Bad experience at many different levels. There was a lack of attention, slow service, and subpar food. We had a reservation for dinner. When we arrived, they said our table would be ready soon and they would text us. About 15 minutes later, no update. When we asked the hostess, she had no idea who we were. she seemed to have forgotten about us. Once we got seated, we saw many empty tables. They were not even that busy... It took a very long time before we were even served water, and we had to wait again a long time before we could place an order. When they brought our cocktails, they were not sure which was which and had to go back and forth to the bar to confirm. For appetizers, we shared a few things - ceviche: not great but decent - birria: this was actually pretty good - table side guacamole: by far the worst guacamole we've ever had. It lacked lemon juice and salt, also the tomatoes had a bad overpowering taste. We had to ask the waiter to bring us lemon juice for us to fix up their guac. Even after that, it was still gross because of the tomatoes that were not fresh For mains, three of us got carne asada - 2 mediums, 1 medium rare. Again, they were not sure which was which. It seems only one was medium and two were medium rare. One of us enjoyed it, two of us thought it was chewy and did not taste great. We were not able to eat more than a couple of bites. A friend packed the steak leftovers for her dog. It was definitely apparent to the staff that the guac and steak were both bad. However, nobody ever came to ask how the food was, nobody tried to make it right to us. I saw the manager stop by a few tables, but never came to see us. Restaurants can have a bad day, but things were consistently bad at many levels, which matches other reviewers opinion. I came in with low expectations but this was way worse than expected read more

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Food was delicious as always!! You cannot go wrong with selecting the chicken fajitas, the honey chipotle salmon, or the carne asada dishes.

The place has a much a Mexican atmosphere as your common fat food taco joint. The service was OK at best. After we got our drinks, nobody came by to fill our water, maybe because we were a party of 8, and they knew they were getting tipped. The little bowls of salsa were ok, but once the small portion was done, we got no refills. The portions of food were ok, but everything lacked taste, it was a thou they made the bare minimum to get a resemblance of Mexican look, never mind taste. Needless to say, the DMV doesn't lack for Mexican places, but uncle Julio is not for my family. read more

Overall, it feels like Uncle Julio's service and food quality have declined. The portion sizes seem noticeably smaller and it no longer feels like youre getting the same value for the price. We were there to celebrate, so we ordered the chocolate piñata. While it tasted good it was overpriced, with too much chocolate forming the shell and not enough churros inside. We ended up leaving a good portion of the chocolate behind. read more

I had to make a last minute decision and I hit the jackpot!!! I was planing a birthday party for my granddaughter's 21st birthday at my house. Unfortunately, I had a fever and could not entertain here. I remember being an Uncle Julio's a few times and the one in Gaithersburg at Rio was a convenient location for everyone. I had to stay home and miss the party but there were 16 people invited and everyone had a great time and loved the atmosphere and atmosphere he food. The waitress took a fabulous picture and got everyone in it!!! That was very special for me since I couldn't be there. Everyone ordered what they wanted and got the chocolate piñata...which was a delicious dessert and enough for everyone. I was going to bring a cake, as that is allowed and then remembered the Chocolate piñata!!! The birthday celebration was fantastic thanks to Uncle Julio's read more

So, my family has always been regulars here at Don's at at Rio and still ar however, last week we came in with our whole family (party of 7). We were seated quickly, ordered drinks and when they got delivered our server dumped two full drinks right in my wifes lap and a third on the table. Our server clearly flustered tried to clean it up but failed but, she's was an absolute sweetheart, got us a new table and continued as our server at another table. My dish was really good (Shrimp Dinner) but my wife ordered the fried Tacos which were just not good, can't put our fingers on it, but they were bad. The manger did come over, spend like 45 seconds with us and really did not care about our issues, it was very clear. Suggestion- when we order appitizers, give the table little side plates so everyone isn't digging in the food and double dipping read more

uncle julio's has good food, but don't come in a rush! the tableside guac we ordered didn't come for 40 minutes and by that point our meals had already come out. we watched the guac cart move (veryyyy slowly) from table to table and our waitress was nowhere to be found. everyone enjoyed their food, but i do wish they gave a bit more protein for the fajitas for the price. of course you get all the side stuff but i could've eaten more chicken. big restaurant with indoor and outdoor patio seating, it can get a bit loud inside. i've never been there and had it not be crowded - make a reservation but you still might have to wait. parking is a bit of trouble bc it's in a big shopping center, but there are garages a 2-5 min walk away. would go back but not obsessed! read more

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I love coming to Uncle Julio's! Their patio is so cute with a great view of rio, it's also much quieter outside than inside. I always start off with a grand swirl, it is both the prettiest and tastiest drink on their menu! Their queso is really good too they put pico in it for a nice crunch. Their chicken fajitas are delicious I love the flour tortillas and the spread of toppings and sauces they give you. I've never had an issue with service here. The last time I went they were clearly short staffed and the manager stepped in to take our order and make sure everything was going well with our meal! They have an extensive menu with something for everyone! read more

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We came back here for dinner. We were worried that it might be too loud to carry on a conversation. We were seated in the back room, so the noise level was actually reasonable. The service was good. We started with the table guacamole. It was so good and full of flavor. It's one of the better ones that I had. We all got various fajitas with one enchiladas dish. Everyone was happy with the selection, and it was way too much food. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we also got the chocolate piñata. Omg it was the most amazing dessert that I have seen. It was definitely worth it, especially for a special occasion. Overall, it was a great experience. The food and dessert were amazing. read more

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Update to my previous review... Recap: Been going to Uncle Julios since my parents started taking me as a baby to the Bethesda location in the 90s. It was a family event when they opened a location closer, and we've been coming to the Rio one since. All to say, I've seen everything this location has been through in its lifespan haha The food quality and service for dine-in is consistent and good. The favorite dishes I mentioned in my last review are all still favorites. New part: It took 3 years, but Nachos Especial are back! (Marked "new" on the menu probably due to its untimely and lengthy absence). They are not the same as before however. Instead of about 12 round mini tostadas, now you get 6 chips, like half a tortilla/taco shell. It sounds like a roughly even redesign, but I think you got a little more food and meat in the other presentation. Luckily it tastes just like it used to which was most important for me personally. Prices on all the dishes have gone up in recent times. Which is not surprising per se, but I'm not sure I'd say this is a $17 appetizer? That's a personal call I guess. The 2 star review is for the really unacceptable out experiences we've had recently. You will see a picture of the $17 nachos served in the restaurant and the same exact dish sent for carry-out. No, other items were not packed separately, the nachos were tossed in the box, barely any cheese, and that's it. Same price, not the same quality at all. read more

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Visited for a mid-afternoon "Linner". Admittedly I have not been here for a few months and after today probably won't ever go back. Service was fine although it was difficult to hear the server over all the noise and the soft voice. The issues were the new menu and the Swirlie Margarita. What happened to classics like a flour enchilada with choice of beef, chicken or cheese? Everything had some "special sauce". Portions are small but prices are still high for the quantity/quality. My wife likes the Swirlie Margaritas which is why we go here over Guapo's (I prefer Guapo's salsa and their menu items but...happy wife, happy life). This won't be an issue going forward as her Swirlie Margarita was not frozen and tasted "off". Someone might want to clean, I mean DEEP CLEAN that machine. Too bad because I used to like Uncle Julio's enough to go there instead of Guapo's when wanting basic simple "Mexican" food. No more read more

The happy hour was amazing! Carlos (bartender) was busy but gave great service! The ambiance was perfect and the food is tasteful with quality! read more

Uncle Julio's - "The" Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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they used to have the best carne asada dish but now they changed it so it does not taste as good. meat is not as good

Food is good and they listen when you make special requests. The chocolate dessert with the fruit is amazing.

Just went in and the bartender ALLY was amazing! She busted her butt helping both the bar and making the servers' drinks. She had outstanding customer service and made all of her drinks with perfection, while the other bartender just stood there and barely did anything. I don't live here but I will definitely be back, when I visit next, thanks to Ally's smiling, helpful, bubbly self! read more

I haven't found much success with the margaritas here. The food is decent but Guapos seems to have the edge. The birrira tacos and fajitas have been the best food items thus far. The portions overall are smaller than most Mexican restaurants as well. Waiter was attentive and the ambiance serves its purpose. read more

Uncle Julio's - Barbacoa fajita - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

It's what you would expect from a family style Mexican restaurant. Good if that's what you are looking for, but I prefer either more authentic Mexican or Taco Bell. This is like the worst of both worlds. read more

This place has gone downhill fast. Everything about our last meal there was terrible. The service was awful, the waiters unprofessional. The food from simple things like nachos to the main courses was badly prepared. It was noisy and crowded. We used to like this place. We won't be back. read more

I think the quesa-birria was PHENOMENAL, I personally would have ate it as my main meal if it wasn't an appetizer. I think the crab & shrimp enchiladas weren't as good as I'd hoped, It was not very special and it was sort of bland but the mexican rice was really good. The ambiance of the restaurant was really nice, we sat on the patio on the lake which is probably the best place to sit. read more

Uncle Julio's - Crab & Shrimp enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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This was an excellent location for our annual Modern Smile Dental Christmas party. We had a wonderful time and we highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Uncle Julio's - Excellent location, food and service for our annual Christmas Party Modern Smiles Dental in Gaithersburg - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I had a great time there the music was great,the service was excellent very consistent. The food was very delicious it was my first time there I was told it was an expensive restaurant maybe it is for a big family but i have a family of 3 so not that bad at definitely recommend going for dates and birthday. read more

oh man this makes me sad. I've been going to UJ for years. We went on a Friday night expecting it to be very busy. We had a reservation but it wasn't busy and we got seated pretty fast. The first thing we noticed was that the kids menus were gone. No more coloring pages for this kids, just a small kids menu in the corner of the regular menu. Then our server came quickly and we ordered drinks. We ordered an app and food. Everything came out before our drinks. The "sizzling Fajitas" were cold, still no drinks. When I asked the waitress, she just offered for the manager to come over. So manager comes, doesn't comp anything, doesn't apologize, just gives a new one. Then the waitress must have been embarrassed because she pretty much stopped coming to our table. This place used to be so fun and service and food used to be much better quality. Save your money and spend it at Guapos instead! read more

I'm updating my review because, the service and food has gotten better, over the years. Only bad thing is that they significantly downside their menu, b4 COVID, they had a lot of tasty dishes that I miss. They decided to slash menu items that take a long time to cook. :( However, the make the best drinks ehmm... the swirls. If you get a swirl get it reversed. Mannnn... Our waitress was lovely. She matched our vibe. Food was on point. Service was fast. It wasn't busy for a Saturday, yay me. Desserts was a pass. I love Mexican fried ice cream, too bad they don't offer it here. I'm loving it... and Im proud of owning the Dutchess title for Uncle Julios. read more

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I've been an Uncle Julio's fan for many years and am happy to see the restaurant still thriving with Guapos so close by! I recently went around 3pm with a few colleagues. They don't have any happy hour specials, but they do have $5 drinks and cheaper lunch options until 4pm. I had 2 swirls (like a sangria slush) and their 2-Taco lunch deal for under $20 (before tip). Everything was delicious, and their tacos are actually super filling. read more

Uncle Julio's - Steak Fajita Skirt Steak - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Our visit to this location of Uncle Julio's was disappointing. Of the two items we ordered,the grilled fish tacos was good but the Vegetable fajitas was a disappointment-the plate with sour cream,pico de gallo,lettuce and guacamole that usually accompanies the fajitas was missing and the sour cream,pico de gallo was brought when I asked for it only to be charged extra for it on the bill. The grilled veggies had 50% onions,hardly cooked zucchini,charred mushrooms and no peppers. I would say this visit was an overcharge for an underwhelming experience. read more

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Uncle Julio use to be our go to restaurant for fajitas. We would get the steak fajita for two and drinks of course. Lately, each experience has gotten worse and worse. The steak no longer comes out sizzling, isn't seasoned well, and smaller than before. They also seem to be using a cheaper quality of meat. What's also disappointing is when drinks come out at the same time as the meal. I think the waiter forgot to put the order in. Our last visit was the nail in the coffin for me. We were charged $2 each for Mexican butter and also for extra cheese the size of two tablespoons. When you're already spending $ 100 for a meal for two it's more about the principal. Don't know if we'd come back if they don't get their act together. read more

Horrible service. I came in for lunch with my partner. I ordered the chicken and steak fajita, the manager delivered my food and the fajita plate was not sizzling. My partner said it out loud "it's not sizzling" and the manager continued to deliver it. I took a bite and immediately noticed that the meat was Luke warm. I sat for 5 minutes waiting for attention to ask them to re-do it. The manager took it back, and brought the SAME meat but this time on a sizzling plate. The meat was still the same temperature because all they did was take my meat and throw it in a new fajita plate on top of the veggies. The meat never heated. I then waited for the server and told him I was going to send it back and order something else, he brought me a menu and never returned. I flagged the manager down again and asked for the check. At this point, my partner finished her food and by the time I'd place an order and received it, she would have been waiting around. So much for lunch together. I made the manager aware that I was going to order something else, but that the server never returned. He said "I'm sorry about that". Never offered to remedy the situation. Never said " I can get you something made quick, let me buy you a desert", nothing. He allowed me to leave hungry. We paid for my partners meal and left. Very disappointing customer service. read more

Took my mom to Uncle Julios for lunch again today. I think I've eaten here 5 times since June! The food and service are always fantastic. Today I had a steak kids meal with mexican rice and guac and my Mom had the shrimp fajitas. Both were excellent. My steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly and so was my Mom's shrimp. Manuel was our waiter today and he was outstanding..... very knowledgeable about the menu and super personable! read more

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My friends and I stopped here for a quick lunch, the service here was AMAZING, and the food was very yummy. We had tacos (Baja fish, ground beef, chicken and steak), pulled chicken quesadillas, and the queso blanco. All of the food was great! The Rio Lakefront is a beautiful area, and the restaurant has a great view of the carousel and the surrounding water. I will definitely be a returning guest! read more

Uncle Julio's - Pulled Chicken quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Stopped in for a late birthday meal. Things have changed since our last visit. Menu changes - it seems they have paired down the menu, it sure if it's for the good. Had the only queso and it was grainy and had a "burnt" flavor to it. Tried to get a simple cheese and onion enchiladas- which they used to have. No luck what was suggested was just onions and sauce in the tortilla. Had the carne asada with "fresh" tortillas. Was tough and tortillas were cold and "hard". Service seems to be slower from the kitchen would expect with smaller menu it improve the speed. read more

Guapos is a pretty nice place. I love the decor and it's always good energy. They have excellent Margaritas. I got the Mangos frozen Margarita. I got the Birria tacos. It was ok. The Carne Asada looked delicious. I will try that next time. read more

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I wish I could give it 0 stars. My experience at Uncle Julio's was beyond frustrating. My two friends and I split the bill evenly, which should have come out to around $30 each. But I was charged twice, meaning Uncle Julio's took an extra $30 from me. That's not a small mistake. I called immediately after noticing the duplicate charge. The woman I spoke to said she'd call me back, never did. So I called again. They said they'd transfer me to the manager. I was put on hold for over 35 minutes before I had to hang up because I was literally boarding a flight. To make matters worse, our waiter was incredibly rude during the meal, which already put a damper on our night. Then to be overcharged and completely ignored when trying to fix it? That's just unacceptable. Still haven't received a refund or any real help. Uncle Julio's needs to seriously improve their customer service and train their staff better. I won't be coming back. read more

I went to Uncle Julio's twice while I was in Maryland--just delicious! Each time, I had the spicy shrimp Diablo. But I switched up the rice and beans. First time I had the regular beans and Mexican rice. It was good, but the beans had meat, which they didn't tell me. The second time I had the cilantro lime rice and the black beans. Both were great! But the Mexican rice is better. The table side guacamole is amazing and so fresh! My only complaints are that the restaurant is very loud and the shrimp was not spicy at all. Their homemade tortillas are sooo good. Enjoy! read more

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The food here can be good or great. I think the food quality is slightly lower than the Bethesda location, but the bar is phenomenal and the staff here are incredibly friendly. It can get REALLY busy here, but it's worth it for a good time! I love sitting in their patio but prepare for a crazy wait, even when it's not busy in other parts of the restaurant! Great vibes overall though and the staff do try to take care of you even when there are lines out the door and the whole place is packed. My favorite items are the steak fajitas and the beef enchiladas. Their chicken items are great too! On my last visit I tried their watermelon margarita and I was shocked at how good it was; it was made with fresh muddled watermelon and did not contain artificial watermelon syrup. I recommend coming here if you're craving Mexican fare at the Rio! read more

Uncle Julio's - The most yummy Watermelon Margarita! They didn't use a watermelon syrup, everything was fresh made. - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Amazing food made my tummy very happy. I loved the background noise and performance from the workers! The glass constantly dropping and the whole tray of food falling flat onto the floor truly gave us the greatest entertainment of the year. Compliments to the chef and to the spilled food on the floor. We the guests can't be the only ones eating after all! The only extra thing we could have asked for would be the sweet ambiance brought about by the servers shouting happy birthday to a terrified guest. This meal was a momentous occasion for us, it's flawlessness and importance to the history of humanity could only be likened to that of the Last Supper. A pilgrimage to this Uncle Julio's is something I would recommend to any self respecting individual. The Mecca of Rio Washingtonian Maryland. Truly, a religious experience. read more

Uncle Julio's - Immaculate - Mexican Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I stopped here with family for a delicious dining experience for my 26th birthday, and it was that + so much more!!! We were greeted by warm and welcoming customer service, and seated promptly after showing our reservation that we had made. I would highly recommend showing a reservation, especially since this establishment seems to be a happening spot! We ordered our drinks, btw i'd highly recommend the passion fruit lemonade (Double delicious), and then ordered appetizers as well. We ordered guacamole and habanero bacon wrapped shrimp for our appetizers! The habanero bacon wrapped shrimp were so juicy and tasty! I also loved that they were spicy as well! The kind of spicy that keeps you coming back for more! The guacamole was also on point as well! It was so delicious that you could not stop eating it! Fresh notes of jalapeños, lime, cilantro, and cumin were very vibrant throughout the dish. For my main course I ordered shrimp, chicken, and bacon fajitas! They came with tortillas, rice and beans, and also Mexican butter to drizzle on top! This meal was so savory and yummy! It transported me directly to Mexico, and I would know since i've been. The flavors were so warm and rich! Give this place a try and enjoy all of the goodness on the menu! A true 5 star experience! Cheers to good eats! read more

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Dined in yesterday. Server was very good and attentive and food came out very fast. But drinks were watered down and the food quality has gone downhill. We were a group of 10 people. Everyone agreed that their food was not that great. Rice was dry, beans had no flavor, seasoning was off. Hopefully this was a one off experience. read more

What a pleasant experience. While we have been taking takeout from Uncle Julio on a regular basis, we have not dined in physically since COVID. The visit was very pleasant and enjoyable. The food was great and the service good as well. Location is perfect. I have to say that dining in has this pleasant experience that take out does not offer, and somehow the food tastes better. We shall return. read more

We have been to this location multiples times! They have great indoor and outdoor dining The food and service is always great. I wish they had options for mock tails. It's a classic Tex- mix restaurant read more

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The service from the host and server was adequate. The menu is limited. No burritos at a Tex-Mex place--what? We ordered tacos, margaritas, and enchiladas. The cheese and onion enchiladas were not tasty, didn't smell good, and were not visually appealing. The side of beans were dripping in liquid. The rice was stale and flavorless. The cheese was a neon color, like Cheez Whiz on crack. The margaritas are $5 for happy hour and $10 for regular price (we had a combination of prices because we hit the tail end of happy hour). The drinks were not made with any alcohol so we had essentially drank sugar water. You either have happy hour prices and ensure the drinks are made right by competent bartenders or you just don't offer happy hour if it's not a sustainable business model. But don't serve subpar drinks when competition is steps away (Guapo's). We spent $115 and walked away disillusioned and went to Guapo's afterwards. I don't recommend this restaurant or brand. read more