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North/Clybourn (Red)
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For being a Westernized Mexican restaurant, I think they've done a great job. The portions are huge, the food is bursting with flavor, the endless chips are fresh and served with a salsa that's got a slight kick to it. We always order the pork tamales b/c the corn is oh so soft and the meat is oh so tender.
The margaritas are subpar - they actually don't have flavor. The ambiance is casual and fun...and very loud. It's always difficult to hear what the people across from you are saying.
Come for the food, not the drinks, and don't expect to leave with your full voice.
Overpriced, loud, and so-so food. Saturday was my last Uncle Julios Hacienda visit.
The valet parking was $3. That should have been our first sign to go somewhere else. I'm not completely opposed to paying for parking at a restaurant, but considering all the other options in the area, I thought "This isn't worth it" but didn't say anything.
There were plenty of people waiting for a table so we sat in the bar area at a table. The waiter came by for our order without giving us menus. I ordered the chicken fajitas that were around $15 (I think), cheese and sour cream is extra. The fajitas show up with a big glop of butter on top of them, I sent them back since I can't have dairy. So they bring them back and it's a large amount of chicken, and some onions. A charred jalapeno on top. No peppers. I don't think I've ever had fajitas that were just meat and onions. There is salsa and guacamole on the side. So what you've got is chicken and onions with perhaps some salsa and guacamole in a tortilla. It was good, but not complete. Especially for the price.
My husbands was a more complete meal, and oddly, less expensive. $35 for 2 people for lunch seemed a bit excessive, considering all we had was water to drink.
Definitely won't be stopping at Uncle Julios Hacienda again for a Saturday lunch or any other meal.
The chips are good when they're still warm and the margaritas are ok. It's a really loud atmosphere, which is good if you are with kids, or an obnoxious drunk. But it does make hearing your table companions difficult.
Our server was very patient with the kids and very attentive. I think he was really busy too, packed section.
I don't understand these bad reviews? If you go to uncle julios the carne asada dinner is a must and the shrimp are great, I have also had the chicken fajitas which are also very good. If you eat meat though definitely get the carne asada but not the steak fajitas 2 different items, it's the best I've ever had. Frozen strawberry margaritas are awesome too. And If u get an app don't pass up the veggie tomales they rock but are a little spicy sometimes
Two days later and I still think I'm feeling the effects of eating here. You may notice that the prices here are a bit higher than you'd expect...that's because you get a TON of food. Me, with my three friends, had every single square inch of our table covered with our entrees and drinks.
I had the Jalisco, which was three large shrimp and fajitas. They gave enough food to make 6 packed fajitas, and I was stupid enough to eat 4 that night (along with the tasty salsa con queso dip and drinks). My friend got the Juarez ribs which were excellent once you use the sauce he forgot he had.
Then, as a kind gesture, they brought out a plate of sopapillas for us because it was our first time there. I think they were on a mission to actually see a human explode. We ate some out of courtesy, then proceeded to die.
I guess the food is pretty average for a Mexican place...nothing I haven't seen before. But the service was good, and I had enough food in me to tide me over until lunch the next day, where I proceeded to have leftover fajitas. Sometimes quantity counts for a lot...especially when it's listed in your autopsy.
Next time I'll just save myself 20 bucks and go to Taco Bell.
I'm not sure there was any tequila in my margarita. Off to a bad start already. Especially when your customer is a lush.
The guacamole was serviceable. With the beef enchiladas, though, I'm not sure you could take a blind taste test and tell the difference between Uncle Julio's and Taco Bell. There was some kind of processed nacho cheese that overpowered everything else.
We got a complimentary plate of sopaipillas for dessert on account of it being my initial visit to UJ's. Gonna have to do much better than that.
Went here for a large group birthday dinner....have been before but not for many years....probably since they first opened.....I wasn't a fan then....and I'm still not.
Food:
Chips & Salsa: Freebie for the table....liked the salsa...had a smoky chipotle flavor....chips were just ok....I liked that they were thin.....but damn without the salsa they were flavorless.
Chicken Supreme Tacos: Came with 2 giant tacos....I upgraded to the supreme chicken, which is what they use for the fajitas and advertised as more flavorful etc....the tacos were fine....I've certainly had better for less $$....chicken, unfortunately, didn't have that much flavor and it came in cubes....which always makes me suspicious about the origin of the meat.....they charge extra for sour cream....but give you a huge plate of it....really enough for at least 4 people. The flour tortillas were thick....but didn't hold up....mine got soggy in the middle and started ripping apart halfway through eating it...boo :(
Beef Supreme Tacos: Same as above but with the fajita beef.....which was by far the better choice....way more flavor....and didn't come in little cubes...still the same problem with the tortillas though.
Service:
We were a party of about 20 people....and the servers were great about getting orders in....bringing them to the right people....making sure everyone had cocktails and anything else they needed. They even brought everyone separate checks.....which I'm a huge fan of when dining in a large group like that.
Ambiance:
Large space....with the usual mexi decor....wooden chairs....etc...pretty benign.
Overall:
This isn't a place I myself would choose to go to for Mexican food.....the service is nice and friendly.....but in my opinion it's overpriced for the quality of food.. If you want real mexican food.....that's much cheaper and waaaaaaay tastier....head down to Pilsen.
I first went to UJ for their grand opening back in the early 90's. The food was EXCELLENT and every so often I've gone back and had great food.
After a few years break, I revisited UJ's last night. OMG! Did I miss the memo that they stopped flavoring their food or cooking it correctly? The chicken in the enchilada had NO flavor and the salsa verde had NO tangy zip. The chile relleno was a crime against nature with its' thick pancake like batter. About half an inch thick. Really! I'm not kidding. The meat in the taco carbon was tasty, not great. The strawberry margarita was "eh" (my fault I forgot to order a swirl).
The food was so average I actually stopped in the middle of my meal and looked around at everyone in the restaurant wondering "who are these people and why do they look so happy eating this completely average, tasteless, spiceless, Mexican food." It was a very "Invasion of Body Snatchers" moment. As I finished my margarita my taste buds cried a small tear for what used to be and I bid UJ's 'adios' as I will not be returning.
First I will say I am not a huge fan of chain restaurants however if you enjoy chain restaurants you may like this place.
We walked in and were sat immediately by an unfriendly host, maybe she was having a busy crazy night? Who knows? When our server arrived I was excited that he was a bit more friendly than our host, maybe he was having a better night?
We ordered two margaritas on the rocks, I don't know what I was expecting but I defiantly wasn't expected cheap Jose Cuervo, this was by far one of the worst margaritas I have ever had. We should have gotten up and left then but we decided to move forward with the meals. We ordered enchiladas and guacamole. Both were less than subpar. I was extremely disappointed with the menu and more importantly the poor quality of food. Did I mention the price? Everything was extremely over priced considering the food quality. I am happy to pay good money for good food but this was such a waste.
I gave Uncle Julio's two stars because of our server. However the food and drink quality deserve one star, possibly zero.
Overall, I would not recommend Uncle Julio's, there are cheaper better tasting Mexican places all over Chicago. Unfortunately, this place is no good.
"It's the Pits"
I've been here a number of times with folks, and it's usually quite a lively place to enjoy drinks or dinner. Definitely not a good first date place for dinner, unless you are trying to minimize conversation, or maximized closer leaned-in conversations depending on the night.
The food is decent, and the food may feel a touch expensive, if you're aware of other similar offerings within driving distance. Given its prime location though, you are paying for that and the general ambiance.
My margarita on the rocks was tasty, though most folks may want to try the Swirl Margarita, which the women in our group enjoyed.
Service was decent, not exceptional. No complaints though.
Accessible by multiple buses (Halsted, North, Clybourn) and the Red Line. Valet parking in the lot, and street parking in the neighborhood for the adventurous ones among you.
food and service not good! I only go there for the margarita sangria swirls and the fried ice cream covered in almonds, coconut and caramel. otherwise don't waste your money. if you want mexican food go to el cid, leon, or mundial!!!
This place is just "ok". The food is really no different in taste from any other sit-down Mexican restaurant, but the atmopshere and decor is nice.
It's not very expensive here, but for the price I was hoping for more than just canned refried beans (at least that's what they taste like). You do get a lot for what you pay for though. I remember leaving very full from this place.
The drinks here are also very good. The Sangria and frozen margaritas: yummy.
HUGE downfall is that it is so noisy you can't even hear yourself think. When I go to dinner at a restaurant, I do not want to think I am in a frat bar.
I understand that I will lose all credibility as a Mexican food critic by raving about a chain restaurant. However, I'm a HUGE fan of their fajitas. I can't speak for the other dishes, but the fajita meat is always seasoned and grilled perfectly here. Even the chicken is juicy. I love the fresh flour tortillas that are made in front of you (even if it is by machine)! They're so thick and chewy!
It is superloud, pricier, and non-authentic Mexican, but I'm still a fan.
Mediocre in every possible way. After hearing it was one of the better mexican places in town I got excited and mentioned it for dinner last night. We had to wait about 10 minutes to go sit on the balcony which was fine and gave us time to read over the menu.
We sat down, and a very ditzy male server came over and brought us two plates, stared at us, and said oops not for you guys. He came back and seemed extremely rushed to get our order in. Boyfriend had the famous margarita and i went on moment and got some sort of frozen margarita with corona? It tasted like a margarita corona slurpee! which is fine with me.
here's the strangest part of the evening: we placed our order, and not joking, the food came out 5 minutes later. We were in awe as our air-head server threw them onto the table and walked away. Food was okay, nothing too spectacular, but then again boyfriend had the enchilidas and i had the tacos. nothing special. Halfway through eating, the server wanted to take our plates. A bit pushy is an understatement.
Had to order the sopapillas for dessert, yummo except even for 2 of us eating, it came out with 12! After getting the bill (my turn to pay) I decided we probably won't be going back there.
$2 for a side of sour cream?
$60 for the 2 of us to eat crappy mexican food? I don't think so. I prefer the little BYOB taco stand down the street.
Even though it's a chain restaurant, this place does some amazingly delicious and AUTHENTIC Mexican food. Seriously.. it's a contender for "Steve's Favorite Mexican Food in Chicago." It gets crowded and loud, but once you're sitting down, it's soooo worth it!
Two of us got there around 8 without reservations. We ended up waiting about 40 minutes, but it was plenty of time to cozy up to the bar, enjoy some margaritas and chips and salsa. Friendly bartenders, and somewhat expensive drinks. (Marg/rocks/salt was $8 before tip? Somewhat par for the course in a nicer Mexi spot I suppose.)
We were seated at a table close to the awesome tortilla machine on the West side of the dining room. How I love that machine... seeing the little flour tortillas get popped into the machine, spiral down the heated glassed-in area, and then get conveyor-belted out into a basket, ready to be served. So cool!
Our server was friendly and very knowledgeable. She made some great recommendations (leaning towards Shrimp... she was a seafood person.. and her strategy worked!), but didn't get too much in our faces the whole time. That perfect balance between being attentive, but not too in-your-face or an absentee server. She was good.
The food:
We started with some queso for the chips on the table. This was FREAKING DELICIOUS! We were both in agreement that if we had had straws, it would be easy to just drink the queso straight from the bowl. Damn it was good.
After that, we decided to split a bunch of stuff. Pork tamales. I'm not usually a huge tamale person, but for some reason it seemed like the right thing to get at the time. And, we were NOT dissapointed. They were a bit spongier than the tamale guy's product, and in that way were interestingly delicious. Good salsa with those bad boys too.
The other plate we split was a combo of beef fajitas and shrimp that were stuffed with cheese, jalapeno, and then wrapped in bacon. That's right. I said it. Shrimp/cheese/jalapeno/bacon. Oh yea. There was a drawn butter, lemon and garlic sauce to dip in. Seriously, my mouth is watering just remembering it!
It was a really fun time, with a fun person, and excellent food. Seriously delicious. Can't wait to go back!
I love Uncle Julio's and I'm not ashamed! ..ok, maybe a little ashamed.
Straight up FIVE stars for the chips and salsa alone. The chips are thin, perfect, crunchy, and the salsa is smokey and flavorful. Truth be told, I don't really pay that much attention to the food because I'm usually three baskets (of chips) deep by the time the food arrives. Get an order of queso too...even if you don't like bright orange cheese, you'll find yourself eventually licking the bowl. If you MUST order an entree, the veg fajitas are one of the best things on the menu.
Family friendly. I love their chips. Always consistent. Great carne asada and chicken fajitas. Fast. Pricey though.
Went to this place last nite for dinner with a few friends. The restaurant is huge and loud. Server was nice and friendly. Their drinks are ok. I had their sangria on the rocks and wasn't impressed at all.
Their food was the best part... I had the veggie fajitas and it was delicious! My partner had the veggie quesadillas and they were also good. Their menu is a little pricy for a Mexican restaurant but their assorment and quality of the food was good.
I'm not to fond of restaurant chains, but this one passed the test!
Not my cup of tequila.
So Landmark is apparently closed on Sundays at 6:30??? I find that super hard to believe with all the theaters in the area....but whatever, I was with a group and went with the flow. This is where we flowed to---Uncle Julios.
It was busy since it was a gorgeous day---lots of Cubs fans flocked here. Lots of families, too. Bring on the TEQUILA! I had 2 margaritas on the rocks. They were tasty & did the job of getting me good & tipsy. Our food was just okay. I did, however, love their fresh flour tortillas.
I might go back if someone else buys. In that case, I'll order margaritas and a basket of those fresh tortillas.
I like nice people at bars and restaurants. That's why I love living in the midwest and why I love the service at Uncle Julio's. It get's a bit slow towards the end of your meal, since it's so crowded, though.
As far as the food goes, I love the choices on the menu. Above and beyond the basics and lotsa veggies if that's your thing (it's mine and I'm not even a vegetarian). The taste of the food is nothing out of this world, but I like it.
The frozen margaritas are super delish, but my complaint is that Uncle Julio's can't make them calorie free and hangover free. I girl can wish, can't she?
Positives: Delicious food and drinks
Negatives: Loud as hell and long waits for tables
Solution: Carry-out:)
I love this place, the food is so good and packed with flavor-
It can get really crazy on the weekends, I'm talking 2 hour waits-You can do call ahead but be warned it will be busy-
The chips and salsa is awesome, the best salsa I've ever had in my life and the chips are so lightweight and perfect-
I love the Jalisco meal and the fajitas here are awesome-I've eaten at one in the D.C. area as well and it's was just as good-
They have a drink called the Swirl and it will kick your butt if you drink a couple-
I always look forward to coming to Uncle Julio's b/c I know I'll never be let down-
Hmmm, its been a while since I've been here. But I did visit this particular location a few times.
Overall impression? Good food.
Specifically the chicken quesadillas for appetizers, and the Chicken Fajitas, as well as Camarones Brochette and the Carne Asada for entrees...
Major con- If you're looking for a quiet and quaint place for dinner, look the other way. This place is loud and usually full. Drinks are good so thats a good distraction, but sometimes the wait can be just a bit ridiculous.
::Sidenote- Im not an avid tequila drinker, therefore I cannot drink cheap tequila. So be specific if you prefer top shelf alcohol ::
So maybe not the best place, but Im still a fan and yes I will probably end up here again.
I've been coming here since I was a little kid. The atmosphere is fun and the food is good but I can't get around the fact that you have to pay to park in their lot.
There's no parking anywhere else in that busy neighborhood so you're forced to park there.
IF I pay to park, I insist to park it myself because it's bullshit to pay an attendant to park it 10 feet from where you drop it off AND tip him! I love the food but perhaps I would spend more money inside eating and drinking rather than throwing away $10 to park in their lot. CHEAP.
It's good food and fun if you take the el but when I think about going there I am always turned away at the thought of that bullshit parking lot.
THIS PLACE IS REALLY LOUD. It's the first thing you'll notice when you walk in and you will be reminded during your entire meal. After an hour and a half wait, of course.
We hit the bar during our outrageous wait. The drinks were pretty good - if not a little sweet. The frozen sangria drink and the half frozen sangria half margarita drink were pretty good.
To be honest, I don't really remember the food. I was pretty drunk after an hour and a half of frozen alcoholic good-ness. I imagine the food was pretty regular tex-mex since I didn't get sick the next day nor did I remember anything special about it.
I'd go back, but I recommend perhaps going before 7pm on a Friday. Try and keep the wait time about equal to your tolerance if you choose to visit the bar.
Tex Mex at its best. Uncle Julios provided exactly what our group of 10 was looking for on a Friday night. Great decor, good food and good drinks. I will definitely be back to dine in this fun atmosphere.
Waiting is a given at this place on the weekends but they have a large bar area where you can hang out and drink. Honestly, waiting while drinking doesn't feel like waiting after all. When we sat down the waitress provided chips and salsa to the table and we quickly ordered guacamole to accompany our chips. The chips and guacamole are delicious! I was bathing in guacamole after 5 minutes. The chips are very light and melt in your mouth. I've never really had anything like them before.
I was persuaded by a friend to order the carne asada steak instead of the fajitas. Apparently, this way I could cut up the steak myself and make my own fajitas if I wanted. She was dead on and I ate the entire thing. My dinner came with a side of rice and beans. I took one bite of each and quickly pushed that to the edge of my table. Stomach space is limited and there is no room for mediocrity.
One final note, most dinners come with a small side of pico de gallo and guacamole. So don't let the waitress take away your uneaten chips. This is the perfect opportunity to get a few final bites in before your stomach explodes from being full. I definitely enjoyed my time here and look forward to returning.
Bleech, whatever. Looking for an over-crowded, super loud "Mexican" joint with crazy parking situation, mediocre over-priced food and beverages at best, tied together with bad service in a nice little festive bow? Yep, this is your joint.
Chips are ok, salsa's not, tacos aren't. The hubs had enchiladas and didn't finish them. It's funny, he's not a picky eater in the least but if he doesn't like what he's eating, he won't finish it. And we were hungry about 2 hours later.
Seriously, mediocre. In a town brimming with Mexican places, there's got to be better.
Ye$, I love Lincoln Park! Li$ten, a$ $oon a$ you walk into a re$taurant or bar in Lincoln Park, be prepared to act in a fi$cally irre$pon$ible manner. People rave about this place, so I had to check it out tonight. Wifey & I walk in right at Happy Hour and proceed to grab a high top in the bar. We were immediately greeted, and the server politely asked if we wanted to start with an adult beverage while we perused the menu. Wifey ordered the swirl margarita, and I asked our chipper server what drinks were potent. At this point, our chipper server eluded that Uncle Julios was a chain and that "corporate" restaurants keep a tight ship on stiff drinks. Hmmm, this was new to me. Not only did our server exude happiness, but he was also a Warren Buffet prodigy. I ordered the Julio "GOLD." It sucked! No liquor, and a complete waste of $8. I did convey the fact that there was no Tequila in my drink to our financial whiz of a server and he was at a loss for words. Since he was speechless, I told him that for $8 I could go to Blue Agave or Su Casa downtown and blow a .08 after 1 drink. He chuckled, but failed to realize that I base my decision to return solely on the alcohol content of my drink.
Okay, more importantly, let's get to the food ratings. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, and wifey had the enchiladas. The food was VERY GOOD! My quesadillas, and wifey's enchiladas had excellent flavor, and the portions were plentiful. BUT, the prices here are absolutely insane!
PROS: Great food, good service, and a cool atmosphere.
CONS: Prices, and kiddie cocktails disguised as margaritas.
Would I return? Yes, definitely; but, only when my in-laws come to visit and they pick up the tab:)
My husband and several of his friends love this place. So, I've been here several times, early and late, midweek and weekend. Ultimately, I can take it or leave it. You do get a lot for what you pay for, and the food is pretty good. But there are plenty of other Mexican restaurants I'd rather visit.
UJ's is a huge place and very crowded and loud...especially on a Saturday night. But that just adds to the fun.
There for brunch on a Sunday around 11a.m., Mike and I looked around and realized we were the only table that didn't have children. I guess saying it's a family-friendly spot is an understatement. I think this is because it is one of the rare Chicago restaurants with a parking lot.
I usually go for the vegetable tamales or the chipotle grilled salmon. And depending on the time of day, either a Dos Equis (before noon), a margarita (noon - 5 p.m.) a swirl (5 - 9p.m.) or all of the above (after 9.)
I would give 3 1/2 stars if I could. Was pleasantly surprised here-
the food was tasty (and I usually do not like tex mex or mexican because it's so majorly bloating) but I have gotta say....
my veggie tamales were...yummy!
and my ceviche was surprisingly....tasty!
Guacamole=fresh and awesome
drinks were not very strong but pleasant to drink.
Veeery loud and busy on a Saturday night but hey- I actually had a very good experience and I would for sure go back.
Swirlies - Good!
Service - Good!
Food - Not so much, There was nothing wrong with the food, just nothing that great, just a big quivering mass of mediocrity, staring at me from my plate. I got the rainbow trout special with cilantro, and it was pretty mild, not not spicy mild, but bland mild. Pretty boring food for a not cheap price, save your money for just drinks and chips.
Uncle Julio's is pretty much the epitome of OK. The food portions are generous. The drinks are decent (I usually get the Swirl--frozen sangria and margarita swirled together). The food is consistently OK. They have a fairly broad selection, including things I don't see on many menus (but would never eat anyway) like frog legs. They offer a number of combos to let you have a little bit of all your Mexican (well, Americanized Mexican) favorites. I don't think they have tortas though, unfortunately. The service is generally OK.
On a weekend, be prepared for a long wait. I mean, long. Like getting-on-that-brand-new kick-ass-roller-coaster-at-Six-Flags long. They offer call-ahead seating (NOT reservations) so if you're going on Friday or Saturday, give them a call an hour or so before you plan to get there. This gets you on the waiting list as if you were at the restaurant already. If you plan on going on Cinco de Mayo. . . well, I hope you have a LOT of patience.
The place is pretty big, with lots of tables. There is also a big bar area with a number of high tables. If you're lucky enough to grab a table in the bar area, you are able to order food there and bypass the wait. But the whole place gets pretty loud, and the bar area is the loudest part. Weather permitting, the best place to eat is outside if you're lucky enough to score a table out there.
They have valet parking.
Uncle Julio's is the place to be smack dab in the hustle and bustle of North Avenue. What I especially liked was that the place seems to be the place for a midday stint with kids (if you have them). Practically every table occupied had a child, which made me heave a sigh of relief. Ahhh, child friendly...
Hate that they get you for valet when you go there ($3 during the day and $7 at night). I recommend taking the red line or the bus if you can. A lot less traffic headache.
Tried the infamous swirl, and although it looks extra tasty, it was a little strong for me. Sorry, I wanna taste more sugar than alcohol. The food always looks glorious, but not so extraordinary; just good enough to give me my mexican food fix. On my most recent visit, I got the shrimp wrapped in practically uncooked bacon which didn't appear too appetizing and the chicken/steak fajitas. Could snack on the chips and guac all day.
I've only featsted at Uncle Julio's for lunch but never--I repeat never go on a Saturday night. I attempted to for a birthday dinner that was scheduled for seven and come nine-thirty, still no table! I left salivating and pissed for wasting valet money and a sitter for saturday night. It was so crowded, people were waiting in the dining area. It was a madhouse! Muy disappointed!
It's very spacious and has high ceilings with a Mexican villa feel to it.
With all the salsa music they play --hello people, salsa music is not mexican--they could easily turn into a salsa club if they get rid of some tables and stay open later.
Sidenote:
Funny, I, too, sat next to a table of what Amanda C says looked like the cast of the Real Housewives of Chicago; all extra tanned in the middle of winter and botoxy with a full face of makeup and stiff hair.
3.5 stars for me. Overall its your typical tex-mex kinda place nothing special. But they have two awesome things - the carne asada and the swirl drink. Both are amazing!!
The only real downfall is that it gets pretty busy on the weekends and waits can be very long. Wait staff quality also suffers a bit cause of this.
Not the best but not the worst. Good for Americanized Mexican food! The decor and inside is pretty sweet. I ordered Huevos Manchacado, because my date and I were there during the "brunch" time. I barely ate only one of the tacos because last night at Sunda and Manor (See reviews :)) got a little crazy, so my stomach wasn't feeling well. I liked that the tacos came with a side of fruit. Very different.
My date and I loved the guacamole. Simply divine. Very fresh and creamy. The chips break easily, so load them up with care. The salsa was very watery. Also, our waiter didn't ask if I wanted chicken breast or steak on my tacos, so I ended up with steak, when I wanted chicken, but had forgotten to specify. Mostly my fault, but I wished I had been prompted.
Very wide menu. My date and I went here in hopes of getting one of the Swirlz margaritas (Margarita "swirled" with sangria), but, as I mentioned, my stomach wasn't havin' that. I would come back to try something else off of their menu, and enjoy it with a margarita!
Love LOVE LOVE the chips and salsa and the steak fajitas are just wonderful...
Not impressed, not impressed what so ever. I went here years ago, probably 10 years ago, and i remember it being terrible. Recently, i was in the neighborhood with some friends and thought i'd try it out once more.
That was a mistake.
We went here mid-day (not even busy hours) and they told us a 30-45minute wait. What?!? For a place that big? No thanks. But we waited because we were soooo hungry and didn't want to have to figure out somewhere else to go.
We finally were seated and we were packed like rats. I think i was being touched by 6 other people at different tables, it was terrible. On top of that, the service was terrible and the food was not even worth the wait. Kids were running around and screaming, grown adults being loud and obnoxious, dishes being dropped all around. It was a nightmare. In the end, the meal was EXPENSIVE! I was furious.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR YOUR MONEY! YOU WILL REGRET EVERY SINGLE WAKING MOMENT OF IT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
I most recently went here for the second time a few saturday's ago for lunch with the boy and his parents. The first time was on New Years Day, which consisted of a hangover and looking like I had just gotten run over by a semi on 94.. totally fine though. Uncle Julio did NOT judge. I think I ordered the chicken taco dinner both times - and enjoyed every minute of it. It definitely helped ease my hangover (both times), along with the abundance of water my attentive servers were pouring into my glass.
Uncle Julio's is always a great time. The two times that I have gone, I have never had to wait in line for a table -- that being said, I have been eating my meal and noticed a huge line in the waiting area as more and more people came in for lunch. The servers are always really nice - my boyfriend loves their salsa and told the waiter, and he actually came out with a take home container of the famous (??) uncle julio's salsa. That was pretty classy in my opinion. Also, they valet. This is a huge plus for people like me, who get really intimidated by city parking. Every once in a while though, the lot is so full, you have to park across the street and pretend to shop at crate and barrel, while secretly sneaking out the second door and running across the street to Uncle Julios, praying the security guard in the parking lot doesn't see you slash tow your car. Not that I've done that..
The bottom line? Want good mexican food ? Of course you do. Go to Uncle Julios.
I haven't been here since last summer, so most of the details have been forgotten. What I DO remember is....
Their guacamole was amaaaaaazing. My roommate and I just absolutely died of joy over it. And their frozen drinks were fantastic; perfect and refreshing on a hot day.
I don't recall much else about the food being memorable, but honestly I'd go back just for guac and booze. And I love the chintzy "Mexican" decor. Ole!
The fajitas are incredible, especially the chicken. They add a slab of butter on the chicken at the end, which I don't care for, but last time I asked for it without and it was still great. Tortillas are probably the best I've ever had. The beans that come with the fajitas have pork, so ask for black beans instead if you're not a pork-eater like myself.
**Beware of overeating! My guy and I usually want to explode when we are done.
Chili's Gift Cards
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Come Eat and Enjoy Music
Neighborhood: North Park
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: DePaul
Category: Mexican
Lombard, IL
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Restaurants
Chicago, IL
Category: Mexican
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