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Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Mexican Restaurants Tex-Mex Mexican, Tex-Mex [Edit]
4870 Bethesda AveBethesda, MD 20814
(301) 656-2981
- Nearest Transit:
-
Bethesda Metro Station (Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10:30 pm
Fri 11 am - 11:30 pm
Sat 10 am - 11:30 pm
Sun 10 am - 10:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
148 reviews for Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe
Review Highlights
"The fajitas are awesome, everything is good quality."
(in 54 reviews)
"It comes along with pico de gallo, guac, sour cream, onions..."
(in 4 reviews)
"I had a Chambord Margarita, wonderful."
(in 22 reviews)
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148 reviews in English
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Review from David B.
8/23/2011
Overall I thought this place was pretty decent.
Service was fantastic considering the size of the group (20+), and the prices were fairly reasonable and inline with most other mexican/texmex restaurants.
Chips were nice and airy with good taste - not over cooked or covered in oil as you'll find in similar restaurants. Salsa was pretty unique and trended towards more of a texmex taste. My only complaint with the salsa is their serving bowls - they need to be bigger. (Not really a complaint, just wishful thinking on my part. I dug the salsa, obviously.)
I ordered the beef fajitas. For once there's a place that's doesn't overcook their beef. I thought the dish was great, and would definitely order it again. Watch out for the grilled jalapeno on the side. I made the regrettable choice of eating it in one bite. 5 glasses of water later and I was still begging the waiter for water refills.
Note when ordering sides (cheese, sour cream), you could easily split an order with two people. Their servings are huge. -
Review from Vivian H.
1/19/2012
Wandered in for some Mexican food. Did not realize it would be the most expensive Mexican food I've ever had. I think all the dishes are over $15, which coming from California, is ridiculous for Mexican food. Whatever.
I ordered the Juarez with ribs and chicken/steak fajitas, which was thankfully a large portion and I had enough for another couple meals. And it was really good meat too. Girlfriend also took half her salad home for lunch the next day. I also tried their margarita/sangria swirl -- tasty and STRONG! I really liked their thin tortilla chips with salsa too. I would definitely come back for happy hour.. ASAP.
Service was attentive, and they were good with substitutions, etc. They did make a mistake but were quick to fix the order and the manager even came to apologize. -
Review from Oliver J.
1/6/2012
Meh. I've experienced better. = Sums it up perfectly.
As its in the center of Bethesda... I expect better. The chips and salsa are great! I really like the salsa they give.. a smokey chipotle goodness. The chips are warm and salty. That's where the goodness ends.
The service... meh. They are friendly enough, however, they were slow and forgot some basics. Forgot to bring some things out ... like the rice and beans that accompany the fajitas. By no means was it bad.... they brought them out once we reminded them.
The food.... mediocre cafeteria style. I personally had the fish tacos that came with rice and means. The beans tasted fresh from a can (which isn't horrible, but not restaurant worthy). Nothing was bad per se... it was just cafeteria quality.
In all fairness, the prices aren't bad for the center of Bethesda... it's probably what keeps them so packed every night of the week... but I'll certainly avoid coming back here if I can. -
Review from Libby F.
11/14/2011
This place is still hopping at happy hour after all these years. It's huge, although I usually stick to a tabletop in the bar area.
I love their Swirls (half frozen sangria/half frozen margarita). They are on special at happy hour (I think $2 off). If you like fresh, chunky guacamole, then you are in luck here! I could eat it by the bucket! Their warm, house-made tortilla chips are the best in town. They are thin, crisp and salty. Their salsa is tasty too. Don't be shy about asking for free refills. Everybody does it, so you can too!
The only bad thing is that the closest parking garage on Bethesda Ave. gets pretty full, and you must have a stash of coins to load into the $0.75/hr meters. -
Review from Kitty W.
Brooklyn, NY
1/1/2012
I ordered Grilled chicken Nachos for pick up. It was fast. They said it will be ready for pick up in 15 min and it was ready. However, the food was mediocre/poor and expensive. There were about 10 chips laid out in line, 1 strip of chicken on top of each chip with some cheese. It came with guacamole that tasted like the kind you can buy at a grocery store in the frozen section, and some sour cream. It was also expensive... $15 including tax and packaging fee that's automatically added.
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Review from Austin M.
Washington, DC
10/17/2011
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Uncle Julio's--I've been to so many of their locations, including all of the ones in the DC Metro area, Casa Grande in Atlanta and the new location in Boca Raton.
The Bethesda location, after going three times has left a foul taste in my mouth. I've had "Zar" as a server two of those times and every single time he has gotten our orders incorrect or tried to sneak something into our orders as an upsell we didn't ask for. Two of us ordered Pechuga de Pollo and it took three separate times for him to understand PECHUGA DE POLLO. PECHUGA DE POLLO... The manager, a few minutes after placing our orders, came over to announce that they were out of the vegetables al jardin--which we didn't order. What a failure of a server! It's really unfortunate because this is the first bad experience I have ever had in all my years of coming to Uncle Julio's restaurants.
Zar was a speedy server, but not the most intelligent. I believe he should receive some additional training so as to not sour the experience for anyone else.
No complaints about the food that evening, it was perfect--just like any other time--but service is 60% of the experience. Good food with bad service ruins it--no matter how good the food is!
I will not return to this location. -
Review from Robert D.
Bethesda, MD
1/16/2012
I love this place. I have trouble ordering anything other than Fajitas (because they are so good). (My wife likes the carne asada.) It has one of those fascinating tortilla machines-kids love to watch them being made. The salsa that comes with the chips is among the best I've ever had-smoky with just the right amount of cilantro. I have been there multiple times. Highly recommend it.
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Review from Shanae J.
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe! I think the only thing really grande about this place is its location. It's VERY loud and the food is quite average (with the guac being about as mediocre as it gets). Now, I did enjoy my chicken fajitas with the extra half pound of grilled onions and peppers. I was expecting really good Tex-Mex in Bethesda and I got regular Tex-Mex I could've gotten anywhere. Aaaaaaaaaannnnnndddddd Uncle Julio's doesn't have burritos. After Cactus Cantina's I guess I'm just spoiled...nothing ever measures up to Cactus Cantina's for me.
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Review from F N.
Placerville, CA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome food & service! Everything we had was great. Great food and service.
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Review from Dee B.
Updated - 12/21/2011
My fish tacos were quite good, and I do like their salsa. Our service, however, was rather atrocious.
Listed in: The Best (and worst) of…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/14/2008
*3.5 stars*
There's nothing that great, or that awful about this restaurant. I find their menu to be… Read more »
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Review from Lyly T.
Irvine, CA
11/5/2011
A pretty crowded place. Even though it is a big place, people like to come here for mexican food and drinks. Bar is packed during happy hour. Dinner time, I had to wait for about 20 minutes to get a table.
Sat down, got drinks and free chips and salsa. Ordered a burrito and chicken enchilada. Food was pretty okay, nothing great, nothing bad. Really heavy and unhealthy food, just what I was in the mood for.
Decor is very yellow and orange with punches of blue. Service was good, they were efficient and punctual on getting things. -
Review from Brooke B.
Washington, DC
1/20/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Always really packed in here, at least at night time. The "Swirl" is so great--it's a mix of frozen margarita and sangria. The guac is pretty good as well, and although I like the thin chips they break off too easily in the guac.
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Review from Phil M.
Bethesda, MD
12/9/2011
Stopped by for lunch and left so full I didn't eat dinner. That's what a good mexican restaurant can do for you. This is a fun place with pretty authentic food, though the green sauce was not all that hot. The staff is very welcoming and efficient...and fast...I couldn't believe my lunch was served before I ate half the basket of chips! At any rate, this is a good place to have lunch.
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Review from Alex M.
Columbia, MD
7/23/2011
This place is always awesome....I would give it a 5 star if parking was improved and they updated their menu sometimes.
The food was pretty decent-- the shrimp and beef fajitas are great and they will fill you up if you are hungry. The servers are patient and there is outdoor and indoor seating-- perfect for a beautiful summer day. They have a good chips and salsa. They also have a nice range of margaritas.
I woke up the next morning remembering a lot of laughter and great times. Nice to visit on a spring or summer day (of course when it's not 100 out) and dine outside. The a/c works and the staff wants to make sure you are happy. I'd definitely go back! -
Review from Daniel D.
Norfolk, VA
8/20/2011
Best TexMex Period.
I've lived in San Diego, have had the "best" of El Paso and this is the most fantastic flavor I've ever had.
All poor reviews from Rio Grande (or Uncle Julo's in the Dallas/FT Worth area, or Casa Grande in Atlanta, or Hacienda in Chicago) are because the reviewer has the generic "enchiladas" or anything else that is "comfortable" and isn't from the mesquite grill. There are no burritos and that pisses Americans off because that's what they expect. Branch out to one of the following dishes and if you REALLY don't like it, I'll pay for it myself:
Frog's Legs
Quail
Ribs
Fajitas (including Carne Asada strip steak)
Full disclosure: I worked for them at the Atlanta, G'burg and (old) Bethesda stores over 3 years in the late 90s, but never got sick of the food. The CEO is probably one of the most passionate and genuine chefs I've met.
OH and "reverse" swirl is one of the best bangs for your alcoholic buck.
Salsa made fresh every morning. Guac made every 30 minutes. Chips fried fresh (literally made from unfried corn tortillas there in the store) and flour tortilla's made in the last 10 minutes...I've never found anything like it.
GO now. -
Review from Ordale A.
Washington D.C., DC
7/30/2011
The people were nice, the place was clean. The portions were large and all of the food looked fresh and nicely prepared, so this place started off with five stars. The prices were a bit high compared to somewhere like On the Border but I consider that to be "Bethesda tax." Unfortunately my debt ceiling hasn't been raised so that knocks them down to four stars.
While the food looked great, it didn't taste great and they lose two more stars for that. It just seemed like everything was one spice away from being good. I had enchiladas with rice and beans and my wife had fish tacos. Everything was bland. Tex-mex is supposed to have big flavor... or pack a punch...or ring the Taco Bell...SOMETHING!
It wasn't nasty, it just didn't taste like anything. Rice...enchilada...bean... they each tasted the same. When I got home, I double checked the menu online to make sure I didn't order from the "Heart Healthy" section. I didn't. The food tasted like it though.
Oh well, I'm sure they'll do fine without my money. -
Review from Merida F.
7/3/2011
I came here on my quest to find the perfect margarita and discovered Sangria margaritas.... dangerous combination! Great service in any location that I have visited but I do like to frequent the one in Bethesda. I like getting the Juanita's Platter when I am hungry because it allows you to make a combination of Two enchiladas, One crispy taco, and
One tamale. It is a good way to sample different items without having to commit to a whole meal. -
Review from Alex R.
Rockville, MD
11/22/2011
I really like this restaurant and location, even though it's always loud, overcrowded, and overpriced. Still, IMO the best tex-mex in the area.
Always get the steak fajitas, and never leave unsatisfied. Def better than Guapo's and Lauriol Plaza.
In short, it is what it is. When you got nowhere else to go in Bethesda for grub, this spot is a solid move. -
Review from Allison P.
Manhattan, NY
8/3/2011
It's a 3.8. And I rounded up.
I've been going to Rio Grande for nearly two decades. I will say, I preferred the old location better. But, this one is just fine.
It's not the best Mexican establishment (and based on price - I would recommend Guapos in Bethesda or Chevys ANYWHERE) but it's good. I LOVE Rio chips. Thin and salty. The fajitas are very good as are the combo platters (Juanitas, Benitos) and the enchiladas. Really, the food is good and even my appetite can't eat enough (amateur move - eating too many chips to start) to clean the plate. I bring leftovers home. The drinks are good - though not terribly cheap.
It's a tradition with my friends to go to Rio for chips, food and swirls. If I lived in Bethesda, I probably wouldn't go to Rio every week but I go when I'm in town and the girls want to get together.
I have no reservations recommending this place. On that word - make reservations. But on a busy night, don't expect them to have their act together to seat you immediately. Service could probably get a little better / sharper. -
Review from Brittney W.
Bethesda, MD
7/7/2011
This place was the epitamy of horrible Mexican food and service.
Absolutely terrible. -
Review from Tara L.
4/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like Rio Grande in the same way that I love a good pair of socks: it's comfortable.
I've been here a handful of times and especially enjoy my time here when the weather warms up and I can kick back drinking frozen margaritas on the sidewalk patio.
The restaurant is rather large and you have the choice of bar seating, tabletop seating around the bar, traditional indoor seating as well as outdoor seating if weather permits.
I actually like the frozen sangria more than the margaritas, but that's just my personal taste. You can get the swirl and they also serve up frozen pina coladas and strawberry daquiris that you can sip in with or without booze.
I usually just order light snacks, such as chips and guac or the steak quesadilla, although be warned - the quesadillas are more than enough food for two people.
Prices and respectable and the environment is relaxed and pretty family friendly. Pretty safe bet for most. -
Review from Maria M.
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's OK. The service was nice, the food was nice. The outdoor seating was nice. It's just that... well, nothing really popped out at me for me to say that this place is extraordinary.
The free/endless chips and salsa was good. Thin and crunchy chips with pretty good salsa with little to no kick. We ordered cheese and guacamole too for our chips... both were ok.
I ordered their special.. shrimp stuffed with crab. I guess I just imagined them to be bigger when the waitress was describing it to me. But it's basically 4 medium sized shrimps with about a 1.5 tablespoons of crab on top of it. All served on top of rice and vegetables. It tasted ok.
My husband and friends shared chicken and steak fajitas and seemed to be enjoying it. So maybe go that route next time?
Bottom line: not a bad experience. Maybe next time, I'll try the fajitas =) -
Review from Chris N.
Rockville, MD
11/7/2011
Always a good place for pitchers of margaritas. The food is so-so, I would recommend sticking to the beef fajitas.
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Review from Ali S.
Bethesda, MD
7/16/2011
I was stuck between a 2 and a 3, I always liked Uncle Julio's in Rio for the margaritas and the fajitas. However, they really aren't worth the wait on busy evenings. I've tried some of the other food, and it's kind of meh as I've had better mexican food at a fraction of the cost from food trucks and gas stations (taco bar).
So let's talk about my experience on a friday night. I live in north bethesda, so it's about the same time length to make a trip up 270 as it is to come to downtown Bethesda. I called both restaurants, Rio had a one hour+ wait. I called Bethesda and they said 20-30 minutes, great we put our name down.
So 20 minutes later we arrived at the restaurant and they had our names down and it said that we were next, the issue I think was that we were five people and most tables are designed for four. I kid you not that we waited thirty more minutes and still hadn't been called for a table, so we complained. I mean I could have been seated at Uncle Julio's in Rio and at least they didn't lie to me about the wait time.
That was a really bad start to the experience, after we were seated it was a typical experience. Their twister or whatever that frozen margarita is was sub-par compared to the one I had at Lauriol Plaza, just stick to the rocks next time. -
Review from Michael B.
Santa Rosa, CA
6/10/2011
Ok so I used to go here years back so I cant speak on any experience I had recently but I will say I grew up on this shizzle and it used to be and last time I checked was still really good eats. They make their tortillas in house and they are seriously paper thin, wonderfully hot and super crispy. Their salsa is oh so smokey and so tasty, I cant get enough of it. To start I always get the chili con queso, its the best queso dip I have ever had, no question.
They press the tortillas right there in house on this machine and those too are off the hook which is why I used to always get the combo fajita platter thing which comes out piping hot, sizzling to be exact and tastes oh so good. Their drinks are slurp-a-licious and the tequila here flows down the pipes like cotton candy. To finish get the sopapillas you wont be disappointed. -
Review from Joel P.
Fort Washington, MD
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I haven't had the food. Just came here for a quick drink to beat the heat. Frozen Margarita was delicious. Much like Chevy's but I would say better service. Our server's product knowledge was much appreciated, even if he did spend a little TOO much time explaining the drinks instead of taking our order. Plus he forgot to give my table our glasses of water that we requested several times. We. Were. Parched!!! haha
However, it's spacious, especially the bar area which is appreciated. They are clean. I heard great things about the frozen Sangria (especially the "Meltdowns") so should I come back, I plan to try that again. -
Review from Scott B.
Washington, DC
5/19/2011
Food was good and you get a lot of it.
Very reasonably priced.
Service was prompt and unintrusive.
Overall, I think this a great place to meet up with a few friends and grab a drink and dinner. The bar area also looked cool and had a couple of flat screens with the game on.
The only complaint I had was the place was quite loud and given it was only about half full, I wonder how loud the place can get when it's packed. -
Review from Mike S.
1/20/2011
Let me start of by saying Rio Grande is Spanish, it is NOT pronounced "Rio Grand". I hear so many people say Rio Grand and it's like someone hammering a nail into my ear every time. Okay, rant over.
Anyway, I have been coming here since it was at its other location near Ben and Jerry's on the other side of Bethesda and I have yet to be disappointed. I admit the quality has gone down a bit since those days but I still cannot get enough of this place.
First off get a swirl (frozen margarita mixed with frozen sangria). Them junks are damn tasty!
Warning: Their tortilla chips and salsa are just way too addicting. I guarantee you I could enough of those for a whole meal, which is why I need someone to go there with me to cut me off at some point.
In the 20+ years, I have been coming here with my family, we get the fajitas every single time. Yes, they are that good. Get a pound of the combination of chicken and steak. I think the chicken may be better but they are both just really juicy and tasty. It comes along with pico de gallo, guac, sour cream, onions and tortillas. You may want to ask for extra tortillas depending on how much you plan on eating.
There you go: swirl + fajitas = happy times. It's a proven fact. -
Review from Anna S.
5/2/2011
Should be 3.5 stars.
I've been coming here since I was 4 years old, and I'm sure I'll be coming here more if I have a family of my own one day. Between the abundant melted cheese on the menu and the screamingly loud dining room, it's an ideal place to bring kids.
No one does crisp, salty tortilla chips, smoky salsa, or spicy cheese enchiladas quite so well as Rio. Their frozen drinks, from the margaritas to the sangria, are great. The prices are reasonable, and the inevitable wait for a table is easy enough to navigate around with call-ahead list requests and a pretty chill atmosphere before 6pm.
But there are a few big drawbacks: the dining room is as loud as a bar packed to capacity with enraged howler monkeys. There is pretty much nothing on the menu for vegetarians--the tortillas and tortilla chips are made with lard, and even the cheese enchiladas come swimming in beef. If you're a veg, you're looking at a big bowl of queso with a spoon...or maybe a salad, I guess. The wait times can get obnoxious at normal dinner hours, and if you don't like dining with little kids...move along. -
Review from Ryan R.
Potomac, MD
6/22/2011
Steak fajitas are probably the best thing you can get here. Occasionally the beef is tough but for the most part, the steak is juicy and tender. The ribs are nothing special; the rice and beans that some dishes come with are bland. Do not get cheese or sour cream with any of the dishes you order unless you must have them, they barely add anything to the dish.
I do enjoy the chips that are served at the beginning. The place does get unbearably loud and the service is not efficient with sitting people at tables. The wait can be very very long at times. -
Review from Chuck T.
Middlesex, MA
10/6/2011
I would love to say that we ate here, but I can't. We called ahead because we had a lot of kids in our party buy were told that there was no wait, so no call ahead. We arrived 30 minutes later and were told that the wait was now 75 minutes!
When you have 5 kids in tow, no food is worth a 75 minute wait. -
Review from Steffany H.
Washington, DC
1/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Let me start by saying I live in Phoenix for 12 years - so when it comes to Mexican food, I'm not easy to please!
Can to Uncle Julio's for lunch and to me it's the same as Austin Grill, Don Pablo or any other "mexican" chain (not actually sure if it's a chain but it definitely fits the mold)
I started with the tortilla soup - basically a bunch of zucchini and broth - GROSS. I sent it back because it didn't have ANY taste to it, and it's no where near what I think of when I think tortilla soup - Panera has better tortilla soup people!
Then I had the grilled fish tacos - which were ehhh... nothing to get too excited about.
I think if I was here for a margarita, I may have been happier. So maybe I'd consider coming back for happy hour or dinner. But I really wasn't impressed.... -
Review from Jason L.
Clarksburg, MD
3/21/2011
One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the area. The chicken/beef fajitas are my first choice for dinners. Second choice would have to be the Ensalade Grande w/ grilled chicken and the limey dressing for lunches.
The only drawback of this place is that it is to damn loud. Makes a great place to take noisy kids. -
Review from Dalton D.
Chevy Chase, MD
2/27/2011
I'm a spoiled San Diegan when it comes to rating Mexican food, and if this restaurant were located there it would get 1 star. So my rating is keeping in mind the location and the lack of any alternative.
For those who haven't experienced anything aside from DC's lackluster amalgamation of Mexican cuisine, you will find yourselves comfortably satisfied with the marginally adapted Tex-Mex plates served here.
Uncle Julio's stands well on it's own if East Coast style Tex-Mex is what you're expecting, then by all means, it's probably the best in the area.
But if you've been exposed to traditional Mexican food (Baja or otherwise), you'd better temper your expectations for any Mexican restaurant in this area. -
Review from Dylan K.
Bethesda, MD
9/2/2011
All these Rio haters just prompted me to sign up for yelp.
this place is fantastic. dont be an idiot and order tacos or enchiladas. Get queso to start and a swirl to drink. Order the plato gordo if youre with a group and the guadalajara or fajitas if not. the FAJITAS and CHIPS and SWIRLS are what this place is good for. YES it gets busy on weekends around 630. Sure there are families that come to eat here because the food is universally appealing.
Quit writing these awful reviews. If you are dumb and order the wrong thing just dont come back and crowd up the restaurant for everyone else. No need to give the place a bad rep. -
Review from Tiffany P.
Bethesda, MD
2/17/2011
Came here for a quick dinner with my new roommate.
The service was absolutely horrendous.
We both ordered Margaritas and they came with salted rims but no straws - which makes it impossible to drink and enjoy because I didn't want a mouthful of salt with every sip.
Not to mention, they came in a rock's glass and the HOUSE margarita was $8.95!! YIKES.
It took forever to get glasses of water and again, they came with no straws. We asked the waiter for straws, he said he'd have to go get some, he left and completely disappeared.
When our waiter never returned, we asked a passing waitress if we could get a couple straws and instead of just saying "Yes I'd be happy to" she looked annoyed and said she'd find our waiter and let him know.
It was so rude! She did actually come back but she brought us four cocktail straws/coffee stirrers. Really? Cocktail straw for a glass of water?
The food was good but the service made it hard to enjoy the meal.
My roommate paid $1.99 for a side of sour cream and they basically brought her a gravy sized boat of it. You're a spanish restaurant and the only side you have of sour cream is big enough to feed an entire clan of taco eaters. You can't just bring a small ramekin of sour cream for $.50?? We were tempted to take the rest home because it cost about the same as a tub from the grocery store and she only used a spoonful!
I honestly don't think I'd bother to go back. -
Review from James P.
Bethesda, MD
6/28/2011
Not big on texmex so all I do is eat the chips and dip whenever I have no choice but to go here. I just have to be secretive about being whiney lol.
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Review from Lissa B.
Washington, DC
12/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
Rio Grande is my favorite restaurant in the US. It is incredible.
I recommend the steak soft taco dinner which comes with two delicious tacos filled with steak that has been seasoned and cooked not too much and just perfectly, a combination of cheddar and American cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce with rice and beans soup on the side. Make sure to also get the guacamole and pico de gallo to go inside the tacos to really make them burst with flavor!
A few Swirl drinks (frozen margarita and sangria swirled together) brings everything together amazingly!
The restaurant itself is really noisy since there isn't any carpeting. I like sitting outside or to the right when you first walk into the restaurant.
I have had several wrong orders as they keep bringing me ground beef instead of steak but I keep going back since it is THAT good! -
Review from Melanie F.
Washington, DC
11/14/2010
Loriel Plaza does not hold a candle to Uncle Julios! Sukkas!
Everything is super fresh and juicy!
Love the fajitas. -
Review from Lenny C.
Potomac, MD
2/28/2011
This place is not bad for a chain place of Mexican food... if this restaurant was in London or Madrid or Rome, it would probably get five stars for Mexican food. In San Diego it would barely get a one star rating.
Basically the Mexican food is good, but nothing jumps or stands out once you've had Mexican food in a superb Mexican place out West.
Having said that, let me tell you that their chips and salsa are absolutely out of this world. I don't know what they put in their salsa (my guess is crack), but it has an interesting side taste (I think it's heavy on the cilantro) which makes it addictive to me...
Good bar as well... always full of folks seemingly just sitting around drinking and watching sports on TV.
