My boyfriend and I are regulars here and by regulars I mean we come usually twice a week. The service is always amazing (we love Bill and his super sweet wife who bartends.) We like to sit in the bar so we can see games on the tvs and we have never had to wait. The food is amazing. Best chips and salsa and guacamole. I always get the shrimp tacos (something about the sauce they give you for the tacos is like crack - so good) and my boyfriend usually gets something different each time and has never been disappointed. Their margaritas are great (get a pitcher to share) and prices are awesome as well. We love Julio G's and will keep coming... All the time lol. Definitely recommend!
(5)
Caitlyn C.
So sad, I remember eating at this place when they had a location near ASU and had fond memories of it- perhaps it's just the expertise of that location or the lack of maturity in my taste buds. This place is not good and a disappointment with the memories I had of it and how easy it is to get to from my new home. The chips and salsa was the first sign that this isn't what I remember. They give you two salsas in which both had not a lot of flavor and I ended up mixing them. The mix helped but overall if the chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant are bland it means the rest of the meal will be. And I was right.. I ordered a red chile burrito and upon cutting it up the phrase "canned meat smell" went through my mind. The sauce lacked that smokey heat you expect in a red chili sauce, it had little to no flavor and had an overcooked texture to it. I kept eating because I was hungry, but then my BF said it looked like dog food and I had to stop eating. It did remind me of dog food because his not polite table etiquette connected with my first initial thought about the meal- canned smell. My BF ordered a mix of al carte tacos and he had the same unimpressed feeling, and stopped eating halfway through his meal. The two stars was for the service, our waitress was awesome and let us know that ordering a pitcher of margaritas would save us a few bucks. The Margarita, which I would consider the 'House Margarita' quench my craving for a margarita. It said it was award winning, which I don't think it was anything amazing, but it did it's job. Overall, I won't go back as the food was overall not good and there are too many other great Mexican places to go to.
(2)
Christina M.
The worst Mexican ever felt the quality was better at Taco Bell. This is not Mexican. My food was cold and bad tasting.
(1)
Trevor A.
Service was great tonight. First time eating in the bar area - as the main dinning room was full of young families. It had been some time since my past visits which I usually got tacos or enchiladas. The time between my visits was simply because for me the food was too bland. I wanted to give it a try again with a recommendation from the server. I got the green chili tamale... unfortunately very bland as well. Not sure how it's possible to remove flavor from a tamale but they do it somehow. I like the place ok, just not my type of mexican.
(3)
Brad W.
Only tried this place because the guy in front of me at the restaurant next door ordered ten sandwiches. Whoever that was, thanks for sending me over to Julio. It worked out well as the lunch specials run to 3pm and the chips and a good version of chunky mild salsa was free and clear with my to-go order. Of course, my thing is white meat chicken and Julio delivered with a simple chicken burrito that had a huge amount of chicken bathed in some kind of mild spices (nothing else inside but meat). The burrito is served enchilada style with rice/beans or double rice like I prefer. It is a large item and only costs less than 8 bucks at lunch. There should have been leftovers, but on this day there wasn't a scrap left in my metal tray.
(5)
Tonya M.
Great Salsa! While driving down Cactus we had a sudden craving for Mexican food and stopped at the first place we found. We were seated immediately and had wonderful service, I saved the receipt so I could remember to put her name in my review but I can't find it. Once I do...I'll let ya know! We had a slew of folks that helped bring drinks, chips, salsa and everything else that we needed. I was pretty impressed with the level of service we received. The ONLY downfall is not having an Italian dressing that's not creamy. No one likes creamy dressing. Please get a true vinaigrette on your menu. I loved your taco salad but didn't have a good dressing to put on it. I promise to add this to my roatation if you do.
(4)
Tom G.
Julio G's is a great place to go after shopping at PV Mall or with relatives. It is similar to chain restaurants, but with fewer locations, the quality is pretty consistent. I like the shredded beef tacos and cheese enchiladas.
(5)
Donna M.
Been here a few times, chips and salsa are free, plentiful and pretty good, they serve both a hot and mild salsa. I've had several items on the menu and all are tasty for your standard Mexican American fare. Great margs too! Service is usually very good, rarely have to wait for a table.
(4)
Kate D.
If you have Celiac don't eat here. They were so rude to me and said "let's see if you really have a allergy you can't eat the chips." My grandmother and I have been going here for 25 years. I will never go back. So rude and it was filthy.
(1)
Ilene M.
The food was ok. Flautas were unevenly cooked. Warm on the middle and burnt on the ends. Good margaritas. Won't come here again for food. There are better Mexican places.
(2)
Timothy F.
A first time visit. We liked the food. I had the chimichanga machaca, my wife had the combo enchilada plate. The server we had was very attentive and did a very good job. Two suggestions for the owner of this restaurant. 1. Your tortilla chips are very tasty but they are far to small to use for dipping, etc. Keep the same recipe but have them made larger. We noticed that too many of them are broken so that by the time you get 1/2 way through the bowl all you have is fragments. Larger chips would eliminate this problem. 2. Your hot water in the men's room is too hot! You are wasting energy and paying for it, plus you could end up scalding someone. We will be back, however, because the food is very good.
(4)
Lain E.
I'd love to review the food but after waiting over 15 minutes for someone to take out order, we left. 3 in the afternoon. Nearly empty. Sad.
(1)
Manny S.
OK, so here's the deal, you're at PV Mall and it's lunchtime. You go to the food court and see that Paradise Bakery is the only decent choice but that's where you ate the last 47 times you were here. Easy solution, get in your car and drive across Tatum to Julio G's. The chips and salsa are free, plentiful, and delicious. The menu has all the standard Mexican menu items and are reasonably priced. Everything I've tried here was OK. Not, "OMG", but OK. Service has also been fine. Note, the portions are huge! I've never been able to finish my entree but maybe it's because I go through two baskets of chips.
(3)
Brooke R.
The chips and salsa are fantastic...that's what keeps bringing us back. This is my one year olds favorite restaurant as she loves the salsa. The food is pretty good...I have to admit it's not the best Mexican food I've ever had, but it's always consistently good.
(4)
Frances F.
Food was just okay. Restaurant was empty but waiter never bothered to check on us or ask how our meals were. Adios Julio G
(1)
Shannan M.
Normally when you go to a mexican rest. you order a margarita and it's just OK. Not the case here. Julio G's has the best drinks we've had at a mexican rest in the area. Reasonably priced too! (Would recommend the pitcher, it makes sense if you're having more than one drink). We're big fans of the mexican pizza with jalapenos and cream cheese too. It's enough to feed 2-3 people, and def fills you up. If I could make one change, it would be the chips and salsa that's brought out before your meal. They aren't anything to brag about, and maybe a mean dip could replace one of the 3 salsas to switch things up.
(3)
Katherine M.
Mini chimis are a YES. Staff is sooo nice. Drinks are super reasonable and they always ask if you need anything at all. Ask for extra sauce or a refill and it's done before you ask. Love JG's!!!!!!
(5)
Corey J.
I am typically a pretty understanding customer and realize that with anything mistakes on orders can happen. Last night I placed a take out order and ordered the super nachos and only wanted beans cheese and sour cream. I have gotten this order once a week for the last month and never and I do mean never have they ever put green chillis in the cheese. After getting home last night when I found that the order had the chillis I asked them to correct it. The cashier was accomadating but the owner was very rude to my wife and I and lied to ou faces saying that is what they always do. I informed him of how often we come to his business and he still did not show any concern for us. I WILL NOT BE RETURNING their and they lost a customer for life.
(1)
Dee W.
We live near Julio G's, so we go there about once a month. We've never had a bad meal, and the service has always been above average! I highly recommend the cactus margarita! I always end up taking home half my dinner because the portions are big and we eat way too many chips and salsa before the food comes!
(4)
Michelle B.
Great food, and good service. Ordered a chicken chimichanga and was tasty. Chips were served hot, salsa had a good flavor. I mixed the 2 served. Finished off with fried ice cream and was delicious. Cute atmosphere & front window opens to patio to enjoy Arizona's nice fall weather. Prices are reasonable as well. The only reason I didn't rate a 5 was due to my chimichanga not being as crispy as I am use to. Still very good.
(4)
Sandi O.
It's been a couple years since we've eaten here and I'm not sure why it's been so long. Everything here has always been wonderfull. I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't take years to come back
(4)
Carol S.
Thought my carnitas was on the dry side but the chips/salsa were delish and my strawberry marg was freaking strong. It was really difficult to Christmas shop afterwards.
(3)
Megen M.
I was in town with my niece and my family members that live there recommended this place. I had no clue what to get so I tried the loco mexican pie. Holy moly. It was so good I couldnt stop talking about it. It was enormous and everyone at the table was able to have some and I was still able to get my fill. The salsa was just ok but I dont really go to mexican places for their salsa. I'm not much of a fan. The decor was a little odd for a mexican restaurant but, honestly, I didnt care at all because the food was so delish!!! I also liked that they have big cups for drinks. I'm a huge drinker and my biggest pet peeve is having to wait forever for a waiter to fill up my cup. I cant wait until I'm back in Phoenix because I'm heading straight here!!!
(5)
John S.
It hit the spot. 7:30 on a Friday night, three of us wanted a few old favorites from the good old days back in downtown Scottsdale, and were pleasantly surprised. Not stellar, modern cooking, but everything was reliable, quick, and cheap, and we lucked in and got the empty booth. After us, it got a little backed up waiting for a table. Our cheese crisp was simple and yet perfect. Crisped on the bottom, but not scorched, the generous, even topping of cheese was just melted and rushed to our table hot. Simple, cheap, good. Our Carnitas were caramelized on the outside, and moist on the inside. Not overly salted, nicely spiced. Not the best I've ever had, but better than the last 3 or 4 iterations I have had in a restaurant. A couple of mixed plates were very well received, and we really liked the black beans. And our large pitcher of Texas Margaritas- on the rocks, had a great balance of orange liqueuer, lime, and Sauza, and were pretty darn pleasant for $26, with two hefty drinks apiece. Once again, not the very best margarita ever, but as good as many in very respected high concept Mexican restaurants around the US- and frankly a little better balance than a few of those. Certainly way better drinks than Los Dos Molinos' and I still love that place anyway. Our server was great, and she accommodated all our whims, so thats rare. Three of us walked out stuffed, tipsy, and very satisfied for about $70.
(3)
Monica M.
Great service! Great food! Delicious salsa! Came here with my family and three kids- they loved the fajitas. Very clean and friendly staff also.
(5)
Dusti B.
My two kids and I ate at the Julio G's quick counter service area for lunch today. We had the sampler platter which was really good and more than enough to feed all three of us. Chips and salsa were great, service was friendly. Where else can you get a nice Mexican lunch for $10 for three people? We will certainly be back.
(5)
Angela C.
My husband and I have been coming here for the past 4 years. The food and service has always been great. My husband enjoys the beef tacos and fajitas. I enjoy the chicken chimichanga and pollo diablo. And we must get a frozen margarita to go with our food = yummy. We love the food here so much, we visit at least 3 times a month. Melissa, our typically assigned waitress (she is always there) knows what we like. And even when it gets busy, she always makes time to chat with us. Love her!! Prices are awesome, food is delicious and service has always been good to us. I highly recommend this place.
(5)
Frankie C.
Understaffed is never a good thing for a restaurant. Empty dirty tables and a 20 minute wait. So we asked to sit in the bar area while we waited. No service. No bartender to even get a beer while u wait! Still, starving we went to the take out side of the place and we had a generous portion of mediocre typical Mexican food. Bland flavors and no salsas on the salsa bar. Staff that showed up to work today seemed nice.
(1)
Jennifer O.
I went here yesterday and it was alright. I went at lunch time and got the chicken fajitas. They were so big! I barely made a dent in the plate. The fajitas tasted good and had all of the toppings with them (rice, guac, salsa, etc) but the chicken had some really gross pieces in it. Some were really sinewy and just unpleasant. Overall, it was alright, but I wouldn't rush back here.
(3)
Jay C.
I have been going to this restaurant on a regular basis for a few years now. The food is always fresh, hot and served promptly. I like the hot sauce and salsa that come with the chips. I typically get a la carte items but tried the Pollo Diablo entree my last visit. This is probably my new favorite! It's a laid back crowd, family friendly and enjoy the satellite radio. Everyone who works here has a great rapport with customers and respect each other as well. Hard to find in restaurants these days. Our servers have always been attentive and pleasant to deal with in every aspect. Rod the night manager is very personable and friendly. Those who gave it an A-Ok rating should try again.
(5)
Roger R.
needed a mexican food fix . i had a chicken enchilada that filled the bill..
(4)
Staci B.
I went to this location for the first time yesterday. The service was very friendly and fast. I ordered the burro with spinach queso, one of the lunch specials. While the food is decent I wouldn't say it is fantastic. There are just so many really really good Mexican restaurants in the area. I thought the salsa that came with the chips tasted like jar salsa from the grocery store. Julio G's just didn't "wow" me but the food was decent and the lunch prices were pretty reasonable.
(3)
Brenda L.
Well I opted for the cheeseburger plate with fris and salad for $8.50 that was suppose to have montery jack but was delivered with yellow (American I think) cheese. Same for the other burger at our table and the beef burrito a la cart at our table looked dry and was I was told. This was my first visit and we came for lunch and sat on the patio. The chips and salsa were good. The softdrinks are big and you get refills which is good since they are $2.35 each! But looking at the other plates with mexican food it looked good and smelled wonderful! The staff was reasonaly nice. They have a small bar but the special drinks are HIGH at $7 & $8! It was a pricey lunch with tip I spent $14. Still I might try a mexican meal one day because it smells so good!
(2)
Kirk V.
Your standard Sonoran style Mexican. You know, everything covered in cheese. I got the green chile rellenos. The green chiles had no flavor, I think they were in a can too long. Anyway, nothing special, I think its just a place for people to drink.
(2)
Charles C.
Big fan of their salsa. The Pollo Diablito is my favorite here.
(4)
David G.
As others have pointed out, the salsa is terrible. I got creative and utilized my inner chef using ingredients available at the table, such as salt, lime wedges, and different types of salsa they brought me. Despite my trying to "improve" the salsa, I failed. I don't think there was anything that could make that quasi pizza sauce better. Because I was then so desperate for decent salsa, I was conned into thinking I could order the "diablo" salsa which would be an upgrade, and it wasn't. I felt disgusted with myself for eating over 1,500 calories, especially on such bad mexican food. For what it's worth though, my girlfriend's tijuana tacos were decent, but not great. It's also expensive for the crummy food (think Chevy's), and like others have pointed out, you feel like you're at Cafe 50's minus the blue plate special. The lighting was tres obnoxious. One flauta for over $5? C'mon. Never again. You'll be more satsified at Filibertos.
(2)
Lauren P.
Love this place! Margaritas are delicious, and the servers are always friendly and accomodating. I also enjoy that they recently added more seafood dishes to their menu. Chicken spinach enchiladas and nachos are among my favorites. Glad to have this restaurant in my neighborhood!
(4)
Annette H.
Love this place!!! We have been eating at Julio's for YEARS & have never been disappointed. Delicious food, wide variety of choices, friendly staff. I highly recommend!
(5)
John P.
Average at best. Queso with Spinach was good but everything with queso had to have spinach. Works well for people in that area.....
(3)
Adil C.
Amazing food and outstanding service!! They have delicious house margaritas that are like $4 on happy hour. Good salsa, amazing Ranchero beans and if you go there make sure to ask for Melissa. She is an amazing server.
(5)
Dri N.
Honestly... Food was not great. I had better at Taco Bell. Chips were pretty good... Salsa horrible. Customer service was descent although our waiter got mine and my friend's orders wrong.
(2)
Joe R.
Don't bring families. Very unwelcoming. The staff ignores people with kids. This didn't even happen to us but rather a family we witnessed be treated this way. We'll never come back.
(1)
Kristen D.
They have great prices on margarita pitchers and such yummy food. Quick service too! Try their mini Chili's and the pollo magnifeco!
(5)
Lindsay L.
My husband and I always enjoy eating at Julio G's. The queso dip is the best. And our absolute favorite is the Pollo Diablo fried extra crispy! We love taking people here who are visiting from out of town and so far everyone loves it. The restuarant stays busy with customers and I have never had to wait for a table. I always enjoy my servers. They always polite and informative. Keep up the great work!
(4)
Adil C.
Great Margaritas, delicious food and awesome service. Our server Melissa was super nice and on top of it and prices were good. I definitely recommend this place.
(5)
N Y.
Julio G's has the BEST Pollo Fundido in the city of Phoenix! ! (Only they call it Pollo Magnifico) they catered my son's wedding and everyone agreed! Love that they use high quality ingredients, and use only chicken breast meat in their food! Great restaurant!
(5)
Whodat 1.
Went there tonight for dinner. Diner ambiance, interesting.. Mirrors everywhere which was kinda neat. Wait staff nothing special, but not terrible. Large portions. We ordered a pitcher of margarita... Standard but not strong at all. With that said, some of the best Mexican food in the area. Although... I ordered the borracho shrimp and was a little disappointed (shrimp ratio to price: 7 : $15.) but the mucho chimis and more was awesome!!! Worth the price and more than we could finish! Best corn tamale I've had! Recommend it if you want good Mexican and a casual atmosphere
(4)
Lucas R.
This must be the place that seasonings forgot... I came here last night with two others. I had been there before but it had been years and I don't recall anything about that experience.This trip however was just as the rating implies: "Meh. I've experienced better." Our server was friendly, but not personable. Some people just aren't, and that's ok. The chips and salsa were great, I really enjoyed them. I wish their spicy salsa was spicier though. We started with an order of chips and guacamole. I don't think anything was added to the avocado. Maybe some diced up tomato? I could be wrong, but it really just tasted like mashed up avocado and a slight touch of lemon maybe? Probably more to keep it from turning brown, than for flavor. But there was no, or at least very little, salt and pepper. Our entrees came out shortly after and it was the same story. Everything looked delicious, but was really lacking in flavor. I had the nachos with ground beef which I would usually love anywhere else but was very unimpressed. This was just "meh",
(2)
James S.
Been here for years. They have the BEST NACHOS in Phoenix. If you're in the mood for a huge helping of chips, cheese, jalapenos, and all the rest, this is the place to come! This is all I ordered and could not eat anything else for hours.
(3)
Michael D.
So this is a place I'll come back to -- if other people want to go. Meaning our experience was okay, with no big failures to keep me away, but I wasn't blown away by the food either. The chips were good, if under salted, and the salsa's were alright. The anathema I feel for cilantro means I'll ask for an alternative if all salsas include it. They chopped up some fresh tomato, onion and jalapeño for me even though the hottest salsa was cilantro-free. This was actually one of the highlights - and much appreciated. My chili relleno was very cheesy and beef enchilada pretty standard. Filling and acceptable, though I agree with some other reviews that mention under-seasoned dishes. The wife had a shredded beef taco and chicken enchilada which she was happy with. The virgin strawberry margarita was freshly blended and completely finished by wifey - while my "Julios Margarita" on the rocks was your standard marg - tasty and sour and reasonably poured. So we left - tummies filled, wallet appropriately dented, having been pleasantly served (if a little slow at the start given the very few late diners, but the speed the food came out made up for it).
(3)
Amy W.
I had the Pollo Diablo, formerly named Pollo Magnifico. They renamed it because they added more cream cheese, so calling it Diablo would give it that extra edge. Apparently this burro wasn't enough of an artery clogger just yet. I didn't know what to get so I decided to get what the Yelp review highlights recommended. Unfortunately it is not always clear if those highlights are for a positive or negative review of the dish. My quick scan indicated that Pollo Magnifico/Diablo was a good thing, so I went with that. Pollo Diablo is a deep-fried chicken burro drowning in jalapeno cream and cheese, served with a side of beans and rice. I took one look at the thing and felt myself getting full and bloated already. The fried touch made it not quite crispy, just a little greasy. The inside was tender but hard to really pay attention to with all of the jalapeno cream and cheddar cheese everywhere. I was overwhelmed and ate less than half the entree. Nothing worth taking with me, either. The worst part about eating here is that we all just got tired from eating. They are big, heavy portions. I looked over at my cousin and his head was propped up in his hands, his eyes drooping. My sister's tamale was basically a hunk of really heavy and dry cornbread and she was exhausted from eating, too. This was heavy stuff. I'm not from the Southwest so maybe I just don't know any better, but for this California girl, I would much rather eat Mexican food in a dirty hole in the wall in San Jose than to come back here.
(1)
Bob D.
Best green chili pork in Arizona. Tender, tasty and no fat.
(4)
Jeff L.
They heat their chips. This always starts me off in a good mood at a Mexican restaurant, as well as a good margarita when I feel like drinking. Their salsa tasted like it was out of a jar or made with ingredients that came out of a jar and had some fresh cilantro in it to freshen it up. Not the best, but certainly not the worst. Their margaritas were very good and on special when we went. I ordered the chili rellano, beef taco and cheese enchilada. The rellano tasted like it had been frozen. We asked the server and he said fresh, but mu taste buds disagreed. The taco was just OK. Beef was seasoned and reminded me of a generic Taco Bell hard shell taco.The enchilada was good. I would go back only if my friends who brought me here wanted to go again.
(3)
Mallerie S.
Love this place!!! The service is great and the food is delicious!! I have yet to try something I do not like.
(5)
Julie T.
Service with Christopher was great, food was good! Salsa is too sweet and the fried ice cream wasn't freshly fried. Some minor changes would make this a great little place!!
(4)
Kevin M.
I have been to this place a few times because friends were already there and talked me into meeting them there. I have never really thought much of the food but it was not bad enough to write a review about. How bad can you mess up mexican food? But recently I dined at Julio G's and the experience was enough to inspire me to share. First of all the decor has always bothered me there. Pink Neon reminds me of some 50's diner. I always expect to see a Milk Shake on the Menu when I sit down. Also on this must recent visit I had really poor service. It was only slightly busy but it took an inordinate about of time to get a simple combo dish out. They thing that stuck me most about Julio G's was how expensive it was. Nothing on the menu was less then $11 for a combo dish. Actually I think a 2 item combo was like $10.95 and a 3 Item was like $11.95. Man, $12 bucks for some marginal Mexican Food? I realize prices have gone up on food and produce. I am sort of expecting to see some price increases across the board at some of my favorite spots. But this was what I consider to be way out of line with the quality of food, service and overall dining experience.
(2)
Jeff H.
Get the beef fajitas and request the macho sauce.
(4)
Andy C.
I've finally been there enough times to realize that I don't like it. The beans are bland and the rice is salty. The salsa isn't right, either. They have all of the typical tacos, enchiladas, and other stuff you'll find in a similar Mexican place, it's just not as good. The service is sub-par. I've noticed that the bussers do their thing right; refilling water, cleaning up, etc. The servers are happy to take their time with everything and leave you hanging. The last few times I went to this place, it was the decision of someone else. I'm not going back.
(2)
Erica V.
After years of enjoying this place, from Camelback road to here, I will never go back. The waiter took 10 minutes to return our Visa, the place was empty, so we asked the mgr what was the holdup. He lost his temper so badly! "Are you accusing my staff of stealing?" he asked us. We expected him to say, "hold on and I'll go check on it" not to go off on us for a reasonable question. Our jaws dropped. He was so nasty and borderline unstable. He invited us to never come back, thought we were on Punked. God forbid someone actually complain, he might throw them out. Still waited longer for the credit card after that. We were too stunned to ask to see another mgr, just left in shock. Bad attitude and average food, skip it. Too many nice business owners to give hard earned money.
(1)
Abby F.
The food here is and has been, for many years, overwhelmingly meh. Yeah, just meh. Pollo Diablos, veggie enchiladas, and taco salads were our orders and everyone agreed that they were all very...meh. The service was good and the restaurant was clean but the food is really so average and one-dimensional.
(3)
Mandy M.
Love it. The salsa may not be the best but the Pollo Magnifico makes up for it. Order this dish people it is fantabulous! It is a deep fried chicken burro topped with jalapeno cream cheese (to die for) and tons of melted cheese. I order this dish every single time and although I know it is not good for my diet I cannot resist it. The Pollo Magnifico never lets me down each time it is delicious and melts in my mouth!
(5)
Eric E.
Had lunch at this location for the first time this week. I had been to the other location in Scottsdale, (Indian School rd.) many times, with mixed, yet overall favorable reviews. While it must be stated that this isn't going to satisfy the Mexican food connoisseur, I found this place to be pretty enjoyable, and a good value to boot! I had a machaca burrito, enchilada style for $7.50, and it was HUGE! Came with the standard rice and beans and small salad. Wifey had an enchilada plate, also the same price, and she couldn't finish half of it! Very colorful place, clean, and great service. Nice place for small groups and families. Pleasantly surprised!
(4)
Justin D.
Two words : Pollo Diablo! AYE YAH YAH YAH YAH! :D
(5)
Caleb B.
We first tried this place late last year, it's right down the street from our condo and we were itching to break away from the norm and try a new place. I am always thinking I might find the next "it" place that no one else has discovered. I know Julio's has been around for awhile but I had never heard anything good/bad about it. It probably didn't help the start to our dining expierience that an ex-manager/co-worker came into the dining area when were first sat down. Let's just say I pretty much disagreed with this person on every aspect of life and leave it at that. Service was slow, very slow. It was a lazy Sunday and place was not even half full. They finally brought the meal and it was wrong, we waited another 20-25 min and I think part of it was wrong again. I don't even remember what we got it was so forgettable. Just blah, it provided some calories and nothing more. Everything was just bland an so-so. I gave them 2 stars instead of one because they did comp our entire bill. I felt somewhat bad for the waiter so I left him a big tip and got out of there, so much for trying a new place.
(2)
John N.
I have been a customer for over 12 years, but the place has been on the downhill slide for years. They closed the location on indian school years ago, for the same reasons. Those reasons are many now. I stopped back in after being away from Julio G's Take out. Had 2 beef tacos and rice.... The rice is very plain and has gotten more gringo over the years which equals bland. The taco's had a nice shredded beef filling and was better than 2 years ago. But the salsa bar has been reduced to salsa given out on plastic topped cups. Bad news is you have to ask for more all the time if you like the sauce, the hot is far from hot any gringo can use it. Bad news one person taking orders during lunch service in take out and service said orders. Cleanup needs to be focused on here... They have forgotten to do this. Yes, a long term customer is seeing another location in slow spiral down the drain.
(1)
Jen H.
Awesome place! For a local neighborhood Mexican restaurant, Julio G's can't be beat! The service is always consistent and good. The staff is friendly and the food comes out WAY fast, which is good because then you don't have time to eat too many chips. The have changed ownership in the last year or so and with that came some improvements. I'm not sure where they are purchasing their meats but it has definitely improved. The chicken especially. I love the combo platter in the middle of the menu. You can pick and choose and try out different items all served with rice and beans. The green chile tamale is a favorite as are the fajitas and the Tijuana tacos! The leftovers actually taste good too.
(4)
Jeff K.
Burritooooooo lunch special!!!!! awesome, tons of chips and salsa
(4)
Jacqueline C.
Good fresh food. Reasonable price. Food comes out quickly. Service is normal good but not WOW of course it takes a lot to WOW me! Looks like it can get quite crowded! Love the rice! :-)
(4)
Roxy H.
I love this place...for the AWESOME margaritas! OMG, one of those and I can't remember what the food tastes like. All I know is the leftovers are pretty damn good for the next day's breakfast.
(3)
Jodi P.
One of our FAVORITE joints to eat at. BEST chips in salsa in the Valley in my opinion. Casual eatery, GREAT food (I only like Manuel's better...all other casual Mexican food restaurants don't compare). Their frozen strawberry margaritas are DEEEE-LISH. We used to live in south Scottsdale & frequented "the" Julio G's down there and the Julio's Too for takeout, and although this location isn't as unique in decor & ambience, it definitely is the same wonderful food & friendly staff.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Kristi M.
My boyfriend and I are regulars here and by regulars I mean we come usually twice a week. The service is always amazing (we love Bill and his super sweet wife who bartends.) We like to sit in the bar so we can see games on the tvs and we have never had to wait. The food is amazing. Best chips and salsa and guacamole. I always get the shrimp tacos (something about the sauce they give you for the tacos is like crack - so good) and my boyfriend usually gets something different each time and has never been disappointed. Their margaritas are great (get a pitcher to share) and prices are awesome as well. We love Julio G's and will keep coming... All the time lol. Definitely recommend!
(5)Caitlyn C.
So sad, I remember eating at this place when they had a location near ASU and had fond memories of it- perhaps it's just the expertise of that location or the lack of maturity in my taste buds. This place is not good and a disappointment with the memories I had of it and how easy it is to get to from my new home. The chips and salsa was the first sign that this isn't what I remember. They give you two salsas in which both had not a lot of flavor and I ended up mixing them. The mix helped but overall if the chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant are bland it means the rest of the meal will be. And I was right.. I ordered a red chile burrito and upon cutting it up the phrase "canned meat smell" went through my mind. The sauce lacked that smokey heat you expect in a red chili sauce, it had little to no flavor and had an overcooked texture to it. I kept eating because I was hungry, but then my BF said it looked like dog food and I had to stop eating. It did remind me of dog food because his not polite table etiquette connected with my first initial thought about the meal- canned smell. My BF ordered a mix of al carte tacos and he had the same unimpressed feeling, and stopped eating halfway through his meal. The two stars was for the service, our waitress was awesome and let us know that ordering a pitcher of margaritas would save us a few bucks. The Margarita, which I would consider the 'House Margarita' quench my craving for a margarita. It said it was award winning, which I don't think it was anything amazing, but it did it's job. Overall, I won't go back as the food was overall not good and there are too many other great Mexican places to go to.
(2)Christina M.
The worst Mexican ever felt the quality was better at Taco Bell. This is not Mexican. My food was cold and bad tasting.
(1)Trevor A.
Service was great tonight. First time eating in the bar area - as the main dinning room was full of young families. It had been some time since my past visits which I usually got tacos or enchiladas. The time between my visits was simply because for me the food was too bland. I wanted to give it a try again with a recommendation from the server. I got the green chili tamale... unfortunately very bland as well. Not sure how it's possible to remove flavor from a tamale but they do it somehow. I like the place ok, just not my type of mexican.
(3)Brad W.
Only tried this place because the guy in front of me at the restaurant next door ordered ten sandwiches. Whoever that was, thanks for sending me over to Julio. It worked out well as the lunch specials run to 3pm and the chips and a good version of chunky mild salsa was free and clear with my to-go order. Of course, my thing is white meat chicken and Julio delivered with a simple chicken burrito that had a huge amount of chicken bathed in some kind of mild spices (nothing else inside but meat). The burrito is served enchilada style with rice/beans or double rice like I prefer. It is a large item and only costs less than 8 bucks at lunch. There should have been leftovers, but on this day there wasn't a scrap left in my metal tray.
(5)Tonya M.
Great Salsa! While driving down Cactus we had a sudden craving for Mexican food and stopped at the first place we found. We were seated immediately and had wonderful service, I saved the receipt so I could remember to put her name in my review but I can't find it. Once I do...I'll let ya know! We had a slew of folks that helped bring drinks, chips, salsa and everything else that we needed. I was pretty impressed with the level of service we received. The ONLY downfall is not having an Italian dressing that's not creamy. No one likes creamy dressing. Please get a true vinaigrette on your menu. I loved your taco salad but didn't have a good dressing to put on it. I promise to add this to my roatation if you do.
(4)Tom G.
Julio G's is a great place to go after shopping at PV Mall or with relatives. It is similar to chain restaurants, but with fewer locations, the quality is pretty consistent. I like the shredded beef tacos and cheese enchiladas.
(5)Donna M.
Been here a few times, chips and salsa are free, plentiful and pretty good, they serve both a hot and mild salsa. I've had several items on the menu and all are tasty for your standard Mexican American fare. Great margs too! Service is usually very good, rarely have to wait for a table.
(4)Kate D.
If you have Celiac don't eat here. They were so rude to me and said "let's see if you really have a allergy you can't eat the chips." My grandmother and I have been going here for 25 years. I will never go back. So rude and it was filthy.
(1)Ilene M.
The food was ok. Flautas were unevenly cooked. Warm on the middle and burnt on the ends. Good margaritas. Won't come here again for food. There are better Mexican places.
(2)Timothy F.
A first time visit. We liked the food. I had the chimichanga machaca, my wife had the combo enchilada plate. The server we had was very attentive and did a very good job. Two suggestions for the owner of this restaurant. 1. Your tortilla chips are very tasty but they are far to small to use for dipping, etc. Keep the same recipe but have them made larger. We noticed that too many of them are broken so that by the time you get 1/2 way through the bowl all you have is fragments. Larger chips would eliminate this problem. 2. Your hot water in the men's room is too hot! You are wasting energy and paying for it, plus you could end up scalding someone. We will be back, however, because the food is very good.
(4)Lain E.
I'd love to review the food but after waiting over 15 minutes for someone to take out order, we left. 3 in the afternoon. Nearly empty. Sad.
(1)Manny S.
OK, so here's the deal, you're at PV Mall and it's lunchtime. You go to the food court and see that Paradise Bakery is the only decent choice but that's where you ate the last 47 times you were here. Easy solution, get in your car and drive across Tatum to Julio G's. The chips and salsa are free, plentiful, and delicious. The menu has all the standard Mexican menu items and are reasonably priced. Everything I've tried here was OK. Not, "OMG", but OK. Service has also been fine. Note, the portions are huge! I've never been able to finish my entree but maybe it's because I go through two baskets of chips.
(3)Brooke R.
The chips and salsa are fantastic...that's what keeps bringing us back. This is my one year olds favorite restaurant as she loves the salsa. The food is pretty good...I have to admit it's not the best Mexican food I've ever had, but it's always consistently good.
(4)Frances F.
Food was just okay. Restaurant was empty but waiter never bothered to check on us or ask how our meals were. Adios Julio G
(1)Shannan M.
Normally when you go to a mexican rest. you order a margarita and it's just OK. Not the case here. Julio G's has the best drinks we've had at a mexican rest in the area. Reasonably priced too! (Would recommend the pitcher, it makes sense if you're having more than one drink). We're big fans of the mexican pizza with jalapenos and cream cheese too. It's enough to feed 2-3 people, and def fills you up. If I could make one change, it would be the chips and salsa that's brought out before your meal. They aren't anything to brag about, and maybe a mean dip could replace one of the 3 salsas to switch things up.
(3)Katherine M.
Mini chimis are a YES. Staff is sooo nice. Drinks are super reasonable and they always ask if you need anything at all. Ask for extra sauce or a refill and it's done before you ask. Love JG's!!!!!!
(5)Corey J.
I am typically a pretty understanding customer and realize that with anything mistakes on orders can happen. Last night I placed a take out order and ordered the super nachos and only wanted beans cheese and sour cream. I have gotten this order once a week for the last month and never and I do mean never have they ever put green chillis in the cheese. After getting home last night when I found that the order had the chillis I asked them to correct it. The cashier was accomadating but the owner was very rude to my wife and I and lied to ou faces saying that is what they always do. I informed him of how often we come to his business and he still did not show any concern for us. I WILL NOT BE RETURNING their and they lost a customer for life.
(1)Dee W.
We live near Julio G's, so we go there about once a month. We've never had a bad meal, and the service has always been above average! I highly recommend the cactus margarita! I always end up taking home half my dinner because the portions are big and we eat way too many chips and salsa before the food comes!
(4)Michelle B.
Great food, and good service. Ordered a chicken chimichanga and was tasty. Chips were served hot, salsa had a good flavor. I mixed the 2 served. Finished off with fried ice cream and was delicious. Cute atmosphere & front window opens to patio to enjoy Arizona's nice fall weather. Prices are reasonable as well. The only reason I didn't rate a 5 was due to my chimichanga not being as crispy as I am use to. Still very good.
(4)Sandi O.
It's been a couple years since we've eaten here and I'm not sure why it's been so long. Everything here has always been wonderfull. I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't take years to come back
(4)Carol S.
Thought my carnitas was on the dry side but the chips/salsa were delish and my strawberry marg was freaking strong. It was really difficult to Christmas shop afterwards.
(3)Megen M.
I was in town with my niece and my family members that live there recommended this place. I had no clue what to get so I tried the loco mexican pie. Holy moly. It was so good I couldnt stop talking about it. It was enormous and everyone at the table was able to have some and I was still able to get my fill. The salsa was just ok but I dont really go to mexican places for their salsa. I'm not much of a fan. The decor was a little odd for a mexican restaurant but, honestly, I didnt care at all because the food was so delish!!! I also liked that they have big cups for drinks. I'm a huge drinker and my biggest pet peeve is having to wait forever for a waiter to fill up my cup. I cant wait until I'm back in Phoenix because I'm heading straight here!!!
(5)John S.
It hit the spot. 7:30 on a Friday night, three of us wanted a few old favorites from the good old days back in downtown Scottsdale, and were pleasantly surprised. Not stellar, modern cooking, but everything was reliable, quick, and cheap, and we lucked in and got the empty booth. After us, it got a little backed up waiting for a table. Our cheese crisp was simple and yet perfect. Crisped on the bottom, but not scorched, the generous, even topping of cheese was just melted and rushed to our table hot. Simple, cheap, good. Our Carnitas were caramelized on the outside, and moist on the inside. Not overly salted, nicely spiced. Not the best I've ever had, but better than the last 3 or 4 iterations I have had in a restaurant. A couple of mixed plates were very well received, and we really liked the black beans. And our large pitcher of Texas Margaritas- on the rocks, had a great balance of orange liqueuer, lime, and Sauza, and were pretty darn pleasant for $26, with two hefty drinks apiece. Once again, not the very best margarita ever, but as good as many in very respected high concept Mexican restaurants around the US- and frankly a little better balance than a few of those. Certainly way better drinks than Los Dos Molinos' and I still love that place anyway. Our server was great, and she accommodated all our whims, so thats rare. Three of us walked out stuffed, tipsy, and very satisfied for about $70.
(3)Monica M.
Great service! Great food! Delicious salsa! Came here with my family and three kids- they loved the fajitas. Very clean and friendly staff also.
(5)Dusti B.
My two kids and I ate at the Julio G's quick counter service area for lunch today. We had the sampler platter which was really good and more than enough to feed all three of us. Chips and salsa were great, service was friendly. Where else can you get a nice Mexican lunch for $10 for three people? We will certainly be back.
(5)Angela C.
My husband and I have been coming here for the past 4 years. The food and service has always been great. My husband enjoys the beef tacos and fajitas. I enjoy the chicken chimichanga and pollo diablo. And we must get a frozen margarita to go with our food = yummy. We love the food here so much, we visit at least 3 times a month. Melissa, our typically assigned waitress (she is always there) knows what we like. And even when it gets busy, she always makes time to chat with us. Love her!! Prices are awesome, food is delicious and service has always been good to us. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Frankie C.
Understaffed is never a good thing for a restaurant. Empty dirty tables and a 20 minute wait. So we asked to sit in the bar area while we waited. No service. No bartender to even get a beer while u wait! Still, starving we went to the take out side of the place and we had a generous portion of mediocre typical Mexican food. Bland flavors and no salsas on the salsa bar. Staff that showed up to work today seemed nice.
(1)Jennifer O.
I went here yesterday and it was alright. I went at lunch time and got the chicken fajitas. They were so big! I barely made a dent in the plate. The fajitas tasted good and had all of the toppings with them (rice, guac, salsa, etc) but the chicken had some really gross pieces in it. Some were really sinewy and just unpleasant. Overall, it was alright, but I wouldn't rush back here.
(3)Jay C.
I have been going to this restaurant on a regular basis for a few years now. The food is always fresh, hot and served promptly. I like the hot sauce and salsa that come with the chips. I typically get a la carte items but tried the Pollo Diablo entree my last visit. This is probably my new favorite! It's a laid back crowd, family friendly and enjoy the satellite radio. Everyone who works here has a great rapport with customers and respect each other as well. Hard to find in restaurants these days. Our servers have always been attentive and pleasant to deal with in every aspect. Rod the night manager is very personable and friendly. Those who gave it an A-Ok rating should try again.
(5)Roger R.
needed a mexican food fix . i had a chicken enchilada that filled the bill..
(4)Staci B.
I went to this location for the first time yesterday. The service was very friendly and fast. I ordered the burro with spinach queso, one of the lunch specials. While the food is decent I wouldn't say it is fantastic. There are just so many really really good Mexican restaurants in the area. I thought the salsa that came with the chips tasted like jar salsa from the grocery store. Julio G's just didn't "wow" me but the food was decent and the lunch prices were pretty reasonable.
(3)Brenda L.
Well I opted for the cheeseburger plate with fris and salad for $8.50 that was suppose to have montery jack but was delivered with yellow (American I think) cheese. Same for the other burger at our table and the beef burrito a la cart at our table looked dry and was I was told. This was my first visit and we came for lunch and sat on the patio. The chips and salsa were good. The softdrinks are big and you get refills which is good since they are $2.35 each! But looking at the other plates with mexican food it looked good and smelled wonderful! The staff was reasonaly nice. They have a small bar but the special drinks are HIGH at $7 & $8! It was a pricey lunch with tip I spent $14. Still I might try a mexican meal one day because it smells so good!
(2)Kirk V.
Your standard Sonoran style Mexican. You know, everything covered in cheese. I got the green chile rellenos. The green chiles had no flavor, I think they were in a can too long. Anyway, nothing special, I think its just a place for people to drink.
(2)Charles C.
Big fan of their salsa. The Pollo Diablito is my favorite here.
(4)David G.
As others have pointed out, the salsa is terrible. I got creative and utilized my inner chef using ingredients available at the table, such as salt, lime wedges, and different types of salsa they brought me. Despite my trying to "improve" the salsa, I failed. I don't think there was anything that could make that quasi pizza sauce better. Because I was then so desperate for decent salsa, I was conned into thinking I could order the "diablo" salsa which would be an upgrade, and it wasn't. I felt disgusted with myself for eating over 1,500 calories, especially on such bad mexican food. For what it's worth though, my girlfriend's tijuana tacos were decent, but not great. It's also expensive for the crummy food (think Chevy's), and like others have pointed out, you feel like you're at Cafe 50's minus the blue plate special. The lighting was tres obnoxious. One flauta for over $5? C'mon. Never again. You'll be more satsified at Filibertos.
(2)Lauren P.
Love this place! Margaritas are delicious, and the servers are always friendly and accomodating. I also enjoy that they recently added more seafood dishes to their menu. Chicken spinach enchiladas and nachos are among my favorites. Glad to have this restaurant in my neighborhood!
(4)Annette H.
Love this place!!! We have been eating at Julio's for YEARS & have never been disappointed. Delicious food, wide variety of choices, friendly staff. I highly recommend!
(5)John P.
Average at best. Queso with Spinach was good but everything with queso had to have spinach. Works well for people in that area.....
(3)Adil C.
Amazing food and outstanding service!! They have delicious house margaritas that are like $4 on happy hour. Good salsa, amazing Ranchero beans and if you go there make sure to ask for Melissa. She is an amazing server.
(5)Dri N.
Honestly... Food was not great. I had better at Taco Bell. Chips were pretty good... Salsa horrible. Customer service was descent although our waiter got mine and my friend's orders wrong.
(2)Joe R.
Don't bring families. Very unwelcoming. The staff ignores people with kids. This didn't even happen to us but rather a family we witnessed be treated this way. We'll never come back.
(1)Kristen D.
They have great prices on margarita pitchers and such yummy food. Quick service too! Try their mini Chili's and the pollo magnifeco!
(5)Lindsay L.
My husband and I always enjoy eating at Julio G's. The queso dip is the best. And our absolute favorite is the Pollo Diablo fried extra crispy! We love taking people here who are visiting from out of town and so far everyone loves it. The restuarant stays busy with customers and I have never had to wait for a table. I always enjoy my servers. They always polite and informative. Keep up the great work!
(4)Adil C.
Great Margaritas, delicious food and awesome service. Our server Melissa was super nice and on top of it and prices were good. I definitely recommend this place.
(5)N Y.
Julio G's has the BEST Pollo Fundido in the city of Phoenix! ! (Only they call it Pollo Magnifico) they catered my son's wedding and everyone agreed! Love that they use high quality ingredients, and use only chicken breast meat in their food! Great restaurant!
(5)Whodat 1.
Went there tonight for dinner. Diner ambiance, interesting.. Mirrors everywhere which was kinda neat. Wait staff nothing special, but not terrible. Large portions. We ordered a pitcher of margarita... Standard but not strong at all. With that said, some of the best Mexican food in the area. Although... I ordered the borracho shrimp and was a little disappointed (shrimp ratio to price: 7 : $15.) but the mucho chimis and more was awesome!!! Worth the price and more than we could finish! Best corn tamale I've had! Recommend it if you want good Mexican and a casual atmosphere
(4)Lucas R.
This must be the place that seasonings forgot... I came here last night with two others. I had been there before but it had been years and I don't recall anything about that experience.This trip however was just as the rating implies: "Meh. I've experienced better." Our server was friendly, but not personable. Some people just aren't, and that's ok. The chips and salsa were great, I really enjoyed them. I wish their spicy salsa was spicier though. We started with an order of chips and guacamole. I don't think anything was added to the avocado. Maybe some diced up tomato? I could be wrong, but it really just tasted like mashed up avocado and a slight touch of lemon maybe? Probably more to keep it from turning brown, than for flavor. But there was no, or at least very little, salt and pepper. Our entrees came out shortly after and it was the same story. Everything looked delicious, but was really lacking in flavor. I had the nachos with ground beef which I would usually love anywhere else but was very unimpressed. This was just "meh",
(2)James S.
Been here for years. They have the BEST NACHOS in Phoenix. If you're in the mood for a huge helping of chips, cheese, jalapenos, and all the rest, this is the place to come! This is all I ordered and could not eat anything else for hours.
(3)Michael D.
So this is a place I'll come back to -- if other people want to go. Meaning our experience was okay, with no big failures to keep me away, but I wasn't blown away by the food either. The chips were good, if under salted, and the salsa's were alright. The anathema I feel for cilantro means I'll ask for an alternative if all salsas include it. They chopped up some fresh tomato, onion and jalapeño for me even though the hottest salsa was cilantro-free. This was actually one of the highlights - and much appreciated. My chili relleno was very cheesy and beef enchilada pretty standard. Filling and acceptable, though I agree with some other reviews that mention under-seasoned dishes. The wife had a shredded beef taco and chicken enchilada which she was happy with. The virgin strawberry margarita was freshly blended and completely finished by wifey - while my "Julios Margarita" on the rocks was your standard marg - tasty and sour and reasonably poured. So we left - tummies filled, wallet appropriately dented, having been pleasantly served (if a little slow at the start given the very few late diners, but the speed the food came out made up for it).
(3)Amy W.
I had the Pollo Diablo, formerly named Pollo Magnifico. They renamed it because they added more cream cheese, so calling it Diablo would give it that extra edge. Apparently this burro wasn't enough of an artery clogger just yet. I didn't know what to get so I decided to get what the Yelp review highlights recommended. Unfortunately it is not always clear if those highlights are for a positive or negative review of the dish. My quick scan indicated that Pollo Magnifico/Diablo was a good thing, so I went with that. Pollo Diablo is a deep-fried chicken burro drowning in jalapeno cream and cheese, served with a side of beans and rice. I took one look at the thing and felt myself getting full and bloated already. The fried touch made it not quite crispy, just a little greasy. The inside was tender but hard to really pay attention to with all of the jalapeno cream and cheddar cheese everywhere. I was overwhelmed and ate less than half the entree. Nothing worth taking with me, either. The worst part about eating here is that we all just got tired from eating. They are big, heavy portions. I looked over at my cousin and his head was propped up in his hands, his eyes drooping. My sister's tamale was basically a hunk of really heavy and dry cornbread and she was exhausted from eating, too. This was heavy stuff. I'm not from the Southwest so maybe I just don't know any better, but for this California girl, I would much rather eat Mexican food in a dirty hole in the wall in San Jose than to come back here.
(1)Bob D.
Best green chili pork in Arizona. Tender, tasty and no fat.
(4)Jeff L.
They heat their chips. This always starts me off in a good mood at a Mexican restaurant, as well as a good margarita when I feel like drinking. Their salsa tasted like it was out of a jar or made with ingredients that came out of a jar and had some fresh cilantro in it to freshen it up. Not the best, but certainly not the worst. Their margaritas were very good and on special when we went. I ordered the chili rellano, beef taco and cheese enchilada. The rellano tasted like it had been frozen. We asked the server and he said fresh, but mu taste buds disagreed. The taco was just OK. Beef was seasoned and reminded me of a generic Taco Bell hard shell taco.The enchilada was good. I would go back only if my friends who brought me here wanted to go again.
(3)Mallerie S.
Love this place!!! The service is great and the food is delicious!! I have yet to try something I do not like.
(5)Julie T.
Service with Christopher was great, food was good! Salsa is too sweet and the fried ice cream wasn't freshly fried. Some minor changes would make this a great little place!!
(4)Kevin M.
I have been to this place a few times because friends were already there and talked me into meeting them there. I have never really thought much of the food but it was not bad enough to write a review about. How bad can you mess up mexican food? But recently I dined at Julio G's and the experience was enough to inspire me to share. First of all the decor has always bothered me there. Pink Neon reminds me of some 50's diner. I always expect to see a Milk Shake on the Menu when I sit down. Also on this must recent visit I had really poor service. It was only slightly busy but it took an inordinate about of time to get a simple combo dish out. They thing that stuck me most about Julio G's was how expensive it was. Nothing on the menu was less then $11 for a combo dish. Actually I think a 2 item combo was like $10.95 and a 3 Item was like $11.95. Man, $12 bucks for some marginal Mexican Food? I realize prices have gone up on food and produce. I am sort of expecting to see some price increases across the board at some of my favorite spots. But this was what I consider to be way out of line with the quality of food, service and overall dining experience.
(2)Jeff H.
Get the beef fajitas and request the macho sauce.
(4)Andy C.
I've finally been there enough times to realize that I don't like it. The beans are bland and the rice is salty. The salsa isn't right, either. They have all of the typical tacos, enchiladas, and other stuff you'll find in a similar Mexican place, it's just not as good. The service is sub-par. I've noticed that the bussers do their thing right; refilling water, cleaning up, etc. The servers are happy to take their time with everything and leave you hanging. The last few times I went to this place, it was the decision of someone else. I'm not going back.
(2)Erica V.
After years of enjoying this place, from Camelback road to here, I will never go back. The waiter took 10 minutes to return our Visa, the place was empty, so we asked the mgr what was the holdup. He lost his temper so badly! "Are you accusing my staff of stealing?" he asked us. We expected him to say, "hold on and I'll go check on it" not to go off on us for a reasonable question. Our jaws dropped. He was so nasty and borderline unstable. He invited us to never come back, thought we were on Punked. God forbid someone actually complain, he might throw them out. Still waited longer for the credit card after that. We were too stunned to ask to see another mgr, just left in shock. Bad attitude and average food, skip it. Too many nice business owners to give hard earned money.
(1)Abby F.
The food here is and has been, for many years, overwhelmingly meh. Yeah, just meh. Pollo Diablos, veggie enchiladas, and taco salads were our orders and everyone agreed that they were all very...meh. The service was good and the restaurant was clean but the food is really so average and one-dimensional.
(3)Mandy M.
Love it. The salsa may not be the best but the Pollo Magnifico makes up for it. Order this dish people it is fantabulous! It is a deep fried chicken burro topped with jalapeno cream cheese (to die for) and tons of melted cheese. I order this dish every single time and although I know it is not good for my diet I cannot resist it. The Pollo Magnifico never lets me down each time it is delicious and melts in my mouth!
(5)Eric E.
Had lunch at this location for the first time this week. I had been to the other location in Scottsdale, (Indian School rd.) many times, with mixed, yet overall favorable reviews. While it must be stated that this isn't going to satisfy the Mexican food connoisseur, I found this place to be pretty enjoyable, and a good value to boot! I had a machaca burrito, enchilada style for $7.50, and it was HUGE! Came with the standard rice and beans and small salad. Wifey had an enchilada plate, also the same price, and she couldn't finish half of it! Very colorful place, clean, and great service. Nice place for small groups and families. Pleasantly surprised!
(4)Justin D.
Two words : Pollo Diablo! AYE YAH YAH YAH YAH! :D
(5)Caleb B.
We first tried this place late last year, it's right down the street from our condo and we were itching to break away from the norm and try a new place. I am always thinking I might find the next "it" place that no one else has discovered. I know Julio's has been around for awhile but I had never heard anything good/bad about it. It probably didn't help the start to our dining expierience that an ex-manager/co-worker came into the dining area when were first sat down. Let's just say I pretty much disagreed with this person on every aspect of life and leave it at that. Service was slow, very slow. It was a lazy Sunday and place was not even half full. They finally brought the meal and it was wrong, we waited another 20-25 min and I think part of it was wrong again. I don't even remember what we got it was so forgettable. Just blah, it provided some calories and nothing more. Everything was just bland an so-so. I gave them 2 stars instead of one because they did comp our entire bill. I felt somewhat bad for the waiter so I left him a big tip and got out of there, so much for trying a new place.
(2)John N.
I have been a customer for over 12 years, but the place has been on the downhill slide for years. They closed the location on indian school years ago, for the same reasons. Those reasons are many now. I stopped back in after being away from Julio G's Take out. Had 2 beef tacos and rice.... The rice is very plain and has gotten more gringo over the years which equals bland. The taco's had a nice shredded beef filling and was better than 2 years ago. But the salsa bar has been reduced to salsa given out on plastic topped cups. Bad news is you have to ask for more all the time if you like the sauce, the hot is far from hot any gringo can use it. Bad news one person taking orders during lunch service in take out and service said orders. Cleanup needs to be focused on here... They have forgotten to do this. Yes, a long term customer is seeing another location in slow spiral down the drain.
(1)Jen H.
Awesome place! For a local neighborhood Mexican restaurant, Julio G's can't be beat! The service is always consistent and good. The staff is friendly and the food comes out WAY fast, which is good because then you don't have time to eat too many chips. The have changed ownership in the last year or so and with that came some improvements. I'm not sure where they are purchasing their meats but it has definitely improved. The chicken especially. I love the combo platter in the middle of the menu. You can pick and choose and try out different items all served with rice and beans. The green chile tamale is a favorite as are the fajitas and the Tijuana tacos! The leftovers actually taste good too.
(4)Jeff K.
Burritooooooo lunch special!!!!! awesome, tons of chips and salsa
(4)Jacqueline C.
Good fresh food. Reasonable price. Food comes out quickly. Service is normal good but not WOW of course it takes a lot to WOW me! Looks like it can get quite crowded! Love the rice! :-)
(4)Roxy H.
I love this place...for the AWESOME margaritas! OMG, one of those and I can't remember what the food tastes like. All I know is the leftovers are pretty damn good for the next day's breakfast.
(3)Jodi P.
One of our FAVORITE joints to eat at. BEST chips in salsa in the Valley in my opinion. Casual eatery, GREAT food (I only like Manuel's better...all other casual Mexican food restaurants don't compare). Their frozen strawberry margaritas are DEEEE-LISH. We used to live in south Scottsdale & frequented "the" Julio G's down there and the Julio's Too for takeout, and although this location isn't as unique in decor & ambience, it definitely is the same wonderful food & friendly staff.
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