Stopped in for an early dinner at Uncle Julio's, conveniently located on the upper level of The Mall in Columbia, where parking is plentiful and free. The space is expansive, with a variety of seating options that can accommodate everything from casual meetups to larger groups. The décor leans into dark wood tones accented by vibrant, colorful artwork, giving it a warm yet lively atmosphere. Service was a standout--our server was upbeat, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful when it came to navigating the menu. The kitchen emphasizes fresh ingredients, with house-made tortillas and many items prepared from scratch, which is always a plus. We started with their complimentary house-made tortilla chips and salsa, a solid way to kick things off while waiting for our entrées. Our table ordered a mix: taco salad, seasoned ground beef tacos (kept simple by request), Baja fish tacos, and chicken quesadillas. Portions were generous across the board, and everything arrived well-prepared and satisfying--definitely enough for leftovers. If you're in the mood for approachable, comfort-style Mexican fare, Uncle Julio's delivers a dependable and enjoyable dining experience. read more

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Service was great, especially for a party of 8! I had Chicken taco salad . Everything was delicious. Everybody at my table loved their food. Nobody life a crumb. Drinks were cool. Frozen flight was a little too syrupy for my liking. I did wish they sold their shrimp w/o the pork bacon wrapped around it . read more

This dinner was magical! The moment you walk in the door you are transported to Mexico. While it doesn't seem like it would be a family place, it was very kid friendly. I'm not sure if we were sat in the unofficial kid section but we were surrounded by other kids and my children had a blast making friends. For the food. I was completely unimpressed until I took a bite. My tamales were skinny and odd looking. There are a lot of bad tamales out there so I mentally braced for it, but these blew my mind. The taste reminded me of my Hispanic friends mothers where I grew up, making them homemade. My kids meals were also fantastic. The bean and cheese burrito tasted like something I wanted to order. Not to mention most Mexican restaurants don't know how to heat up chicken tenders. These were made to perfection for kids! Now to the show stopper. The chocolate piñata. Was so much fun! It seemed gimmicky, but it was interactive and actually tasted great! The churros, fruit, and dark chocolate all blended in one were magically balanced and creative. It felt like something from Disney. I couldn't get it every time because it's a lot, but it's definitely a must do for any celebration. read more

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We hadn't eaten here in quite a while. The food is always pretty good. I wouldn't say it's the most flavorful fajitas but they are pretty good. The servers all appear to be very courteous and efficient, which is always appreciated. It's located in a very nice place, outside of the Columbia Mall. We were lucky not to have to wait for a table although it was a Saturday evening. You can't go wrong eating here. read more

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We came to celebrate our daughter's 6th birthday, and unfortunately, the experience was disappointing from the start. Since we didn't have a reservation, we were seated outside on a very hot day at a table with no shade. We noticed an available shaded table and had to move ourselves. When I asked the server assisting us if it was okay to switch, she kindly said yes. However, another server--wearing a red outfit rushed over and spoke to the other staff member in an annoyed tone, saying we couldn't move tables. What made the situation worse was that she didn't even attempt to find an alternative solution for us, despite there being clearly available spots where we could have been seated more comfortably. I also work in customer service, and this is not how situations like this should be handled. Even during busy times, there should be some effort to accommodate guests or communicate more respectfully. If accommodations truly weren't possible, it would have been better to let us know upfront rather than seating us in uncomfortable conditions and addressing us in a dismissive manner. We decided to leave the restaurant. read more

Made a reservation for Cinco de Mayo. We were seated quickly and then it was all downhill from there. Our reservation was at 6. When we FINALLY got around to ordering our drinks, one of the specials for Cinco de Mayo was the margaritas in the take home Shaker- they apparently had just sold out! Now, they knew that it was Cinco de Mayo - not sure why they didn't plan better! My friend ordered fish tacos and they brought her shrimp tacos - she is allergic to shrimp and THANKFULLY one of the women in our party had benadryl. We had to flag someone down to let them know and he said he was getting a manager but the manager NEVER SHOWED. I ordered the fajitas and asked for pico instead of guac and of course I got guacamole and no pico! I wish I had taken a picture of my fajita. ALL the meat was fatty and could not be eaten and the portion size was half of what it normally is. I am HIGHLY disappointed and will probably never return. I definitely expected better. read more

Came here with my daughter for lunch and I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by their staff and the food. Table side guacamole is amazing . The chips and salsa were on point. The tortillas were homemade style and were amazing. I ordered the fajitas and loved it. My only mistake was having too much chips, salsa and guacamole before my meal arrived. The margarita flight was awesome and tasted great! read more

Uncle Julio's - Guacamole and margarita flight - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Perfect 10/10 food. Place nice size. Service is attentive. The chips and salsa are great as well. Drinks are good especially non alcoholic.

Located on the outskirts of Columbia Mall, my niece and I decided to eat here when the place we were originally going to go to had closed without warning. We were sat right away, and the hostess was very sweet. I appreciate that they put us in a less busy area since we had a toddler with us. Our server flew by our booth a couple of times with an "I'll be with you in a minute". After what seemed to be about 10 minutes, she finally came by to take our order. Food came out in a timely manner. We both had the make your own tacos, which I thought meant they would come out de-constructed, but no, there were two ready-made soft tacos. Which was fine - I just ate the meat and it was very flavorful. I love that they give you the option to have beans or not with your rice. I also really enjoyed their chips and salsa - the salsa was delicious. Once we finished, we had to wait an extra 10 minutes to get our server to bring our check. She seemed capable of handling only one table at a time, because I heard her say to another table near us "I'll be with you in a minute" multiple times. Long story short: food was good, service was just okay. read more

Uncle Julio's - Inside view from our table. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I was searching for happy hour spots in Columbia and stumbled upon Uncle Julio's. While I'm usually not a fan of chain Mexican restaurants because I prefer authentic Mexican cuisine, the Margarita special they were running all week definitely caught my eye. I decided to go with a Mezcalero since it was a one-drink type of happy hour, and paired it with a quesadilla filled with pulled chicken. The quesadilla was small, but decent. The bartenders were friendly and engaged in great conversation. I especially loved them placing a clean cloth napkin down as a placemat--it's the little things that make a difference. I took my time checking out the happy hour menu and regular offerings, and after a bit of browsing, I was excited to try something that reminded me of Mexico. The Mezcalero didn't disappoint--it was the smoky flavor I was craving. The guacamole tasted fresh, and I appreciated the perfect balance of lime, which added just the right touch. I can definitely see myself coming back, especially for drinks. P.S. They use tongs at the bar for the fruit! Lol--just another fun detail that shows they care! read more

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We went to Uncle Julio's last night for my cousin's birthday celebration last night. We were a large group with two kids. Our server Brian was very nice, patient and helpful. I haven't been to Uncle Julio's since they opened back in 2018. I had the shrimp fajitas and was pretty good. I enjoyed the Mexican buffets that it came with. The shrimp fajitas were enough for me. We also ordered a chocolate piñata for my cousin. It was nice to see a restaurant filled with people. read more

Uncle Julio's - Shrimp fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Great service! Excellent drinks! Food was good too. We went for happy hour. Our waiter/bartender was fantastic. Very attentive and provided great recommendations. The watermelon margarita was delicious!! Will be back for sure. read more

Uncle Julio's - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Uncle Julio's was fantastic, the food and service were excellent. This is one of regular go to restaurants for dinner. We love eating here.

My first time and had a really pleasant time. Plenty of parking in the open mall lot. Customer service was friendly. The food tasted good, and fresh. The drinks weren't too strong read more

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Since this restaurant is located at the Columbia mall, it's always packed. I observed people are having a good time; Therefore, The restaurant is noisy. It doesn't bother me at all. The food was delicious. My food was delicious specially the shrimp. The shrimp cooked to perfection with the right amount of seasoning and bacon. My humble opinion is that Uncle Julio has one of the best margaritas in the DMV. The only complaint I have about this location is parking. It's difficult to find parking if you come on Friday or Saturday night. read more

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I came in for Father's Day yesterday and had THE BEST tacos I've ever had in a long time! As a vegetarian, my options are limited here so I usually get the grilled vegetable fajitas, but since they had a specific scaled-down menu for Father's Day, I had even fewer options. I picked this one and was not disappointed. Every bite was bursting with flavor and the mushrooms were cooked to perfection. I loved the subtle cheese layering the bottom of the tortillas. The sauce on the side was a little too spicy for me, so I opted not to eat too much of it. The only downside is I feel that the tacos should be slightly bigger for the price or served with beans as well as the rice. That being said, the next time I go back I will definitely order this dish again! read more

Uncle Julio's - Roasted Mushroom Tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

We came to Uncle Julio's and did t quite get what we expected. The restaurant was busy when we arrived but we were still able to be seated since it is a large location. I ordered the steak fajitas and we waited over an hour for the food to come out. Upon arrival the fajita plate wasn't hot or sizzling the way it usually does so I was a bit disappointed to have received a cold meal. I'm not sure if it was an off day so I'll give them one more try, but I kept the review at 3 stars since the drinks that came out did come out fast and were made pretty well. read more

Uncle Julio's - Cranberry apple margarita - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I had an overall good experience, but I was a bit uncomfortable with staff sweeping the floor right next to our table while we were still eating. It took away from the dining experience. We politely asked them to stop, but the staff seemed irritated, which made the situation even more uncomfortable. I'd suggest waiting until guests finish before sweeping that close to tables. read more

Uncle Julio's is my spot. I've only been to the one at Columbia Mall and the one in Orlando. The chips and salsa are top tier. None of that red tomatoey salsa. This stuff is homemade rockstar style salsa. We go through at least 2-3 bowls on each visit. I can only do one when I'm by myself. The Guadalajara is the only entree I've ever had. My cousin turned me on to Uncle Julio's year ago and told me that I need to try the Guadalajara if I ever go. To this day, that is all I've had. I don't even ask for a menu. This place is 5 Star! Get here and get it! That's it. read more

Uncle Julio's - The Guadalajara! The only entree you ever have to order. PERIOD! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Customer Service was great. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and escorted to our table. We immediately received fresh chips and salsa. Our server was prompt checked on us and even the manager walked around to check on tables. Rating 5 Food-Rating 3 and that's generous Strawberry Margarita-Absolutely no flavor, no taste. Just crushed up strawberries and pure alcohol. Queso-Super Runny Chicken Quesadilla-Very thick breading, Chicken Fajitas-Seasoned and Juicy!! Very thick wraps also Ambiance- Beautiful aesthetics Parking lot with plenty of free parking read more

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Came to try some of the seasonal drinks and dishes, watermelon margarita and watermelon soda drink , and the best table side fresh made guacamole, which is something we always have to get every time. Delicious pork and chicken tamales. The crab meat stuffed shrimps were OK. I prefer their regular fajitas over the seasonal item. Service was efficient and attentive as always. The Columbia location is definitely one of our two go spots. read more

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We went for my birthday. Service was amazing! Very attentive and such a nice guy. The food was delicious. We got the guacamole, habanero shrimp, chicken/steak fajitas (with refried beans instead of black beans), and some of the pork tacos(not pictured). For dessert we got the chocolate piñata. SO GOOD! read more

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Craving some authentic Mexican flavors? Look no further than Uncle Julio's! From sizzling fajitas to mouthwatering tacos, every bite is a fiesta for your taste buds! Trust me, once you try their fresh guac and margaritas, you'll be hooked! My favorite items are the carne asada taco and the chocolate pinata read more

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We had a reservation for our group of 8 on a Sunday. We were promptly seated and drink orders were taken. A good 15 minutes later we got our drinks (all tasting overly sour and salty) and chips which was long for a night where only half the tables were full. Food orders were placed ... and then we waited for over 40 minutes for food and the waters we requested, never checked in on. Food came and one kid's order was incorrect, tortillas needed to be asked for for fajitas, the kids chicken fajitas were just grill chicken strips (no tortillas or toppings), and the soup was only warm. The food flavor of all the meals was nothing spectacular. Noting the slow pace of the orders so far we decided to order the chocolate piñata at that point, asking for it to be delivered in 15 min (which we were assured was plenty of time for it made-to-order). 45 min later, long after food was eaten, children were beyond restless, and drinks were dry did it arrive ... without clearing any dishes so we had to scramble to try to makes room, stack our empty plates, etc. And the sharable dessert came without any individual plates which we had to flag down a waiter to ask for. In short, abysmally slow and inattentive service, mediocre drinks and average food. Not what we've come to expect as repeat patrons of this location. read more

Every bite was 10 stars. I got the Guadalajara fajitas- bacon wrapped shrimp, steak, chicken- sub corn tortillas it was so so good. We also got the table side guac- fresh and delicious just the way I like it with extra cilantro and lime. Service was great- we were quoted 45 minutes for a party of 7 but seated no more than 15 minutes later. read more

Great service, friendly waitress and very good drinks! Server did a fabulous job with social requests. Food was mostly good but a bit uneven. read more

This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants so of course while I was in the mall with my family I always suggest this Mexican restaurant. The restaurant was busy on a late Saturday night however, they are always very accommodating to our family with a short wait time. The staff is always attentive and friendly. I absolutely LOVE the made to order homemade guacamole which is super delicious. The food is great and this time we tried the yummy churros as a dessert. I will absolutely return and return again. read more

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It was my first time here. I really enjoyed every item I at on the menu & the server was very helpful to us. We ate, drank and were so merry: the restaurant was as very well decorated as well. read more

Uncle Julio's - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Came here on a Friday night, they were busy with a 30min wait. Lucky I Found a table (high chairs) in the bar area. Service was slow and not the best. Got chips after the food was ordered, had to ask for chips. Margarita is decent but pricey. Food is good for "Tex Mex" food standards Found it to be smaller portions than most places. Enchiladas w no beans ? read more

Uncle Julio's - Margarita - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Located at the Columbia Mall, plenty of parking. It's spacious with a bar and several dining sections. The atmosphere had an upscale vibe, but the food was standard fare, nothing fancy. We ordered: 3*HOUSE GUACAMOLE Made fresh daily in-house with fresh Hass avocados, onions, tomatoes. Diced sweet pepper garnish. I wish we ordered the Table-side Guacamole, but the portion was too big for us. So we ordered a small house guacamole which wasn't as fresh as the freshly made table side guacamole. 3.5*ROASTED CAULIFLOWER BOWL included roasted cauliflower, cilantro rice, roasted corn, black beans, avocado escabeche, sautéed peppers & onions, guacamole, pico de gallo, queso fresco, crispy tortilla strips & a crema drizzle. It was a big bowl of food. Pretty healthy and a very good value. I would order it again. 3*CHEESE & ONION ENCHILADAS: ordinary. read more

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With so many people waiting for tables, I thought that our party of 14 would be forever. Instead we were seated quickly!! read more

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The moment we arrived we were seated right away. (Pretty empty when we arrived at 1pm on a Sunday before the rush) They were able to sit us in the back so we can bring in my daughter stroller. Rig by away the waitress took our orders and had these cute water glasses and brought out my watermelon margarita! Unfortunately they ran out of frozen drinks. My husband and I shared a fajitas (super delicious) my oldest had chicken enchiladas and my son had a custom kids meal which he ate (he's really picky so for him to eat anything on the plate! Yup favorite restaurant now) my 11 month old had the beans lol she loved it. Oh before I forget they gave us chips and salsa for free. (Kinda salty tho) The food was great The service was beyond amazing Restaurant was very clean Restrooms very nice and clean Top service! read more

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Always reliable The steak fajitas are always my go to The chips and salsa are so good! I love how thin and crisp the chips are The table side guacamole is always good Service has always been pretty good read more

What Uncle Julio's has in beautiful ambience and good service, it lacks in food / drink quality. Let's start with the positives. One, this is a really beautiful restaurant that offers both indoor and outdoor seating. I don't know if I can say much about noise levels, as we went around 8:45 on a Thursday, so it wasn't too busy and was overall pretty quiet. No idea what it's like during peak hours, though. The service was good, no complaints. The food and drink is just subpar. They have a pretty good liquor/cocktail assortment, though neither my boyfriend or I tried one. I got a mango passion lemonade, which was fine - just pretty syrupy instead of refreshing. For food, I got the roasted cauliflower bowl (pictured) and my partner got the salmon. We also split the house guac. The guac was nothing special, but not bad. The entrees, however, three words: Too much rice. The salmon had really good flavor, but it was atop a literal mountain of rice that in my opinion, lacks flavor. It also came with a bowl of beans. But it would have been nice if the dish came with some sort of green, or crema, something to cut the flavor of dry, bland rice, the beans, and the salmon - especially for the price point. The roasted cauliflower bowl definitely had more variety, but still way too much rice. Also, only a few cauliflower florets, which was disappointing. Some of the veggies were cut weirdly, like huge chunks of raw onion. Overall - it might be worth another shot, but I'm not dying to go back here. read more

Uncle Julio's - Roasted Cauliflower Bowl - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Big shrinkflation. Smaller portions and higher cost. Found fajitas pitiful. Small amounts of everything. Table guacamole was also less and not as flavorful. Very disappointed. Only plus was good service. read more

Went here last weekend with my family and the service was a 10. The food had good flavor and our server (Kim) was amazing. From the time we walked in until we left we were treated very well. read more

Uncle Julio's - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Came here on a Saturday night. There was a short wait and the restaurant was definitely very busy. If you have a big party, I'd recommend making a reservation. I think almost every single table & bar area was full of people. However, I had one of the best services ever. I can't remember the waiter's name but he was quick, refilled my chips & salsa, and was very friendly. Food was overall good but I'd come back solely because of the great service that was provided. read more

Uncle Julio's - Barbacoa fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

We went back for dinner tonight and waited about 10 minutes before a server came by with water. I ordered the monthly margarita special: pineapple. Although tasty, it was a little too chunky for me We're not a fan of the salsa here, doesn't taste like much. We also got the the chili con queso. It was just okay, nothing special. I got the beef enchiladas. The sauce was amazing. Creamy and flavorful and the beef seasoned nicely. R got the fajitas again and pretty much ate it all! His dish came out about 5 minutes before mine. Good enough food and service so I'm sure we'll be back. read more

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Went for a ladies' day out with my friends. The weather was rainy but it got better once at the restaurant. We were able to be seated outside. The restaurant was not too crowded, and the noise level outside was respectfully nice. We ordered: Street tacos Grilled shrimp Mexican Cesar Salad w/out Avocado Crispy taco plate We all kept water because of other engagements we were doing that day. Our waitress was awesome. She always checked in on us and made sure we were well taken care of. read more

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First time at this chain and won't be the last. Nicely decorative inside with plentiful seating for big parties. Pretty decent for Americanized Mexican cuisine. You got your typical Enchilada, Tacos, and Quesadilla dishes. My friend was disappointed that there weren't any burritos listed. You get chips & salsa right off the bat. Their guacamole is freshly made. I got the battered fried fish tacos. The fish didn't really have much flavor, but it came with a heavy dose of the slaw, drizzling it with their hot sauce and lime helped what the flavor lacked. As far as service, it was quick and our server was attentive. The manager came twice to introduce herself and check in on us, which was nice. Will come again if I'm feeling peckish for some fresh guac and chips. read more

Uncle Julio's - Fish tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland