I had a great time there the music was great,the service was excellent very consistent. The food was very delicious it was my first time there I was told it was an expensive restaurant maybe it is for a big family but i have a family of 3 so not that bad at definitely recommend going for dates and birthday. read more

uncle julio's has good food, but don't come in a rush! the tableside guac we ordered didn't come for 40 minutes and by that point our meals had already come out. we watched the guac cart move (veryyyy slowly) from table to table and our waitress was nowhere to be found. everyone enjoyed their food, but i do wish they gave a bit more protein for the fajitas for the price. of course you get all the side stuff but i could've eaten more chicken. big restaurant with indoor and outdoor patio seating, it can get a bit loud inside. i've never been there and had it not be crowded - make a reservation but you still might have to wait. parking is a bit of trouble bc it's in a big shopping center, but there are garages a 2-5 min walk away. would go back but not obsessed! read more

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I love coming to Uncle Julio's! Their patio is so cute with a great view of rio, it's also much quieter outside than inside. I always start off with a grand swirl, it is both the prettiest and tastiest drink on their menu! Their queso is really good too they put pico in it for a nice crunch. Their chicken fajitas are delicious I love the flour tortillas and the spread of toppings and sauces they give you. I've never had an issue with service here. The last time I went they were clearly short staffed and the manager stepped in to take our order and make sure everything was going well with our meal! They have an extensive menu with something for everyone! read more

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The happy hour was amazing! Carlos (bartender) was busy but gave great service! The ambiance was perfect and the food is tasteful with quality! read more

Uncle Julio's - "The" Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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We came back here for dinner. We were worried that it might be too loud to carry on a conversation. We were seated in the back room, so the noise level was actually reasonable. The service was good. We started with the table guacamole. It was so good and full of flavor. It's one of the better ones that I had. We all got various fajitas with one enchiladas dish. Everyone was happy with the selection, and it was way too much food. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we also got the chocolate piñata. Omg it was the most amazing dessert that I have seen. It was definitely worth it, especially for a special occasion. Overall, it was a great experience. The food and dessert were amazing. read more

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Just went in and the bartender ALLY was amazing! She busted her butt helping both the bar and making the servers' drinks. She had outstanding customer service and made all of her drinks with perfection, while the other bartender just stood there and barely did anything. I don't live here but I will definitely be back, when I visit next, thanks to Ally's smiling, helpful, bubbly self! read more

Update to my previous review... Recap: Been going to Uncle Julios since my parents started taking me as a baby to the Bethesda location in the 90s. It was a family event when they opened a location closer, and we've been coming to the Rio one since. All to say, I've seen everything this location has been through in its lifespan haha The food quality and service for dine-in is consistent and good. The favorite dishes I mentioned in my last review are all still favorites. New part: It took 3 years, but Nachos Especial are back! (Marked "new" on the menu probably due to its untimely and lengthy absence). They are not the same as before however. Instead of about 12 round mini tostadas, now you get 6 chips, like half a tortilla/taco shell. It sounds like a roughly even redesign, but I think you got a little more food and meat in the other presentation. Luckily it tastes just like it used to which was most important for me personally. Prices on all the dishes have gone up in recent times. Which is not surprising per se, but I'm not sure I'd say this is a $17 appetizer? That's a personal call I guess. The 2 star review is for the really unacceptable out experiences we've had recently. You will see a picture of the $17 nachos served in the restaurant and the same exact dish sent for carry-out. No, other items were not packed separately, the nachos were tossed in the box, barely any cheese, and that's it. Same price, not the same quality at all. read more

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I think the quesa-birria was PHENOMENAL, I personally would have ate it as my main meal if it wasn't an appetizer. I think the crab & shrimp enchiladas weren't as good as I'd hoped, It was not very special and it was sort of bland but the mexican rice was really good. The ambiance of the restaurant was really nice, we sat on the patio on the lake which is probably the best place to sit. read more

Uncle Julio's - Crab & Shrimp enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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This was an excellent location for our annual Modern Smile Dental Christmas party. We had a wonderful time and we highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Uncle Julio's - Excellent location, food and service for our annual Christmas Party Modern Smiles Dental in Gaithersburg - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I haven't found much success with the margaritas here. The food is decent but Guapos seems to have the edge. The birrira tacos and fajitas have been the best food items thus far. The portions overall are smaller than most Mexican restaurants as well. Waiter was attentive and the ambiance serves its purpose. read more

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

Uncle Julio use to be our go to restaurant for fajitas. We would get the steak fajita for two and drinks of course. Lately, each experience has gotten worse and worse. The steak no longer comes out sizzling, isn't seasoned well, and smaller than before. They also seem to be using a cheaper quality of meat. What's also disappointing is when drinks come out at the same time as the meal. I think the waiter forgot to put the order in. Our last visit was the nail in the coffin for me. We were charged $2 each for Mexican butter and also for extra cheese the size of two tablespoons. When you're already spending $ 100 for a meal for two it's more about the principal. Don't know if we'd come back if they don't get their act together. read more

Horrible service. I came in for lunch with my partner. I ordered the chicken and steak fajita, the manager delivered my food and the fajita plate was not sizzling. My partner said it out loud "it's not sizzling" and the manager continued to deliver it. I took a bite and immediately noticed that the meat was Luke warm. I sat for 5 minutes waiting for attention to ask them to re-do it. The manager took it back, and brought the SAME meat but this time on a sizzling plate. The meat was still the same temperature because all they did was take my meat and throw it in a new fajita plate on top of the veggies. The meat never heated. I then waited for the server and told him I was going to send it back and order something else, he brought me a menu and never returned. I flagged the manager down again and asked for the check. At this point, my partner finished her food and by the time I'd place an order and received it, she would have been waiting around. So much for lunch together. I made the manager aware that I was going to order something else, but that the server never returned. He said "I'm sorry about that". Never offered to remedy the situation. Never said " I can get you something made quick, let me buy you a desert", nothing. He allowed me to leave hungry. We paid for my partners meal and left. Very disappointing customer service. read more

I'm updating my review because, the service and food has gotten better, over the years. Only bad thing is that they significantly downside their menu, b4 COVID, they had a lot of tasty dishes that I miss. They decided to slash menu items that take a long time to cook. :( However, the make the best drinks ehmm... the swirls. If you get a swirl get it reversed. Mannnn... Our waitress was lovely. She matched our vibe. Food was on point. Service was fast. It wasn't busy for a Saturday, yay me. Desserts was a pass. I love Mexican fried ice cream, too bad they don't offer it here. I'm loving it... and Im proud of owning the Dutchess title for Uncle Julios. read more

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Took my mom to Uncle Julios for lunch again today. I think I've eaten here 5 times since June! The food and service are always fantastic. Today I had a steak kids meal with mexican rice and guac and my Mom had the shrimp fajitas. Both were excellent. My steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly and so was my Mom's shrimp. Manuel was our waiter today and he was outstanding..... very knowledgeable about the menu and super personable! read more

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Stopped in for a late birthday meal. Things have changed since our last visit. Menu changes - it seems they have paired down the menu, it sure if it's for the good. Had the only queso and it was grainy and had a "burnt" flavor to it. Tried to get a simple cheese and onion enchiladas- which they used to have. No luck what was suggested was just onions and sauce in the tortilla. Had the carne asada with "fresh" tortillas. Was tough and tortillas were cold and "hard". Service seems to be slower from the kitchen would expect with smaller menu it improve the speed. read more

very horrible customer service, had to wait 1 hour to get a table and then another hour for them to clean it up, the waite was so unprofessional and didn't introduce her name, and when were placed our orders she never stopped by once to check on us and it got even worse when I found a hair in my food! this ruined my night and they looked like they didn't care. what's even worse was the attitude of the waiter I don't know if she needed a break but she was out of it. really not a good experience for the amount I spent! read more

I wish I could give it 0 stars. My experience at Uncle Julio's was beyond frustrating. My two friends and I split the bill evenly, which should have come out to around $30 each. But I was charged twice, meaning Uncle Julio's took an extra $30 from me. That's not a small mistake. I called immediately after noticing the duplicate charge. The woman I spoke to said she'd call me back, never did. So I called again. They said they'd transfer me to the manager. I was put on hold for over 35 minutes before I had to hang up because I was literally boarding a flight. To make matters worse, our waiter was incredibly rude during the meal, which already put a damper on our night. Then to be overcharged and completely ignored when trying to fix it? That's just unacceptable. Still haven't received a refund or any real help. Uncle Julio's needs to seriously improve their customer service and train their staff better. I won't be coming back. read more

I've been an Uncle Julio's fan for many years and am happy to see the restaurant still thriving with Guapos so close by! I recently went around 3pm with a few colleagues. They don't have any happy hour specials, but they do have $5 drinks and cheaper lunch options until 4pm. I had 2 swirls (like a sangria slush) and their 2-Taco lunch deal for under $20 (before tip). Everything was delicious, and their tacos are actually super filling. read more

Uncle Julio's - Steak Fajita Skirt Steak - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Our visit to this location of Uncle Julio's was disappointing. Of the two items we ordered,the grilled fish tacos was good but the Vegetable fajitas was a disappointment-the plate with sour cream,pico de gallo,lettuce and guacamole that usually accompanies the fajitas was missing and the sour cream,pico de gallo was brought when I asked for it only to be charged extra for it on the bill. The grilled veggies had 50% onions,hardly cooked zucchini,charred mushrooms and no peppers. I would say this visit was an overcharge for an underwhelming experience. read more

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Dined in yesterday. Server was very good and attentive and food came out very fast. But drinks were watered down and the food quality has gone downhill. We were a group of 10 people. Everyone agreed that their food was not that great. Rice was dry, beans had no flavor, seasoning was off. Hopefully this was a one off experience. read more

What a pleasant experience. While we have been taking takeout from Uncle Julio on a regular basis, we have not dined in physically since COVID. The visit was very pleasant and enjoyable. The food was great and the service good as well. Location is perfect. I have to say that dining in has this pleasant experience that take out does not offer, and somehow the food tastes better. We shall return. read more

We have been big fans of Uncle Julios for over 30 years. Tonight was the first time the food was terrible... we ordered beef fajitas and the beef was awful... the texture and taste was terrible. The rice was not good and the guacamole was average. I'm not sure what's going on, but I am not going back or taking out again. read more

My friends and I stopped here for a quick lunch, the service here was AMAZING, and the food was very yummy. We had tacos (Baja fish, ground beef, chicken and steak), pulled chicken quesadillas, and the queso blanco. All of the food was great! The Rio Lakefront is a beautiful area, and the restaurant has a great view of the carousel and the surrounding water. I will definitely be a returning guest! read more

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

Amazing food made my tummy very happy. I loved the background noise and performance from the workers! The glass constantly dropping and the whole tray of food falling flat onto the floor truly gave us the greatest entertainment of the year. Compliments to the chef and to the spilled food on the floor. We the guests can't be the only ones eating after all! The only extra thing we could have asked for would be the sweet ambiance brought about by the servers shouting happy birthday to a terrified guest. This meal was a momentous occasion for us, it's flawlessness and importance to the history of humanity could only be likened to that of the Last Supper. A pilgrimage to this Uncle Julio's is something I would recommend to any self respecting individual. The Mecca of Rio Washingtonian Maryland. Truly, a religious experience. read more

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

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This place has gone down hill in the last few years. The portion size and quality of the food has diminished. The tortilla chips and tortillas seem to be store bought now, and they are NOT made fresh from scratch daily in the restaurant anymore, which is false advertising. The food tasted about the same quality as Baha Fresh or Cinco de Mayo's in the Kentlands, which is not what you would expect for the price and reputation. things needs to improve dramatically or I will not be back again. read more

Guapos is a pretty nice place. I love the decor and it's always good energy. They have excellent Margaritas. I got the Mangos frozen Margarita. I got the Birria tacos. It was ok. The Carne Asada looked delicious. I will try that next time. read more

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My experience at Uncle Julio's was nothing short of amazing. We came here for my girlfriend's cousin's birthday and it was truly a delight! Ally was an extremely kind individual, not just any waitress, and truly took the time to talk to us, check in on us many times and really took our dining experience to the next level. GIVE THAT GIRL A RAISE!! You really can't find service like that these days. We enjoyed their specialty cranberry margaritas, which we drank too fast for me to grab a photo of. The quesobirria tacos were so delicious with a large portion of both the tacos and the consumé (sauce). Ally was even kind enough to give us containers for the consumé to take home without us even asking! And the icing on the (not) cake, was for the birthday girl the huge chocolate piñata filled with fruit. It was freshly made and so delicious with churros and various toppings included. It made for a very unique and fun birthday experience. Additionally, I'm a bit of a germaphobe and so I was extremely excited to find that the bathrooms have special hooks on the bottom of the door for you to open them with your foot, so you don't have to touch the handle after washing your hands. All of this put together made me feel very considered and really contributed to a delightful dining experience. I can't wait to go back!! Thanks again, Ally; you're the best! read more

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The food here can be good or great. I think the food quality is slightly lower than the Bethesda location, but the bar is phenomenal and the staff here are incredibly friendly. It can get REALLY busy here, but it's worth it for a good time! I love sitting in their patio but prepare for a crazy wait, even when it's not busy in other parts of the restaurant! Great vibes overall though and the staff do try to take care of you even when there are lines out the door and the whole place is packed. My favorite items are the steak fajitas and the beef enchiladas. Their chicken items are great too! On my last visit I tried their watermelon margarita and I was shocked at how good it was; it was made with fresh muddled watermelon and did not contain artificial watermelon syrup. I recommend coming here if you're craving Mexican fare at the Rio! read more

Uncle Julio's - The most yummy Watermelon Margarita! They didn't use a watermelon syrup, everything was fresh made. - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I went to Uncle Julio's twice while I was in Maryland--just delicious! Each time, I had the spicy shrimp Diablo. But I switched up the rice and beans. First time I had the regular beans and Mexican rice. It was good, but the beans had meat, which they didn't tell me. The second time I had the cilantro lime rice and the black beans. Both were great! But the Mexican rice is better. The table side guacamole is amazing and so fresh! My only complaints are that the restaurant is very loud and the shrimp was not spicy at all. Their homemade tortillas are sooo good. Enjoy! read more

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We have been to this location multiples times! They have great indoor and outdoor dining The food and service is always great. I wish they had options for mock tails. It's a classic Tex- mix restaurant read more

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The service from the host and server was adequate. The menu is limited. No burritos at a Tex-Mex place--what? We ordered tacos, margaritas, and enchiladas. The cheese and onion enchiladas were not tasty, didn't smell good, and were not visually appealing. The side of beans were dripping in liquid. The rice was stale and flavorless. The cheese was a neon color, like Cheez Whiz on crack. The margaritas are $5 for happy hour and $10 for regular price (we had a combination of prices because we hit the tail end of happy hour). The drinks were not made with any alcohol so we had essentially drank sugar water. You either have happy hour prices and ensure the drinks are made right by competent bartenders or you just don't offer happy hour if it's not a sustainable business model. But don't serve subpar drinks when competition is steps away (Guapo's). We spent $115 and walked away disillusioned and went to Guapo's afterwards. I don't recommend this restaurant or brand. read more

In general, it seems like Uncle Julio service and food quality has gone down. The food portion definitely has been cut. I no longer feel that I'm getting the "bang for the buck." We were celebrating so we got the chocolate piñata. It was good but expensive. There was too much chocolate to create the ball shell and not enough charros to go around. We end up leaving half the chocolate ball. read more

They have the location going for them. Chevys little less successful cousin. The food is touristy Mexican fare. Good service is consistent. Spacious inside. Once you have table side guacamole it's regular. Try the tons of other Mexican places in the area for a more interesting experience. read more

This restaurant has gone way down hill in the past few years, I'm sorry to say. I used to order quite a bit, but they have sent me the wrong order, or some of the wrong items, too many times. I asked one of the managers to have the general manager contact me, he did not, so I stopped going here. Too bad, we have spent a lot of money here, but I won't waste it anymore. read more

I stopped here with family for a delicious dining experience for my 26th birthday, and it was that + so much more!!! We were greeted by warm and welcoming customer service, and seated promptly after showing our reservation that we had made. I would highly recommend showing a reservation, especially since this establishment seems to be a happening spot! We ordered our drinks, btw i'd highly recommend the passion fruit lemonade (Double delicious), and then ordered appetizers as well. We ordered guacamole and habanero bacon wrapped shrimp for our appetizers! The habanero bacon wrapped shrimp were so juicy and tasty! I also loved that they were spicy as well! The kind of spicy that keeps you coming back for more! The guacamole was also on point as well! It was so delicious that you could not stop eating it! Fresh notes of jalapeños, lime, cilantro, and cumin were very vibrant throughout the dish. For my main course I ordered shrimp, chicken, and bacon fajitas! They came with tortillas, rice and beans, and also Mexican butter to drizzle on top! This meal was so savory and yummy! It transported me directly to Mexico, and I would know since i've been. The flavors were so warm and rich! Give this place a try and enjoy all of the goodness on the menu! A true 5 star experience! Cheers to good eats! read more

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There were only 2 other customers at the restaurant but they took forever to bring out entrees. The bacon wrapped shrimp was overcooked, wasn't a huge fan. The customer service was great though, very nice employees. I passed by the restaurant yesterday and it was packed since it was the weekend. I recommend calling ahead and making a reservation on weekends, but weekdays it's fairly slow. read more

Gross! I knew this place was terrible but my friend wanted to have his birthday here so I had to go. Literally single one of us just got up and walked out without ordering any food because of how filthy the place is. The menus had 14 types of different food stuck to them. The doors to the patio looked like a husky had slobbered in them for a year. Dirty tables everywhere and food all over the floor. Waiters drop food and don't pick it up. It is incredibly disgusting and I was so happy when the birthday said he rather have Quickway Hibachi!!! Lol I was paying so I just saved a couple hundo and proved to everyone that this place is a has been, a tourist trap for out of towners who don't know any better. Ewwwwww read more

Uncle Julio's - 7:42 - 10:09 waiting and the manager made no apology. - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I came here for an early dinner with my parents and two neighbor kids they were watching. It was around 4pm on Saturday and not too busy. The waiter was very attentive as were the other staff who brought out chips and salsa and checked on us. They were patient with the kids as well. Yes it's a chain but the food is reliable. I would come here again if I was in Gaithersburg. read more

1. I had chicken and beef fajitas; My wife had beef fajitas. The chicken was reheated from yesterday or it died of natural causes. We asked for the beef strips to be medium with plenty of pink and some blood and they can dried up like prunes. They were so tough after chewing on one for over 5 minutes (I have all my teeth), I had to spit it out. 2. The BEANS were like no Mexican beans we have ever had... a weird brown color, large chunks of onions not fully cooked and worst of all, PORK inside OH MY GOD.. My wife is deathly allergic to pork. We have eaten Mexican food in Texas, Mexico, California, Baja, Chicago/Michigan and have never ever seen pork in cooked beans in a Mexican restaurant. I have been caring for her since we left, giving her large doses of antihistimines to lower the swelling and hoping nothing else happens. HOW STUPID not to tell patrons that the bean s have PORK. 3. The manager was a dilettante, not sympathetic.. .asked us WHAT IS THE PROBLEM.. then said... tell me if I can be helpful, and strutted off. Perhaps if he grows up he might learn how to manage a restaurant.. so we paid $55 for cold, tough inedible food that gave us allergies... what a ripoff. We are pissed ! read more

The steak fajitas here were great. The fajitas came with beans, rice, tortillas, guac, sour cream and cheese. The steak had good flavor and I liked all the sides. The bacon wrapped shrimp I had were good too. It was pretty busy when I went but the service was good and the food came out fairly quickly. read more

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