Came back here recently for dinner and it was pretty good. Ordered lemonade for drink and then the carne asada and Guadalajara trio for entrees. The carne asada was solid. Juicy thin steak with great flavor. My trio entree was solid for 2/3 items. The chicken and steak fajita pieces were great, but my bacon wrapped shrimp was burned which caused it to be slightly bitter. Also, the lemonade is just from the fountain I think. I wish they made it in house so it tasted more refreshing. The overall rating is closer to 3.5 than 4, but I rounded it up. Service was pretty great, our server was on point. And I love the decorations inside, and they are at a prime spot in Rio so it feels a little lively. Glad I came to check em out again. read more

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Steak fajitas are the best here!! I have been coming here for years, and it never disappoints!! Service is always fast and great! I also love that their tortillas are freshly made. Great for big parties and nice outdoor seating area. read more

This is my favorite carne asada spot. Even though the prices have increased ($30+) and the portion is not as generous, the flavor is still there. Joined during happy hour for half price margaritas. Dee used to go for the swirl and it was refreshing. Also tried the quesa-birria and the consomé was flavorful. I love their salsa and chips. I probably ate two bowls! Always come back for more and don't end up smelling like I made the carne asada, as it had been my experience at Guapos. read more

Five stars! We had a delicious dinner at Uncle Julio's at the Rio in Gaithersburg -- wonderful food and a great atmosphere, perfect for a family night out by the lake. We'll definitely be back! The Salmon- perfect cook with a delicious sauce, Shrimp Tacos- tender and spiced just right, Carne Asada - melted in your mouth & Taco Salad - enough for two all went over very well with our family. read more

Eat here regularly, always a great experience. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

10.22.25 My department recently held a retreat, and I was responsible for ordering a catered lunch for 39 people. My employer has a $1,000 spending threshold for outside caterers, and fortunately, our total stayed within budget. I ordered the Fajita Fiesta - Express Deluxe package, along with cheese, sour cream, lemonade, and iced tea. The Deluxe package conveniently included disposable chafing dishes to keep the food warm, as well as plates, serving utensils, and cutlery. On the day of the event, I received a text notification when the delivery team was en route. Roberto and Melvin arrived in an unmarked van and handled the setup professionally. Since our retreat was taking place in the same room where lunch was being served, I appreciated their thoughtfulness in prepping much of the setup outside to minimize noise and distractions. My only two minor critiques are that a disposable bowl for the beverage ice would have been helpful, and the provided tongs were a bit small--larger ones would have been more practical. Otherwise, the lunch was excellent. The chicken and steak were grilled to perfection--tender, moist, and flavorful. The nachos, guacamole, pico de gallo, grilled vegetables, beans, and tortillas were all fresh and delicious. We had quite a bit of food left over, though that was likely because a few attendees who had RSVP'd did not show up. In hindsight, I could have reduced the order by about 5-10 servings. Overall, exceptional customer service and delicious food. I highly recommend their catering service. read more

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Picked up takeout from uncle Julio's yesterday and here's my honest review. Fajitas are good (though a little pricey) - they give you enough protein and the guacamole is delicious. But the corn and patatas bravas with the ribs special was not the best. Both were too saucy unfortunately. I always enjoy the ambiance at rio and it's a cute spot in the water. Service was quick and our pick up order was easy on time. I'll be back likely for Happy hour! read more

Uncle Julio's Gaithersburg - Chicken fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Went here on Sunday and had a good experience. Got the chips and salsa to start which was good. The chips were fresh and the roasted salsa was tasty. Ordered the watermelon margarita and the mango margarita. I liked the mango margarita better. Got the crab and shrimp enchilada which was good and flavorful. The only downside was the service. The server took a long time to check on us and provide the check. Other than that, good experience. read more

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Uncle Julio's has always been a solid bit... not today, unfortunately. Low score for two reasons: bones in the fish taco, and the tableside guacamole was terrible. We had to make it right ourselves. However, stars because the drinks were on point, and the manager apologize profusely for the dangerous bones in the taco our server was so kind and polite, we really appreciated that. Would I go back to this location? Not sure. The ambience was a little muted, not typical of my normal Uncle Julio's experience. read more

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

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Ordered the chicken and steak fajitas and it was delicious. However, the meat cuts were terrible. I had to slice the chicken at home. I also ordered the kid burrito and I guess it was my fault for not referring to the actual menu. The order to go menu on their website does not include a description of the burrito and assumed there would be some protein. It was just a BEAN burrito. Very disappointing! The guacamole was fresh and delicious but the avocado was chunky! The pieces were too big so I had to mash it up a little more. read more

You gotta try taco Tuesday! We've been meaning to for awhile and it did not disappoint . We all know Uncle Julio's isn't what it once was when the Rio Grande staff told us "we don't do happy hour we don't need to". Well now they have half priced drinks during happy hour and there's never a wait or crowd anymore on weekends‍ It's still the best free chips and salsa anywhere, nice servers and the ability to handle large groups is a plus. The pricing on taco Tuesday is not transparent but here is how it works... regular ground beef and pulled chicken make your own tacos with all the fixens was $12/per person and a reload on the meat was 6 bucks which doubled the amount of tacos. Upgrade to fajita steak and chicken was $20 per person and we didn't reload on the meat cause there was plenty. They didn't charge for extra cheese or sour cream or corn when we ran out. #worthit! read more

Uncle Julio's Gaithersburg - Beautiful presentation for $12/person at lunch on Tuesdays - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Husband and I had dinner here. My fish tacos were rock hard, you couldn't even bit them apart. I sent it back, they did remove it off my bill.. What I'm really writing about WATCH your margaritas!!! We had two each. I thought the drinks looked a little thick but didn't question it because it tasted ok. We keep a breathalyzer in our car just so we can check our alcohol intake.. when we both checked they both said 0.00!!! They did not put no alcohol in our drinks!! read more

Usually when you're starving, food tastes even better. We were so disappointed with our meals that we literally ate a few bites and were done. The server was really nice about it and asked if we wanted something else but I just wasn't feeling it anymore and kindly declined. My bf got the pork ribs dish that included corn that was mixed with sour cream (I think), sausages that were super spicy and cheesy wedge fries w/bacon. He only ate the ribs and a few sausages. I got the Maria dish which includes a chicken taco (hard shell), chicken tamale & cheese enchilada. None of it was good. We'll go back as we do like their carne asada & steak fajitas though. But the dishes we had today just didn't workout. Super disappointing. read more

Uncle Julio's Gaithersburg - Ribs & sausage combo - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Fajitas on a Monday with some pretty cool apps. My best friend and I were down for some Mexican and decided to head in. We had a pretty chill time, it was busy but our server was attentive. The feel of the restaurant was pretty chill and the free chips are always an amazing touch. Loved the drinks too. read more

We made reservations for 6 pm on a Friday in August. WOW. Good thing we did - it was packed! I like how spread out the dining room is. It's not your traditional Mexican restaurant where there's a bunch of booths and tables squeezed together. The tables were spread out and big enough for large parties and even a double wide stroller to sit between our table and the wall. The service was great. Our server was quick despite how busy it was. The food was prepared quickly! I got the steak fajitas. OMG. It was delicious! A large mound of thinly cut strips of streak, accompanied by a large portion of rice, fried onions and peppers, sour cream, guacamole and shredded cheese. Don't forget the three warm tortillas! Everyone in my party was happy with their large portions. This resistant is in a busy area and parking in the parking garages can be a nightmare but it's a beautiful area with a nice paved loop around the lake. read more

We dined in a few times. Usually get the table side guac so I can customize it without tomatoes since I can't customize the other ready made guac on the appetizers. Which isn't a big deal to me since I'm still getting what I prefer. Fajitas were great, I love that the tortillas were so warm & soft. My husband just grabbed a steak quesadilla since he wasn't too hungry. The server was good but seemed overwhelmed juggling multiple tables in different sections. Throughout the time we were there she did check up on us & refilled our chips. We weren't in a rush but some tables were waiting a bit to check out especially the bigger groups. We actually had a different server check us out since we waited so long. But, since she was so attentive we didn't mind it. We have not yet tried any dessert, but plan on to next time. Parking on the street was available at the time. But, there's also a huge parking garage right a few steps away. read more

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Wow. This place has really fallen off. Used to be a favorite. Haven't been here in a couple of years. Came in on a Tuesday evening. Service was pretty bad. Pretty clear that server didn't want to be there and it showed during the course of our dinner. Drinks took forever. Never were asked if we want another. Waited for the check for what felt like 30 minutes. Food was just ok, no significant complaints but certainly no reason to return. read more

Great food, amazing ambiance, great service. My only complaint is (which I'm being a baby about) that the portions are a little small. I left hungry. But the food is fantastic. read more

Listen good people if you go to this awesome restaurant ask for David, rina, Jimmie are the best bartenders and they are knowledgeable, friendly, attentive and hard working people. I'd definitely go back to see them and all these three bartenders work hard. Thank you. I'd give them 110.%z read more

Always fun and food is satisfying. Beans were delivered to table cold. Server fixed issue. Took a minute. Manager came over and apologized. Excellent customer service. We have been here before and will be back. We always enjoy our time here. read more

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No service and the place is not even busy. No one picked up the phone for a carry out order.

I should've known than to come to a 3 star Chain restaurant but we parked next to them, the food smelled good and I had 2 hungry kids with us. We were seated at 11:20, the place was nearly empty so we figured we would get serviced fast. By 11:50, we still hadn't even gotten our chips. No one came by! By the time our server finally came, he looked so overwhelmed but, we immediately placed our orders and waited, and waited, and waited. Finally at 12:30, I went to speak to the kitchen manager (who btw looked like he had no light in his eyes either) about how we waited over an hour and we will probably need to leave if food doesn't come out by 12:45. He said that they had a big party they need to serve first and then 2 table after than it'll be us. We left empty stomached at 12:50pm. By then the restaurant was filling up and I am almost certain the food wasn't gonna come out anytime soon. We had to pivot to potbelly's cause my kids were gonna lose it at this point. I don't wanna give one star because I never even got to taste the food. I mean, it smelled good but they need to get it together. read more

We decided to go here after some recommendations from friends, I don't know if it's a knock on the restaurant but unfortunate that they don't have many vegetarian options. The ambiance and space is super big on the inside and nice! Easily could host a large party or even a private dining in the back room! The food we got was delicious... to the point we didn't get a picture of it! Haha, and there's plenty of parking. read more

Me and Uncle Julio, down by the schoolyard! Nice food, atmosphere. The chocolate piñata is so much fun to whack away at.

Honestly, food just wasn't good. My fajita plate wasn't even hot. Everything was bland.. maybe because they were busy this night but the only thing that was good was the kids quesadilla and supreme nachos. Thank you to my server Yazan for being attentive. I don't recommend returning though. read more

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Friends shared with me the good Queso is back. I subsequently returned a few times, and yes, it was amazing. Ambiance can be chaotic but you can tell the staff are trying. Service has been great and the food as well. Would love to see Ceviche back on the menu for the summer. read more

Fun place, very busy and they do a great job getting you seated. The food is really good

I enjoy this Uncle Julio's location at The Rio. It is a good option for traditional Mexican and TexMex at a good price and casual feel. The customer service and food is always good. I normally visit on Sunday afternoons and have experienced foot traffic that you'd normally expect from people enjoying a meal outside of their homes on a Sunday. That said, I've never had to wait for a table on a Sunday afternoon despite how busy it normally is. In general, virtually all of the restaurants at The Rio are busy on Sundays, however, the restaurants are so large it's virtually impossible to have wait times. The fajitas here are absolutely delicious. They are always fresh and so are the flour tortillas. The baja fish tacos are also delicious. Their complimentary chips and salsa are delicious. Uncle Julio's also has a decent kids menu and while basic, they have typical American and TexMex options. There is parking lot and garage nearby. Give them a try. read more

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Love the service and food!!! The ambience is very welcoming and all the staff is very nice! read more

Uncle Julio's is about great Mexican food made from scratch, with love and dedication. They believe true passion can transform a good dining experience into an unforgettable one. Each and every bite and sip is bursting with terrific flavor. I gotta say, I'm really impressed. When I want Mexican food, it's either Unc J, or Guapos. No questions asked. Lately they've also gone more sustainable and healthy which is phenomenal. Gone are the humongous servings of rice, beans, and chips that accompany family meals. Instead they use individualized portions which are so much better for portion control and for healthy eating. #healthy #tasty #sustainability #Mexican #Cuisine #NomNomGood read more

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** If I could rate this place "Are you kidding me?" I would.** Let me start by saying that I have eaten inside at this restaurant dozens of times over the last 20 years, and it has always been my go-to for Mexican food. I've defended it, recommended it, and practically paid part of their rent by now. However, tonight I made the apparently fatal mistake of ordering **to-go**. The order was simple enough that a distracted goldfish could've nailed it: * One chicken fajita for my niece * A salad for my wife * A MEDIUM RARE steak fajita for me After a one-hour round-trip drive, we opened the bag to discover a performance piece titled *"How To Ruin a Loyal Customer in Three Easy Steps."* * No dressing on my wife's salad * No chicken fajita for my niece * And a "medium rare" steak fajita cooked so far past well-done that it qualified as charcoal. Honestly, my niece made out better with her *nonexistent* chicken than I did with whatever incinerated mystery meat they sent. We called to report the missing and mangled order, only to be transferred like a hot potato and met with a surly tone that suggested we were inconveniencing them by asking for, you know, the food we paid for. We hung up when it became clear the only thing they were serving that night was attitude. Needless to say, this is the **last** time I will ever order to-go from this establishment. After two decades of loyalty, this was the culinary equivalent of a breakup text. Do better. Or don't. I'm officially out. read more

Came to update my review. I finally revisited Uncle Julio's after my last experience and I was pleased to my surprise. I tried the Birria taco appetizer, and had a beef taco salad. Everything was delicious and fresh. The place was packed so we sat at the bar and got immediate service from the bartender who was also lovely. She wasn't shy with the pours and the bar was clean. The food came out fast which was nice because it was so crowded. Had an overall great experience and wouldn't mind coming back. read more

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I like Uncle Julio's. The food tastes good, the portions are nice and the service generally is good. They put chips and salsa (two different salsas!) on the table upon your arrival and are good with keeping water glasses filled by serving the water in a large bottle (we older folks would call it an old milk bottle). Anyway, this post is about the Tuesday Taco Special. For $12 per person, you are served a rotating wooden serving plate with pulled chicken, ground beef, shredded lettuce, tomato pieces, two cheeses, roasted corn pieces, jalapeno and two sauces. Each person gets three soft or hard tortillas. Went there yesterday and there was plenty to eat for two - in fact, we couldn't finish all the chicken. I recommend. We sat outside as it was a nice day and it can get pretty loud inside the restaurant. read more

Uncle Julio's Gaithersburg - Taco Tuesday. $12 per person with a 2 person minimum. - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Has such a great experience at Uncle Julio's last night my friend and I went here for a pre movie dinner and it was spectacular. They had an amazing taco Tuesday deal where you and a friend (or more) could order a revolving taco plate to build your own tacos for $12 per person. We ordered that but then discovered that the ground beef and shredded chicken inexplicably had gluten it in. As I have an allergy? Our sever came by to check and was able to upgrade us to steak and chicken. He checked several times with all the toppings as well and I was extremely grateful. We even had the manager to come by and assure that all was taken care of allergy wise. I was so impressed! I don't think I've ever been somewhere where they took allergies so seriously! I really appreciated that. The restaurant also has the cutest decor and the food was excellent. We'll definitely be coming back, especially on Tuesdays for that taco deal! read more

Uncle Julio's Gaithersburg - Taco Tuesday Platter - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

The best Mexican restaurants ever. Their drink, their food, the environment, the locations

We were a party of 5 seated immediately when every other restaurant in the Rio complex was at least a 45 minute wait without reservations. That should've been a read flag but we were exhausted and hungry. Server was new and told us that this was only her fourth day but she was great. Everyone had trouble communicating their order to the server because the restaurant ambiance is loud! However, she nailed our orders. The salsa and table side guacamole were our starters and they were delicious. After that, the wheels fell off! It took nearly 40 minutes for our entrees to come out even though the restaurant was mostly empty. I got the hand-pulled chicken burrito bowl. The chicken didn't taste like anything, lots of toppings, and the rice tasted like lime....so much lime. I was hungry but chose to go back to chips and dip. My daughter got chicken fajitas and the chicken looked like frozen grilled chicken breast and had the texture of it. She ate very little and followed me to the chips. Her boyfriend got some beef thing and abandoned it half way. My son got the steak bowl. He ate the steak and left the rest because of the limey rice. We were a party of 5 seated immediately when every other restaurant in the Rio complex was at least a 45 minute wait without reservations. That should've been a read flag but we were exhausted and hungry. Server was new and told us that this was only her fourth day but she was great. Everyone had trouble communicating their order to the server because the restaurant ambiance is loud! However, she nailed our orders. The salsa and table side guacamole were our starters and they were delicious. After that, the wheels fell off! It took nearly 40 minutes for our entrees to come out even though the restaurant was mostly empty. I got the hand-pulled chicken burrito bowl. The chicken didn't taste like anything, lots of toppings, and the rice tasted like lime....so much lime. I was hungry but chose to go back to chips and dip. My daughter got chicken fajitas and the chicken looked like frozen grilled chicken breast and had the texture of it. She ate very little and followed me to the chips. Her boyfriend got some beef thing and abandoned it half way. My son got the steak bowl. He ate the steak and left the rest because of the limey rice. read more

First off, this Mexican restaurant never disappoints with the ambience, the fresh foods & drinks made to order, & warm hospitality from the workers. The presentation for these dishes are marvelous, you can tell the chefs pay attention to detail, there's always some pop of color in there & garnishes to complete the look. As I was walking towards the restroom from the bar area, something caught my eye & I look to my left and notice one of the employees making fresh tortillas from this huge machine press. The reliability this could provide me if I had one of these things in my home?? Man.. The ceviche, enchiladas, and honey chipotle salmon are a must if you like seafood. I will say that they only give you 4 chips for the ceviche so if you are looking to munch on more than 4 tortilla chips then you could divulge in the chips the server usually provides that pairs with salsa, & it's free! I love how every dish included some sort of vegetable to make it balanced. The star of the show was the chocolate piñata, a fun & interactive way to get enjoy fresh fruits & indulge in sweet chocolate. Typically, it's ordered on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries & they do give you A LOT OF FRUIT. You may need to take some to go because it's a generous portion. read more

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Excellent food excellent service!! can be very busy so reservations are a good idea. Eating outside is better than inside because it's so noisy.! read more

My party of six people was seat at a booth meant for 4, we asked our server if we can switch tables and our server went to go ask one of the managers and they said no. We were squished and uncomfortable, horrible customer service. read more

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

The food was really good. It was snowing all day but we went out anyway. The service was really good. I like the decor. It gives the place a homey ranch feel. If you like guacamole then you should try the table side guacamole. It is great to have guacamole made at the table exactly how you like it. It's f you come here you should really try the various Fajita meals. It was very good and filling. If you want to avoid port make sure you request the black beans with your Fajita because they are vegetarian. This is a place that you can easily make one of your regular places. read more

Uncle Julio's Gaithersburg - Chocolate Piñata - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland