Need to know: 1. Not great steak fajitas. 2. The chocolate pinata is fun but only to try once. 3. Dinner menu is served all day. 4. Guacamole is okay. 5. Chips and salsa are good. We had reservations for lunch with a group of 10 people. We were seated right away at a table that was not quite large enough, and we are not large people. The service was subpar because I never got a refill of water and it was empty for quite awhile. But, the reason I only give it 3 stars is because the "famous" steak fajitas ($23 for one person or $40 for two people) weren't as good as people say they are. It was served with all the usuals: lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guacamole, refried beans, and rice. But the steak did not seem to be very good quality and was not evenly cooked. We asked for medium, but some of it was medium rare and some was medium well. In the end I ate the sides (excluding the refried beans) instead of the steak. As for the refried beans, they were watery like a soup. I'm not a fan of runny refried beans so I stayed away from those. The chocolate pinata was a fun treat. The chocolate filled donuts inside the pinata were the best part. read more

Uncle Julio's - Steak fajitas for 2 - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

an above and beyond team! My work and I went the other night for a happy hour team bonding, it was wonderful! The drinks were great, food was delightful, but let me tell you the Sopapilla Story. My coworker dropped her phone between the wall and booth, gone forever. After we tried to grab it we couldn't so the super nice waiter grabbed the manager and he helped us. This man, in his super nice work uniform was on the bench trying to reach into the void to get this darn phone. He could not. Without hesitation he called for backup, someone with smaller hands. The sweetest hostess came by and tried to grab it. They tried everything. After she tried and could not reach it the manager ran back to the kitchen to grab some tongs, *spoiler alert* did not work. So he says one moment, he ran off to find longer tongs, or go-go gadget extendo tongs. Before they could come back she did end up retrieving it after throwing a knife at it to kick it under the seat. The Chef came out with a ladle but to no avail, we had already gotten the phone. After rejoice the manager came over and said "I am having them make you guys some sopapillas for the inconvenience." the inconvenience *we* caused *them*. They were delicious, they also brought us ice cream which was also delicious. Moral of the story: Uncle Julio's customer service and restaurant in Fairfax Corner is GREAT. And the employees are above and beyond to rectify, serve, and create the most enjoyable atmosphere. You go Uncle Julios, You go. read more

Fantastic make your own fajita kits are always dinnertime crowd pleasers with my family. Guacamole is amazing. You can choose type of tortilla, meat, grilled veggies, etc. Its totally customizable. The service here however is not so great. I always order ahead and then have to wait when I arrive. It's never truly curbside... I've always had to go inside or wait an extra 10-15 minutes. read more

I love Rio Grande. Their chips are thin and crispy. Their salsa is different from other salsas. There's a "grilled" taste to it which I love! I also am a big fan of their calamari. There's an orange sauce that comes with it but I prefer to dip the calamari in the salsa. They only have it on Thursdays and Sundays so I try to go when calamari is on the menu. I almost always get fajitas there. I think a lot of Tex Mex places pretty much taste the same around here. But I think Rio Grande's fajitas are of better quality. Yes, they can be a bit pricier than other Tex Mex places but the food and ambiance pays for it. I usually order combination fajitas for one (which goes for about $19). But it is enough to feed 2 people. So I usually split it with my sister and mom or fiance, depending on who I'm with. There's enough meat to make about 5 - 6 fajitas. They also serve "mexican butter" with their grilled shrimp dish. I like to put it in my fajitas too. So if you're into garlic butter, ask for some ;o) A side of bean soup and rice come with the order of fajitas as well, on top of the free chips and salsa. All that food is definitely enough to fill you up! I love the bean soup but I've never liked spanish rice (from anywhere). As for their drinks...I love their margaritas. I think they are pricier than other places because they don't skimp on the alcohol. After 2 or 3 you can definitely feel an effect. My family and I go out to eat a lot and I'm always satisfied when leaving Rio Grande. read more

Uncle Julio's - combination fajitas, cheese and sour cream, bean soup, chips & salsa, tortillas - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Uncle Julios gets one star because they do have good salsa...and yelp won't let me give them one half star. I've returned to Virginia after being away for 5 years, so now that I'm back I was looking forward to visiting my old haunts. UJs was on my list and I now regret my decision to eat there today. Lunch portion of steak fajitas were expensive $15.99, but I had a craving. First, only a few pieces of peppers and the tomatoes sat on a huge mound of lettuce to cover up the fact that they went cheap on the tomatoes. Also, the onions were crunchy raw. Waiter did not ask me if I wanted flour or corn tortillas, but he delivered flour...no big deal, right? wrong! There was so little flavor to the steak and oily uncooked onions that all I tasted was flour. I had skipped breakfast, so I ate it...regretfully. When I eat Mexican I eat my charo beans last...UJ, what crap. Good beans cook for a long time, yet these were dense (hard, but not crunchy...more like the continency of an uncooked potato). UJs was always closer to where I lived than Guapos in Shirlington, so I used to go to UJs more often (even though Guapos was so much tastier). However, I've learned my lesson that convenience is not worth eating garbage. Guapos, I'll be by for a visiting hopefully, you haven't gone downhill like UJs. read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This place is right next to my work. And our go to spot on cool evenings due to the outdoor seating. The dishes are great. The salsa is great too but what they don't advertise as there is a habanero version of it as well but you have to ask for it. But if you like spicy smoky rich salsa you should give this a try. Food is great, I love the Diablo shrimp. Drinks are strong and everyone is friendly. Been here probably 30+ times and have never had a bad experience. read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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I went to Uncle Julio's for a celebratory lunch on 3/10/18. I had never been to an Uncle Julio's which I know is hard to believe considering the chain is fairly prevalent in the DMV. The ambiance of Uncle Julio's is fun. The toddler who was dining with us was fascinated by the large bull's head on their wall. I thought. Our service was average to good. The food was okay. I have honestly had better Mexican food. However, I will give Uncle Julio's extra points for their extensive menu. Our group had some picky eaters and everyone found something they could have. The menu also has ample choices for kids. In fact based on my experience, if I was eating with kids on a regular basis Uncle Julio's would be at the top of my list. Uncle Julio's portions are also very generous. It is an easy place to bring home some leftovers for your next meal. In a nutshell, Uncle Julio's is a solid choice if you're looking for a place to go out with the family. read more

My friends, for some reason, love planning happy hours here. I am personally a fan of good ol' blue moons, but it is sadly not on the menu. If you are a fan of tequilla or margaritas, this is the place to go. One of the more popular drinks here are the frozen margarita swirls, but since I'm not big on frozen drinks, I can't tell you how it is from personal experience. The staff is always friendly, and the shining star on the menu is the steak fajita. I've been ordering this since the conception of Fairfax Corner, and have never been disappointed. The steak is delicious and tender, and the toppings are fresh and delicious. MMM, making myself hungry just thinking about it! The chips and tortillas are also made fresh, at this big machine where you can see the little tortilla babies being born! I have no complaints, and considering I now want to eat an early lunch after writing this review, I guess I'll have to return =) read more

Very busy on the weekend nights in Fairfax Corner. Expect a wait for 10-30 minutes. Food is pretty good "mexican". Despite their large looking menu I found the choices very limiting. Also not many vegetarian meals. Their one enchilada with just cheese and onions had a meat sauce (which I'm assuming you can order without). There is also I think one soup, a few salads and nachos that you can get without meat. I enjoy their chips and salsa and they are generous with refilling. read more

This is a great place for Mex food and drinks. Avoid the August margarita of the month though: mango jalapeño. Unless you get dared.

I went for lunch and they have a discounted lunch menu, which I thought it was very convenient and price accessible for a quick lunch! The Spicy Carnitas Bowl was really good, I definitely recommend it! read more

Jordan the bartender took care of us! He was super friendly and accommodating and truly started off our experience here great. Thank you Jordan! Our server was a little inattentive, but it was a bit busy so that's understandable. He did continuously refill our chips and salsa which was appreciated. We got the tamales and the chicken enchiladas and they were both great! The margaritas were also fantastic. We'd come back for the margaritas alone. read more

Had an upsetting experience. Arrived 5 minutes early for a large takeout order - my grandson's birthday. Ten minutes later I was told that there was a "computer problem" and the order wasn't processed, but they would "get right on it". Thirty minutes later the manager spoke to me and said that it would be another 5 minutes. Another 30 minutes later and the order finally arrived - exactly one hour after the original commitment. I understand that mix-ups happen. What I don't appreciate is being told information that is clearly false. They were busy and had not intention to prioritize my order. read more

I guess its to be expected for a chain, but it is somewhat sad to see such low ratings for Uncle Julios. In my opinion no one does steak fajitas or chips and salsas better than them - at least in the DC area. The flour tortillas are incredibly fresh and they use actual skirt steak that can be cooked to medium rare. Its very hard to find a place that does this. My next favorite tex mex joint is Chuys , but their fajitas are not as good. read more

Never spending money here ever again. Ordered pickup. Chicken fajitas. Order did not come with tortillas. Rice is like 3 spoons. Skimp on rice? Never seen that anywhere. Overpriced, little quantity, mediocre food. Bogus. Never ever felt like I deserve my money back at any take-out place except for now. read more

The food is great, but the service was terrible! We arrived and there was a short wait so we requested a booth and went to the bar to get some drinks while we waited. The waitress took our order and didn't bring our drinks in the 25 minutes we waited...so we let the hostess know and they said they would bring them over. The waiter comes over and says they forgot what we ordered (???) and make us go through the entire ordering process again. Another 20 minutes until our drinks arrived (45 minutes total) and that included water as well. Then we place our orders...steak fajitas. The order comes and it's all chicken. We have to send the food back so now most of our party is finished with their food by the time the fajitas come out again. And they are wrong again! Steak and chicken. So at least this time they let us keep the food while they make the steak for us. The waiter also hardly checked on us in the process and the manager didn't even bother to recognize their unacceptable service. And after all this the bill comes...and they have tried to charge us twice for steak and chicken fajitas when we ordered steak fajitas once! Bummed because we love the food here but this place just had one service fail after another... read more

I ordered some to go from here and they forgot half the order. I had to wait a long time for the food to be remade. Food tastes good. Service is hit or miss read more

Worst service ever!!! I went there with 7 more of my coworkers and "waitress" did not even talk to us for about 1 hour!!! And there it took for about 1 more hour to get food....honestly never again...save your time and go somewhere else read more

Came here for the first time. Ordered the shrimp and steak fajitas which were good and seasoned nicely. The chocolate pinata was the coolest thing though! The actual chocolate isnt the best but they have good fruit inside. Its definitely a must try! read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

My favorite Tex-Mex restaurant in the world... I've been coming here for over 10 years... It's wonderful that they have so many locations! The location in Bethesda is just horrendous and overwhelmingly crowded at peak times. It's also really noisy inside that my parents refuse to go anymore!!! It was nice to try out this location in Fairfax Corner. It was much more calm and there were plenty of seats available, even on the weekend. We even got to sit outside with a nice view! My favorite item on the menu is sort of hidden: steak fajita tacos. It's not the steak fajita meal, but it's a taco meal that comes with 2 huge steak tacos, salad, rice, and beans. The steak is just incredible... soft, flavorful, perfect. With the cheese and everything else in the taco... I love it! The service at this location was also excellent and everyone was really kind. Parking was also easy. I'll be coming back here! read more

3.5 stars I love Uncle Julio's. It's my favorite chain Mexican Restaurant. Their food is just awesome! I have also spent a lot of time at this particular location and have noticed that during busier times, the service can be hit or miss. I tend to use their call ahead system, and feel like I almost always have issues with the wait times quoted. I would way rather be over quoted (so I am prepared for it) than be under quoted and turn into a hangry monster. For example: this last time I was quoted 20 mins on the phone, put my name on the list, showed up on time and then am told it was actually going to be another 10, but somehow that 10 mins turned into an extra 20. Why not just say there is a 40 min wait to begin with? That said, when I have to wait, I am always pleasantly surprised by how smoothly the bar staff operates. No matter the rush, the bar tenders make it look like slinging drinks for the hungry masses is a cake walk. Plus their swirls make waiting for a table not seem so bad. Perk: They recently added a free valet service. read more

Uncle Julio's - Long wait? Swirl to the rescue!! - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Visited for outside dining. Social distancing doesn't appear to be a thing. Tables are back to back and they are not spacing out guests. We wound up leaving and ordered to go. I got fajitas. Came with Guacamole, Sour Cream and Cheese in a container that appeared to have been packaged at some time hours before. Puddle of water and brown guac is definitely not what I would expect from "made from scratch". Will not be coming back. read more

Not sure what has happened to Uncle Julio's. The last time we came here the quality of the food was really poor. I decided to try it again today and just as a bad if not worse. Chips which used to be amazing tasted like burned chips cooked in oil that hadn't been changed out in a long time. I ordetered the shredded chicken quesadilla and it was no longer in a fluffy looking white freshly made tortilla but a yellowish oily flour tortilla. What happened to this place. I am so bummed. read more

I first met "Julio" at their Arlington location, and I've visited him at their Reston Town Center location more than a few times. Last night was my second visit to Rio Grande at Fairfax Corner. I never knew that Sundays were the night to go here, but for the first time ever..we had no wait. We usually have to spend some time at the bar and watch the football game on one of the televisions along with some fresh chips and spicy salsa. But, no bar for us..we were escorted directly to our table. In a flash, our waiter appeared and took our drink order: negra modelo, a "swirl" (a mixed frozen concoction of a margarita and a strawberry daiquiri) and a "regular" margarita on the rock. To eat, I went with one of their platters that has a chicken enchilada and pork tamale. They even gave us some extra, fresh tortillas on the side to have with our meal. So, why only three stars? They try to churn and turn tables over here, so after you're done with your meal, you feel like you gotta rush out. read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Not sure what happened to Uncle Julios. This place used to be one of my favorite places but the couple times I've been here recently and most recent time I ordered take out, this is a no go. The quality has just gone way down hill. The prices are too high for the amount of food and quality, so for me I'm done here. So unfortunate 15 - 25 years ago Uncle Julios was Amazing best Tex- Mex around now just run of the mill. read more

I just wanted to start off by saying that the food here was delicious! Ray, our manager, stopped by our table frequently and asked us, "what can I do to make sure that your experience is awesome". I and my friends will visit this location more because of how amazing our dining experience was. I thank you all for hiring quality staff to make sure that your customers are in great hands. Hicham, was our waiter and he was very knowledgeable and caring. Thank you all and I'll be back soon. read more

So, it was my sons 10th birthday and he wanted Uncle Julio's for his dinner. 1st time for me. So he ordered this Non-Alcohol Margarita, that they make in front of you using dry ice. When you eat the fruit, smoke comes out your mouth. So that was entertaining for him, since it was his birthday. The food was okay and the service was excellent. Would probably come back. read more

A platter meant for four came to $92 without tip. The platter came out sizzling. I was pretty excited upon seeing it, but a bit underwhelmed by the taste. It came with shrimp, chicken, steak, and some pork ribs. A lot of it was too salty. The ribs were overdone, so they came out dry. It was alright, but after a little bit I felt like I was forcing myself to finish the food. And for a hefty price. read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This is my "home location" of Uncle Julio's. I've been here a dozen or so times and I've always had a good time. My favorite part about this location is the patio. When it is nice out this is a great place to sip on some margaritas before walking over to the next bar on a bar crawl or to the movie theater to see a movie. The interior bar is nice too. It is very spacious with several tables and a very long bar. Bartenders are good. When the weather gets nicer, try the spicy margarita and some steak nachos on the patio. You'll have fun. read more

Great place for casual but high quality Mexican food! Located in Fairfax Corner, parking/getting here can be an issue but it's worth the drive to satisfy a fajita craving. I got the flank steak fajitas and they were delicious - perfectly cooked steak with amazing aromas and tastes from the onions and bell peppers. You also get a side of beans, rice, pico, guac, sour cream, and tortillas. Great portion size - probably enough to feed two people who aren't huge eaters. The place can get really loud which can be hard for conversation. The service was friendly, quick, and accurate. read more

Came here before a dentist appointment and had the worst service out on the patio. They did not seem to be busy at all and yet I couldn't get any service. All I wanted was a happy hour margaritas and chips and queso and that seem to be too hard for them. I work in the service business and I don't expect a lot but I do you expect timely service when delivering drinks. Your food is great but your service lax luster! read more

This native San Antonio Texan last post for Uncle Julio's Rio Grande was 1991 when the only local Rio Grande was in Bethesda! This was definitely our go-to TexMex restaurant in NoVa/Md area. It was better than Guapo's. Not sure we can say that now. The Corp Mgt seems to want to incorporate some aspects of Ca styled foods into this menu. Its not true TexMex anymore. The music is a mix of Rock and Country Western. The Mexican music they used to play added to the ambience they were looking for but with the super bright lights and whacked menu, we've started going to Chuy's on hwy 29 now. They definitely have authentic food, decor, mood. The servers at Rio Grande are not the bright, enthusiastic college kids that used to be hired. Today's servers seem uninterested in getting orders right. This can't be taught. Its either in them to have an interest to know their job or it isn't.Their knowledge of menu items has lapsed too. The best thing at the Fairfax Uncle Julio's Rio Grande is Wendy, one of several managers. As kitchen manager too, you can expect the highest quality of food from Wendy! And when can we expect those fabulous tamales to get put back on the menu at Rio Grande? The pandemic is over by two yrs. We want tamales on the menu! read more

Uncle Julio is far from being the excellent restaurant it used to be for many years. It has been out favorite restaurant for more than 20 years, we would visit it every Saturday. Now we don't even think of it as an option. After the pandemic it went down the hill. The menu has been changed, there are not many good options to choose from. My favorite chicken flautas is no longer in the menu. My husband's favorite carne asada is smaller and they fill it with a bed of grilled onions under the steak just to make the plate fuller. The prices are outrageous. The service really bad and slow. Last time in the Ballston location for lunch we waited 20 minutes for a waitress to approach to take the drinks order and 45 minutes for the food. The waitress never approached to ask if everything was ok. Even the chips were not the same. So sad! read more

Native Texan review - the Queso blew my mind. Seriously delicious - it was cheesy perfection in a bowl. I would have been blissfully happy eating chips and queso all night. The steak & chicken fajitas were amazing - you can tell they took care to marinade the meat. Super tender and the steak was the perfect shade of medium rare. Going to new (to me) Mexican restaurants I always judge the beans, rice and quality of meat. The rice was not a great as the rest of the meal, slightly dry but good flavor. The service was great as well, never had to ask for a refill and never ran out of tea. Food came fast and correct, very friendly staff. My only regret was not wearing my fat pants - will be visiting again. Thank you!!! read more

Had a reservation at 4:15 because of a movie time at 6:10. We literally were the only table at 4:15. Took a good 10 minutes for a server, then another 20 for our drinks. Server took our order when drinks were delivered. By now there were another few tables who had actually gotten drink orders and food. We were not served our food until 5:50! We ordered the food around 4:45! People around us had eaten and left. We were told the kitchen was backed up?! We were the first table there! If it was a miscommunication or order wasn't entered that was not communicated. Food is good but we were not able to finish since we had movie tickets. Very disappointing! read more

Uncle Julio's has the BEST raspberry iced tea, lightly sweet with real raspberries! My wife and I often order the steak/chicken combo fajitas because the meat if always tasty and juicy. The only down side is the noise. Bringing my noise cancelling headphones next time. read more

Its so sad when you like a chain restaurant this much but I realize as often as I've dined here, I've never actually written a review. We've been here for my birthday, for get together with friends, or to just have Mexican food. It's always prompt and attentive service and the food is what you know. No suprises. I like this location the best as I feel they are the best trained and the food the most consistent. We've recently come to enjoy their -321 margarita. Seems gimmicky but its fun and tasty. However, depending on who makes it the drink can be inconsistent. Second time I had it it was more slush than frozen margarita. Still, chips and salsa are delicious and you have to make sure not to fill up on that alone. I like the juanita's combo which is huge but leaves me with left overs. Other times I may just get the enchiladas and hubby always gets tacos. Good location and no parking fee after 5pm. Definitely good times! read more

Poor Service. The waiter was awful. Food runners just dropped food at table and ran off. Food was incorrect. The manager Allie did not care at all. Don't go here. Terrible place. read more

Average Mexican restaurant. First time in a while and from what I remember the food took a while to come. However, this time it was extremely fast. I ordered the steak fajitas and my girlfriend got the chicken fajitas. Honestly, I wish I ordered the chicken. The chicken was very delicious. Crispy skin and the chicken was very moist and cooked to perfection. I'm very glad I went back. I will say not the most authentic Mexican food. However, it was very delicious. Also, the chocolate piñata is a must. read more

Uncle Julio's - Mexican Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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We absolutely lLOVE Uncle Julio's! The food is amazing. Some of our favorites are the carne asada, shrimp wrapped in bacon with garlic sauce, the salsa is to die for, as is the queso! (And so much more!) The margaritas are amazing. The Frozen swirlies not only look beautiful but taste delicious! This evening, they forgot to put the chips in the bag, and my husband didn't think to look. When I called the restaurants and spoke to the manager Mauricio (sp??), he personally drove 25 minutes to our house to make sure that we were happy!!! Unbelievable customer service! Absolutely blown away by their kindness and willingness to set things right! Couldn't love this place any more!! read more