It is a shame the staff is so bad here! The food was fantastic! But service sucks hard. We waited 15 minutes to sit and restaurant was empty. Then 20 mins after sitting at table I had to ask for a server. Order everything at once but still took an hour to get our food ( 4 people). Got meal in pieces-- some entrees and than 10 min later we got sides. Had to ask twice for drink refills. One person got food after the other 3 finished eating. Asked for it to go and got attitude from server. In total we were at restaurant for 2 hours-- it also took forever to get our check. The kitchen did their job-- food excellent-- front of house sucked. read more

Nice place for lunch or dinner while visiting Icon Park in Orlando. The inside is fairly typical of a mid-range sit down restaurant. The service was friendly and our server was very knowledgeable. She told us the kitchen was a scratch kitchen, which I believe after tasting everything that we ordered. Our table tried the carnitas tacos, the birria quesadilla, and the roasted cauliflower bowl. All were delicious, as was the perfect Paloma and skinny margarita. My only complaint is that the bench seat at our table was covered in tortilla chip crumbs, which tells me that maybe the back of the house may be a little sketchy. Maybe not. I'll have to check back and see. read more

Hello dear reader, so my family went to this restaurant due to their chocolate piñata we wanted to try. We sat down got our drinks and some chips and queso, pretty decent may I add. However, the bad part is the time our food took to come out. I ordered the steak enchiladas and I'm pretty sure they had to go to the local cow pasture kill a cow, have their gun misfire go get a new one come back kill a cow, process it then come back because my food took an hour and 30 minutes to come out. My entire family was served lukewarm food that honestly looked reheated and they were all done with their food before mine even came out. My food was the most mid food I've had in my life. And I paid 25$ for the small little plate of what I'm ashamed to call enchiladas. After that we bought the piñata which I was convinced they would have to go to a foreign country to get the cocoa beans and come back but somehow it was out very shortly. It was very good but if we had got it at first it would've been worth it, but we got it at the end, which compared to the rest of our food that took an hour to come out I'd say 15 minutes is pretty good. For the price you pay to eat here I'd expect it to be out in minutes, not literally an hour. In terms of the decoration it seemed very well thought out. The food is the one thing that really needs to be fixed. Thank you for your time and attention reading this. read more

Uncle Julio's Orlando - My food. - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Came here on Sunday for an early lunch. They seemed to just have opened as the restaurant and bar area were not busy and started filling up when we were about to leave. We decided to sit at the bar... noticed there was a strong smell coming from the kitchen so switched sides. The bartender kind of rolled her eyes when we did so, and her attitude did not change during the whole time we were there. Not a smile, at all, little eye contact, and just felt like she did not want to be there. Even when I asked for a mimosa she said "I would have to go make the orange juice"... well, guess that's not an option. Thankfully the food came out and this is why they deserve the stars given. I ordered the Carnitas Fajitas and it turned this experience into a positive one. Nice presentation, good amount of cheese, guac, and sour cream. The meat portion was enough for two (or leftovers, in my case) and was deliciously flavorful. And they give you 4 large warm tortillas on the side (again, leftovers). The rice and beans it comes with were really good too. And I was able to try the onion and cheese enchilada and would recommend that too. Apart from the service we received, definitely a place I would go back to and suggest to friends. read more

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

Super upset and annoyed. I've come here several times in the past, it used to be my go to and I would always bring out of town visitors here because their table side guacamole and chocolate piñata are top tier. Went tonight, and it was awful from start to finish. I cannot believe how the quality of the food and service has just plummeted. To start when we checked in, we were told it would be a thirty minute wait. We waited forty five minutes for a text message, and then checked in with the staff. They then seated us at a high top. We waited a few minutes and the hostess asked if anyone had checked on us, no one had so she went over and spoke to a server. Our server seemed nice enough, very brought us water, chips and salsa, and then took our order. The table side guacamole came and it was okay. Too bad we had ran out of chips and our server was no where to be found. When our food was brought over, we asked the person who delivered our food for more chips, water, and silverware. He alerted our waiter who finally made an appearance, and brought us chips to go with our guacamole. While we were eating, the manager came over to ask how things were, I asked if he could bring us another pitcher of water when he had a chance. The manager said sure and then disappeared, never to be seen again. After saying excuse me several times to get our waiters attention, he finally came over. This was such an awful dining experience. I'm usually so easy going, as I know people are busy. However, to just ignore us, when I saw him repeatedly checking on other tables is just so rude. I've never felt this way at a restaurant and I will definitely never come back here. ***just fyi I e-mailed the manager and never heard back. So just don't go here. Seems the bad customer service is the general culture here.*** read more

The food here is consistently wonderful! The chips and salsa are served as soon as you get to the table. The Jalisco and chicken fajitas are our favorite. The fajitas mostly comes with grilled onions and peppers on a hot plate, along with your protein. There is cheese, guac, and sour cream on the side. There's also a side of rice n beans which makes for an overall generous portion! My favorite thing to eat here is the tortillas-thick, chewy, salty, and warm! You get 4 to an order. This is a kid friendly location with lots to do just outside of the restaurant including toy carts, animal photo (with exotic birds), build a bear, gem "mining" station, and a train to ride on. This would get 5 stars but the service is quite slow and spotty. Parking in an adjacent garage is fre (above floor 3, as of 4/2024g Will be back for the food! read more

Service was slow, non existent, waiter never filled drinks, ordered queso never refilled chip bowl, been to locations in Texas this worst by far, also the restaurant was not full to capacity it should've been a red flag read more

Cannot recommend. Ordered the 'spicy pina' Margarita, which allegedly had muddled pineapple and jalapeño - but there was not even a hint of Chile heat. The drink also was watery. The salsa that came out with the chips likewise didn't have any spiciness whatsoever. Given those factors, I was not willing to gamble on getting a bland entree - I paid for the drink and left. read more

My family of 5 (hubby and I and 3 kids under 6) go out to eat at least 2 times/ weekend. We had family from out of town so we decided to go to uncle Julio's for dinner. I have been to Uncle Julio's approximately 3 times before but THIS time was THE WORST RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE I've had my whole life. The server Kelsie had forgot to order our guests' beverage and her entree, and she was the first to place each order. Her beverage never arrived even after my husband ordered his second drink. After flagging Kelsie down to let her know about the drink, it finally arrived 45 minutes later. Kelsie never apologized for the delay. Then all the food arrived and one of the entree never arrived while the rest of the table was basically ready for the check! When asked about the order Kelsie said, "I just work here, I take the order back and that's it." Never apologized for her error and blamed the kitchen. Also we had asked for a pitcher of water that was never brought and my kids drinks were never refilled so I had to go to the bar to get their refill. After all of this I requested the manager. The manager Victoria came out and from the beginning she was dismissive, unprofessional and simply rude. Not once did she apologize for the unpleasant experience and all she did was justify the server's behavior and then insinuated that one of our guest made a comment about a drink. We had two families with children and we are the type of people that don't even send food back but instead of handling the situation with poise and hospitality she escalated it and offended one of our guests. I'm honestly still in shock of both Kelsie and the manager's behavior. I barely write reviews but I hope this prevents some other families of going there and ruining Orlando visitors's the perception of Orlando. Nevermind discounting the orders, a simple courtesy and professionalism would've sufficed but we never even got a simple apology. What a horrible representation of this establishment. The other staff and some of the food was good but needless to say we will NEVER return and pray that server Kelsie and Manger Victoria (who refused to give her last name when asked) can learn to do their job to better represent Uncle Julio's and work in the hospitality industry. 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 Orlando - 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

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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Very good food and service great music and the carnitas were fire, rice tasted well and the hot sauce was very flavorful prob the best restaurant on I drive read more

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

First of all- we fully recognize this is in a tourist place so our expectations were not high as a result. we came with the intention of the chocolate pinata but wanted to share a few plates of food first. The service was extremely slow- we ordered queso, but it still took an extra 20 minutes before we saw our waitress to take the food order. The restaurant was busy but not packed (lots of open tables). After an hour of being there and no entrees, we spoke up. (We only had 3 entrees). The food did come out quicker after that. The food itself was just okay. The seasoning was underwhelming but the food was hot. The chocolate piñata was great. Next time(?) we will eat elsewhere and come just for the piñata. 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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So let's start with I LOVE this restaurant. I'm from Texas and this is a staple!! I used to love coming here, the service at the bar was mediocre at best. They have changed the chips, why I don't know, I would have to say bagged grocery store chips are better. The Mexican butter was completely off. Was NOT impressed, which made me sad. I came from NC to eat here. Won't be back 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 Orlando - Shrimp fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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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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 was absolutely the worst dining experience in my 67 years. We waited 20 just to be greeted by the server. She took our drink order. We waited another half hour finally went to the bar, and found out she never turned it in. That's when things got worse. read more

30 minutes for a drink. Absolute joke. Nobody even acknowledges you. Understaffed and not worth the headache.

Service and atmosphere were great. Food was amazing. Would definitely go back when we are in Orlando.

Terrible service. Got a salad with no dressing. Waited and waited. Finally had to go to the front to get dressing. Got rice that was barely cooked. Your better off going to Del Taco if your in Orlando 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 Orlando - 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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Worst experience ever in a restaurant tonight In Uncle Julio's - Orlando international Drive. Showed up early for an 8:15pm reservation. Seated at 8:45. Placed order shortly thereafter - within 10 minutes - and didn't receive our food until 10:15pm. No discount, no apology from the manager, no reason why we had to wait so long to receive our food. As a matter of fact, the manager never came to our table. A waitress did ask us if we wanted complementary side salads. We witnessed four tables, who were seated around the same time as us, get up and leave around 45 - 60 minutes into the wait. Wish we had done the same. read more

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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Stopped in here while at icon park. The wait for dinner to get to our table was ridiculous. Also to me the menu is VERY limited. The food itself wasn't bad and I liked the taste but the other things overshadowed my experience. read more

Zero Stars! Worst service EVER! We were a complete afterthought. Sat with no drinks refills. We were told after an hour wait for our food, one entree was not available. Food took forever and when it came out it was wrong. DO NOT RECOMMEND! read more

Disappointing Service and Overall Experience If you're looking for slow, indifferent service and an overpriced, underwhelming meal, Uncle Julio's has you covered. Our drinks took so long to arrive I started wondering if they were distilling the tequila from scratch. When the food finally showed up, it was lukewarm at best -- like it had been waiting in the kitchen as long as we were waiting at the table. Our servers seemed allergic to eye contact and refills, and asking for anything extra felt like we were inconveniencing them. The atmosphere was more "chaotic cafeteria" than "lively restaurant," and noise levels that could drown out a marching band. For the prices they're charging, you'd think they'd at least serve hot food and a smile. I'd recommend Uncle Julio's only if you're conducting research on how to ruin a night out. Drinks took excessively long to arrive Food was lukewarm, not fresh Servers were inattentive and unapproachable Overpriced for the quality and experience 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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Food was par at best & service was horrible no excuse went for lunch wasn't even busy

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 Orlando - Chocolate piñata - Mexican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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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

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

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

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

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