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Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Uncle Julio's Bethesda Row: The big reveal (Photos)
The covers and scaffolding came off yesterday at Uncle Julio's at 4870 Bethesda Avenue, after months of remodeling. Uncle Julio's is still the place to see and be seen in downtown Bethesda. Here's a look at the nearly-finished product.
"See and be seen". Yeah, if you wanna go deaf too. Perhaps the loudest restaurant in MoCo and where parents let undisciplined children run wild. Um, and the food ain't that great either. They ask if you'd like cheese and sour cream with your fajita which of course most do. You say sure then realize when your bill comes that you've been charged 3 bucks for that which you are never told. Cactus is better but always crazy busy too.
We get the fajitas almost every time, and never have been charged for the cheese and sour cream that comes with the dish. I think the renovation looks great on the inside and the outside. Yes it’s loud, but somehow that is part of the fun. I wish it was better. Unvle Julio’s has been a real anchor in Bethesda Row, given that two of the other the other three corners are a supermakerket with no visible entrance or windows and a large used car parking lot. For a long time, only a furniture store was across the street. I think that Uncle Julio’s did a fine job of terminating the retail activity with an important destination.
Now that Amazon Books will soon join that corner, and a free standing two story mixed use building is proposed as a final phase in the massive car dealership construction, this intersection will get even better. I see that the planning department has not yet approved the car dealers plans to include a new parking lot further down the block, and requested that they study how they can place a building that includes retail at the setback that I believe is required by zoning in this area.
This would of course help extend Bethesda Row down one more block to the west and include a diverse mixture of restaurants, retail and meat/fish markets. This extension of Bethesda Row is also happening to the east with the proposed new Capital Crescent Plaza, the new market building at 4749 Betheada, the new 6000 SF retail/restaurant space in the 4747 building, the new World of Beer, a renovated plaza and expanded retail space proposed at the 7272 Wisconsin Building, and terminating at a renovated Farm Womens Market flanked by two new mixed used towers with large retail spaces in the base. This means that Bethesda Row District could effectively triple in length to grow to be a three block long pedestrian friendly district along Bethesda Avenue. All this anchored by a new south Metro entrance and the Purple Line.
We eat there all the time. Sour cream and cheese are included free with the fajitas.
As for noise, it's a self-fulfilling prophesy. Parents take kids there since it's noisy and people will notice less, so more kids come and it gets noisier.
It's loud and it's disgustingly dirty--keep an eye on your silverware before you eat. No thank you. PS--Chuy's lines say something different about seeing and being seen around here. And about Mexican food.
Julio’s Gold Margarita is by far my favorite of all the Mexican restaurants in town. Nice and smooth, not biter. We like to sit outside if possible to have a more peaceful meal. The bar is a nice place to go to avoid being near a table with 8 screaming, chocolate piñata bashing younglings. Yes their chips and salsa are the best, still warm and thin. Hard to stop eating them before our entrees. Table side guacamole is also great and tunable to your taste. Prices arer reasonable for lots of food. We normally split the fajita for one, and have plenty to eat.
Kinda of telling when you've had three name changes Rio Grande, Guappo's, and Uncle Julio's! Villa Maya beats all hands down. Oh, and the name, same for over ten years.
@12:22 PM - It has never changed names. The official name is Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe however most people just call it Rio Grande. Guappo's is another long-time Bethesda Mexican restaurant about a mile away.
Wow, this is even better than the one in "The Crying Game".
ReplyDelete"See and be seen". Yeah, if you wanna go deaf too. Perhaps the loudest restaurant in MoCo and where parents let undisciplined children run wild. Um, and the food ain't that great either. They ask if you'd like cheese and sour cream with your fajita which of course most do. You say sure then realize when your bill comes that you've been charged 3 bucks for that which you are never told. Cactus is better but always crazy busy too.
ReplyDeleteWe get the fajitas almost every time, and never have been charged for the cheese and sour cream that comes with the dish. I think the renovation looks great on the inside and the outside. Yes it’s loud, but somehow that is part of the fun. I wish it was better. Unvle Julio’s has been a real anchor in Bethesda Row, given that two of the other the other three corners are a supermakerket with no visible entrance or windows and a large used car parking lot. For a long time, only a furniture store was across the street. I think that Uncle Julio’s did a fine job of terminating the retail activity with an important destination.
ReplyDeleteNow that Amazon Books will soon join that corner, and a free standing two story mixed use building is proposed as a final phase in the massive car dealership construction, this intersection will get even better. I see that the planning department has not yet approved the car dealers plans to include a new parking lot further down the block, and requested that they study how they can place a building that includes retail at the setback that I believe is required by zoning in this area.
This would of course help extend Bethesda Row down one more block to the west and include a diverse mixture of restaurants, retail and meat/fish markets. This extension of Bethesda Row is also happening to the east with the proposed new Capital Crescent Plaza, the new market building at 4749 Betheada, the new 6000 SF retail/restaurant space in the 4747 building, the new World of Beer, a renovated plaza and expanded retail space proposed at the 7272 Wisconsin Building, and terminating at a renovated Farm Womens Market flanked by two new mixed used towers with large retail spaces in the base. This means that Bethesda Row District could effectively triple in length to grow to be a three block long pedestrian friendly district along Bethesda Avenue. All this anchored by a new south Metro entrance and the Purple Line.
We eat there all the time. Sour cream and cheese are included free with the fajitas.
ReplyDeleteAs for noise, it's a self-fulfilling prophesy. Parents take kids there since it's noisy and people will notice less, so more kids come and it gets noisier.
It's loud and it's disgustingly dirty--keep an eye on your silverware before you eat. No thank you. PS--Chuy's lines say something different about seeing and being seen around here. And about Mexican food.
ReplyDeleteI just remember being there when Wolf Blitzer and his wife came in, and EVERYONE quietly freaked out and stared at them. Fun times!
ReplyDeleteTheir chips and salsa are literally the best in Bethesda. No hate to Gringos, but Rio Grande's are just better.
Julio’s Gold Margarita is by far my favorite of all the Mexican restaurants in town. Nice and smooth, not biter. We like to sit outside if possible to have a more peaceful meal. The bar is a nice place to go to avoid being near a table with 8 screaming, chocolate piñata bashing younglings. Yes their chips and salsa are the best, still warm and thin. Hard to stop eating them before our entrees. Table side guacamole is also great and tunable to your taste. Prices arer reasonable for lots of food. We normally split the fajita for one, and have plenty to eat.
ReplyDeleteIt aint no Guappo's.
ReplyDeleteseen and be seen!!!!!! LMFAO
ReplyDelete#WESTBARDRETARD2018
Kinda of telling when you've had three name changes Rio Grande, Guappo's, and Uncle Julio's! Villa Maya beats all hands down. Oh, and the name, same for over ten years.
ReplyDelete12:22pm Guappos is a different chain
Delete@12:22 PM - It has never changed names. The official name is Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe however most people just call it Rio Grande. Guappo's is another long-time Bethesda Mexican restaurant about a mile away.
ReplyDeleteIt was called only "Rio Grande" when it was still on Fairmont Avenue a decade ago.
ReplyDelete