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

the queso birria tacos were nasty and there was hair in my food and the tortillas were burnt and the beef was raw

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 Columbia - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Horrible place. It seems like they got all new staff that is a bunch of young people with bad attitude and no desire to do work. It is obvious that most of them do not enjoy their job which affect the customers in the most negative way. Had a reservation made two weeks in advance but on arrival they made us wait for almost half an four. Their excuse was that all the guests should arrive at the same time. When we finally got to the table, there was no waiter for a long time. No water was offered to our table though all others had it. There were three different waiters taking turns. As a result they missed a drink on the order. Service was super slow. In the middle one of the waiters removed his uniform and left. The drinks were not bad but the food was very mediocre at the best. Getting food took almost an hour. The blond girl at the reception seemed upset with something and certainly not up to greeting and welcoming customers. So was the manager wearing a blue shirt. This restaurant is a terrible place to have a party. I would not recommend it. It has a bad vibe, super slow service and unprofessional management. read more

The food was good, but not the service. Two orders were incorrect and another was forgotten, delivered after everyone else was finished eating. Coffee order never arrived. It was also very loud. On the positive, our meal was partially comped. And the manager apologized for the bad service. read more

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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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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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

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 Columbia - Roasted Cauliflower Bowl - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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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

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 Columbia - 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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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

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 Columbia - Fish tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Stop in for always fresh authentic Mexican cuisine. The customer service is always great, and if there is an error in the order, they move quickly to resolve it. It's a cool vibe and my kids enjoy the decor. It's never super loud (but I've only been during late lunch times) but we've always enjoyed our meals and drinks. I want to come back for the dessert piñata! read more

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

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absolutely love the food and waiters and waitresses. don't like hostess who tries to tell us no booths were available without checking and then manager seated us right away read more

"Welcome to Uncle Julio's" is how Gabriella with a broad smile greeted me when I walked into the restaurant today! with a warm, friendly greeting like that, I knew it was going to be a great dining experience, and it was. Ty was my waiter. He too greeted me with an inviting greeting and attentive service. I ordered the tortilla soup and Tacos Americana with ground beef. Talk about delicious!!!! As I enjoyed my meal, Gabriella stopped by every table, including mine, asking if our food was prepared to our liking and if we needed anything.The restaurant had a very pleasing decor. I will be back, and recommend you stop by too. There's a Margarita, taco, enchilada, and more waiting for you. Comida!! read more

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

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Best margaritas! Eat tacos! Best service! Best Mexican restaurant to eat! Love this chain and the food never disappoints. The atmosphere is always fun and lively. Great for date night or girls night! Also they have a large appetizer menu if you want to sit at the bar. read more

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

Still not a fan of this location. I've been several times and each time, it's been something. My most recent visit was during happy hour. Arrived at 5:40 and the bartender, an older woman seemed annoyed and not very friendly. She told me happy hour ended at 6. I ordered a swirl margarita (sangria and margarita). It was $5 on happy hour. My friend joined me and ordered one as well. We didn't have time to order another before happy hour ended. I ended up trying a Paloma - it was disgusting. Did a strawberry margarita and it was good. When it came time to pay I notice my bill had my swirl drink as the regular price and not the happy hour price. My friend's bill was also messed up. At informed the bartender and she had an attitude. I paid in cash and never got change back. How rude. It should never be assumed! Oh well. This location isn't one I see myself coming back to! read more

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

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 Columbia - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Refreshing and delicious margaritas with decent food. Service was good and our food/drinks came out in a timely manner. Plenty of parking in the mall lot. Guacamole could have used more salt and avocados weren't all fresh. Appreciated the jalapenos, which added a slight kick to the appetizer. Enjoyed the tortilla chips that accompanied the guacamole as they were fresh and homemade. My steak fajita bowl came with a decent amount of skirt steak, which was tender and flavorful. There was a nice balance of rice, black beans, roasted corn, sautéed peppers, and onions in the bowl. Didn't realize there was any chipotle crema, and could have done without the crispy tortilla strips. Between the two margaritas I had (raspberry and strawberry), preference surprisingly for the raspberry. Both were refreshing and go down easily. If we had more time, could have easily ordered another. Overall, decent place to grab Tex-Mex. read more

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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

I was in the mood for fajitas for a whole month now. But uncle Julio's in Gaithersburg just isn't the same anymore. Came here after watching a movie and wow. I was impressed. From check in all the way through pay out everything was great. Dijohn was our waitresses and her energy made every just much better. Kids weren't hungry but she helped put in some fry orders and they finished them. We sat in patio and I did feel a bit forgotten since we didn't get our chips or salsa fast enough. However the food came out right away so I definitely choose that. Overall I would definitely come here. Everyone is very welcoming and it definitely made me want to take the drive to come back here and enjoy it all over again. read more

Coming off the great Mexican restaurant I was at in Dallas I had high expectations for Julio's. Margaritas were better but bartender easy on the salt.... It's like I had a salt glass not a salt rim Chips and dip were on point as well. Evenly rated there. The shrimp fajitas were the high point! Lots of shrimps to stuff the tortillas. Very good showing. My only complaint is the fish tacos. They were tasty don't get me wrong but I ordered 3 tacos and only received 2. Since I took that to go I missed it until I arrived at home when it was too late. Cmon MAN. Anyway. Uncle Julio's is in the permanent rotation! . When I'm craving Mexican like I was they are a very good solution to my taste buds. read more

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

Main reason for the 3 stars? Service! We went in on a Wednesday dinner for nothing special. In fact, we thought this would be a safe choice as vegetarians. We requested outdoor seating. Outdoor could use some decorations or flair, otherwise it just looks dull with the whacky constantly see-sawing tables and chairs. We thought our cups might go flying if one of us put their elbows on table real fast, that's how bad the tables were. But the real issue was the service. We ordered table side guacamole as our appetizer and for main courses we did a bowl and tacos (safe bet). About just a minute later I asked if I could change my order to enchiladas instead of the tacos and they denied it which was super disappointing. I understand I made the choice but thought they would oblige with my request. Not to worry, I could still enjoy tacos at this point once we are done with our chips and table side guacamole. But wait, 2 minutes later our main entrees are here, before our starter. We had to start on main course so that everything doesn't get soggy but I was half way done when the guacamole came. Note that we didn't think the guacamole came late, rather the main course came out just 2-3 min after placing the order. It seemed they just wanted us gone fast. I didn't feel welcomed and taken well care of. Very disappointing experience. Three stars because the tacos were still decent, otherwise this should be a 2 star rating based on the experience. Table side guacamole was a let down as we didn't really get to enjoy it fully. read more

Came for my birthday with my son. They have a new Carnitas Fajitas that you should try. This will be a short review since I have an older one posted. Got the chips, salsa, and guacamole. Ordered spicy salsa and it was and good as well. Our server was was great. She sat us at a booth which was good because we both ordered fajitas and you know how many plates come with that. The food was great read more

Uncle Julio's Columbia - QR Code for full menu - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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I have always had a good impression of this restaurant. For many years, Uncle Julio's was my go-to place for birthdays and anniversaries with my husband. That's why I suggested to my coworkers that we have happy hour after a long day at work. The food was good, no complaints there. However, the poor quality of service from the staff made the ambiance a little hostil that had inspired me to write this review. The waitress seemed annoyed from the beginning to the end. When one of my coworkers asked if they had anything gluten-free on the menu, the answer she received was, "If you have any allergies or specific requests for your food, I suggest looking for another place to eat because all the food we serve here is cooked with the same oil and it might be cross-contaminated already." This made my coworker feel very uncomfortable, and after that, we decided to order shots. Usually, the waitress would provide information about the quality and prices of the shots, but she did not. We ended up ordering the most expensive shots from the menu, which cost $36, as the menu did not have any prices listed. This experience has made me not want to come back to this restaurant. I am certain that there are other places we could choose for our next happy hour and work meeting. These places offer a wider menu selection and better service. I wish this place could be like it was in the past for me, but they need to work on improving their service. read more

Uncle Julios was AMAZEBALLS!! Food was fresh, drinks were AMAZING (Thanks Gabby), ambience and decor was wonderful. I went for happy hour and although the drinks are limited to The classic Margarita and the Swirls ($5) it was PERFECT for Someone like me. I love Margaritas and tequila so I was happy. I did venture out and try their margarita of the month which was the Watermelon Margarita. Can you say FANTASTIC?! It was fresh, not to sweet, perfectly mixed. And that watermelon slice as a garnish just added to it. It was almost bigger than the actual cup. Let's not forget the fresh watermelon pieces that were in the drink itself. I almost ordered 2 but I wouldn't have made it to my food, lol. Ok ok, enough about the drinks let's talk about the food.. We ordered the Guadalajara and the chicken and steak fajitas. I only have one word...SIZZLING! Ok maybe a few more...delicious, hot, fresh and mouth watering. If you ever have a chance to visit, please try these things out. Unfortunately after June the watermelon Margarita will change. Until next review @kicknitwitki on IG read more

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This place is known for its GUACAMOLE!!! And it did not DISAPPOINT!!! However our other dishes did!!! Chicken tortilla bowl Steak fajitas Both were lacking in flavor and the chicken tortilla bowl was missing the chicken!! Like how??? The grapefruit margarita was super sweet and lacked alcohol IMO.. The manager came over per the waitress request and comped our meals, remade my dinner even though I didn't want it anymore. Between the Guac and the manager they earned 3 stars... I'll only return for the guac so I won't be disappointed... read more

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This used to be a stellar restaurant but it seems to have gone downhill in recent years. Prices have risen significantly and quality of food has been steadily declining. At our last visit, they didn't have CO2 which meant no soft drinks. The only drink options were alcohol or water. Even without purchasing drinks, our bill for the family of five was $200. On a sidenote, though, they still have great table side guacamole - the ladies who make it are absolutely fantastic! read more

Came to uncle Julio's for taco Tuesday and split the taco Tuesday bar with my friend. It was $12 per person and it was all you can eat tacos! Only on Tuesdays they have this special fyi. The tacos were ok if you were looking for tacos that are super authentic I wouldn't suggest these but they were still pretty good and a great price. The raspberry margarita was so good I had like 3! Our server was super sweet given the fact that he came back 4 times and we still didn't know what we wanted because we were on a date. So I really appreciated his patience's with us. The restaurant is super cute. I noticed they had a patio outside it was freezing the day we went so we didn't get to experience that but I'm sure it's lovely out there on a nice day. Definitely recommend! read more

Great food service and ambiance! Had the flaming jalapeño fajitas and they were AMAZING!! read more

Stopped in on a whim during Christmas weekend for happy hour. You can't go wrong with the steak nachos! Good portions of steak, tender and not tough. The chicken tortilla bowl was very tasty, a lot of rice at the bottom. (Too much of a filler in my opinion) I upgraded my chicken to the fajita chicken and it was delish! Our bartender Jade was also great! She had great recommendations and was professionally honest when helping us decide on drinks and food. It was a late lunch for us, not too crowded, nicely lit, and just a good vibe all around. We don't visit Uncle Julio's often but when we do they don't disappoint. read more

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Started coming here more recently for their taco bar Tuesdays! Which is such a good concept! The first time i visited it was a great time, the waiter was attentive and very kind and accommodating. We got the taco bar with 2 orders of steak as the meat (medium well) and the taco bar features a turntable style large plate to build your own tacos with onions, lettuce, 2 types of cheeses, sour cream, sauces, corn, etc. lots of options for your taco and also comes with soft or hard shell tortillas. The food was hot and delicious. However, the second time i visited we ordered the same thing, just this time we ordered steak and chicken. Waiter never asked how we wanted our steak and it was unfortunate because he was training another waiter and the steak came out completely COLD! The steak also tasted old, it was disgusting. Luckily the chicken saved the day. I was excited to come back every Tuesday because i had such a great experience the first time, but that second time just completely threw me off and i will not be returning and if I do it's just going to have to be at a different location to see if it's the same elsewhere. Also both times their chips they first serve you when you arrive with salsa is always cold! Never have the chips been freshly warm. Does this restaurant need to invest in a warmer or something? Like it's honestly ridiculous! I gave the chips a pass because it's free but still... ugh. read more

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Great service, good food. Fast, convenient, satisfying. Good salsa, guac, queso. Only complaint was it was quite dark.

I am familiar with the Uncle Julios chain and it is good corporate Mexican food. I am Texan and it helps me scratch my Mexican food itch until I can get back home. I love the fresh flour tortillas. I could eat them forever. I ate at the bar. The service was good, but not great. read more

COVID TIMEZ xd So crowded. Okay food. Good service tho! Not food pic worthy. I came to celebrate my friends bday and we made a reservation. To be honest, so many people were there. So many people were at the mall in general, but it felt like Uncle Julio's was packed. I could tell some effort was made to reduce capacity (some booths were closed and maybe the tables were further apart from eachother?) but it was still crowded. We were seated near the kitchen and the bathroom so people and servers passed us constantly. Our server was very friendly. Anyway food was mediocre as expected. I would normally share the fajitas with a friend, but I didn't this time and a single one is too much food amount wise and not worth $ wise in my opinion. Instead, I ordered the fish tacos and was convinced by my server to get 3 instead of 2 bc she said they were really good. They were good! But not the best fish tacos I've ever had. The fish was moist, I just wish there was some specific salsa or sauce to go with it for flavor purposes and also because the cabbage made it feel drier. The fish tacos came with rice and beans as does most of the entrees. I also ordered the spicy margarita. It is jalapeño infused and was good, but would not order again. Everyone at my table ordered it and they came out in different glasses (so kinda shows how there were a lot of people in the restaurant that they ran out). Overall it was nice because of my company. They also offered dessert for my friend, and they sang happy birthday with us. I would probably choose a different restaurant if I wanted good American Mexican food for a better deal. read more

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

What is not to love about this Mexican chain restaurant in the suburbs. You do not come here for great food. It's American Mexican, and a chain. You come for the nostalgia and service. I came in here after a stop at the mall because I love the uncle Julio's watery salsa. This location at the Columbia mall is enormous - the outdoor and indoor seating options galore, you have a constant steam of fajita smoke. And they give you a cutie chocolate bar at the end of the meal. read more