Had lunch here on Friday. They have paella now. Was delicious. Always friendly staff, drinks are good, and the food is tasty. Great, local place that won't disappoint. read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - Lunch paella! Ole' - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Great Margaritas. Food and Service is awesome. Rudy is the man. Heard they may be expanding to space next door and have a full bar. Can't wait. read more

I was born and raised in California, and I love a good Texas queso, but it's tough to find good Mexican food on the East Coast. Tonight I ordered the nachos and queso Take-out. The look of the nachos was like wow, did a 12 y/o make these? I've never seen such ridiculous looking nachos in my life. BUT, I'm only giving this place 3 stars because when I ate them they ultimately weren't too bad tasting. Basically these nachos are on mini round tortillas, maybe ten of them, but the good thing is that each tortilla round is perfectly coated with toppings. So, that's good. But I don't think it's worth the $12-$13 you pay for it. I'd rather get chipotle for $8. The meat queso. Oh man, you mean grease queso. Do not get this. Also, the tortilla chips are not good. So sad... I will not be returning. Staff is super nice though! And the inside of the restaurant is very cute!! read more

El Tio is the closest Tex-me to my house and I am in the area often. Parking can be difficult because of the small lot, but I usually park across the road. The food is pretty good for Tex Mex in DMV. The service is great and the beer cold. No bar to sit at which I'm not a fan of because I like sitting at the bar when alone. As I said above, the food is good. The only issue is that it is geared toward a palate that isn't used to spicy food. I always order my food with raw jalapeños added. That usually does the trick. They are not cheap on the cheese. There is a lot of it and you can ask for extra. read more

My favorite item on the menu is their seafood soup. Simply delicious. It is my go to, and I go there just to order that wonderful soup. Try it, if you like seafood soup, you will probably be like me and become a cheerleader for it. read more

Right front of the store l've been harassed and slashed my car tire. He was their customer l was their customer too. El tio manager refused share store camera records to identify that individual. Do not go there if you care for your life. read more

Food was delicious! The flavor was on point. I came to eat during lunch. It wasn't too busy. It's a small spot. However, service to me was slow. My server only checked up on me once. Other then that, food was great! Next time, I'll probably order for pick up. I might have better service then. read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

I came here with a friend for some drinks and apps before a show. Nachos are typically my favorite apps to get. I was surprised to see the nachos presented the way they were: 7 tortilla chips topped with chicken, cheese, non-existent beans with their toppings served on the side. It wasn't very fun to eat, which is one of the reasons I love getting nachos. As a side tip, they do have house sauces you can request that I thought added some flavor to their food. Customer service itself was rather slow, considering there not being that many patrons at that time. Overall, an underwhelming experience. read more

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Received wrong order and no sour cream included. review is generous cause the food ain't bad and this zip code can use more restaurants not less seafood soup is good enchiladas are good rice/beans average or above average attitude of servers and owners really bad read more

Decent tasting but terrible portion sizes vs. price. Definitely McLean pricing for Mexican. $17 salad is the size of a side salad at any other restaurant and there were a bunch of wilted greens in the salad. Same goes for the nachos which are $12 for 10 chips covered in toppings. Mexican food is made with cheap ingredients, it's fine if they want to charge high prices but their portion sizes should match. read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - Extremely small $17 fiesta salad (only chicken and wilted greens) - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Gracias por la deliciosa comida y el excelente servicio. ¡Definitivamente regresaré! Realmente me encantó el taco de carne y mi gran grupo de amigos y yo tuvimos un servicio rápido. read more

Bigger inside that it looked from the outside. Nice menu. I had chicken enchiladas. Very tasty. Friendly staff. Will patronize again.

They have to have one of the best take out dinners in the area. The fajitas are excellent. Everything is very well packaged and ready for you when you arrive. Really could not ask for more!! So delicious! read more

Great steak fajitas (pictured). This local chain, also present in Falls Church, Great Falls, Gainesville, etc. fits well into the strip mall food desert of downtown McLean. And the people sure love it - packed +15 minute wait at 6pm. We had difficulty obtaining hot sauce, and parking was a bit cramped on a Friday evening. read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - #4. Steak and Shrimp Combo Fajita - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

My seafood enchiladas were so good. I am from Texas so when you say Tex-Mex I am very critical. But this place was amazing. I also got the strawberry margarita and it was really strong. I like my drinks sweeter but it's OK. The only reason why it's getting four stars and not five is because my friend got the fried calamari which was not good. read more

My aunt and uncle were travelling nearby and offered to meet me here, so I readily agreed. It's sort of tucked behind a main drag, but easy enough to find with a GPS. It's cute and brightly decorated inside and staff was very friendly. The salsa was too watery and lacking much flavor. The chips were the thin kind, which I don't like, and needed salt. I ordered a chicken chimichanga, which is a go-to of mine. I loved it. The shredded chicken was flavorful, and it came with tasty black beans, rice, and guacamole. And, it was huge! My aunt and uncle liked their chile relleno and enchilada. This was going to be a four star review until I realized the price of the margaritas. $13.50 is ridiculous. Yes, the margarita is huge, and yes, it is tasty. But there was zero alcohol in it. None. I've had better $4 margaritas at happy hour, that had me tipsy after one. And while I appreciate the owner stopping by and thanking us, it does not make up for the drink. Go for the food, but if you want drinks, El Tio is a definite skip. read more

We were so happy to find a neighborhood Mexican restaurant in McLean. It has been open for about 8 months and we discovered it just by driving by. Great service. The owner seated us and stopped back by after we had eaten to see how everything was even though it was a very busy night. Very personalized service and a nice warm feel inside. Medium orange colored walls, great track lighting and cloth napkins add to the atmosphere. We both had bean burritos, which were great. I did not feel they were too salty, which I is the case with a lot of Mexican food. read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - Unassuming El Tio - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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I was looking for a Mexican restaurant that served tamales, surprisingly hard to find in this area, and decided to give this place a try. So glad I did! The food was a bit high priced -- what you would expect if you were going to a chain like On The Border -- but definitely worth it. If you come in on a busy Saturday night, expect to wait a little for a table as the place is a bit small. The food was great, and there is a huge variety on the menu. The waiters were friendly and very attentive too. I will definitely be coming here again! read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - Chicken chimichanga. - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Great food, superb chips, good salsa, friendly fast service and fair food prices, I loved dinner here. Beware the margarita prices, they will flay the skin right off you. El Tio serves decent Mexican bottle beers too but nothing on tap, alas. Strip mall dining in McLean at its best :) Should I be surprised that the margarita price is not printed on the menu? At this point in my yelping career I should not LOL. For the jaw-dropping price of $13.50 - seriously not kidding - I got an enormous gold rocks margarita, strong and not too awfully much cheap sour mix, nice. But $13.50, are you kidding me? That was offensive, no wonder they didn't print it on the menu, they were embarassed. Bottle beers for about $4.50 each including Negra Modelo and Heineken, but no crafts. They bring chips to the table, supremely thin, crispy and with a hint of salt, excellent. The salsa is chunky yet soupy, not enough cilantro, a bit of heat, pretty good. Ask for the hot sauce, it comes in a tiny stainless-steel cup, tastes like habanero, notably hot but not delicious. Our table started with the guacamole, just $6 for a modest cup of good green stuff, served in a fried flour tortilla cup and served with (oddly enough) fried flour tortilla chips. We vacuumed that up like nobody's business :) I gave a chance to combo #2, a chicken tamale and a chille relleno. Both were very good, but neither had been slathered in any interesting sauce, boo. Sides of rice and beans were solid, good and hot, not too bland. A steal at $11. Fish tacos were (reportedly) the bomb, two tacos plus beans and rice for $14, that's a pretty good value at dinner. My dining companions hovered those things up long before i could say "how was it." The Lechoncito dinner was tender pork plus rice and beans, shoulda ordered this, maybe next time. Vegetarian rating: like most Mexican places you'll do Ok. 3 stars for the choices that include a veg burrito, veg chimichanga, chili relleno, spinach enchiladas with green tomatillo sauce and veg fajitas. Someone please tell me about the Parrillada Mexicana - menu says it serves 2, I think it must serve at least 6 - includes steak, fajitas, ribs, shrimp, chorizo, veg etc. etc. Post a pic! read more

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NEVER AGAIN. We ordered take out from the office, and nothing was good. Tacos, Fajitas, Chimichangas, Lomo Saltado, salsa, and queso (which we returned because it was more like a soup). They forgot tortillas for the fajitas, and completely forgot one order. I would've returned my lomo saltado as well. It was honestly the worst I've ever had. The beef was the wrong cut, gross and flavorless, and the sauce was NOT right. The salsa was really watery and lacked flavor. The chips are paper thin and super greasy. I cannot believe how much I just spent on one of the worst meals I've had in a long time. I don't know who gave this place great reviews, but they clearly don't like Tex-Mex. I think Taco Bell or Chipotle would've been way better, and that's what we'll choose next time. read more

This is one of my favorite spots in downtown McLean. When I came here early evening, there were several people waiting outside for a table. So I waited right along with them. After about 20 minutes or so, my girlfriend and I were finally able to be seated. I went for the grilled chorizo with guajillo pepper sauce because it's always been one of all-time favorites. It's served-up with Mexican rice and refried beans, along with the classic tortillas that everyone loves. It was wonderful and the tortillas were awesome as usual. We ate and enjoyed a great conversation this early evening. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. read more

Incredible service, one of the finest chicken tacos I've ever consumed. Fantastic margarita. I will definitely go back, and soon!

Got take out from here.. chicken fajitas and steak fajitas. My family loved it! Everything tasted delicious and the portions were perfect.

Delicious food and great service! The vibe and music were also enjoyable, I'll most certainly be back

As far as fajitas were concerned, one of the best I have eaten out of all Mexican restaurants. Most restaurant will sauté the onions and peppers in a pan before placing them on the skillet making them mushy. Here they allow the fresh ingredients to cook on the sizzling skillet which provides better flavor and texture. read more

Cyndy's Bottom Line: OK Mexican food at this location. I love the chips and salsa. The chips are thin and crispy. I ordered the chicken and seafood enchilada plate. The plate comes with guacamole, sour cream, beans and rice. The seafood enchilada is stuffed with shrimp and scallops. It was delicious but the beans were somewhat bland and the rice was tasteless. read more

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I'm from Texas and this is my local go to for Tex Mex. The tortillas are top notch, made in house. Queso is good, and so is chips and salsa. Every marg I've had from there is also good. I love the chicken or steak fajitas and I sometimes get their enchiladas. For this area, good Tex Mex. read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Zero COVID19 protections. Placed an order for pickup. When I got there, interior was jammed with customers waiting for their orders. So I waited outside for 30 minutes, calling several times to alert the store that I was there. No one ever picked up the phone again. I'm assuming they decided not to take any more orders because of how packed it was. Not sure what they meant when they agreed to curbside pickup. Finally left; never got my order. Thankfully they didn't require payment at the time of the order. I wasn't the only one who left. Been trying to support local restaurants through this crisis. Sadly, I won't support this one anymore. read more

I was surprised at the quality of this restaurant. The chips were some of the best I had - they were thin and crispy. I've never had this at another Mexican restaurant in the area. I was also pleased by the vegetarian options, including the spinach quesadilla. Portions were very filling. It was lovely to sit outside. The waiters were kind and the customers had a nice rapport with the waiters. read more

Extremely disappointing. Ordered the Nacho Platter for $8.95 which did not actually have any tortilla chips!! It had maybe 5 of their little 3-4" soft tortillas that were partially crisped (kind of burned) and maybe a teaspoon of refried beans. The melty cheeses were good but again no chips and not enough of the crisped (burned) soft tortillas to scoop it up. I didn't realize it was possible to screw up nachos but apparently it is. Also, got a chorizo soft taco for $3.95 which was very small. The chorizo itself was very good as was the cool green sauce and spicy red sauce on the side. Also came with sour cream - no Pico de Gallo. Taco Bell would have been better - cheaper and a lot more food. I will not be going back to El Tio. read more

I'm kind of disappointed tonight. I've been going to El Tio in Falls Church and now Mclean for many years now. I ordered the marisco saltado. The onions and tomatoes were raw, fries were mushy which is one step past soggy and everything sat in a puddle of flavorless something. Traditional saltado is flavorful and fries are nice and crispy. The flan is usually nice and creamy. Not this time. Service is always good but I'm disappointed in the quality of the food I received. My husband ordered the lomo saltado and I asked for the peppers and onions to be well cooked. I didn't expect for him to have a chunk of green peppers with the seeds as well. What this tells me is the food was rushed out of the kitchen. Will not go back to Mclean location. Definitely not worth the price. read more

Visited here today for a late lunch and I just say this place is just so-so. They bring out complimentary chips and salsa. The upside is that their chips are the thin kind of tortilla chips - the down side is that their salsa stinks. It basically tomato chunks in tomato juice. I ordered the cheese enchiladas and my husband ordered the lunch special with was chicken, mushrooms and white rice. His chicken had a lot of fat on it although the sauce tasted good. My cheese enchiladas were gross. And the rice and beans were just meh. The reason I'm SO disappointed is that their prices are high. Similar to Uncle Julio's but not at all their quality. I'm glad I came here though so I know that it's not my cup of tea...or salsa. I will say that the waiters were kind and attentive so their service was good. Just not the food. So sorry to say it! :( read more

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I've been here several times and it's decent but i wouldn't say I recommend it. It's a little pricey for the traditional Tex mex food. A good bet if you're in the area and want some Tex Mex but it won't be the best you've ever had. The environment is nice though and the staff is kind as well. read more

I came here recently for a coworkers birthday after wanting to try this place for months now (used to pass it everyday on my commute home). For lunch the place had a lot of room open and we called ahead to ensure we could get a table of 10 for the birthday. The waitress came and took half of our orders as only 4/10 arrived on time. She seemed a little annoyed we wanted to split the check (in one vain I understand from my own waitress experience, however, it wasnt overly complicated). However, overall she was a good waitress and was always refilling chips and drinks. The food here is what gives it the 3 stars. I have been to tex-mex places before that definitely put a little more loving in their food. The salsa is good but the queso tastes AND looks like velveta- no real flavor. The chicken enchiladas were good (props for them having normal AND grilled chicken ones) but the rice and beans reallllly fell flat. The rice had so much potential but it honestly felt like a 1 min microwave version, not fluffy and lacking flavor. Refried beans are usually my favorite part and these were a bit unseasoned. So I will say, A- for service (they came and sang happy birthday and the manager checked on us many times), A for entree quality, but C for sides. read more

El Tio Tex Mex Grill - Good enchiladas but mediocre sides - Tex-Mex Near Me - McLean, Virginia

We've been here several times and had okay meals, our last outing was pretty bad. I had the pollo saltado and while there were a ton of veggies and a decent amount of chicken the sauce was odd. It tasted almost buttery and very salty, NOT like traditional saltado. It made me insanely thirsty all night. The rest of my family were unimpressed with their meals (tacos were very dry, fajitas were just okay.) read more

Three stars is A-OK! It's not bad! Disclaimers: This was our first time here; we are from Texas; our only child is married and contemplating children of her own; we came for dinner on a Saturday evening a little after 5:00. Atmosphere: It was packed! People waited for tables. I felt like i was in a Disney World park restaurant during the height of the season. My husband likened it to being at Chucky Cheese during three birthday parties. It is not a criticism of the restaurant or patrons, and i don't know if this is something you should expect routinely or an anomaly. Every (every!) table had two to four children under the age of 11. It was noisy. I"m not complaining, just stating facts for people for whom such information is meaningful. Service: We were greeted and seated quickly by a hostess who had been wiping down menus to ensure they were clean. Chips and salsa came quickly (more on the food later); drinks followed, and the server waited for us to make our selections after checking on us initially. Everyone who served us, from chips, to water, to meals, was a bit distracted but smiled pleasantly when we made eye contact. Frankly, these people are freakin' HEROES!! They are fast, efficient, and, in the space of 45 minutes, cleaned up three glasses being tipped over and a minor food fight between siblings involving a large $11 bowl of seafood soup. Food: My husband had the shredded beef burrito. The meat was tender without being mushy and juicy without being salty. They were proper chunky shreds of beef, not totally macerated. My chicken tamal was very light and the chucks of chicken were juicy and tender. I liked the beef enchilada, which had the same meat as the burrito as well as some zucchini, which added to the flavor. I'm still not sure how i feel about the chili relleno. I am used to a lighter Colorado style presentation and this was very heavy with lots of cheese (that might be something you like). The rice is fluffy and flavorful, the refritos are saucy with some whole beans mixed in, and the pico de gallo/salsa served with the chips is mild and properly marinated so that the vegetable juices form a delicious sauce around them. The special hot sauce (ask for it) is jalapeño based, so the heat will depend on the batch of peppers (i liked it). I look forward to eating here again to see how consistent they are (and to leave room for sopapillas). read more

The only thing worth coming here for are the chips and margaritas. Both are excellent. Everything else is bland, greasy, overpriced gringo fare. The margaritas are overpriced as well starting at about 10 bucks a pop, but they are worth every penny. read more

This place was a-hoppin' on a Friday night! There was a line waiting to be seated most of the time we were eating dinner. The food was very flavorful, with a good mix of tex mex (fajitas, enchiladas, and the like), and more authentic Mexican fare. We started with chips, salsa, and an order of the tableside guac, which was tasty, and then I got the fajitas with camerones -- grilled shrimp! Fajitas were flavorful and very filling, although I do say that Guapo's still edges El Tio out (you just can't beat those tortillas!) Service was very friendly, and the frozen mango margaritas was deeeeelicious... and enormous. I think this is a great neighborhood spot! They also have a location in Falls Church that's a little bigger, so if you're not looking to fight a crowd for a table on a weekend, that might be the place to go. read more

Let me preface with an air of mystery: this review should be a 4, or even a 5-star affair.... ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ The food is great for strip mall Mexican -- hell, for strip mall Tex Mex it's a miracle. As an enthusiast of discount combination platters, I was impressed to see that each one came with not only rice and beans, but also a hearty guacamole salad. Wowza. There were even green beans in my rice -- what a treat! The price is right for NoVa (most plates were about $10.95) and all the expected charms are in full effect: speedy, gracious servers, promptly distributed and membrane-thin tortilla chips with fresh pico de gallo, plenty of space for families, soccer teams, etc. The decor is surprisingly warm and tasteful, the menu clean, bold, and picture-less (though I admittedly love those garish, phony looking column-busters) and a just-surly-enough host floats among the tables and practically grabs your shoulder to ensure a delightful experience. I prefer to think he is the eponymous El Tío.... But..... A $14 margarita?? That's outrageous! Those are ballpark prices! I don't care how big or strong it is -- in fact, they don't even list the size, and more importantly, the price tag. Of course, not an unfamiliar tactic. But one I'd expect from, say, a rooftop bar in Manhattan where everyone is too happy or drunk or absurdly unhappy to care. And therein lies the capital, and honestly, only offense. This place is designed for loyal, returning clientelle -- for weekly specials, lunch breaks, construction crews, friends and family. It's a place you should trust. Such sticker shock is unbecoming of "the" new neighborhood Mexican joint in McLean: it's a dirty trick and you know it, Tío. I left with the brand of disappointment I'd expect from weekend study abroad excursions, cruise ship karaoke or bogus French Quarter gumbo purveyors.....a feeling of betrayal. Hyperbolic, sure, but one wants a buzz after a margarita, not a buzzkill..... ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ Again, good food/service/all that business, but mark down your margs a few bucks and you'll have my heart and my full faith in your services, Tío. read more

Great food, great ambiance, maybe a little loud since we caught ourselves raising our voices quite a bit, but that's ok! What really took away from our experience was the bill at the end. 3 pple, $101 and some change without tip. A bit disappointing to say the least when you looked at the itemized receipt it showed the margarita(although large) was $17 because we chose a higher grade tequila from the menu listed. We do visit higher end mexican restaurants quite often and order the same tequila and the price is significantly cheaper, like $5 cheaper, even as a single shot. The menu for the margaritas had no prices but we weren't phased by it because on average they're like $10-12. In our instance not so much. So for a cute hole in the wall, with great food, you can't beat it, also bc the location is convenient. Just ask for drink prices before you order to avoid "sticker shock." One more thing regarding the total for our meal is that of the 3 of us that dined there, none of us order food with meat! One person ordered a soup and an appetizer of Spinach quesadillas, I ordered veggie burrito and my other friend order Spinach enchiladas.... So it makes you question the overall experience, if it was truly worth all that money, my initial response would be, "no." This also seemed to be a great family restaurant as there were many families with children of all ages dining there when we arrived which was sweet! Enjoy:)) read more