Haven't been in Uncle Julio's for several years,since we don't have any near us, but while traveling I had the opportunity to stop in. I ordered a Sangria and Roberto's Combination. The star was the pork tamale. It was moist flavorful and had the right ratio. The taco and enchilada were good but I really enjoyed the tamale. All in all- it was a good meal. :-) My only drawback is the restaurant is louder than I prefer but that's my personal preference. read more

This used to be a childhood favorite not sure if I've just been exposed to more food but definitely not as good as I remember the steak is drier and the rice clumpier. The flavoring is still good and I'm a huge fan of the salsa. The space is big and moderns overall an okay place read more

Uncle Julio's - Steak fajita wrap - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

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Basically a Taco Bell on a plate. So disappointed , only one appetizer was good . Entrees were way under my expectations

Margarita flights: mango, raspberry $ strawberry, very refreshing and was the only redeeming quality on this location. Service, while staff was nice, was not up to par-forgot a bunch of stuff and seemed overwhelmed tending to the demands of the large crowd during our visit. It was hard to enjoy when the AC seemed to be off, it was hot inside and while it was a warm day, outside in the shade was cooler... we got out do quickly after eating half of most of our meals, six in my party all had varying complaints. I spoke to the manager and he was nice enough but really just gave me lip service for he just stood where he was after talking to him and while we ate could see he was just there...basically did not change the temp even after promising he would. In fact, as we ate our meals, it got even worst...what a letdown. A friend had to beg for a glass of milk to cool her palette down she was red hot not only by the food but the warm room temp was added culprit! My hubby and I were never a fan but a friend really craved " Mexican " and in obligating her, Mexican she will have, and this place was it, near the concert we were attending so we were all in good spirits. Yet the place was such a disappointment, not that we expect any better. We always had lower expectation but despite that the carne Asada my hubby and I ordered and shared lacked the necessary grill marks or charring, taste was on point surprisingly!. I supposed the 2nd redeeming quality of UJ, the Carne Asada always tastes good despite the texture like I mentioned one would expect in a grilled meat-especially & prominently written on the description...i could go on and on but I'll say and give UJ this, the complimentary chips were light and nice and better than most Tex-Mex i've had in the recent visits...and yea, the 3rd redeeming quality of this place, almost... They can do better but I won't know for I have no desire to visit anytime soon! read more

Uncle Julio's - Margarita flights: mango, raspberry $ strawberry, very refreshing and was the only redeeming quality on this location. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

The food was amazing (I had the veggie taco), and the prices were very decent. Ambiance was standard Tex mex (so not Mexican). Service was okay (our waiter only wanted to split the bill evenly instead of the way I wanted), and things took a while to come out. For some reason they don't have a veggie burrito or veggie enchiladas. They have a cheese and onion enchilada, but considering the veggies they have available, it's pathetic. read more

Uncle Julio's - Veggie tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

There are many great restaurants in Reston Town Center and Uncle Julio's is one of them. We went there on a Wednesday afternoon at about 1 o'clock. The restaurant had a few customers, but it was not super busy. I wasn't planning on having a cocktail, but my friend recommended the drink called "Swirl." it was a frozen drink made with sangria and frozen Margarita swirled together. It was only $11 and awesome on a hot summer day! We started out with a basket of fresh tortilla chips and salsa; which is always great. I ordered the hand-pulled chicken tortilla bowl. It was $13.95 and a huge serving of cilantro rice topped with corn, black beans, peppers, and a large topping of seasoned chicken and crunchy tortilla strips. I loved it and there was enough to take home for another lunch. My husband and a friend had the chicken enchiladas. They said they were good, but could have used a little hot sauce added. They also thought the side of beans could have been bigger. The final friend in our group ordered the mushroom tacos. She ordered 3, but said 2 would have been plenty. She said they were delicious. If you like Mexican food; I definitely recommend giving Uncle Julio's a try! read more

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Amazing experience on a Friday night. Long line to get in however plenty of seats at the bar. The salsa is unbelievable! Just the right amount of spice. The level of noise was not bad seeing the place was packed. I got the bacon wrapped shrimp fajitas and it was delicious. It was so good I almost ordered another!! I recommend trying the Sangria margarita. You won't be disappointed read more

Uncle Julio's - Chips and salsa - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

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Man oh man.... What used to be one of my favorite restaurants has gone down the drain. I came here Sunday night 10/12/25 and I gave this place three recent tries in the past six months, hopefully thinking I came on a bad night. Nope, it was confirmed a poor experience nearly every time. First lets start with the good. The margaritas are excellent. Those have always been consistent and I'm very thankful for that. Whether it's the seasonal one or the standard, props to the bartender. Now with the not-so-good. The free chips they give... man when did they start cutting them so thick? They used to be so thin and flaky with sprinkles of salt, we had two batches of chips and both were filled with thick chips... not enjoyable at all. We ordered the steak fajitas, since that's our go-to item. Let me start off by saying we ordered medium, and they came out well done. We were one of two parties inside the restaurant at the time so there's no excuse as to why this was messed up. The steak had grey bands on it, meaning it wasn't seared properly, and almost boiled with the juices they marinate the steak in. Also, any chef knows you're supposed to cut skirt steak AGAINST the grain, these were cut WITH the grain, and thus were chewier than normal, on top of them being well done. And lastly, the quality of the steak is far inferior as to what it used to be even lets say a year ago. That was a bummer. On top of all that, the tortillas they make in-house used to be thin and wide, now for some reason, they are thick and small, which dont make them as enjoyable as they used to be. In our previous experiences, we used to always order the table-side guac. The past two times we ordered, we were so disappointed we never ordered it again. Now we have an issue with the chips, the steak fajitas, and the tortillas. The experience was so bad that I even looked up if Uncle Julios was bought out by another company recently. Do your research, cause lo and behold, they were bought out this year in January 2025. Why am I not surprised? Used to be one of my go-to's but not anymore. Quality has gone way downhill. Save yourself some money and try a different restaurant in Reston Town Center. read more

Yelpers give this place short shrift, and I am not entirely sure why. I found it to be quite good, with quick service and reasonable prices. They served me a solid margarita, and I really liked the tender skirt steak in my fajitas. I was kind of in the mood for that and it really hit the spot. I would definitely go to this place again next time I am in Reston. read more

Uncle Julio's - Skirt Steak Fajitas for One - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

Latin flavors Family night out for some Latin bites of food. This chain restaurant is located in the busy Reston Town center area in Reston Virginia . I never visited this location and it will be my last. We were the only people of color and this place was packed. No inside video. All eyes on us. Waited over 45 minutes for any food after being seated. Music: Point Blank Musician: Not The King I do not own the rights to this song Menu items Chicken fajitas for two Tacos Americanos platter Service 4.5 out of 10 Portion size 8 out of 10 Taste 7.2 out of 10 Ambiance 6.1 out of 10 read more

I went last week. To uncle Julio i used to go there every week now. I don't think I am ever going to go back there again. And I ordered beef fajita well done. It came in raw meat. I have to chew for a long time. It was horrible. I was there 4 PM afternoon. They were not busy. I have to wait for the waitress to come. Get my money. It was a disaster. The Onion and green beef, they put it in there. It's so big. When I look at it, I did not want to eat it at all. I wasted $60 on one person. It is not worted, I would love to give 0, but it doesn't have a 0. read more

Uncle Julio's is one of our mainstays and we have been going here for probably 15 years now. It may not be authentic mexican but if you want a solid tex mex meal especially the Fajitas you can't go wrong here. The chicken and steak are our go-to and the meat is tender, seasoned well and when you combine the grilled pepper/onions, the beans, the rice you get a tasty bite. The bacon wrapped shrimp is also a nice addition if you are feeling seafood. Another comment...the service has been outstanding the last few times we've been. Attentive staff, friendly and they even may give you some chips and salsa to go with your leftovers. The salsa is our favorite...smoky,tomatoey goodness that keeps you chomping away at the chips over and over. read more

Bartender is unwelcoming. Audis should not be working in hospitality at all. 2 of us sat down, and only got 1 dinner menu. When asked for another menu, he grabbed the initial menu he gave us, at which point I said theres 2 people dining, get us another menu. He said to calm down, which i found offensive. So i grabbed my things and wemt across the street for dinner. Its ok, i just had dinner at another tex mex yesterday which mind you, is a lot better at hospitality than this place. Thanks for letting me know to never dine at uncle Whorios again. read more

Uncle Julio's used to be a restaurant my husband and I would go out of our way to patronize. No, it was never "authentic" Mexican food, but it was outstanding Tex Mex with killer salsa, delectable steak fajitas, and neon yellow queso so good you could drink it through a straw. None of that is true anymore. We skipped happily into UJ's for dinner recently, only to find that our three favorite things had been completely changed--and none of those changes were for the better. The flavorful, smoky salsa had been replaced with chunky tomato water, like someone boiled a jar of Pace. The steak fajitas were tough and tasteless, and served with tortillas that reminded me of Wonder Bread. But it was the "elevated" queso that someone needs to answer for at The Hague. Gone was the ridiculously delicious dip of old, which was little more than melted cheese with tomatoes and peppers. Glorious. Now the queso is all fancied up with purées and essences and shavings, somehow managing at once to be gross yet flavorless. We walked out of our meal shellshocked. This terrible meal marked the end of a 20 year era for us. read more

Uncle Julio's Management team Reston. We didn't go to Uncle Julio's for the nachos or for the waiter's service, or even for having our water glasses refilled twice! read more

I had a chance to visit Uncle Julio's in Reston Town Center. The restaurant is as what you expect and Uncle Julio's. The staff were great and very attentive. I ordered a taco sald with an Arnold Palmer. The Taco Salad was great. I would have enjoyed it more with more ground meet and maybe beans. The atmosphere was casual and the restaurant always has a good draw. I look forward to my next visit. read more

Great service and very attentive waiter(s). Food was great and they kept the chips and drinks refilled quickly. Easy parking in the multi story (not free anymore though!). Would and will definitely be back. read more

This location of Uncle Julio's is incredibly busy and an energetic atmosphere. Parking is easy, but the wait time could be long on the weekends and evenings. It's a great choice for gathering with friends or dining with family. The gratis chips and salsa are delicious, and their house guacamole is very fresh and tasty. Eat it with more chips! After these, there's little room left for food, but there are great choices. I was in a party of 12, but they made it work and accommodated everyone's ordering and eating needs. The libations kept flowing, and the food was filling. Tacos were a favorite, as were some of their bowl options. Just don't expect to have super fine tuning of your order when you have a party of 12- perhaps it was just our server, but, it seemed difficult at best but impossible in reality. All the same, I would go back because it is just a fun environment! Just be sure to know what you want and if you have preferences and restrictions, plan for yourself rather than relying on substitutions and changes to menu items on a busy night with a large number of people in your party. read more

It's been at 5 years since I last ate here. I enjoyed the ambience, which might give away just how long it's been. They've rebranded with an upscale casual interior, nice glassware, and heavy utensils. The chips and salsa were just as delicious as I remember. I ordered the mushroom quesadilla and it was fantastic. I liked the slaw too. My husband had the American beef tacos, which he also enjoyed. The service was attentive and friendly. The bathroom was clean as was the rest of the restaurant. read more

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This place was amazing! We were on a time crunch during a conference, and they were able to get us in and out really quick. My only complaint is that in my steak bowl the veggies weren't seasoned quite as well as the rest of the food, but the table side guacamole was phenomenal and I would highly recommend. It was a really fun environment and definitely a place I would check out again. read more

Uncle Julio's - Menu - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

The Chicken and Steak Fajitas were delicious! We got the Fajitas for two which came with plenty of check and steak and 6 total tortillas. The Pork Tamales were okay, personally I did not like the taste, something just felt a bit off (may have been the taste left from the corn husk) Overall a great experience. Our server was wonderful and professional. read more

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Food was not very good and service was poor. Will not be returning We ordered the fajitas for two which was at room temperature when brought to the table. The dish was about what a individual order would be read more

I did a to go order of the family platter which was suppose to feed 4 people. I ordered this on Cinco de Mayo so you already know the store was crazy. I put in my order at 3pm and set it for pick up at 6. I got there at 6:30 and it was ready. The food looked good and was plenty of rice, beans, Guac, chips and other sides. The salsa I ordered a pint. However, the meat was kinda skimp. They gave us plenty of tortillas. The platter I selected also came with 4 margs. It started leaking so they remade my drinks fairly easily. The 2 regular margs and 2 frozen came with a lot of booze!! Not very strong but deff a lot. They tasted good to. They did a good job of putting the platter together. Now that I know how the family platters work I'd definitely get it again. I highly recommend the to go option. read more

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ordered steak fajitas and the meat was tuff you could not chew the meat. Worst fajitas ever. Cheap cut of meat for $70. Will never order again. Very disappointin. read more

I've only been to this restaurant once but the one time I went, I love the atmosphere, the frozen margarita were delicious. I decided to order the salmon and rice today. The portion was perfect and top on top with the lemon juice. Salmon was juicy and crunchy at the same time. The queso was delicious, perfect amount of cheese and chips and was perfectly made. read more

Uncle Julio's - Honey Chipotle Salmon - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

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Great ambiance, great service. Even as many restaurants are having trouble finding good staff, Julio's excels. The food is fresh and tasty, and the RTC setting is ideal! One of my favorites in RTC! Try the steak and shrimp fajitas! read more

We were 20 of us . Had a blast at UJ. Superb service . We requested individual check they said. No problem . Loved their drinks . Got Julio's Gold . It's a must if any of you visit . I ordered steak and chicken fajita . Steak was full of flavor and great taste . Chicken too . The sides were too good . My friend ordered fish taco it was yummy . I tasted my friend's fajita . It was very well seasoned . Thoroughly enjoyed the evening going back Again . read more

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They don't answer their phones so you can place a to-go order... but they'll charge you a $6 "service fee" just to order from their own website for pickup. read more

I would give zero stars if I could. Their tacos were pathetic. Tasteless and bland. Their chips were weird tasting and fried in cheap smelly (or old) oil, and served cold (stale). Their entrees were ridiculous and they didn't have half the items on the dessert menu. Plus I was charged more than should have only to realize later despite paying a 20% tip. Won't be going back and won't recommend spending your hard earned money here. read more

Over the years, I have been to this Uncle Julio's probably 20+ times, with the entire range of great experiences (nice outside seating, good food) to HORRIBLE (a waiter dropped a very heavy plate on my hubby's leg, offered a drink to compensate, then CHARGED us for the beer!!!) Therefore, the 4 star is a compilation of this. I do think with the new renovation, the restaurant is trying to do better. We came here for Happy hour on Friday - they only have drink specials - no food happy hour. The chips were amazing - prob the best Mexican food chips I've ever had...crispy and light. We had fabulous cheap $5 & $6 margaritas - the swirl and the "gold." Wonderful way to start the weekend. The highlight was the new Queso Birria tacos -- slow cooked beef with yummy cheese and lightly pan fried in the au jus. And, au jus on the side...just wonderful! read more

Uncle Julio's - Queso Birria tacos - appetizer ($16) - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

It's been a rough holiday with my MIL in the hospital. After being at the hospital we decided to go to Uncle Julio's to get take out. Normally I love this place but today I am a bit upset. Food prices are expensive and when you pay for something you don't get, it's frustrating. Today we got shorted an enchilada and got extra beans (we did not ask for). Not mad, just very disappointed. read more

Uncle Julio's - shorted an enchilada for take out - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

The food was pretty good. My main issue was with the cleanliness and the waitress. There were several pieces of gum under the table. If anyone wants to fix that, we were seated by the window facing And Pizza. There was also confusion surrounding Taco Tuesday. We asked the difference between service for two and service for three. At first, the waitress said that she didn't know. Then, without asking a more experienced server, she said that the amount of meat would be the same, but we would be charged for three people, instead of two. In other words $18x3 people would receive the same amount of food as $18x2 people. She suggested eating smaller portions to stretch it between three people. Then, she said that the cooks might pile the meat higher if we ordered service for three people rather than two, but she wasn't sure. She seemed to be making up the answers to my questions on the spot instead of just asking someone who knew the answers. We won't be back. The issue with the waitress wasn't a dealbreaker. I'm assuming she just didn't know the answer and didn't have the confidence to ask someone who knew. The issue with several pieces of gum under the table is a dealbreaker. It's gross. For $100+ meal/drinks, I don't want to hit my knee against gun when I cross my legs. read more

I came just for a drink. I ordered Old Fashion and it's too sweet. Should have more bourbon than agave. It seems the other way around!

Right now a lot can improve. I am sitting at the bar. Next to me are several "RESERVED" signs. For customers, no. Apparently the air conditioner above is leaking everywhere. Half the bar is closed for safety reasons. The water is now all over the floor as well. My husband and I feel very sad for the workers here. You can see the wall discolored from the water behind it. It's been going on for some time. Any minute the TV could fall off the wall. These employees are in danger. I personally had to tell people they couldn't sit next to me because the area is closed. This company is losing money. But more important WE and STAFF are not safe. We are all disappointed. Been coming here for years. Love the food & staff. But it's going on for too long. We will come back when it's safe. read more

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Had lunch at the Rio Grande (Uncle Juio's) in Reston today. Had option of seating in bar area or dining. Decided on dining room as thought wed get better service. Seated along the windows at the 2nd of three tables to the right of the door to outside dining area. So good view of the intersection. Something to do while we sat there. We waited a long while before waitress arrived. Almost left the restaurant. They were not that busy when we came in. Anyway, we ordered chicken fajitas and waters. Not a huge order but the Reston Arts Festival was on and did not want to carry leftovers. Before ordering we were served a bowl of chips and two salsas. Same flavor in both salsas. We ran out of chips. Fajitas came and we're served with No tortillas. So we snacked on beans and rice until tortillas came. We opened the tortilla dish and had three tortilla's. There have also shrunk over the years as they are now 1/2 the size they used to be. We had gone dry on chips before food arrived. Asked 3 different wait staff for more. Finally got chips from our waitress whom said I hear you asked for chips. She did not bring more salsa. We just ate the rest of the fajitas without wraps. Our water glasses were empy and when I asked for check it was a paper check. Asked waitress for pen to write my phone number on for frequent diners club credit. She gave me pen and took off never to be seen again. Luckily we had enough cash to pay for the meal W/ tip Which should have been lower Than 20%. Guarantee phone number never got entered in for credit on this meal! This is not the normal service we have had at the Uncle Julio's. Have been regulars over the years since this location opened. Enjoyed the majority of the meals here. But on this visit we had decent food (it's been better) that did not make up for bad service (it was). Food. 7 Waitress 1 read more

Went here a few weeks ago and our server I'm pretty sure quit mid shift. Service was lack luster and prices are way too high. Their flavored frozen margaritas are just mainly syrup and frozen margarita. The new menu is bland and shows why it's a Tex mex restaurant and nothing more. For other quality you can get in the town center this would be my last choice. What was a nice spot has definitely downgraded over the years. read more

Alright, I'll offer a disclaimer... I'm a San Diego born and raised chicana with the flavor profile of my Mexican mother running through my veins. So if I'm honest, my expectations of Mexican food on the east coast are not that high because i feel like that just wouldn't be fair. With that being said this place was an okayish start to my NOVA Mexican experience. I was excited to see that they have a station that makes tortillas, but the corn tortillas at restaurants like these never satisfy or stay intact at the least, and this place was unfortunately not the exception. We asked to be seated outside because the weather on this fall day was in the 80s! It was great until nature came to visit us (big ass bee/hornet), so we moved inside. I ordered the veggie fajita with no cheese or sour cream and a side of rice and beans (vegetarian). read more

Uncle Julio's - Skirt steak fajitas and veggies fajitas (without sour cream and cheese) - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

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Family was in town and they love Mexican so we ventured here for the second time in probably eight years. Our young server was really attentive and friendly but the food was a mixed bag. The cheese enchilada was flat (literally and taste-wise) and the diners with the cilantro rice found that a strange experience. The bowl with the Mexican rice was the favorite. The others thought their food was good but nothing was noteworthy. We asked if they had spicier salsa and another little bowl was brought out. The server thought we were going to say it was too hot but it really helped punch up the experience for us. If your food is flat maybe request hotter salsa! read more

Uncle Julio's - Cheese & Onion Enchiladas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Reston, Virginia

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The Reston Town Center location consistently delivers excellent service and delicious food. Big kudos to Angel - he's the friendliest staff member ever! We ordered the Barbacoa Steak Fajitas, the Tex-Mex Dinner Combo, and my personal favorite: their made-to-order "Tableside Guacamole."Everything was fantastic! We've also visited the One Loudoun location, but the Reston location stands out - the flavors are richer, and the service feels more personal. Reston has definitely become our go-to! read more

I live 45 minutes away and when I went to unpack my meal they forgot to give me my tortillas for my fajitas.