I can't stand Uncle Julios. Seriously. Nothing tastes or looks fresh here. They got so fortunate to have the awesome view of the water. They have the best outdoor seating. Which earns them the 2 stars. But it just bugs me to eat here. The service is sooooooooooo slow. Every SINGLE time I go. You have to ask for refills repeatedly. Once I finally went to the bar and asked for a water refill. Definitely don't come here if you actually have a "lunch HOUR" The only things I can stand to eat are the shrimp quesodilla (which ps I am NOT recommending) and the tamales which were surprisingly tasty. I also don't like their greasy thin chips nor their cooked brownish watery salsa. I would rather go to Guapos. read more

See all

i thought the food was great and i had excellent service Would recommend and when in the area will go there again read more

What is the point of calling ahead to put your name on the waiting list and still have to wait 2.5 hours?! The food is not that awesome! Granted our party was 10 people and we did call at 5pm to put our names down. Got there at 6pm... waited.. waited.. ask the hostess how much longer... no estimated time..waited some more...even went across to Joe's for a drink... did some more waiting and finally by 7:30pm we were done. I spoke to the hostess expressing my disappointment. She informed me that all staff members inform parties that are larger than 10 to be expected to wait for a longer period of time then normal. I told her that message was never relayed at 5pm when I phoned or the numerous times I have asked how long the wait was. Ah! read more

The taco platter was excellent, along with the chips and smokey salsa. This is a huge restaurant and can accommodate a lot of people. Quick service on this weekday. I will have to come back at night so I can try the margaritas. read more

Started badly with us. Waitress was rude and the manager did not do much to improve the situation. Maybe that's how it is in the big city Was told I couldn't order something without peppers even though a cheaper version is available that way?? Water was served with no ice....but sodas had plenty of it. We got the manager and he was a not do nice word about anything. I would take my dog to this place. read more

This place has terrible Mexican food. Absolutely do not recommend. Ordered a veggie entree and they gave me a pre made version with beef

I only come here during lunch so there is no wait and the service is great. So, I can't comment on dinner service. Their lunch menu is a lot smaller now, but the only thing I eat here are the fajitas and enchiladas. They always refill my soda and water in a prompt manner and the food comes out really quick. We always go here when celebrating a co-workers birthday. Has something for everyone - we have vegetarians in our group, but they always find something tasty to eat. read more

Uncle Julio's - Fajita special :) - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Omg I don't even know where to start with how terrible the food was. I've been to uncle Julio plenty of times and had good food but this time killed it. The place is going downhill maybe new management and cooks. Our guacamole was completely brown I understand the top might brown but it wasn't the case with this guacamole the whole thing was brown and it tasted really musty. The fajitas came out warm when they should be sizzling/ steaming when they get to the table. The vegetable were old and not fresh at all. The tortillas were cold. The rice looked like it'd been sitting out for days. I went here with some people and my girlfriend it really sucks when a birthday dinner goes terrible. read more

See all

Love my classic taco salad and ate it all up...our drink was good too. Can't wait to come back soon. This was a well needed time to get out and enjoy Happy Hour with my oldest daughter. read more

Yes, I've been here a few times and I'll keep going back. The guacamole is incredible and I've eaten a few guacamole trees throughout my life. Tio has a great bar scene after work, mostly locals or travelers on business. The food will not disappoint and the drinks are spot on, just tell them how you want it made and you won't be disappointed. read more

These chain used to be one of my favorites but after last night's service I was thoroughly disenchanted. Its super busy, super LOUD and servers run around with like chickens with their heads cut off. It should not be like Frogger when you are eating there not knowing if you or your child are going to get run down. It took them a good 5 to 10 minutes just to greet us and drop off chips.. The food used to be my favorite. The guacamole was bland and my entree arrived lukewarm. Honestly as busy as it is you would think the food is constantly pushed out thus should be proper temperature. My daughter 's kidsadilla was barely melted.. Its a shame that a once great place is slipping severely. You pay too much money here for them not to give you a decent meal. read more

Food and drinks are fine, but service, especially take out, need some serious managerial oversight. Standing by the trash while waiting for food, really unappetizing and unappreciated. read more

Uncle Julio's - Curbside pick-up....seriously?! Could not be more uncomfortable or poorly setup. - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

See all

I'd been to Uncle Julio's in Texas and was underwhelmed both there and here. This Tex-Mex chain for me is overpriced and just plain bland. I've tried multiple dishes because my in-laws love the restaurant, but I have been consistently disappointed. I believe I've had the enchiladas, the fajitas, and the chile relleno. The meals are fine, but nothing special. I would much rather make the drive to Chuy's in Rockville for a better flavor at this price point. Note: Don't expect refried beans. Their charro beans are more sauce-y than mashed. read more

Decided to give this place another chance but yet again disappointed by the terrible service. I am not exactly sure if no one in management is actually reading these reviews, but it seriously needs to take a look at its employees which lack severe customer service; never mind the food as well which is really really bland. I would rather go to guapos 3 blocks down instead before going here first. read more

It's your average Mexican restaurant chain, with the added bonus of being in the Rio and by the water with outdoor seating. I went during happy hour on a Thursday and sat at the bar while waiting for my husband. The service was quick and helpful and two bartenders checked in on me just enough without hounding me. Margaritas and the happy hour prices are decent for the area. I wasn't planning on eating but I can't say no to good (or any) chips and salsa - and the salsa was very tasty. I normally like chunky salsa best but they had a very thin salsa that had a nice flavor. My big complaint is the food service window that goes from the outside into the bar, which basically creates a wind tunnel. I wasn't even seated that close and every time it opened I had to hold onto my napkin/menu/everything. The menu of the people sitting next to me flew away and hit me in the face at one point! The bartenders basically said that was the way it was while acknowledging that it's obnoxious. read more

So... Remember the 8th grade... middle school, going to the snack stand at the pool. It was so fun... it really didn't suck. Being at Uncle Julio's feels like that, but we're not in swimsuits, the food is way, way better, and we get to have a couple adult drinks with the laughter.. Every time we visit Uncle Julio's, Joe and I have the best time. The staff and exchanges with other happy customers give the feeling of celebration and gratitude for life as it is now. Our bartender was pleasant, patient, and prompt. She treated us like family and can make a mean margarita. THank YOU - Jessica! The Food was aMaZiNg. Try Fajita Skirt Steak for two. Can't wait to come back... THank YOu UnCLe Julio! read more

For location and to be an ambassador of the Latino gastronomy, as a latina I would expect WAY more, even presentation on plates such as "Huevos Rancheros" should look more presentable and not so cheap, where homemade potatoes looked as if they were frozen ones, where overeasy eggs where not cooked at all and the tortilla was serving as a plate for the eggs; as Latinos know we don't serve our food on top of tortillas unless this tortilla is a TACO, BURRITO, BALEADA, QUESADILLA, OR MEXICAN ENCHILADAS, and we Latinos sure know this, since tortillas are our bread. To follow, when I saw reviews here I was expecting; to much probably. I felt kind of proud that such restaurant was representing "Mexican food" to see reviews here was kind of inspiring, we should always expect the best of food anyways, food should enter our eyes and nose in a way we are suppose to fall in love for it. But when you see the pictures you will feel NOTHING for that food, not love nor appetite. As Latinos, we should criticize Latinos restaurants that are located in places like this, and where their cheaper plate is not as cheap because is 12 dollars plus taxes (not included). And where the community ends up believing that's the way our food is made, coming from a country where food is the expression of care and love to our own, this place should have a really good critic from Hispanic heritage come and review this place; and demand more. I love food, and when I go places like this, reminds me why I drive to Riverdale once in a blue moon, just to eat REAL Mexican food, it is an honor that in places that hidden and we get to fund them food is served with such care and such great taste. I sure now know NOT to come back to this place again; since I ended up inside "Corner Bakery Cafe" way better. read more

Uncle Julio's - Huevos Rancheros, Lame presentation and cheap potatoes. - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

See all

5 stars mostly because I love Jess, the bartender! My friend and I have now made UJ on Friday nights a ritual because Jess makes us feel so at home and always welcomes us with a smile! Oh, and the reverse margarita swirls don't hurt either! read more

Best Tex-Mex food and Margaritas you will ever taste. Cool atmosphere, especially if you are lucky enough to sit outside on a nice day. The service is alright, but it's understandable when it's really busy. read more

You go here not for the food, but for the drinks. The breakfast here is appalling, most of the food tastes microwaved, but they do have decent pork tamales (closest thing to homemade as you'll get in this area) and swirls. Again, drinks and company here, not food. read more

My mother and sister really like this place. The decor was really cute, and pretty spacious, if you are into mexican food this would be a great place to take a large party. I saw the drink menu look pretty exciting. I ordered tacos, I got three for $9.95, my sister ordered beef and chicken soft tacos 3 for 9.95, she requested that they did not shred her beef and chicken and so they charged us .75 for the beef and for the chicken to not be shredded..wierd. She also ordered a big ol dollup of sour cream that was 1.49 extra! (we actually had no idea we were being charged for this stuff until we recieved the bill) On there menu they have soups but you can only order the soups by the day So the soup I wanted I couldnt get. =( My mom ordered some enchilladas which were really good, i mean it doesnt seem to be too hard, beef, cheese, tortilla stuff, and boom 11.99 on a plate right in front of you. Honestly I wish I ordered hers instead of mine. My tacos were dull, a little bit of beef at the bottom covered in salad and diced tomatoes, not exciting at all, I wanted like some kind of sauce to spice it up a little bit, but they only had hot sauce, which just made my dull taco, a hot dull taco. My server was nice and polite. I wont visit again, even if im not paying. read more

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

See all

Came here again the other day for lunch with a bunch of co-workers. I really like how this place is great for seating large parties comfortably. LOVE their chips and salsa! We kept getting refills.. basket after basket.. you just can't stop eating them! We also got the chile con queso and guacamole to go with the chips. I love guacamole! yumm! I think I can eat just that for my meal =P I got their combination fajitas again. It's as good as the past few times and I was happy. I can never finish the whole thing because there's so much meat! I would definitely recommend the fajitas.. I think it's one of their best item on the menu. It also come with a side of rice and beans. So much food! Co-worker ordered a grilled salmon and it looked really juicy and declious.. and not to mention, huge piece of salmon! For Mexican food, this is probably the only place I would go to in the area! =) Prices are very affordable.. and you can even go walk off your meal around the lake or walk to Target and shop... or get a cup of coffee at Starbucks.. yup! HH is great there too as I have mentioned in my previous review. get their queso and/or quacamole!! sooo good! *thumbs up* =) read more

More like "Uncle Screwlios" Went here at 9:30P on a Friday, hostess took my name and said it would be 15 minutes and shed give us a call. Never called and when we showed back up, they told me they were closed. Went back a second time to give another chance and they seated us at a table hidden in a corner and waited for 15 minutes in 98 degree heat with no waiter contact. Went up and told the manager our grievances/told them they lost a customer and my girlfriend said the manager rolled his eyes as I was walking away. Save yourself the trouble and eat at the dumpster behind for better service. read more

Online ordering website is easy to use. When I drove up, I easily noticed the curbside pickup designated parking. Upon parking, I texted their number and food was brought out in a flash by a masked and friendly associate. Food was delicious. I had the fish tacos that rivaled the freshness and quality I've tasted at 5 star resorts in Grand Cayman. This place is the real deal. 5 stars all the way and I highly recommend Uncle Julio's. As Arnold Shwarzenegger once said in the Terminator movie - I'll be bach read more

Don't do curbside. We waited for 30 minutes for our food to be brought out after the time it was suppose to be ready. Texted that we were there and waited and waited. 5,10,15,20,30 min later..... We finally went into the restaurant and someone brought it out from the kitchen. It was ready but no one running the orders to curbside? Plenty of cars waiting for their curbside orders to be delivered too. Communication would have helped. We are backed up something. To curbside or not? NOT... read more

Meh... Very mediocre Mexican food. I have eaten here several times and never have been terribly impressed. The service is ok... The staff seems very young and inexperienced. I cannot say they were not trying and they were very polite. The table side guacamole was also by a young server that didn't understand what table side meant... He prepared the guacamole 20 feet away... Until someone explained table side? The fajitas had rave reviews from the table and seems to be consistent with other yelp reviews. My enchiladas were good. The chips and salsa were awesome! The queso is just ok. As for the drinks the margaritas were excellent with a nice selection of tequila. Do not and I repeat do not order the sangria. It tastes like disgusting sweet cherry cough syrup... Yuck! However the beer is cold! If I didn't have to eat here (for work) I probably wouldn't. read more

Went to Uncle Julio's today with my family. We were seated on the patio, and that was fine. The waitress sat a carafe of cold water on the table however we did not have and glassware she said she would get us some and that was the last we heard about that until we asked for both glassware and silverware when our food arrived. When the food arrived at the table one of the waitstaff accidentally knocked a whole bowl of beans off the table and onto my foot and all over my husband's sneakers. I understand that it was an accident but the sneakers were new and now they look like someone had a bathroom accident all over them. The mess was not cleaned up until we were ready to go. So we are our lunch with bean all over us and all over the floor next to us. I understand it wasn't knocked to the floor on purpose but it also wasn't cleaned up. Almost like it didn't matter, we even had to call it to the attention of our waitress. No manager showed up to make sure things were ok, I didn't see a manager at all the entire time we were at the location. And yes when customers have hot food spilled on them I would expect a manager to be told and have the manager check on the customers. After lunch we had some other plans but because of how lunch went we just went home. This restaurant isn't really close to we're we live so we get to the RIO about 6 times a year this was our 3 time this year at Uncle Julio's and I will say our last time as well. read more

I think this is a solid place for some good tex-mex food in the Gaithersburg area. My friend and I come here pretty often. I usually get the swirl margarita or the regular margarita and a mix between the fish tacos, cheese enchiladas or the beef fajitas. The happy hour specials are not that great to me. It's really just a couple of dollars off a regular priced margarita. But a discount is a discount. During our last visit we sat at the tables by the bar area. We asked our server for the specials and he said it ended at 6:30p. It was 6:35p when we asked and a little break would have been nice. Overall, I always had a good experience here for dinner. read more

See all

There aren't a whole lot of Mexican restaurants in Gaithersburg with waiter service so my friends and I didn't have much choice when we had a craving for Mexican. We came hoping to get some happy hour specials. Unfortunately, they don't have food specials on happy hour and they only offered something like $1.75 off their margaritas...some happy hour special.... We started off with the guac and queso combo. The presentation was kinda lame -- just a tiny bowl of queso and some guac slapped on the side. The guac didn't taste fresh at all. You can pay more to have the guac made tableside, but c'mon, all your guac should taste fresh. The queso was pretty good though. I definitely wouldn't order this again though. For my entree, I went with the Carnitas tacos. Again, I was disappointed. I wasn't a fan of the tortillas they used and the taco itself just wasn't that great. The only redeeming quality about this place was the complimentary chips and salsa and their Swirls (half margarita, half sangria). Sorry Uncle Julios, but mediocre food and mediocre service -- I won't be here again. read more

See all

Best Jalisco sizzling fajita plate. Great service especially in the cocktail bar area, these guys have been here for years and really care about their customers and it shows. Highly recommend. read more

I visited Uncle Julio's in Gaithersburg back in mid-September with my family. It's a really nice Mexican restaurant and has a nice lakefront view of the lake at the Rio Entertainment Center. I'm a California native and had been missing good Mexican food, even though it hadn't even been a month since I'd moved back to DC from California. That's how much I miss fresh guacamole and fajitas! Uncle Julio's has quite an extensive menu with tons of options. I opted for the Chicken Faijta Cobb salad, which came with mesquite grilled chicken, smoked bacon, fresh greens, avocado, roasted corn, tomatoes, spicy black beans, Queso fresco, crispy tortilla strips, and my choice of dressing (I opted for chipotle ranch). It was so fresh and tasty and came in a very large portion! I was quite satisfied with my meal and even had leftovers. Surprisingly, even the leftovers were good, and salad is generally not good as a leftover. We all got some appetizers to share for the table as well. These included: -Ceviche Royale (Shrimp, scallops and tilapia marinated with lime and lemon juice, tomatoes, onions and cilantro) -Ceviche Rica (Shrimp marinated with lime and lemon juice, tomatoes, onions and cilantro) There was also chips and salsa at the table. The chips were so fresh they just melted in your mouth... and the salsa was out of this world. I probably ate 100 chips in one sitting, just to savor that delicious salsa. The food was delicious and tasted authentic and fresh, the atmosphere was nice (big, spacious dining area and nice ethnic decor), and the service was quick and friendly. 5 big stars for Uncle Julio's in Gaithersburg! read more

See all

I hadn't been to this location of Uncle Julio's before, but would not consider it worth visiting. We visited for drinks and casual fare and were not remotely impressed. The food was very poorly presented and none of it appeared to be very fresh. One of the items we ordered was the guacamole which was presented in an unsightly blob that looked as though it had come from an expiring container. The drinks were passable and at least freshly made . The service was okay but overall, the experience and quality was not what we have come to expect from Uncle Julio's. read more

Very bad service. The manager is a Latino. It's a shame that he has such a bad character with the Latin people themselves! Bad service and apart from the party that I had reserved! the majority were Latin, people who do not speak English and being Latin, he did not want to speak in Spanish knowing that. Here was a table of pure Latino people, an arrogant person, believing himself to be superior to others, they would have to be more careful with his staff, he hurts! first and last time that I do an event in that restaurant. read more

Fast friendly service and good food. Ate at the RIO restaurant so the place was crowded but received our food in a short amount of time.

Seating: We were seated right away on a Sunday night, around 5:45 pm Atmosphere: Feels like you are at your Uncle Julio's house, even if you don't have an Uncle Julio. It's decorated like a Mexican Mansion you'd find at Disneyland; one of those theme things they got going on. Food: Chips and salsa are average. I ordered 2 enchiladas, one beef &one chicken; on the side it came with some bean soup, Mexican rice,& a tiny salad ($9.95). There was a red sauce on top of my chicken enchilada& the waiter claimed it was hot& spicy.It was more of a sour taste. The bean soup was good, as well as the beef enchilada. If I'm craving Mexican food again, id rather go to Chevys. read more

5 Stars: All places should be as easy to review as this one is! Highly recommended. Go. You won't regret it. Well, this is an easy review to report. I give out 5-star ratings when merited to places across the world. And as we know, all 5-star ratings are not "equal". The rating is relative to the place (e.g. city and country), type of food, and price/performance (price & quality) relative to the locale. Some restaurants transcend location and are simply 5-star for what they do worldwide. This restaurant is on this list for me. I've been going to this restaurant for decades. Everything they serve --- from appetizers, drinks, entrees to desserts are tasty, delicious, with a unique flavor and pleasant presentation. It's always been that way. The Rio Grande Café serves THE BEST homemade chips and salsa I've ever eaten --- worldwide. As another reviewer notes, if you're not careful, you'll lose control and find out you've eaten too many of them before your entrees arrive. I love their frozen Margaritas. All variants are terrific. My favorite dishes are the Carne Asada, Plato Gordo and the Cadillac Platter when they offer it. Having said that, I've tried many other entrees and they are all soooo good. Every time we visit, my wife and I say to each other "what's there not to like about this place". We've been saying that for decades. And every time we visit a "Mexican-like" restaurant anywhere in the world, we ask "is your food Mexican or Tex-Mex?" If the latter, and we sit to eat, all are compared to the standard of excellence set by this restaurant. None have surpassed it. I no longer live in the Washington DC Metro area and one of my great regrets is not having a Rio Grande like restaurant nearby. Other restaurants in this chain under the brand name of Uncle Julio's are in Atlanta, several areas in Texas, and elsewhere. We visit the DC area now about twice a year. And we always make a point of visiting this restaurant if we can. It's that good. read more

Interesting. The restaurant was busy ! Our waiter was Zachary great! He was very attentive. He took my order and understood it was a separate check since I arrived late - what I appreciated was he was very polite and gave confident eye contact. You do not see this any more. It made me feel like he was on the ball in taking my order. The food wasn't good - I ordered Enchiladas with the sauce on the side however the sauce was all over my place. Zachary offered to return the plate and explained he order exactly how I wanted it. The kitchen didn't completed it right. A few other plates were not done right either. Again I don't feel like it was the waiters fault - my rice was cold and the food just tasted like Don Pablo's food. Yuk! Taco Bell taste better Not my favorite experience :( read more

The food is delicious. I love their fajitas and guacamole made at the table. Enjoyed the margaritas.

This place is fucking garbage. Made reservations for 6:30. Made us wait 15 minutes for a table. Why take reservations if you cannot fulfill them? Strike 1. Get seated and then wait another 30 minutes for a waiter to even speak to us. No chips, no water, half of the silverware missing from the table. No acknowledgement from any staff. Strike 2. We finally order. 20 minutes go by and food comes out. It's wrong. Appetizers brought out with the main meal, completely wrong dishes, no cheese, no tortillas. We wait and wait and wait and wait and wait. No server, no manager, no one. Finally we get ahold of a server and ask her specifically for the manager. Another 10 minutes go by before the "manager" comes. Says she will fix everything. Strike 3. Doesn't fix anything. Instead packs up the missing food and give it to the person who never got their meal. Didn't ask for it to go. Just came out boxed and in a bag. At this point. We just want to leave since it has been such a shitty experience. Still takes another 15 minutes to get our check. Biggest waste of time and money. First time back in 4 years and they fuck up it. Another 4+ years till I give a fuck to even attempt to go back. Sounds like Guapos or nothing from now on. read more

If you want to eat dinner at a normal time on the weekends you HAVE to make a reservation. We made reservations on "Open Table" for 7pm and when we showed up there was up to a 2 hour wait for some party sizes. We ordered the Tres Amigos Margaritas which has 3 different tequilas and taste so good! They are $13 but are on the larger side and well worth it. During happy hour they are $7. The fajitas, enchiladas, and quesadilla tastes great and the service is just as good. Overall everything is great and would come back again for happy hour! read more