Uncle Julio's Mexican From Scratch — Restaurant in Schaumburg Township

We did not enjoy our experience here at all. Things started ok and went downhill very quickly. We were seated at an acceptable table and got our chips and salsa quickly enough. We placed our drinks and entree orders at the same time, skipping appetizers. The waters and soda came timely. But the soda was mostly syrup no fizz. We had to order soda water from the bar and mix it ourselves. The cocktails did not come until after all the food was served. We were informed that there were issues at the bar and our cocktails would be delyed. But still we had to mention it later when asked how things were before getting the cocktails. They were not well made (one way too strong the other weak) and we weren't asked if we wanted salted rims or not.

As for the entrees, at first only one of four was served by a pair that weren't our main wait person. That would have been fine except there was obviously no communication to them about our full order. They even asked us if we wanted plates to share the one entree. I had to tell them no, we are waiting on three more entrees and they appeared very confused. The rest of the entrees came quite a while later as the party whose came first was at least half way done eating. Also the table was way too small to easily hold all the separate plates & containers that came with our entrees (when they finally came) along with all our drinks and chips basket and salsa bowls. A very poor, cramped, uncomfortable dining experience.

The food itself was quite poor quality especially for the prices. Most of the items were barely warm. For example, my enchiladas combo was not well made. The chicken was flavorless and in big chunks with the texture of a gob of unmelted, room temperature cheese. The ground beef one was super salty in both my and another of our party's meals. So much so that it made the margarita salted rim disgusting at that point. The cheese one had barely any cheese or onions in it at all, sadly. The rice that came with all four of our entrees was dry, hard and flavorless. It was like it had been kept warm for a long time while it continued drying out. The made in house flour tortillas were not impressive in taste or texture. The skirt steak fajitas were the best thing anyone in our party ordered but at over $25 per order the meat portion was very stingy as were the avocado and sour cream toppings.

Our bill with tax and tip was over $150 for four adults and it felt like a complete waste of time and money. We will not be returning here ever again. It was an utterly unsatisfactory experience. I've spent far less for far superior dining experiences even at Woodfield mall at Red Robin, Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Changs. Do yourself a favor and skip this place. There are a dozen Mom & Pop taquerias with better food nearby and even Fat Rosie's across the street on Meacham has better atmosphere and food. Taco Maya has good Artisan tacos and way better salsa. And when all else fails Taco Bell is a way...

Let me start off by saying, this has been the worst restaurant experience I've had. I took my mom, along with the rest of my family, to this restaurant for her birthday and I regret that decision. Had a reservation at 6:30pm and didn't get seated until 6:45. Then it took about half an hour just to get our drink orders in. Already I was having mixed feelings. Once our dinner order was taken, it was about an hour wait for the food to be done. The waitress kept giving me attitude even though I was calm and polite when asking for something that wasn't even an inconvenience for her. She acted as if I commanded her to drop everything she was doing grab me a glass for my beverage. Once the food arrived, enough time had passed to where I had just lost my appetite completely. The food was mid in all honesty. Their chicken quesadillas, which is an appetizer, was probably the best thing they had to offer. I was never offered a refill on my beverage nor was my mother and several other members of my family. I understand tending to big parties can be a hassle but we were being as polite as we could be without stepping over any boundaries. Then came time for their little chocolate pinata gimmick for birthdays and I'm not sure what the procedure is but they basically dropped the ball off and once she saw it was taking a bit for my mother to crack it open, she forcefully took the stick from her hand and proceeded to break it open, which caused it to spill onto my mother. I was more than done with this place at that point. Once our check came, they were essentially trying to rush us out of there, claiming we had taken too much of their time. Kinda cringe to say that after taking so long serving us. Bottom line is, if you want mexican food, please give your business to authentic Mexican restaurants, the little ones you see on the corner or in small shopping centers. Please do not give big chain businesses like this one your money. You'd only be doing yourself a disservice. There are tons of smaller restaurants that need your business, much more than Uncle Julio's...

Christmas present shopping is arduous. I need to seek out a location to rest my feet and eat something to replenish my energy. Uncle Julio's is conveniently located in the mall. Since I’m craving for Tex-Mex food.

Despite the fact that the mall was crowded, especially due to the holidays, they seated me immediately. The atmosphere is influenced by Spanish design features such as brick and wood. Those elements give off an exquisite ambiance.

I started with the nacho especial; their chip is distinctive; it reminds me of a tortilla sliced in half. Individual chips are topped with fried beans, melted cheddar cheese, and a steak and chicken combination. Pico de gallo and guacamole are provided on the side to enhance color and taste. It appears simple, yet it is excellent.

The carne asada, one of their mesquite-grilled specialties, was my main meal. It was presented on a lovely wooden board. The skirt steak was cooked to my specifications and tasted delicious. The side dishes go nicely with the steak, and putting the meal together was enjoyable. This dish alone is worth it.

I had churros for dessert. The exterior has a good crunch texture, while the interior is delicate. It's gently dusted with a cinnamon-sugar mixture. It came with chocolate and caramel dipping sauces. I'm not a fan of the caramel. The sauce is diluted and cool. I wanted it to be warm like the chocolate sauce. Overall, It lacks color in my perspective, with a boring brown color palette, but it was good.

From the hostess to the server and the management, the service is superb. Our server was excellent; he was pleasant and attentive, ensuring that our needs were met. It's rare to see the manager being active, but she stopped by every table, including mine, to verify that our experience was satisfactory. Which I did and thank you...