Terrible food, everything was over salted to the point of not being edible. We came with a party of seven, three had their orders wrong. Mine was clearly made first because my tacos were cold and fell apart when I picked them up. read more

Definitely authentic Mexican Cuisine at reasonable prices. But what makes Uncle Julios stand out from similar restaurant is the family atmosphere. The staff are genuinely happy to be here, my wife and I encountered smiles and friendliness from the host, to the busser and if course our server. We even had the manager Abraham and the General Manager Michael come by to see how the food was and tell us a bit about the restaurant. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and we let her pretty much guide us on what to get ( I practice I've learned through the years) "The" Margarita was very good, for me she recommended the Tres Amigos which came with a lime filled with a shot inside the drink, never seen that before, but it was deliciously smooth. Table side guacamole was actually made in front of us and that was fun to watch. Overall, prices are reasonable especially for scratch kitchen, everything is made by hand and a lot of love and culture goes into what is coming to the table. The atmosphere is calm, a lot of ambient lighting in amber tones, good place for a date or a family night out as there is sufficient space between tables as to not feel like sardines. Music is authentic Hispanic, and not too loud where you can hear each other speak. 5/5 definitely worth a visit. read more

Food was really good but that was the only thing positive Waited 30 minutes before we had to tell someone that the sodas didn't come to the table Waited nearly an hour for food although the restaurant was close to empty when we first arrived Asked for sour cream to use with my enchiladas 20 minutes ago. Just showed up but I'm done eating. Son in law ordered another drink for my daughter. It never came. Had to get up and ask for a manager to tell them Terrible, terrible service. And, if you look at my reviews you can see that I almost give everybody great reviews. For me to review a restaurant poorly means they were really bad. I'm sad that I had to write this review. read more

Had seen this chain as I've traveled throughout the US but have never eaten here. Uncle Julio's is located on a busy part of International Drive with a great nearby FREE garage parking. We arrived for dinner and were quickly seated in an empty room which to my surprise was nearly full as our drinks and chips arrived. Chips were warm with a delicious salsa. I ordered my usual fajitas (steak and chicken combo) and was happy to see: a. meat was nicely sliced steak strips instead of the usual small bits of "mystery meat" one usually gets with steak fajitas. b. chicken was large strips obviously sliced from a breast instead of small stringy pieces, c. steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare as ordered. (reason for fifth star) and d. Great seasoning and sauces made for great flavors. Result was a perfect dinner. My wife ordered the steak fajita bowl. Service quality never declined as restaurant got more busy. Good, enjoyable meal. read more

Uncle Julio's - Streak and chicken fajita combo - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Our waitress Rosana was terrific! We had a large party of seven. She explained the menu and answered any of our questions. We had drinks, appetizers, and entrées. I had the habanero shrimp, which is an appetizer for my meal, and it was fantastic! I believe all of us felt that the salsa was hands-down, one of the best that we've ever had! I wish I lived in the Orlando area so I could come back again and again! read more

Unfortunately, this wasn't my best experience. We did a reservation, but had to wait for seating. We politely asked for an open booth and the hostess was upset and hesitated to do it and seemed bothered we asked. Our server was nice enough, but for some our food took forever to come out. The manager later came out (we hadn't say anything about the long wait) to mention he knew it'd be a long wait, but it'd be like soon. Soon was probably another 20 minutes (so around an hour for us to get our food). The food was okay. It was nothing special or great. We also notified him we had a birthday and they never did anything for it. It was a mediocre experience at best. read more

Still love this place. Service is a little slow and off this trip however, but this doesn't take away from all the amazing Mexican food. I just can't find a place with as good Mexican food in my area since the Uncle Julio branch closed down in Boca. I will still continue to come every time I go to Orlando. Always. read more

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I was here two weeks ago with family, the service started off very poorly. We waited 30 mins to get seated, then our food took 1hr and 30 mins to come out. After the long wait we requested a manager, the manager apologized and stated that he would compensate our meals . We eat the food, we received our checks none of meals were compensated so we asked the hostess to fix our checks only for her to feel "attacked" Which resulted in calling the police on us. All we wanted was good service and our proper billing for the food. Will never go here again. Me and my family feel discriminated against. We've watched other families of different ethnicities receive their food while we waited almost 2 hours to get food. Just ridiculous. If you are a black person please DO NOT COME HERE. Spend your money elsewhere!!! read more

It's been so very long since I've been to Uncle Julio's! I have to say that I've been sleeping on this place because I forgot how delicious it is! We sat at the bar since it was pretty quiet when we got there and the bartenders took great care of us! To start we had chips & salsa which is always a solid when you get Mexican food. The salsa was more liquid-like but still very delicious! For our entrees we had the Carnitas Tacos and the Bacon Wrapped Camarones. Let me just tell you that there was SO much flavor!! They serve the bacon wrapped shrimp on a wooden platter with a sizzling plate with your bacon wrapped shrimp that are in a bed of grilled onions and jalapeños. It comes with rice, beans, Picon de gallo and guacamole on the side with your choice of corn or flour tortillas. The tacos came with a side of cilantro rice and black beans. My husband only got two so he helped me finish my dish. For our dessert we had to finish off with some mini churros! They were so light and fluffy that we didn't even need a dipping sauce for them. I'll be dreaming about these tonight . The overall price is can be on the higher side depending on what you order but honestly for the amount/quality that you get it's well worth it, and that comes with the Icon Park area I feel. If you are a fan of Mexican food you should give this place a try! If you're looking to avoid the heavy tourist times come during the week after work/school! read more

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Food was too salty and the steak fajita didn't taste fresh. The service staff is short a few people and food came slowly. The staff is pleasant though. read more

Bruh they are back there growing the ingredients and they'll charge you your left hand. I haven't received my food but I know that sht is cold. It's been 80mins since the moment I ordered. Not worth the price and the wait is ridiculous. I'm here when it's empty on a Thursday night. I'll be back if I ever get my order of only 3, YES THREE, tacos for $20 something odd bucks. Haha I'm rtrdted for even ordering in the first place. Getting robbed at gun point because I asked politely. :( Pro: bartenders are attentive UPDATE: 10mins after posting food arrived. Food is good and lukewarm, but the wait isn't worth it. If you have time and money fine. I'll understand some families needing to decompress after a long day. But I just wanted a simple meal and get a little tipsy. Over all 6.5/10. My gripe is the time to get food. Also God forbid you pick a seat near the restaurant employees, they'll be taking your seat and sitting right over your drinks. I hate this place they don't give af about anything. Only "take your money and run" type of establishment read more

We really enjoyed the food, staff and atmosphere here. The bar staff were very engaging. Even though it was busy, they were attentive to all the customers. The salsa was delicious and the chips were plentiful. Highly recommend this place. read more

They should not have expanded if they could not keep consistent quality. Texas locations are amazing! This Orlando one leaves something to be desired each visit. There was definitely a post Covid decline, which is understandable. But, it's kinda a joke since. Got cilantro rice, which was only white rice with wilted cilantro springs on top. The server made a fresh new one with the cilantro mixed in, but are you serious? I don't eat out for basic stuff you can concoct at home. The freshly made flour tortillas are still the bomb. But, think we are taking this off the roster now. It's just average uninteresting Mexican food at high prices. Would not be surprised if this location closes. read more

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The food here was really tasty. I highly recommend the Barbacoa. It was so good. It definitely gets busy, so try planning ahead. The overall experience was great, but it's a bit loud being a large restaurant in a busy place like icon park. I wouldn't say it's a great date night spot, but good for family or friend groups read more

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Service was not great TBH. It is always hard to rate a business based off one uninterested wait staff member. Food was very good, drinks were good-definitely a good price point especially in the area. We were able to get seated quickly and food came out fast enough. read more

Uncle Julio's - Shrimp fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Waitress was terrible. Very rude and got our orders wrong, and was rude about that too. When the check came I pointed out that there was a charge for 3 side sauce, when I asked about that she rolled her eyes, and said it's because she brought another bowl of salsa out (one, NOT three). Horrible experience, should have gone to Sloppy Taco Palace instead. read more

Let me start off by saying the aesthetic at this place was beautiful and the service was great! We had reservations (I recommend if you know ahead of time you plan to go here) and were sat immediately. They brought out chips and two tasty salsas, the darker salsa was very unique, I thought it tasted awesome, it was kind of like a peppery/Smokey salsa. I ordered "the swirl" to drink, the presentation was nice and it was absolutely delicious! I would 100% get it again and recommend it to anyone considering. The food is where the awesomeness turns into mediocracy. I got the pulled chicken enchiladas and they were just okay, I wouldn't order this again. They tasted pretty bland. My boyfriend got the salmon and agreed that it lacked flavor. Overall, I would try this place again but order different food. I would recommend trying this place if you are interested! read more

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Placed a takeout order today as well as two days ago. Both orders were exactly the same (chicken fajitas for 2). We received half the quantity of food today compared to the order two days ago, and they forgot the rice, beans, AND tortillas. We asked for the missed items and received single fajita portions of all. We essentially paid $50 for fajitas for 1 and the staff did not care to correct the order. *Attempted to contact the restaurant but continue to not hear back from them.* read more

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Great food and a great time in downtown Orlando. It's authentic Mexican food and the fajita's and Tex-Mex really hit the spot. We absolutely loved the location with a view of the Orlando Eye and the waitstaff was very friendly and made plenty of recommendations. The table did guacamole is a great show and the nice mix of avocado, salsa, cilantro and jalapeños is perfect! If you're in the area I highly recommend you stop at Uncle Julio's. read more

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If you're in Orlando for a quick weekend trip and looking for lunch or dinner I recommend checking out Uncle Julio's at least once. The complimentary chips and salsa are some of the best and my favorite. The service is spot on, the available of seating is really nice too - big restaurant both indoors and outdoor seating. I went during the week and it was low volume of people inside the restaurant which made it even more relaxing. I can definitely see this spot being packed on weekends and possibly nights. If you're not coming for food, I'd recommend this spot to try out some of the refreshing cocktails they offer. Nice spot next to icon park with plenty of parking around the surrounding area available. read more

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This place blows!!! We were told if you don't sit in the bar you don't get happy hour prices!!!' Wtf is up with that?!?!? After having the powdered queso and dish water salsa we already decided it may not be a good idea to attempt dinner and for a tourist trap here in Orlando don't waste you hard earned time and cash....nasty place!!! B S! PS Don't expect your change back either !! They keep the coin difference. read more

I'm here on a holiday at 5 pm and no one is in here. The salsa has no flavor the queso is loaded with salt and the margaritas have very little alcohol. If you have ever been to the original Uncle Julio's in the Fort Worth Dallas area this one in Orlando doesn't even come close. We have been here 5 times since it opened and it has gradually gotten worse. My advice don't waste your time coming here read more

We had a reservation and checked in at the podium. They said it would be 10 minutes then after 20 minutes go by a walk back up to check on table. Apparently they must of put down we were already seated or something because they were scrambling on the tablet to find and couldn't. It took a few more minutes because then they put together a table quickly. All the plates were wet when the set the table. We ordered the table side guac , the guy who made it was amazing and it was the best I've ever had. Unfortunately it took us a while to flag down our server to get chips for it. I had the steak fajitas and they were really good. My daughter got the vegetables fajitas but the vegetables were undercooked with very little seasoning. read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Marvelous marvelous! We are in Orlando for a dog show and wanted Mexican food, thanks to fellow yelpers we decided to go to Uncle Julio's! From the outside I could tell this was going to be a fun place. The hostess Michelle greeted us with a smile and seated us inside (it was a little windy outside) and our waitress Ashley brought us water while we perused the menu. They have a nice cocktail/margarita menu but we decided on beer. The chips and salsa were fresh and fantastic! My go to is cheese enchiladas, one of my friends ordered carnitas and the other fish tacos. All of our food was flavored perfectly and even the beans were tasty! I will be back and tell my friends! read more

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We are from Atlanta and have eaten at Uncle Julios often and this was our second time at Orlando. One couple was waiting when we arrived and most tables were empty and we were surprised at the 75min wait. They asked and we had not made a reservation. Went to the website and all times were open. I made the reservation and went back inside and was told since we were on the wait list we had to remain there. I asked even though there were reservations available. The other woman said she would put as arrived but couldn't guarantee the wait. I told them no thankyou we'll eat elsewhere. UJ will survive without my money, but it was really a pius attitude to give to a customer. Was not guest oriented in the approach or the attitude. We will not be back. read more

Went on a Saturday afternoon and the place was empty. After placing an order it took more than 40 minutes for the food to arrive. We ordered Baja fish tacos and kids meal along with strawberry lemonade and pineapple spicy drink without alcohol. The food was delicious. The drinks were so refreshing. The place is clean and it was not well lit. read more

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Tourist Trap-- save your time and order an nice DoorDash... The food was not good, especially for the price. The queso with ground beef had at least an inch of grease on top. We had to send it back because even stirring it up just made it grease soup. Service was super slow (which oddly enough the manager warned us immediately after being seated that our server was new and would suck.. which.. was strange because why wouldn't you just coach them? But anyway..) The server was actually really sweet, but definitely wasn't familiar with the menu. I ordered Barbacoa and he rang Me in for carnitas. The carnitas came out as mush. By the time my actual order came out, my boyfriend had finished eating and I was full off of chips, as I've been eating them for an hour and a half at this point. I got one refill the entire two hours I was there. Which was wild because they weren't super busy. In fact, there was plenty of space for the rambunctious children at the table next to us were playing around and chasing a roach across the restaurant. Not that we asked-- but no compensation, Discount or anything was offered. We paid full price and the manager was aware of every single mistake. First and last time visiting as a local. Uncle Julio has been disowned from my family read more

We live close by - it's always the same - poor service , decent food , prices are OK Last night ordered a Tecate , waitress did not known what it was - had to tell her it's a beer and that it is on the drink menu A server brought me the beer- in an unopened can with no glass Food is always better than the service but last night it was very salty read more

Fun restaurant in the middle of tourist Orlando. I came here for dinner. I was with a group of moms and daughters. It was a cold night on a holiday weekend, and we were able to walk in and get seated. Service was attentive and friendly, and food was served quickly. I had a margarita that was not on the menu. It was called something like 3 amigos, and it had different types of tequila. It was absolutely delicious. For my main, I had the quesobirria with a side of rice and beans. The quesobirria was good, although maybe a bit skimpy on the meat. The rice and beans were filler, but when I ordered, I thought I needed more than just an appetizer. For dessert, we shared the chocolate pinata. It was quite the event. A chocolate ball was filled with churros, pineapples, and fruit, and it was brought out dangling, along with a large wooden rod. I was chosen to hit the pinata. Don't hit too hard -- chocolate flew everywhere. But it was fun and delicious, a huge hit with the kids. I thought prices were very reasonable for the area. read more

I had heard about this place for a few years now known for their chocolate piñata. We made reservations for dessert and finally tried it. Upon sitting down at our table, we were given chips and 2 different salsas (mild and hot). Very flavorful and delicous. We ordered the famous chocolate piñata $30 which is filled with pineapple, strawberries and churros. They bring it out on a large tray with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. They also provide a wooden roller for you to use to break the piñata! It's a great experience to do with a group or a couple. It is very impressive and full of goodies! You will not be disappointed!! read more

Uncle Julio's - Chocolate piñata - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Authentic mexican in downtown orlando. the food is on point and the drinks are cold. I will be back.

Fajita was good, tacos were ok, tamales weren't good. Mariachi only played 6 songs and were never seen again (We were told they had different sets from 7pm to 9pm. We were there from 630pm to 815pm) the server Carlos told me the margaritas were $5 each but he charged me $12.75 each. He charged me for a 2 taco plate and a single taco which was $1.80 more than the 3 taco plate my mom had ordered. Over all not horrible but not great. read more

Went to grab a drink and some lunch. We were told an hour wait even though 50% of the table empty. It's the Sat of spring break and you're turning away business for no good reason. Hire some people to serve. read more

Uncle Julio's - Empty patio Saturday at 2:30 - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Food was atrocious, also found out the new owners decided to remove any menu items for people with allergies and not mention it on the menu. Hope they get the day in court they deserve. The only decent thing about the restaurant was the servers. read more

We decided to go to Uncle Julio's for my dad's birthday dinner. We got to the restaurant around 5:30 ish on a Saturday and there was no wait. The restaurant was very cute, I loved the aesthetic. We tried the steak fajitas and they were so good! The topping were fantastic and the homemade tortillas were incredible! The staff was so sweet and really made us feel welcomed and cared for. We also got the famous chocolate piñata which was such a hit for my family! I got to say it's a lot of dessert! I would recommend to have at least 6 people to actually finish it! Overall, we had a great experience and would love to come back soon! read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Local here who infrequently writes reviews. UJs was highly recommended to us. Had a reservation for a party of 4 for 630pm last week. We were asked to wait 20m for a table. The main room was busy, but not overflowing. We were seated, greeted and put in our drink (2 waters and 2 margs) and app order. After 15m only 2 margs arrived. 10m after that 1/2 apps arrived. We reminded twice about missing waters, the 2nd app and plates to eat the apps on. I waited for 10m, but no plates were brought over. I had to walk over to the server prep area to grab plates myself. After 30m later, the waters and 2nd app arrived (w/o any plates) and we put in our dinner order. Our dinner arrived 20m after putting it in and only 2/4 orders were correct. The entree issue was not resolved for another 20min. We were told upon receiving the bill that as a gesture of apology that we would be given 2 desserts on the house to take home. 15min later, the waitress apologized again saying that there was only one dessert to give. Awkward for a 2 couple dinner. While the waitress did apologize more than a few times to us about the kitchen being very backed up (assuming staffing issues which are common these days), this does not change the fact that this dinner was awful not only in terms of service all around by staff, but also doneness of the meats. Very disappointing dinner experience considering the higher costs with eating down on IDrive. read more

The service was slow and the food was mediocre. We liked the chili con queso but the large was so small, we believed we'd been given the wrong size until they confirmed they hadn't. The bathroom was also not in great shape and the floor was wet. The chocolate piñata dessert was fun and we did appreciate that someone must've heard us say we didn't think it had enough churros so they brought over more. I wouldn't rush to come back but say the dessert is worth doing once. read more

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After a long day at Disney, our party of eight decided to eat at Uncle Julio's. Our server, Gabby, was very nice and offered great service throughout the meal. When our food arrived, she noticed that two of our dishes -- the skirt steak fajitas and the chicken and skirt steak fajitas -- were not cooked to the requested medium rare. Gabby immediately flagged the issue herself, apologized, and offered to have them refired, which we greatly appreciated. However, the experience quickly deteriorated when the food was returned to the table. The female manager and a male manager/food runner (with tattoos) brought the plates back, rudely pointed at the steaks, claimed they were medium rare (they were actually medium well, with no red or warmth inside), and essentially slammed the dishes onto the table without apology or concern. Their attitude was dismissive and disrespectful -- as if to say, "this is what you get." A simple apology or explanation ("this is our standard for medium rare") would have sufficed. Feeling uncomfortable, we asked to speak with someone. The male manager returned, he approached the table laughing and smiling, saying, "Who asked for me?" This further escalated the tension. My father requested to speak with him privately on the patio and explained why the situation was unacceptable. The male manager eventually returned to the table to apologize, but the manager quickly followed, interrupting by saying, "You wanted a manager? Well, here I am." When we calmly tried to explain our concerns about the rudeness and lack of hospitality, the female manager argued with us instead of listening, repeatedly interrupting everyone at the table. She claimed the food had been properly refired -- but if that was true, it certainly wasn't handled with care or sufficient time as it was returned in an instant of sending it back. At no point did she sincerely apologize or attempt to offer a solution, and the conversation became unproductive as she continued to argue with members of our family rather than taking accountability. Recognizing that the situation was going nowhere, we requested the check and ended the discussion. While Gabby truly deserves recognition for her professionalism and attention to detail, the rudeness and poor management by the female and male managers completely ruined what should have been a relaxing meal after a long day. We sincerely hope Uncle Julio's addresses these hospitality issues in the future. read more

Been here before but didn't really get a chance to get a fair assessment to form a true opinion (long story)......so of course I had to go back. The weird thing about this restaurant is that to the eye, it's never full but they are always turning away customers due to being at capacity. It's so strange. Anyways, to the best and important part, I ordered one of their specialty cocktails, a raspberry margarita....honestly one of the best cocktails I've gotten in a very long time. I also got the Carne Asada - Skirt steak w/rice, beans, and guacamole salad. Absolutely delicious! It did take quite a while for our food to come out. About 45 minutes to be exact but if you noticed, I still gave them 5 stars because it is that DELICIOUS! The food came out hot, it was flavorful and the drinks were really good. What more can a foodie gal ask for? But don't take my word for it...go! #wtfisfor read more

Uncle Julio's - Fresh Raspberry Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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We came here because of a commercial we saw on tv about the chocolate piñata dessert. We thought it would be a fun experience for the family. But the experience was just okay. The restaurant is located in the heart of tourist central on International drive, so be aware, you're gonna have to park in the garage or get valet service. We had reservations so we were seated right away when we arrived. We liked the fresh tortilla chips and salsa, and also the table side guacamole. But the entrees we ordered were not great. My daughter and I ordered the skirt steak fajitas for two . We asked for the steak to be cooked medium, but it came out well done. Too difficult to even chew. Manager was nice and took half the cost off our bill. But the other entrees we ordered were also nothing to make a return visit for. The filet mignon was unseasoned, not even salted, and the chicken bowl was bland. We had to order hot sauce to make it palatable. Overall, I was hoping for more seasoning in the food. Especially for a Tex Mex restaurant, it just wasn't there. By the time the chocolate piñata came out we were pretty much over the hype we had set for ourselves for this restaurant. The cracking of the piñata looks better on video than in real life. But it was good to experience just this once. read more

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