clean. We didn't have to wait to be seated, not too many people at the restaurant. I took this to be a good sign, I personally was hungry and I thought this meant that we didn't have to wait long. Nope, wrong. We ordered the guacamole, it was good, fresh, no complaints, helped curb the hunger pains. The chips were also good. I asked the person making the guacamole what she recommended and enjoyed from the menu. She said I don't know, ask the server. OH NO! Had she really not tasted the food, didn't want to carry a conversation, didn't care for the food??? The world will never know. I made my choice, The Steak Fajita Bowl. I waited, I waited, I waited, I waited....well not just me but the rest of our party did too to get our food. Two of the adults had ordered drinks and those did not come out in a timely manner either. No explanations, no apologies. Let me just say that all that waiting, and eating the chips, I had lost my appetite. When finally my meal came, I took two bites and just boxed it up. The bowl was not bad, points for the steak, but for my own personal liking it needed something...like a salsa of some kind. I added the salsa that was brought with the chips and that made it better. Eh experience overall but at least I was in good company. The two adults that had been here before said that it hurt them to know that this place was no longer going to be their go to spot after the night's experience. read more

Uncle Julio's - Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

See all

awful awful awful. the service was miserable. it took 30 just to get chips. people who arrived after us received their food sooner than we did. they brought the appetizer (it was cold) with the entree. they brought one entree and then the scone almost ten minutes later. the waiter took my water to refill it and never returned. another waiter took pity on me and brought me water. and the food was not worth waiting for. never again. read more

I was at this restaurant February 20 about 7 PM. The black bartender who was big ignored me and he was a terrible bartender. The drinks were terrible. I started talking to some people and he complained that I talk to people later. The manager came around and said I had to leave the restaurant she was very rude. This restaurant has gone downhill terribly in the last five years. I would never go to this restaurant, but fajitas are terrible. The margaritas are terrible. Everything's overpriced the manager and the big black bartender should be fired immediately. read more

Our server, Cindy was excellent. She was attentive, and very personable! We had such a wonderful dinner, all thanks to Cindy!

The food is excellent as always never had a bad experience here. Great with flavors and seasoning. Sadly we did have a new person make our fresh guacamole and it honestly felt like it lacked flavor/seasonings normally put in the mix. The drink sadly it's so chunky let lacks the want to drink that margarita. It's was more chunks of pineapple and jalapeños that it took away from even being able to taste the alcohol flavor. The service was great we had an amazing waitress who made sure all of our needs were met, which is also nice not having to always track down someone for water refills. We had an early dinner of 6pm so it was relatively quiet and nice. My only complain would be nice if they made sure the menus got wiped down as they were extremely sticky. read more

See all

Attended Uncle Julio's while visiting friends who live near the mall, since it was all of our first time we decided to stop in. Upon walking in we saw nicely dimmed lights that looked like a good ambiance for a date night or a place to catch up with friends over dinner. I ordered the Camarones diablos, hoping by the description that they would be spicy. The shrimp were a good size and cooked well for being grilled, however I did not feel like they were spicy or what sorts of spices were used to give the dish its name. I did enjoy the guac and heard others at our table really enjoy the queso and quesadillas. Our server was great and a manager checked in on us twice throughout our meal. I just may be a tough critic as someone who is Latina, but feel like Uncle Julio's could add a little more love on the seasoning with this dish to bring the spicy flavors to life. read more

Uncle Julio's - Camarones Diablos - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Wow - I came here to send a note to management about how things have gone downhill (and downhill, and downhill) over the last few years and read many many other reviews that say just what I was planning on writing. To be clear this wasn't going to be restaurant bashing for the sport of it but instead to tell management that people are noticing the downslide, and to please try to fix it before you have to shut your doors. My brief story, just like so many others... Lived in the area over 30 years and discovered Rio Grande/Uncle Julio's back when it was in it's other Bethesda location (Cordell Ave? Can't recall). Anyway, 'back in the day' you pretty much always had to wait for a table as the large restaurant was PACKED with happy customers - someone would always jump out of the car to put our name in as the others went on to find a parking spot. Jump forward 20+ years to our experience yesterday... Restaurant had 1 customer at the bar and easily under 10 tables with customers - I should note this was Monday lunchtime, however, so a smaller 'crowd' could maybe be expected? We stood at the empty hostess stand for a couple minutes (the bartender did wave hello) before what turned out to be an excellent waiter (Carlos, I believe) came over to seat us - don't think that's his job? He took our drink order promptly and then had to turn around to get our chips and salsa as apparently all the 'waiter helper' staff or whatever are no longer working there. The chips were crisp but flavorless, and the salsa was the worst I've had at Uncle Julio's - it's not that it tasted bad, but that in spite of looking like something tangy and spicy it just had no flavor at all. It was like eating bumpy brown water. The fajitas that used to prompt an unbidden moan of pleasure on first bite, tasted... fine I guess. Another reviewer who invoked reheated frozen meat pretty much captured it. Trying to liven it up with sour cream, cheese or guacamole is a frustrating effort in food management - you're given about a teaspoon of each (long gone are the ice cream scoop portions). I used to leave the restaurant almost in pain as I couldn't stop myself from overeating - that was not even near a problem yesterday. Is that good? (No). So - am I going to go all anger mode and avow "I'LL NEVER BE BACK!!" - well, maybe not yet but that day is getting very near. There are many other Mexican restaurants in the area, now getting our business, that are probably happy at the downfall. I'm not. read more

Pretty good food. Wished you got more for the price. Came here on Sunday for lunch and it was pretty packed. Service was nice. Food was decent, but somewhat overpriced for what you end up getting. When compared to other similar restaurants, you kind of get shorted on appetizers and sides. Overall, decent location near the water. read more

See all

Just a very sad state of affairs at this once beloved and excellent Mexican restaurant in Bethesda. Like so many people, I grew up going to this restaurant for many years and remained a devoted follower. However, i am sad to say that ever since the acquisition of the restaurant by L Catterton, a private equity company more focused on cutting quality for profits, the entire experience and restaurant has gone down hill. Where do I begin....the wait staff are entirely overwhelmed and now it takes 20 minutes just to get a drink. When the drink finally comes, you can tell the drink had been sitting at the bar for 15 minutes ie the once famous uncle Julio's "swirl". The chips now taste as if they came out of a Tostitos bag at your local grocery store and Queso might as well be from the local annual county fair. When the fajitas finally do come, they taste as if they've been warmed up in the freezer like your local TGI Fridays. Further, in L Catterton's pursuit of profit and maximizing margins, the sour cream and guacamole come in these small side cups now, each carefully measured to ensure the minimum necessary amount is given. Not to mention the guac was brown and clearly not fresh. To close out the meal, the wait staff no longer provide an actual check but instead an electronic payment processing card system that sets the de facto tip at 22% (another way to maximize profits at the parent company level!!). As if that's not enough, Uncle Julio's recently went away from their loyalty program and before doing so, stated all accumulated points would be wiped unless used asap. I used to be one of Uncle Julio's most loyal followers and now I wouldn't even feed my dog the food from the place. Really disappointed and sad the restaurant has been destroyed by Lthe private equity industry. read more

What a shame! After 10+ years of going there over any place in the area and nothing but absolutely support because of their exceptionally good queso, they have seemingly changed it like they do with everything else and it is horrible. Actually one of the worst I've ever had and people sitting near me when I spoke to the manager about it agreed. Props to uncle Julio's for always finding a way to mess things up when they're going good! Safe to say I will nor any customer should be back until they go back to what made them good. IF IT AINT BROKE DONT FIX IT! read more

Uncle Julio's - Signature Queso - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

So I ordered pick up - $44 - rice was over cooked, beans weren't cooked, cheese enchiladas had almost no cheese, a Lg queso was a less than half full ¼ pint container and watery, the chips are so think they break if you look at them, and the side of "guac" was a ¼ of an unripe avocado with actual guac that was brown - but yeah - I dont leave reviews unless im blown away or insanely disappointed- im beyond insanely disappointed - honestly save your time and go to Guapos up the block! I'd leave no stars if possible #TimeToClose read more

This place is THE BEST! Great table side gauc, drinks, and good vibes. Have Carlos as your server for a great time! Kid friendly :)

Ordered a Steak fajita meal and as always delicious ! Service was Great .. Ahhh but one thing , we need the swirl's and the ceviche back!

Huge restaurant, came here for lunch, immediately seated as the place was pretty empty. Server was nice, no issues with the service. The drinks were mid at best. The complimentary chips and salsa wasn't great, 5/10. My soup wasn't hot :( but the flavor was there so 7/10. My friend had the steak bowl, said it was lacking flavor. Won't be back again but thank you! read more

Uncle Julio's - Chips and salsa on the house - Mexican Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

See all

Everything has changed! I have been going to the Bethesda Uncle Julio's since it was Rio Grand on the other side of Bethesda ore than two decades ago. We really appreciated the way they cooked their fajitas. Apparently it has been under new management/ownership for the past month. I had the most disappointing dinner I've ever had there. Well, we had a terrific server, the food was awful. It's like they're not even grilling their beef fajitas anymore. It was almost steamed. Wet and overcooked even after we sent back the first serving. I don't even know how you get the beef to be that way. Do you steam it after initially grilling it or do you put it in the microwave? Uncle Julio's is now off the list. read more

Kaithyn gave us the best service ever...good food,great restaurant...Highly recommended,i am coming back for sure 1000%%%% no regrets how so ever....!!!! read more

My husband and I used to eat at Uncle Julio's frequently back in the day when they used to be named Rio Grande. It's been years since we've visited the Bethesda location. They have since renovated the restaurant. It's more vibrant and modern now. The menu has slightly changed over the years. My go to dish was the ribs fajitas and they no longer have that on the menu. I was disappointed until I realized their new dish, the carnitas fajitas is just like the pork ribs without having to pick at the bones! It was quite delicious and I'm happy to know that they tweaked one of my favorite dishes from the past into something better! My husband ordered the chicken fajitas and he had no complaints about his food. We both ordered strawberry margaritas. Mine was on the rocks and my husband was frozen. Both very tasty. We had reservations for the restaurant at 6:45PM and they were packed. I don't think you'd be able to get a table without a reservation. Service was a bit slow and that seems to be the case at most restaurants we've visited since the COVID pandemic. Our server did mention they were a bit behind and apologized when our drink order took forever to come out. All in all, we were satisfied with our food and would come back. read more

See all