Don Julio Mexican Kitchen - Waterford lakes — Restaurant in Florida

I came here with a buddy who was in town. I wanted him to see how much better Orlando is than the town he's from, so I looked for something that was delicious and grandiose. I found Don Julio, and boy did I make the right choice.

Between the festive, neon ambiance that actually explodes with music and bubbles every time someone orders a shot; and the fajitas that come to you literally on fire; ambiance checks out. Loved it. Service was pretty on point, too. We had a guy who was timely, sassy, kept refills coming, everything we needed and wanted.

We started things off with the Don Julio Sampler (Steak, tostones, shredded chicken taquitos, mini cheese quesadilla, guacamole, queso dip). Everything was solid. My favorite thing was the little taquitos. So crispy. The steak was kind of random. Just cut it up and throw them on top of your free chips to make nachos.

I main was the Burrito California (LARGE burrito style tortilla filled with Mexican rice, refried beans, romaine, guacamole. Topped with queso dip, crema, pico de gallo). A lot of places LARGE burritos kind of disappoint in size, but no, this one was LARGE. I had chicken inside of mine. Always pairs so well with rice and means and guac and the queso on the outside. Lovely burrito. Do recommend.

I also got to try the Dona Birria (Large Quesadilla stuffed with birria (Adobo guajillo brasied beef brisket), cheese, red onions, cilantro, Birria Broth). If you like birria, you'll like this. Deep flavor in that broth, absorbs really well in the tortilla. I still wish I could have tried that ramen, but this was a really good dish.

We got dessert, too. I can't find the dessert menu, but I know it was a tres leches cake, and I remember it was Really good because it was Really saturated with all the milks. Just a lovely representation of what a good tres leches cake should be.

Overall, this was a really good experience. My buddy really enjoyed his trip and meal in the big city. This menu is so expansive, though, I left a lot of the table, and I will need to...

November 2024

Still great! Today I got a Salmon dish with an amazing mango topping. They are now taking pictures and giving them to you on the spot - $20, but they weren't too pushy, so I won't dock a star. And the picture did come out nicely!

Karilyn was very kind.

June 2024

They changed things up so I'm upping the review. No loud music tonight and the new look is great! The server Jorge took care of me, my kids, and my dad. Nicest guy I've ever met. Might invite him to my birthday.

Highlight of the trip (other than Jorge) was a new shrimp, Arroz con Mariscos. Shrimp in a thick red sauce, similar to a porridge. So so good.

I'll be back! Another visit, another update. Today Santiago was our server. He's great! Personable and fun. Lots of thumbs up. Had the ceviche trio. At first I didn't love it, but with chips and more lime juice on the bottom it was great. Make sure you stir!

Previous review: The menu changed so I've updated my review! The below is still true though.

So! The new menu is great. The Hawaiian Chicken is a fantastic dish, which great flavor on both the chicken breast and some of the best sweet plantains I've ever had. The tacos, guac tasty, flan fantastic. An extra star for the new food options so far.

Sabrina was extremely kind and gave great recommendations.

DJ can be a bit loud on Saturdays, but they've tamped that down a bit too.

Old review: Great food and great value - tacos and lunch specials are both very well priced for the quality. Some other items aren't as notable, but overall it's quite good. Service is great, especially the guy (Armando? Santiago? His mom does the guac!) Who was very personable. The place is a bit cramped and loud, but that's...

We've come to Don Julio's multiple times and it just isn't the experience I feel like most would enjoy anymore. This location has always been busy on the weekends, especially so during the evening but our last experience here this Saturday was beyond poor service due to a busy night.

Overall our server was kind and got us anything we asked for but came to our table 3 times (drink order, food order, and one check in) during the entire dining experience. When we were finishing up our meals another server came to our table without saying a word grabbed the chips and salsa (which i was actively eating as he took it) and started grabbing plates/cups without a single time asking if we were finished. He then returned with our check, again not saying anything and taking our drink cups (including the ONE soda my mother-in-law had received the entire time and was not finished with).

The entire time we felt they were doing everything in their power for us to eat as quickly as possible and leave just as quickly for them to sit more people. Going as far as rearranging the tables around us to seat up to 6 people (bringing patio chairs in) making it impossible for servers and guests to get to the other booths and tables.

There are plenty of Mexican restaurants nearby that don't squeeze you in like sardines or push you out the door to make as much money as possible. We won't be back and don't recommend that...