Best Mexican joint in the area. Fajitas are yummy, fish tacos are great, happy hour prices rock. Decor is nice and simple, wait staff is nice, management is very good. Take out is hot and on time. read more

We decided to eat here because we wanted Margaritas. The menu did not have the margarita prices and it makes sense why. The most basic margarita was $14 which in my opinion is absurd. Regardless, my lady had ordered the margarita before I asked so I went with it. The margarita was average at best, and the restaurant did nothing special to warrant the $14 price tag Now let's give credit where it's due. The food was good and the service was great. But for Mexican food there are cheaper and better options a few miles away. read more

I have frequented this restaurant on multiple occasions throughout and the experience has been variable. While on some days you get 5 stars service, you may encounter a less favorable night your next visitation. 1) The food has been consistently good, ,but the remaining factors drag the quality of the meal down: therefore if good grub is your goal, go for it but consider: 2)The waiting period and wait-associated accommodations are sub par even for small establishments. When the weather permits you can gather outside and stare at the picturesque parking lot frequented by laundry, tobacco, or low price massage's, patronage. If its it cold or hot outside prepare your ,"first world problems"; being awkwardly showed against dining guests who you observe in hunger ( making you a vulture) or crammed in the doorway with the fellow punished. Worst case scenario you wait in your car running AC or heat. Regardless, the (quality of food/waiting period) ratio drops rapidly. Finding a decent timeframe or getting in line before being too hungry are suggested. 3) tonight's experience(main driver cut rating,) : chips and Salsa were never refreshed. The inexperienced waiter did not point out that my appetizer was exactly the same as my meal just in a bigger bowl... That just made me mad. 4)The associated paycheck makes it worse. But I have signed the same oven-reach on 5 stars days were it was worth it. read more

Just moved to McLean recently and was hoping to find a good Tex Mex restaurant in the area (as this is my favorite cuisine). El Tio delivered!! Super fresh salsa, and some of the best chips I've ever had. I know that sounds trivial, but everyone at the table was obsessed! I had the chili rellenos and they were awesome. Definitely large portions, so go when you're hungry! read more

I've been coming here for years and this place ROCKS!!! You have to try the table side made to order Guacamole. The Margaritas are right on point! In fact every thing is right on point, made fresh to order!!! The service is outstanding and our family thinks it's the BEST restaurant in McLean!!! If I could give it ten stars I would!!!! GREAT JOB EL TIO!! read more

Food was OK . Server isn't familiar with the menu though. Bf asked her what she recommended for the margaritas and she had to find someone for the answer. She came back and told us what the house special was...OK maybe she doesn't drink. But she shouldn't need to ask someone for the house special. I asked her what she recommended for the appetizers out of 3 choices, said that the question was a popular selection. Now, I'm particular with my queso- I hate when it's made with processed cheese and it coats your tongue in that gross filmy way. To make sure that I'd actually be eating it, I asked her. Is it made from real cheese and not processed, like kraft or Velveeta? She assured me it wasn't. So we get it and after just LOOKING at it, I know. I eat a couple of bites, but can't stand that gross wax-like flavor. The annoying part is that she didn't come back and ask us about the dip. In fact, no one did. Even though we obviously didn't like it bc it was virtually untouched. (I saw servers' noticing that we weren't eating the queso) The only time she came back to ask us how we were doing was when we were eating our entrees. She knew we didn't like the queso, I saw her glance at our full cup of dip. We're almost half done with our entrees. She doesn't seem to care or want to fix the queso situation. I just say that we're OK to get her out of there, bc it seems like she wants to. and rest of the meal was OK. Bf liked his chimichanga. I was just happy that my burrito was edible, although definitely on the salty side. All in all, not worth a second trip. read more

Right in the middle of Mclean. Service is good... but food could be improved on. If you're looking for an good but not stellar place to grab Mexican, this is it. Margaritas are pretty good. Salsa is okay. read more

So glad this is in now in my neighborhood; just as good as the one in falls church. yay! My go to order is the salmon cancun, cooked medium rare...deelish. thin, fresh crispy chips and tasty salsa too. yum! read more

We went with our two boys today to this place. First the salsa was so liquid that my boys understandably messed up the table. I ordered chicken fajitas, my wife beef and shrimps fajitas. Even though my wife was satisfied with her food, my chicken was hard and difficult to chew. I almost puked due to the unbearable chicken breast. My refill of regular coke turned out to be diet coke. After I complained about the horrible food, the waitress' answer was: Really? No manager showed up to investigate the situation and/or apologized for this disaster. Instead they presented the bill with no deductions for the messy food they provided. First and last time that we will go there. They have to learn that customer satisfaction drives the business in the future. "Great experience" overall, means don't go there ever. read more

We enjoyed a very good meal at el tio after a hike in the (great falls) park. We enjoyed s $5 -16 oz draft beer. I had a delicious salad and my husband was happy to get a grilled chicken burrito which came with guacamole. We sat outside and enjoyed the whole experience! read more

Was really hoping for a great Tex-Mex place in the hood. First off - I think the best fajitas are from U. Julio... so, if you don't like the beef or chicken fajs at U. Julios (formerly Rio Grande) then you should probably disregard my comments. Anyway, had a combo plate, Chix tamals and relleno (combo #2) - tamals were pretty decent but the relleno - not so much. The pepper was chopped up and barely there. To make matters worse, they were understaffed, which seems to be a reoccurring theme based on other reviewers. Will I be back - probably not. But then again I think Chipolte and District Taco put out better all around food than here - and less expensive. read more

Me and my husband loved our experience at El Tio. Ronaldo our waiter was amazing. His energy and enthusiasm for the food reminded me of how service should be. I highly recommend the steak and chicken fajitas and you can not visit this restaurant without trying their margarita!!! read more

OMG. Normally when you get a soup it's an afterthought. El Tio's seafood soup is off the charts. We picked up the order we had called in so when I pulled out the typical plastic bowl used for takeout I was hopeful but wow was I impressed. I'm not sure what the broth is but you could tell me it was a combination of saffron, love, and crack and I'd believe you. Instead of just a few seafood bits, they included two large shrimp, a few muscles, a scallop I was surprised didn't taste like rubber, and a large clam --- absolutely amazing soup. I put some of El Tio's homemade tortilla chips in the soup that soaked up the incredible broth. I wish I hadn't reacted so positively to the flavor because I might have convinced my family that it wasn't worth their time. Instead I was willing to give up the family dog for just a few more spoonfulls. The Taquitos appetizer was also a surprise. Instead of a typical dry coin roll shaped snack, these were larger, softer, and full of flavor. We weren't sure if the orange sauce was for the Taquitos or Tostada Salad but I would have put it on my tooth brush later too if there was any left. The Tostada Salad was perfect. We order medium rare steak so that's what we requested. Instead of the typical dry, brown when sliced, meat that you often see, this steak was tender, pink when sliced and flavorful. The salad had just amount of cheese too. These first three items were like we mistakingly took home the "to go" order the chef either made for his family or himself - excellent!!! The other item we ordered was the first combination - chicken tamale, beef enchilada, and chile relleno. The relleno was great, the enchilada above average, but the tamale was tender but lacking in flavor compared to the rest of the meal. The beans, rice, and salsa/salad mix were as expected - average. The condiments they provide - guacomole, sour cream, and salsa - were the right amount and tasty. I'm looking forward to swinging by El Tio again to order the seafood soup and Tostada Salad. If they are as good as this time I just found my new favorite to go order items. read more

Great food. Recommend the fajitas. Ask for the homemade hot sauce. If my man, Ronaldo is serving you, you're in for a great time!

My first time there. Takeout. The owner greeted me at the door. So welcoming. I ordered chicken fajitas. It was fast like 5 minutes. While i waited everyonewas busy and happy atmosphere with it being the dinner rush. When i got home my order was wrong. They gave me steak fajitas instead! However im not complaining because it was delicious. Order the steak its soo good. It came with a small bag of chips and salsa. My whole experience was great. Only 4 stars because i didnt enjoy the rice and beans. The rice has corn carrots and green beans in it wich i dont like at all. Never have but thats just me. The beans were okay . nothin special. Ill be comming back to dine in for sure read more

Best burrito I've had in my entire life. Sides are excellent. Ample portions. Entree delivered in less than -8 minutes. Very friendly service. read more

Arrived at 10:20 pm to be told they were closed - even though this app says they are open until 11pm. Poor customer service.

Best fish tacos in Virginia. Seriously. This place is great. Everything is good. As far as Mexican food, it's a little on the pricey side, but not exorbitant and definitely worth it. Make sure to ask for their homemade hot sauce! Also, the service is really, really great every time. read more

Finally a decent Mexican (or Tex Mex) restaurant in Tyson's area. I grew up in San Diego, so I'm pretty picky when it comes to Mexican food. The food was amazing! I had the beef enchiladas and an ice cold Pacifico on tap. The salsa was the best I've had in years. I can't wait to go back!! read more

McLean has needed a place like this for a long time. Friendly, casual, great food, consistent, family friendly, but adult friendly too. The food is consistently great, fresh, no weird ingredients. The steak is impossibly tender and full flavored, the chicken is never dry. The drinks are quite good too, but watch out if you get a large size (the default) as it can be pricey. Definitely "tex mex" fare (not really Mexican), and hearty, but good. If anything they have too much service, someone is coming by your table every few minutes. A few minor dings, they are a little crammed into their space but with the service it is ok. The food is all hearty, you don't really go here for a light meal. They follow the formula from the other El Tio's in the area, so no surprises if you've been there (which might be a good thing). I'm not sure what it is about McLean that it seems to have restaurants that are either overpriced, mediocre and stuffy, or totally low-brow. It's great to have another option. read more

Great service but kitchen staff is taking shortcuts such as they now consistently can't be bothered to put cilantro in their cooked food. Probably their customers complained and the staff just rolled over. read more

We so hoped to love this third location of a small local chain with a decent track record. Stay away from this location, at least for now. On a 95 degree day, the restaurant had no air conditioning, but the employees dutifully carried on as though it weren't 90 degrees inside (which it was). This location has no ABC license, so one couldn't hope to cool off with a margarita. The prices here are exorbitant for very average fare in a decidedly low-brow little two-room restaurant with almost no ambience. The fajitas are so small you will want to order two servings, but the high prices will stop you. This place is a major disappointment! If the owner doesn't clean up his act or drop his prices by a lot, his experiment in McLean will be very short-lived, indeed. read more

Last night we were looking for steak and margaritas. Given all the good reviews of the Falls Church location, we decided to give El Tio in McLean a try. I'm really glad we did! The Steaks were the perfect size and really well done. (J Gilberts steaks are great but take half a day in the gym to work off) I had the rib-eye and my wife had the NY Strip. They came covered flavorful sauces and hot sauce on the side. We also ordered guacamole and Margaritas. Both were excellent. The staff was well organized and friendly. Highly recommended. We will be going back there to try the rest of the items on the menu. read more

Excellent food and service. New menu. Completely different than a year ago. Highly recommend. Great ton have authentic Mexican in McLean!

Great Fajitas, good service. Accommodated my son who is in wheelchair.

Chips were good, salsa was bland. I got a combo plate to try a broader section of their menu and it was overall pretty disappointing. The chile relleno is my standby at Mexican restaurants because, done well, it combines several flavors and textures with a hint of spice and cheesy goodness. This chile relleno was none of those things; tasted like a breaded mushy mess. The chicken tamale and beef enchilada were okay. Flavors were fine but nondescript. It reminds me mostly of Safeway frozen tamale/enchilada, which taste about the same but are much cheaper. The microwave-food texture was also very familiar. My favorite part of the combo platter was the guacamole. On the plus side: the place is very family-friendly, judging by the Saturday crowd of parents with children. (Perhaps because nothing I ate would have been challenging to a 6-year olds palate?) Screaming children didn't help the experience for me, but I can't really blame the restaurant for that. read more

Found our new Mexican place. This place is great! Servers were friendly, Salsa was fresh, margaritas weren't overly sweet, and the food was good. What more do you want in a Mexican restaurant. read more

Bad quality food with expensive price. Steaks are cheap cuts and the seafood tasted fishy last time my mom got takeout. Way overpriced for Mexican food and rice taste like box rice read more

I love el tio in falls church!! I just realized they opened one in McLean!!! I can't wait to check it out!! They have the best food and awesome margaritas! read more

Five stars for manager Oswaldo Rodriguez who saved a pool party. I suddenly had a backyard of young adults in the pool and no food. I called El Tio and asked for their catering sized quacamole, cheese dip, salsa and big tray of chips and Oswaldo delivered the order personally with a smile to my home (because you can't order catering through the other services). He saved the party. We love this place for just drop in visits, too. read more

Quick, delicious, great service and pretty great food! Four stars because two margaritas was $27 which I think is pricey. However, we will be back :) read more

Good food, full bar, very clean, excellent service. On top of all that, this place is very kid friendly. Changing table in ladies' room, high chairs, booster seats, crayons, the whole bit. We were here for lunch in a Sunday, and it was breeder central, which worked out for us, as we had two little ones in tow. Servers were very friendly, got every part of our order exactly right (including special requests), and brought things to us quickly. Two thumbs up. read more

I was a little dubious when I pulled into the run-down shopping center, but as soon as I walked in I felt a lot better. The decor is nice and the restaurant is clean and roomy. My sister and I got the queso which was good, even if it probably came out of a jar. We then both got the creat-your-own-combo of an enchilada and taco. The steak taco was great and served in a traditional corn tortila and the chorizo enchilada was tasty. All the sides were good, although may not have been as fresh as they could've been. Overall it exceeded my expectations which were pretty low. It's your good, hole-in-the-wall Tex-Mex restaurant. read more

Impressed with this nice little restaurant. Excellent service and good food. My only complaint is that it was very loud in the restaurant.

Really good homemade Mexican food with the standard favorites on the menu. The homemade guacamole is a little salty but delicious and chunky. Prices are a little steep for a downtown Mclean place and they don't have lunch specials. read more

Some of the best Tex-Mex I have had. Our waiter, Ronaldo, was a delight. He brought out some house-made habanero sauce, which was delicious. I had the shredded beef burrito, and my wife had the chicken/steak fajitas. Both were top notch. We look forward to coming here again! read more

This is Tex-Mex like I am used to seeing all the time in Texas, but never in DC area. I really like their chips. Queso con carne very good. Cheese enchiladas are excellent. Delivery -- these guys are the best. Thank you for coming to restaurant starved McLean. read more

Best family Mexican in McLean. That's not saying much, but this place is pretty good and I would probably expand that out to the general Tysons corner area including Vienna. So let's call it a quarter of Fairfax County shall we? Everything we tried is tasty and fresh. Check it out if you're in the area. read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - From across the street off of old Dominion Drive in what is called the McLean Center - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

We've eaten at El Tio three times last six months, the food is good but go for the margaritas --on the rocks super good.

I am giving this rating of 2 stars (and not 1 star) because I remember fondly the great food and exceptional staff when it first opened. I had met the owner at the Falls Church location and kept asking him to open a restaurant in McLean, and a few years later, I was so excited when he did. But, the last couple of years, the food and service (bad attitude from management) have declined. My main issue is with carry-out orders. It's more than likely that something will be missing, and if you order the fajitas, it will not be fully cooked. I've had to re-cook the dish because the meat was undercooked, onions and green peppers raw. And that's if you get all the ingredients. I have received fajitas with no tomatoes, or no green peppers, and one time, it was just chicken and some cilantros. The whole reason to order out is because I don't want to cook. Maybe, they think they can get away with it because it's carryout, and by the time you get it home, you really don't want to return to the restaurant. This was the last straw; I am not going back. It's been too many times (and so much annoyance). read more