Went here for Valentine's day 2011. BP and I arrived well before the dinner rush, so we were seated right away! It became loud and crowed fairly quickly. Sometimes I felt that the tables were a bit cramped, but wasn't a deal breaker. BP and I ordered the fajita platter, I believe and we made our own fajitas. I preferred the chicken over the beef because it was more flavorful. The beef was chewy and difficult to swallow. read more

3.5 stars. after the amazing dinner at Cava, my friends and I decided to find a place where we could casually grab a few drinks and just catch up on life. We initially tried stopping at Guapos at the same shopping area but they were packed and wait was 45 mins. We then decided to walk a bit over to Uncle Julio's instead and we were seated in the main dining room. Initially they told us we had to order food in order to be seated but they were a bit more lenient after we placed our drink orders and with just one of us ordered an appetizer. (I guess the total would be similar to people ordering just food and no drinks?). 2 huge complimentary baskets of home made tortilla chips and 4 cups of salsa were served along with our drinks. The chips were really light and before I knew it, I already stuffed my face with half basket gone. Not that they tasted amazing - just your ordinary tortilla chip and the salsa was actually a bit watered down - but they were the perfect munchies to go with the drinks. I tried both the margarita in the gold? And the frozen strawberry margarita - they were strong yet really tasty. I had a few bite of the appetizer my fiancé ordered - seafood ceviche. The tortilla chips it came with were actually a lot better than the ones they had as complimentary - thicker and crunchier. The ceviche was light and well seasoned. Too bad I was too full to try other dishes at this place - (I saw guac with bacon and pineapple on the menu - def want to return for that dip alone!) Service could be a little pushy but with great food and drinks - def worthy of 3.5 stars read more

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Best Tex-Mex in town. Service always good. Freshly made chips and salsa. Fantastic fajitas.

Uncle Julios is a Tex-mex restaurant, located at Rio. Which is a great location because you go for a walk around the lake/pond afterwards and grab an ice cream at one of the ice cream shops. I would recommend the fajitas, which is pretty good. The portion size is huge, you don't have to worry about portion size at Uncle Julio's. I do think each dish could be priced a dollar or 2 cheaper. I feel like they price their food like it's the greatest Tex-Mex food you'll ever eat, but it's not. But the food is good, that is for sure. The customer service here is pretty good as well, overall I like Uncle Julio's and have a fun time there, but it's not the first Tex-Mex place that I would recommend. read more

Firstly, I have been going to Uncle Julio's for over 10 years for weekends' occasions and all family members, friends' birthday parties no matter if I live in VA or MD. Secondly, I have never written bad reviews on yelp. Thirdly, I wish I could give a "ZERO " star for my latest visit. This Saturday at 2:50 pm, my husband and I went to Rio, when we parked, we smelled an attractive smoke smell from Uncle Julio's just like every time we passed by. Therefore we all decided to go to this our favorite place to celebrate my husband's belated birthday, and we saw there were a few outdoor tables open on the patio which faces the riverside, we thought it would be a great timing to get the outdoor table. We walked to the reception, we were told that we need to wait for the next available outdoor table, the receptionist told us there was only one group in front of us on the waitlist, we were number 2 on the waitlist ( not too bad, it's normal). There was a couple behind us, they also had been told they were the number 3, but the couple accepted to go to the indoor table instead ( until this part was still normal). BUT when we walked out and passed by the patio, we saw the couple behind us was guided to the outdoor table by a waiter and sat on the patio table!!! We went back to the receptionist to ask her why the couple behind us was able to get an outdoor table before us, she said she didn't know what was the reason, that's it!? We were so disappointed with Uncle Julio's service and management even though we didn't get a chance to step into the restaurant this time ! In the end, we had to go to the Guapo's instead, compared to Uncle Julio's, Guapo's has better table arrangements management. read more

This place is a disgrace to all Hispanic people. Uncle Julio is the equivalent to a white mom trying to have taco night and saying she knows Spanish, but the only Spanish she knows is "hola." The waiter: Amazing, he had all his marbles together and knew what he was doing. My water was never empty and for that, uncle Julio: 1 star The brand: Uncle Julio, a corporate America restaurant trying to profit by having white chefs in the back with 2 Hispanic workers in the front of the store. Who is uncle julio? A nobody, a bafoon, a clown. The food: I got chicken quesadilla because I was craving some quesadilla that I usually get from the best quesadilla spot in Baltimore known as "the Latin spot". Uncle Julio quesadilla was a disgrace. How do you mess up quesadilla? It was bland, fake, tasteless as if I had COVID. I should have known. Margarita: Their margaritas did taste fantastic, but where was the alcohol? I was able to drive home after. No buzz, no tipsey. They don't pour alcohol into the drink and will charge $12. It was as if I was drinking a juice box that I would steal from 3 year old kid Guapos is the superior Mexican restaurant on the Rio board wall. They don't hire anyone that's not Hispanic because of BRAND RECOGNITION. Their food is SPICY, their margaritas are STRONG, their employees are HISPANIC. Only people who say this is a good place are the ones who don't have taste buds and only season their chicken with salt and water so anything outside of their palette will taste amazing TLDR: go to guapos read more

Amazing location, pretty interior and view, right by the waters with the huge geese and ducks. We didn't get seated by that view, but we got seated by the tortilla station where we got to see the tortillas made fresh from scratch. Very cool! We waited for around 15 minutes before we got seated. People there seem cheerful, and it seems to be a very versatile place such that it's great for drinks and hanging out with friends, and also for a semi romantic setting if you get placed by the window to see the view of the water. Prices are around $20 a dish, which is worth it for the fajitas, but not so much for a taco salad (~$16, around double the price compared to other places). Margaritas are around $10 each. They give chips and salsa, and the chips were super fresh! Thin and crunchy, very delicious. The salsa was more or less room temperature, to the warmer side. The flavor was good that I finished the entire bowl. I got their seasonal margarita, blood orange. It tasted amazing and if prices weren't an issue, I would have gotten a few more. We tried the asada fajitas, which came with 4 fresh tortillas, rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream, veggies, etc. My husband said that the taste/flavor was worth the cost, which is a rare thing for him to say. A few pieces were a bit dry, but everything went very well together. It was a good amount of food, as he had one fajita portion left to take home. We also tried the chicken taco salad. It came with avocados, and a generous amount of them. Mmmm!!! So good, around as good as the avocados are in California. The taco bowl shell came next to the salad, which was interesting. It was fun to crack with a spoon after a margarita. The kids got the chicken tenders off the kids menu- yes, they are kid friendly as they had kids menus with crayons and such. They enjoyed it, and they loved seeing the tortilla machine in action. read more

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Although I've been to Uncle Julios several times before, I feel like tonight was the best thus far. We had to wait about 30 mins because the area was super packed tonight, even for a Wednesday. The waiter was very sweet and personable. He recommended the carnitas Aztecs (a new menu item) and I'm so glad he did. The Pork was slightly crispy with a yummy honey based sauce. I didn't talk for nearly 10 minutes after the food arrived because I was completely enjoying the sweet, salty taste of the carnitas. The tortillas are made there and make a huge difference. Additionally, the chips are thin and crunchy. The salsa is roasted tomatoes and has a very mild kick with a deep, flavorful compliment to the light salt on the chips. For dessert we shared sopapillas with ice cream. It was ok, but nothing that I will crave to have again. They came with a honey sauce that was a tad sweet for my liking (and I love sweets). I walked away satisfied with our great waiter and good food. read more

You know it is bad when the kids wont eat the food. I was raised in Centro in Downtown Sacramento and after looking at the pictures on the website, I should have known better than to try Uncle Julio's. "Tex-Mex" not Mexican food. We are new to the area and have been looking for a good Mexican restraint. Had dinner a few weeks ago at the Gaithersburg location. There was a line out the door and a wait list. So the restraint must be good right? In the case of Uncle Julio's the food was awful. The barbeque salsa they brought out with chips should not be served to customers, my kids 11 and 12 were both like "what is this." Really Mr. Vogel, "who's great idea was the barbeque salsa." My Son ordered grilled steak fajitas and they were brought to the table about 10 minutes after the other plates. The fajitas ingredients are not cooked together, onions where raw and the food was cold. Really, made to order cold. The Mexican waiter came back to the table a short time after deliverer the food and asked how everything was. I asked him, "would you make Mexican food like this at your house," and he just laughed. I said, "of course you wouldn't this food is garbage" and he walked away. I looked around the restraint and noticed several tables that were also not pleased with the qualify of the food served at Uncle Julio's. One mother with two small children sent her cold food back to the kitchen. I just wish more people would take the time to leave reviews on restraints that are subpar. read more

I've been to other Uncle Julio's locations, and this one is consistent with the others. High quality americanized Mexican food that's well executed. We came in as a party of 9 about 1:30 in the afternoon for a late lunch so the place was basically empty. We were impressed with the quality and variety of food, as well as the extensive margarita and tequila list (it was that kind of lunch). Honestly the only thing lacking was the attentiveness of the staff. Given that we were the only table in our server's section and one of the only ones in the room, we would have expected her to be around once in a while without us having to chase her. read more

The waiting time for the appetizer is ridiculous. I don't think I go back again, very disappointed..

I visited Uncle Julio's on 4/28/23 for lunch. The food was absolutely outstanding. The service and ambiance was by far one of the best! My party and I was able to stay at our table longer than expected without getting pushed or rushed out. While we did not have desert, I am sure it would have been delicious! I would recommend this place again!!! I am definitely going back!! read more

Dinner and drinks with my husband on my birthday. I love the ambiance of the outside seating where we had the view of the lake. Our server and his assistant were very attentive but not overly so. The salsa is one of the best I've had in a Tex/Mex restaurant- smoky flavor and not too salty. The texture is perfect - easy scoop with the chips. Chips are crunchy and light. Really I was tempted just to eat it all night and make it my meal. Loved the sangria and margarita frozen swirl. Great mix! Ceviche is more the classic authentic lime and seafood- the simplicity of the ingredients enhances the taste and flavor of the seafood. The steak enchilada was a ok but my husband really liked it. Overall, I would go back again and again- actually I already do since it's probably my 10th time here. Come check it out! read more

First off, I am not in the habit of writing bad reviews. I always like to bring out the positive in every place I visit. Just look at my previous reviews from other places From each place I have visited, there is always something nice I mention. However, that is not the case with Uncle Julio's. I wanted this place to be great. In fact, I was hoping to enjoy some good Tex-Mex food, too. That being said, I'll start with the positives. There is free parking inside a garage and outside parking as well. Huge plus for me in my books (essentially, not having to find/scour for parking). Also, the menu was nice - a lot of good options/appetizers, etc. Now - onto what I did not like. So I came in on a Sunday at 5pm, hoping to do a to go order. I will say, the place looked somewhat busy (a couple tables open), but I guess it was a Columbus holiday time. Anyways, I walk up to the front hostess table and ask if they allow to go orders. They said yes so I grab a menu and start looking. I'm ready to order and the hostess said there will be someone coming over to take my order. Fine - no problem. I can wait. 10 minutes go by - and nothing. No one comes over to say anything. At that point, I walk up to the hostess table and ask again if someone will be taking my order. The hostess says someone should be arriving soon. Ok, fine. Not a problem. I walk back to the lobby to wait (mind you, the hostess table is in clear line and sight of the lobby and can clearly see me waiting). What drew me over the line was when 2 hostesses decided to take a selfie all while ignoring a waiting customer. At this point, it was a total of over 20 minutes of no one coming to take an order. I understand if the kitchen is busy but at least they are working. I was so frustrated I just placed the menu back on the hostess table and walked out. Sad to say, I will not be visiting Uncle Julio's in the near future. read more

Everything is made from scratch. It is fresh and it is good. However, I do see it as expensive for what it is and unnecessarily packed. It was a Sunday after the regular rush times, but for two people it was still a 20-minute wait. Oh well, I was hoping that the wait was worth it since I wanted to try this place out. We ordered way too much between two people and the prices are quite high. We were always curious about this place because we always see people waiting for their seats. It was a curiosity that I wanted to clear out before the end of the year so we tried this place. Some drinks, tableside Guacamole and several dishes. I must say the dishes are a lot. The food will get you full as long as you make the right choices. There are a lot of choices. I ordered some platter and it looked really messy. There was no other way to plate this platter, but things were running to the brim on the dish. It was just okay for the price. However, my wife's dish which was the tuna was much better than mine. I was surprised that for a Mexican establishment that the tuna turned out much better than their tacos. As for their drinks, they felt a bit watered down, but it wasn't too surprising there. The table-side guac was good. Not much of a performance for the additional $5. But, out of curiosity, it was worth it I guess. The guy making the guacamole wasn't talkative, but it looked simple enough that it got me trying to make fresh guacamole at home. So I guess it gave me a confidence booster. I can see this place being a great place for hosting big events. There was some company Sunday brunch that took the whole back room. The amount of room and seats made this ideal for them. Definitely worked out for them, but I think there is way too much hype for the food and for the price. I think I would have had a much more satisfying meal somewhere else. Now we know. read more

All of a sudden I heard a couple of different people say nice things about Uncle Julio's. We were going to be in Gaithersburg so decided to have lunch there. When we got there it wasn't crowded and we were seated in a booth in the front dining room. The décor was pleasant and there was a nice open feeling with large windows and a high ceiling. Gradually more and more diners arrived and I imagine it gets very crowded in the evenings, especially on weekends. Our granddaughter ordered an enchilada with fajita beef, husband had tacos with fajita chicken, and I ordered the tacos with shredded chicken. The tacos were decent but they weren't overflowing with meat. We had tacos a week later at a different restaurant and the chicken in them was more plentiful and much juicier. Our granddaughter liked her enchilada very much. I think the food was more 2-1/2 stars but I'm upgrading it to 3 because our meals came with fruit rather than the usual bland beans and rice. Our server was pleasant and efficient and my swirl margarita was good. If we're in the area we would probably go back but will stick with our current go-to restaurant for "Tex-Mex" style food. read more

DISASTER. This place lacks any sort of management. I was there with a large group for an event and the waiters and waitresses taking drinks have no clue what is going on. Service was chaotic and slow. When I had a tab opened and told the waitress to close it, it seemed it was never done so. My credit card bill was overcharged for drinks that I did not order. read more

not only does the sax musician look like a Tom frm Vanderpump Rules- he's terrific! (and Jesus should REALLY take pointers frm the hostes and server working frnt patio right now) read more

Uncle Julio's - .....finally happy again.... - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Been coming here for years, mainly during lunch. Love their free chips and salsa, with their salsa one of the best I've tasted. I remember when they tore down the huge parking lot and built the Washingtonian Center way back when. Their fajita lunch size portion is better priced than dinner and still is more than enough (always stuffed) for one. Their fajita special is $15.99 which includes cheese and sour cream. The regular lunch fajitas are around $13.99 which includes guacamole and tomato salsa, but no cheese or sour cream, which is fine with me. Both come with ample amounts of tortillas, beans, and rice. Highly recommend their fajitas. I also like their two or three enchilada platter too. The service is fast and very efficient, refilling your drinks, chips, salsa, and in and out in less than 40 minutes during lunch. Their margaritas are good and sometimes a bit too strong and used to come here for happy hour, which is always packed. Be great if they offer happy hour specials like nearby Guapos. read more

Fantastic food and service. The restaurant was quite full and we still got our food quickly. Will definitely be going back.

Food here amazing good, beautiful and delicious, you like it. Fajita steak only cook in weekend for you, taste so good 。 Also is a nice place by water, you can walk along with the lake get sunshine after meal. read more

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Uncle Julio's is my go-to place for dinner in the Rio. With our headquarters in the area, I have spent plenty of time checking out the local restaurant scene. Uncle Julio's meets the consistency measure I look for to encourage return trips. It also offers a solid selection and their drinks aren't bad either =P They greet everyone with chips and salsa. I believe the salsa is homemade and above average, while the chips are perfect. They are thinner than typical restaurant chips which is great to truly taste the salsa. As for the menu, I think I've tried most of everything. I won't comment on the standard Tex-Mex fair. They do a great job on tacos and fajitas and I'm sure I won't say anything you haven't hear before. For apps, my favorite is the Ceviche Royale. For mains, if you are looking for something on the more unique side, check out the Shrimp Brochette. Shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with bacon. Yes, the old adage may be true - things taste better with bacon. The only area I think Uncle Julio's falls a bit flat is dessert. It seems to have a limited selection and selections can't seem to be modified. For example, they have this ice cream covered in nuts and coconut and I was disappointed I couldn't get it without the nuts. It was still good, but didn't make great. Therefore, I usually fill up on the apps and entrees and skip dessert (or make it a "liquid" dessert). read more

Food good as always, Service average to poor Ambiance good Used to be a lot better in our opinion read more

On Sunday 5/7/23; I took my husband and sons to Uncle Julius's Gaithersburg. we were informed rather roughly that it was a 45 min wait. We waited in the rain (my son is sick today because of this). I went in to check 45 mins later, I was informed by another rude host, that we will be notified in 15 mins. Needless to say, we left. We were contacted 30 mins afterwards. So 45 mins became 1:15mins plus the unreasonably rude staff..it's a NO for me! ___--___ read more

Nice employees, horrible service. It was pretty empty and it still took long to get a table. After we ordered, we waiting for about half and hour until a worker finally noticed us and got our food. And we only ordered churros. They were all drenched in oil, and they were pretty much rock hard. Churros are meant to be soft and crispy. These were the complete opposite. Plus, the sizes were not worth the price. The workers were beyond nice though. I don't recommend ordering here. read more

Definitely like this place. Nice drinks, we ordered beef enchiladas and chips. Taste delicious. Service was nice and friendly, our waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. Nice interior, cozy place with nice atmosphere. Reservation might be a good option, place can be packed. read more

Expensive, poor service, just ok food. Place has really gone downhill. I used to like it here but 15$ drinks? Server refused to split check. Avoid read more

The worst customer service! Manager doesn't know how to talk to guests! Very rude and unprofessional. Poor service in general.

I'm here in town visiting for business, I came here after work during happy hour on a Wednesday. Sat in the 'seat yourself' bar area. The service was SUPER fast. Got complimentary chips and salsa soon after sitting. I ordered a Grand Swirl and the Combination enchiladas (1 chicken & 1 cheese and onion) the Grand Swirl was really good and Cheese and Onion enchilada was literally life changing. Overall really great experience. read more

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Decent service but very expensive. Not many to basically none vegetarian options and alcoholic Drinks are average, I ordered their season peach margarita and it was ok. With Guapos just walking distance away now I know why people prefer to go there. read more

I don't understand the 3.5 rating here. We go all the time and have never had a bad experience. Yes, sometimes the tortilla chips are greasy, but they are fried... I love getting the chicken/beef enchiladas or their fajitas. If you're not worried about sugar, try the honey bbq chicken fajitas. One day we came for early dinner and their combo fajitas had a deal: if you get steak, you can upgrade to filet mignon no charge. (Obviously did that). Service is always good. Skinny margs are always great. This place will always be a go-to. read more

First time dining at an Uncle Julio's. The inside of this restaurant was pretty spacious, good for medium to large-ish groups for casual dining. The free chips were pretty greasy, but the salsa was really good (it was kind of tomato soupy with a hint of spiciness and onions). We got 4 servings of fajitas, which was sufficient to fill 5 people! I didn't walk in with the highest expectations for food at this place, but oh my goodness, the steak fajitas were REALLY GOOD. It was succulent, with the right amount of fat and meat ratio, tender, and seasoned just right I also love how they make their tortillas in the house. It was quite entertaining to watch lol read more

If you would like to support a great staff, come visit. If you would like food made with quality ingredients, go elsewhere. read more

Came here for lunch last weekend, went without reservation but was seated very quickly. Food was delicious and service was great. Our waitor was very polite and helpful, all the employees were wearing fae masks. The only reason im giving 4 starts is bevause the fish was rather salty, nonetheless still good and the steak tacos compared to the fish seemed a bit lacking. Overall would recommend and would come back read more

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

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Oy. Lame. Lame. Lame. Below average food, both in taste and quality. Service average. Cleanliness questionable. Ambiance not bad. Prices were way too expensive for the level of quality: In fact, The prices and location were the only parts of the experience that were above average. Unless you're starving or have really low standards, steer waaay clear. read more

Disappointed in the menu flexibility. Wanted Ala carte tacos. Even though they had 9 or 10 different types on the menu, you can only order ala carte from 4 types. And of course none were the ones I wanted. Makes me wonder if every item is pre-prepared and is waiting to be heated when ordered. So no menu flexibility. Service was excellent. Heading back to Taco Bar for my taco fix. read more

An OK place to go for some Mexican food. Went here a few times with my coworkers for a team Happy Hour after work. The deals were alright. It wasn't anything too special, really. Still had a good time with friends, with some drinks and tasty Mexican food. Bar area was pretty loud and a little cramped since the tables were a bit small, even after putting them together. read more

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

This place is really good! I highly recommend it for a date night, birthday party, or just to get a drink! I was really impressed with the margarita selection and the entrees were amazing as well. Definitely one of the better places to eat at in Gaithersburg! read more

Uncle Julio's - Vegetable fajitas for one - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Amazing experience! The setting is lovely inside and out. the music isn't too loud and the service is stellar. Ecen with all of that wonderful lens's, it doesn't compare to the food. hands down the best Mexican food in the area! Obviously, freshly made from the salsa to the the sopapills! EXCEPTIONAL! read more

Uncle Julio's - Fajitas for two. Yummy!! - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Pretty good spot for some decent Tex Mex style Mexican food with very good margaritas. They are somewhat known for their fajitas and you won't be disappointed if you do. Be sure to ask for extra tortillas though as you'll only get two. At many places the rice and beans are something of a filler or afterthought, give them a try here, they're quite tasty. Also the chips and salsa are top notch read more