This is my 2nd time at this location, but 1st time during the pandemic. The food is great, I love their Swirl (margarita/sangria). I also had a great waiter, I wish I remembered what his name was so I could credit him. My only complaint was how close seating was outside. The employee who seated us spoke so low we barely understood what he said. And then he sat us directly next to 2 other tables. I had to ask him if we could move over one. I'm sure the restaurant established rules for Covid, it would be great if everyone implemented them. read more

Good food and great service! I can't ask for more! Rubi took care of our table and I recommended her! Completely attentive, great personality, and on top of everything! I will be coming back soon and will be sure to ask for Rubi! Great drinks, great food, and great service! read more

Uncle Julio's is a 5 minute walk from Hyatt Place. I ordered the Steak Fajitas to go late last night. Picked them up, back to my room, unloaded a huge feast, but without a fork or knife it was hard to enjoy. Without a microwave, ten minutes round trip would have left me a cold meal, so I ate fajitas that were fantastic, but it was a messy meal. read more

The manager who sometimes work as bartender doesn't care about the customers , the margaritas taste as kool-aid in this location, l tried before in Skokie and the bartenders in this place know how to prepare a real margarita, but in Lombard are disgusting read more

Uncle Julio's - Who's going to come back again if they don't care about the customers ... - Mexican Near Me - Lombard, Illinois

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Ordered online. Waited 1 1/2 hours for my order. Went to pick it up at the scheduled time and told my order would be another 45 minutes. But the restaurant is still sitting people and serving people in the restaurant. Ask for a refund took for ever. Horrible experience read more

This place is sooo overpriced. Worst part is the food is terrible. The staff were all nice and there was no issues with that, but honestly a complete waste of money. Chipotle is sadly a better option than this. read more

I wish we could give stars based on different things like of service, food, so on things like that. The food is amazing so I would have given more than three stars for the food but for the service I would give a half star if I could. I get that it's the day before Christmas Eve but the waitress we had hardly came to our table and they where seven of us, one group of three, and two groups of two. It took almost 10-15 minutes just to get our drink orders. And before we even order any kind of food or drinks we told the waitress it was going to be three different checks. Then go ahead and order food comes and out all that was ordered one dish came out wrong. So had to deal with that. I will say the food is amazing the table side guacamole was so good being fresh. The mama Julio's nachos where different than what I am use to but I liked it a lot better then just having everything pulled up on the nachos. The chicken tamales first time having them I really liked them nice and moist. Being from a small town area the prices are not what I'm use to seeing but also understandable do to being in the big city and being authentic Mexican food. But the waitress comes out with one of those pay at the table things and it's all on one check and we didn't want to split it that way and we tried to explain that to the waitress and it took three times for her to finally get it and if you still go here best keep a menu with you at the table there where some items that they over charged us on, plus tried to make one pay for the steak fajita at the adult price when they order it off the kids menu. So best keep any eye on the prices. read more

I'm at home now unwinding from a very stressful dining experience. Don't come here if you have kids under the age of 2. I came in obviously with a small toddler. They made a big deal about me having a baby then sat me at a booth and they would not allow me to use a high chair, only a booster seat. The table that the hostess carefully sat me at ended up being in a high traffic area. I held my child half the meal. The tables are so close to each other that you can barely walk in between them. You might as well be dining at a mall food court, oh wait, that might be a little better actually. I think the floor plans at mall food courts area are designed way better than this restaurant. Service was so so. I honestly think this restaurant over books and over crams itself to the point where the restaurant is uncomfortably full and the servers are stressed and barely able to do their jobs. While I was getting ready to leave and obviously packing up a table with toddlers belongings means that will take a few moments, employees from the restaurant came and stood right next to me as though they were rushing me to clear the aisle. Well there is no rushing with a baby and if any of them ever dined out with little ones they would know that. I just really felt from the beginning to the end of my experience that this restaurant sends a strong message that diners with small children aren't welcomed or properly accommodated. So very rude. I won't be coming back here and honestly I don't think I'll be dining with this chain ever again. I looked back in my yelp history and I apparently ate at a different uncle julio last year for my birthday. Ironic. I like the food but the service is still bad. Trust me this won't be repeated next year. read more

Stopped in for lunch with co-workers. We arrived a little before lunch hour and we were able to sit outside under a nice covered patio and enjoy the day. After getting chips and salsa we started with queso. The salsa was very good and had a little kick, the chips were very thin and a bit greasy. The Queso was typical, I would of liked a little more spice. For lunch we ordered Shrimp Fajitas, Chicken Taco Plate and Benito Platter (chicken enchilada, Pork Tamale and Chile Relleno). Everyone enjoyed their food, the flavor was good and the ingredients tasted fresh which is their tag line. Service was average, the server was friendly but started to disappear for periods as the restaurant filled up during the lunch hour Overall, decent Mexican food, but a more limited menu than other options and a little higher priced. read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant. The carne asada is delicious. The Ceviche appetizer is awesome.

First of all, It was our marriage anniversary and we decided to give this restaurant a shot. Turns out, the food was over priced, cold, unflavored, and our server just did not care. He didn't even bother properly introducing himself nor checked on us. Food took over 25 minutes to come out (not expected because it was Sunday and wasn't packed). I will definitely not be going back. Rather spend my money at elsewhere since this restaurant is essentially a high end Taco Bell. read more

The service was ok but the drinks are not the same as before. I ordered the Jefe margarita and I felt like I was drinking pure sugar with out the Jalapeño that they use to put on the rim of the glass. I like to enjoy what I pay for and when they lack on putting a little effort to make my drink delicious, it's hard for me to want to order any other drinks not to mention there was hardly any liquor in the drink. Cmon $15.00 and I can't even get a jalapeño garnish. The waiter said they ran out of Jalapeños. Really in a Mexican restauran? So confused. read more

I always request to Come here for my birthday. I love their food. The Guadalajara is my favourite plate. If you like shrimp, chicken and steak you Must get this! The table side guacamole and the home made tortillas are also extremely good. read more

I had dinner here tonight - chosen solely based on proximity since my friend was sans vehicle and could walk. Service at 6pm on Wednesday was RIDICULOUSLY SLOW: it took our server 20 minutes - literally - to come and take our order. She asked what DRINKS we wanted. (Guuurl, we've been waiting so long, we're ready with our FOOD order!) We also had to wait a long time for her to ever come back so we could request the check. We were in the middle of the restaurant - not hidden away in some corner - and she passed us multiple times, so there's no real excuse to leave us hangin' for so long. The Fish Tacos were alright: on the larger side, stuffed 1/2 fish, 1/2 slaw with tomatoes and onions, a bit of heat, and flavorful enough. The avocado créma actually didn't do much to enhance the tacos, but held things together. The $16 was steep for 3 tacos, .5c of beans, and 1c rice. The beans and rice were tasty, which doesn't usually happen with Mexican(-esque) fare. Supposedly the drinks are fabulous, but I wouldn't know... and doubt I'd chance the slow service and high price point again to find out. read more

Over the last few years we have been to this location many times. The one word that always comes to mind after a meal is INCONSISTENT. Each time we order the exact same meal and something is amiss. The meat comes out under or over cooked. Either flour or corn tortillas are forgotten. Jalapenos are barely blistered or they are so mild you might as well have a green pepper. The salsa is either perfect or so mild it is meant for children who feel black pepper is too spicy. read more

Get the skinny! The skinny margaritas here are too good ! Can't get enough of the fresh chips & salsa-take it away now! Enjoyed the Cozumel shrimp tacos-sweet taste! Always a good time! read more

Uncle Julio's - Patron Skinny margarita - Mexican Near Me - Lombard, Illinois

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An average, run-of-the-mill Mexican restaurant chain. The abundance of chips and salsa continue to come and come to our table. The crispness of the chips was phenomenal, although a bit greasy. The salsa was very palatable, but did not seem to have any kick to it. We ordered a large guacamole for the table which was supposed to be the equivalent of five scoops. It looked more like three scoops. Although tasty, quite expensive for the quantity. The entrées averaged $15 each. There certainly was an abundance of food, but the food seemed rather bland. It was surprising that there were no condiments (hot sauce) on the table. Last but not least, The most disappointing part of the entire evening was how difficult it was to carry on a conversation in the restaurant due to all of the hard surfaces and echoing in the room in which we sat. While there were eight of us at our table, you could literally only have a conversation with the person sitting next to you. As the place filled up, hearing was virtually impossible. As much as I enjoyed being there, I can't say I will return there anytime soon. ______________________________________ Thank you for your prompt response. I truly appreciate someone getting back to me so quickly. Hopefully, I will once again be able to try Uncle Julio's. I do want to add that your staff did an outstanding job. Our server, Austin, was very efficient and polite. read more

i'm pretty much obsessed with this place. THe margaritas are to die for and the food is so unbelievably yummy! I'm not a fan of the long wait that we always seem to run into, but knowing what we're in store for when we finally get a table is well worth it. I have a 3 yr old daughter and I think this place is really great for her to. They have a good kids menu and they offer little balls of dough for them to play with while you wait on your meal to arrive. read more

SO incredibly overpriced. The portions are small, the food is mediocre, and the service is a downward spiral as well. The ambiance is great but if it's not backed up by the food and service it falls to the wayside. Also, there's ALWAYS a wait... even if half the place has open tables, they will make you wait. Totally not worth it, get the $1 tacos from Burger King and feel like you at least got your money's worth. read more

Not the best first time experience. We were not impressed with our visit. I enjoy eating authentic Mexican foods but this was not within my expectations. We waited for our food to arrive 45 minutes later and after others had received their food well after we arrived. I gave our waitress a look as to what is going on and she responded and said our food is coming up shortly. I gave them 5 more minutes before we were walking out. When our food arrived, it was lukewarm as if it was sitting for a while. Also we received soft shells instead of hard shell tacos and we that arrived it was more content than meat. The food was just OK and nothing to brag about or have a desire to return. We won't be returning here again. read more

The 3 stars is overall rating. The service is 5 stars, Peter was fantastic, he was very attentive and we were never looking for him. We had white queso, margaritas and I took Peter's recommendation of the el pastor shrimp- The food was fine but not worth the expensive price and I'd rather not pay $10 for a margarita. I liked the aesthetic of the place, we went at 3pm on a Saturday and there was no wait. read more

Eh. Just barely manages three stars. We visited early-ish on a Friday and were seated promptly. Sprang for some guacamole with our chips & salsa on a whim. Not the biggest portion, and while it was tasty, the bottom half or so was basically just avocado slices -- not much seasoning or veggies mixed in down there. I had to chop it up a bit with my fork to manage to eat the rest. The chips were thin and crispy -- tasty, but not the best texture to hold guac -- and the salsa was quite good, with a nice smokey flavor. My main "problem" really is the prices. The dinner entrees are nearly all $14 and up; some are near $20. Only tacos, enchiladas and flautas are in the $10-13 range. I went for fish tacos (about $14) and my husband had beef tacos ($11 I believe). Mine came with black beans and cilantro-lime rice; his came with pinto beans and yellowy rice. The food *was* good, but not good enough that I'd pay $18 for chicken and vegetables. I agree with Matthew -- if you're Rick Bayless, serving amazing ingredients put together with care and love, then sure. Him, I will pay $12 for a sandwich (and $4 for guacamole that was WAY better). But this is chain Mexican food. I can find other chains with equally good food that costs less -- or, better yet, any of the locally owned places around the 'burbs. Service was good but not great. The waiter was a bit spacey and tried to take our tortillas away (entrees all come with warm fresh tortillas on the side, which is a little weird, but they WERE delicious and fluffy). I might go back to Uncle Julio's, but probably only if someone else were paying. :) Or maybe for drinks and appetizers. read more

My wife and I go here almost every weekend as we have determined that it is the only halfway-decent Tex-Mex in town. Sure, there is great Mexican in Chicagoland, but good Tex-Mex is impossible to find, and Uncle Julio's is it. If you don't know the difference between Mexican and Tex-Mex, it's subtle but important. Starting off with the bad. The enchiladas at UJ's are far too oily. I ordered them once and never again. Also, the prices are a bit steep for Tex-Mex. Lunch for two with no alcoholic drinks usually costs us $50 all-in (incl. tax & tip). Our favourite Tex-Mex place in Houston would normally be around $30. Now on to the good. The soft tacos and fajitas are great. Any place that makes their flour tortillas fresh every day scores highly in my books, and UJ's are top-notch. Their chips are fantastic as well, but could use more varied salsa options. The chipotle-style salsa they provide is good, but sometimes you just want a cream-based or fresca-style option. The service is *always* fantastic at UJ's as well. We have yet to get a bad server and on many occasions they remember that I like extra tortillas with my fajitas and my wife likes a sliced avocado instead of guac. My iced tea never goes unfilled, as does my wife's Diet Coke. Lots of smiles and nice conversation, but not too much conversation if you know what I mean. Obviously UJ's has to be good to keep us coming back every week, and they are. But there's still a little bit of room for improvement -- if only they would change their enchilada recipe! Oh and the place can get a bit overrun with kids at lunch on the weekends. We eat early so it's not a problem but FYI nonetheless. read more

Great service, but not worth the cash. I read the other reviews, but I had to check it out for myself. After all, I'm in the suburbs and good food isn't easy to find! This place could be fun in warmer weather with a patio, but there isn't much seasoning on the food. First of all, if you are a vegetarian or don't want to eat meat, there aren't many choices here. Yes, they have veggie fajitas, but after that you have to go to the appetizer menu to find something. I got shrimp quesadillas which were $15 or so. There were many on my platter and there was cheese, onion and red pepper, but for $15 I was hoping for big shrimp. It looked like the shrimp was either the little ones or chopped up. Also, not much flavor. Plenty of cheese. Not what I hoped for. The children's meals (there's like 4 or 5 to choose from) are about $5 each and that doesn't include a drink. They are all Mexican fare with cheese quesadillas being the only bland one. The chips were greasy, but they brought them right away. The server was very attentive, even when we asked for a box for leftovers. I know I'm not being original here, but I have to agree with the other 2 reviewers. The food just isn't worth the money! read more

Went with friends, who placed an "open table reservation at 615p and were advised a two-hour wait from that time, on the 16th of February and arrived around 7p. Waited in the bar area and watched at least four groups of people, who came in after us, get seated prior to us (same-sized groups; we found out later those seated sooner were friends or relatives of the young kids working the front/seating desk)!! We were not seated until 845p. As I unraveled my napkin to take out my utensils, found said napkin soaking wet and covered in salsa. Once the food arrived, it was very tasty; however, the table for four would've accommodated two much better since they were stacking plates on plates! Our server, Sarah, was absolutely was one of the best servers, EVER. As we departed, six "hosts/hostesses" were standing together, talking like a bunch of hens, making zero contact with us as we left, even after I said, "thanks; goodnight" (and not sarcastically)!! Will not return to that location. Friends/family of employees should not receive better/quicker service than those who aren't blessed to have a family member employed by the Lombard location of Uncle Julio's.. read more

I've been keto for a year and had to try these tortillas - I ended up eating 5 of them and I don't regret it in the least. I'll come back here if only for the doughy stretchy fresh tortillas. These tortillas were just as good as my Mexican grandma used to make. I'd yet to find anywhere half as good. I had the fajitas and they were good but I still have dreams about those tortillas. It's a good thing I don't live in town because I'm not sure I could stick with keto if this was within a 30 min drive for me. read more

Great services. Jordan is a great waiter. He knows the menu and he is nice.

I will start this off by saying that this is an absolute favorite of ours and we probably go here WAY too much. We never even bother looking at the menu, as we always order the same exact thing! This place is ALWAYS busy, so we're a big fan of the whole "call ahead" feature they have going. I get cranky waiting in a crowded, noisy restaurant while I'm absolutely starving and all I can smell is the delicious food I am waiting to eat! So we'll call them and they'll take our name and tell us to come in about 30 minutes or so - I'm much happier waiting at home, and we live close so it works out well. A lot of people complain about the music being so loud, which I can totally understand. But the boyfriend and I are all business when we are out to eat - once there is food in front of us, there's very little conversation :) I love the fresh chips they put on the table, although I do always wish they were a bit thicker so that they could stand up better to the heartier guacamole. We always order the large guac, which is a favorite of mine. Always fresh, always creamy, always delicious. We get the steak fajitas every time - two pepople can easily split the fajitas for one, and each get two fajitas - but if we want leftovers, we get the fajitas for two. There is something about the tortillas that makes them unlike any tortilla I've ever tasted. They make them right there in the restaurant, so they're hot and fresh when they arrive at your table. They're light and fluffy, with a hint of saltiness to them that I just love. The steak is always perfectly cooked and pretty much melts in your mouth. Ugh, as I am writing this, I am developing a craving! You HAVE to try the signature swirl margarita - I usually don't do margaritas, but this one is delicious. Beware, it packs a punch - drinking one too fast usually gets me a bit tipsy ;) My only complaint is that it gets a bit pricey for Mexican food- but since it's so delicous, it's totally worth it! read more

I had an extremely weird experience at this restaurant last weekend. Usually, the experience is decent and service is also decent. We were seated and ordered our usual favorites, which happen to be the enchiladas. Upon ordering, my mom stated she wanted "easy" cheese, since sometimes they overdo the cheese. The waiter then tells us that the enchiladas don't come with cheese. We were both confused. What? Of course enchiladas come with cheese. It's baked in and then some is also scattered on top and melts! We then thought, maybe he means there is no cheese in the red/green sauce choices. OK. The meals come out. They are BOTH completely devoid of cheese, inside and outside, even though I did not even say anything about easy cheese for my dish. WTF! I don't want to waste it, so I ask him to bring a side of cheese, even thought the whole point of enchiladas is the baked in cheese inside and outside. He brings a side of cheese after asking what kind. We are like, whatever is supposed to be in it!!!! I try saving the dish by adding cheese, but it doesn't even melt because both our plates are COLD. This is the last straw and I ask to see the manager, because I don't even want to eat here anymore and do not want to wait for another meal to be made. I've lost my appetite at this point. The waiter does NOT even call the manager. He just brings us our check for $3.00 for the Sprite we ordered. Okay, whatever. Needless to say, I'm not leaving a tip and we just leave. Awful experience. I don't think I will be going back any time soon, even though I did like coming here on occasion. They really need to train their staff better on the dishes and customer service. read more

Good food, service was OK for a busy Saturday evening. Place was way too loud though. I go here if I want fancy, over priced Mexican food. Otherwise I prefer more authentic Mexican at some of the places on Roosevelt Rd. read more

I went here for dinner the other day and it was pretty great! To start off - the chips. WOW! They were so thin and crispy which is easily my favorite way to have chips. We had some guac and cheese to go with - also fantastic! I had the red sangria to drink. It was really really strong - stronger than I would prefer honestly - but still pretty good. For my entree I had the chicken fajitas. They were good, but not really anything special. I've definitely had better chicken, but everything that went with it - the fajitas, corn, guac, etc, were really good. So - improve the chicken! For some reason they left the skin on? I didn't like that. Overall - the chips were so freaking amazing it overpowered the rest of the meal. I will definitely be back, and trying other entrees, cause the chips were freaking amazing. read more

Ridin' Dirty... I ordered the Ceviche Rica, and some people don't mind this but I DO.....about half of the shrimp on my plate were not cleaned properly or "deveined". Gross!!! I told the waiter and he apologized, and that was the end of that. On the other hand... Chips+Salsa= YUM!!! Warm and fresh, not stale like in other restaurants. I've had Flautas de pollo here a few times, and they're always delicious. I would definitely stick with Flautas de Pollo, or any other non-shrimp dish...you know unless you like DIRTY SHRIMP. P.S. If this is supposed to be a Mexican Restaurant why are they always playing Salsa music????????? read more

Every time I visit the Chicago area, Uncle Julio's is a must stop! Fresh tortilla chips, fresh salsa, what could be better??! My friend and I shared the usual; a fajita plate, steak, shrimp and chicken. The garlic butter concoction for dipping is TO-DIE-FOR! I Uncle Julio!! read more

I've been wanting to try this place since I moved out here 10 years ago! Very disappointed needless to say. I'm really surprised this place is still open. If it were not for my boyfriend, I would have sent the food back and left and I NEVER do that! I ordered a chicken enchilada and a cheese enchilada. The chicken one was okay but the cheese was not the authentic Mexican way. It tasted plain nasty to me (they used monetary jack cheese). I even asked for any white cheese and they responded they don't use any white cheese for the enchilada's?!? I did not like the beans or rice. I hardly even touched my plate. I mostly just ate the chips and salsa. They did bring me another chicken enchilada to replace the cheese one but I lost my appetite after this..... My boyfriend's plate was even worse!! He ordered flauta's. They were so greasy all the oil was dripping on his plate. He had to pat it down on his thick fabric hand- towel and it seeped through the towel onto the table!!! After that, I wanted to send everything back and leave but he ate it anyways. If I ate that, I would have been sick for days. Oh and btw, we saw the manager's come over to two other tables regarding complaints. One guy sent his food back as well. The good: The chips and salsa The service- Our waiter was nice, efficient. The food came out fast (don't know if this is a good or bad thing) The dessert (Coconut Ice Cream Ball) Bad: The food/entree's Overpriced Overall, this place is NOT AUTHENTIC Mexican. Honestly, Taco Bell is better than this place! Even Taco Bell is not that greasy! read more

I was on the fence between giving UJ two or three stars...I ended up going with two. This review is basically completely based on the food, I was indifferent in regard to our server. The old man and our youngest came in for lunch yesterday (a Thursday afternoon) after running errands all morning. I'd been in here before and had the tacos and a great margarita during a girls night so I figured it was a safe bet. My youngest ordered a kids chicken taco, and holy crap if I had known it was that salty I would have never let him eat it! My kid does not need to be ingesting that much salt! He offered me one of the last bites of his taco and that's when I realized how covered it was. I had ordered the chicken fajita especial which were also EXTREMELY salty, I mean...ridiculously so. I originally assumed it was because there was cheese on it and figured it was because of that as well but after I tried my kid's food I realized, nope, it's just been given a salt bath. It was ridiculously overpriced, $15 for food I could barely eat. Nothing appealed to my old man so he ordered the chicken tortilla soup...which was basically all avocado. Our waiter took it off our bill without any hesitation. It was horrible. The food isn't "authentic" whatsoever, you can get better Mexican food for much cheaper at other places. read more

Food is fine, but the service is HORRIBLE. We had to get our own silverware and chase down a waitress to order diner. She threw the check at us as she ran by. When the manager asked how the service was we politely explained our difficulties and that we would have spent much more at the restaurant if asked about drink refills or dessert. The managers response was that the service level was our fault for not going to find a manager at the beginning of the meal. This was my first and likely last visit. read more

This is a joke. Work next door at the sporting goods store and ordered nachos to go. Got back to the store to eat and for $11.24 with tax I got about 12 chips covered in shredded cheese barely completely melted. I could make the exact same at home. Very disappointed. read more

Uncle Julio's - $11.24 for this???? Ridiculous. Will not be back. - Mexican Near Me - Lombard, Illinois

I gave this place one star because the waiter was nice and the ambiance was cool. Food wise you're way better off going to Lalo's or another classy Mexican restaurant after all this is Chicago. The food is way over priced and to be honest is nothing spectacular. This is a trendy crap-hole I could do with out. read more

Well, it really was meh. Mexican food is usually so delicious and full of flavor that I had a hard time giving this place more than two stars. I ordered my standard tacos with rice and beans. It was Mexican food, but lost somewhere between Taco Bell, homemade with a packet of seasoning and ground beef, and late night diner Mexican. Not worth going back for the prices. You know, you can't win them all. read more

I always come to Uncle Julio's with my family and enjoy the great fajitas. I went this past Friday and I'm not sure if it is because we came during a super busy hour or what, but the service was a bit off. I repeatedly had to ask for water from my server when we were first seated. Yes, free water. The food was exceptional as usual. From my dad who likes the frog legs and quail, to my mom who likes the simple tacos and myself with the fajitas, we were all satisfied. I just wished we had a server who was just a bit more attentive. But who am I kidding? I'll be back again! read more