Julio's Barrio
• 1110 Memorial Dr NW | Calgary, AB | T2N 1V4
Average User Rating:
6.47/10
6.47/10
Recommended by:
55%
55%
Sort Reviews by:
"Casual Dining Western Mexican "
Ken
January 2012 — "Julio's barrio is a fun place to go with friends for a fun atmosphere and friendly service.
You really pay for the Mexican feel throughout and not so much the food.
Its really more about the experience. A few of our couple friends really like to take us here for drinks and dinner. And, though my wife enjoys the "Bulldogs" we keep telling them its not really authentic mexicano food. The food is really average and overpriced for what you get, and you leave feeling unsatisfied with your wallet empty. It is quite a popular place located in Kensington, and can get quite busy at dinner time and on weekends.
Reservations are not necessary really.
The nachos arent bad, but once again really not great for the price and potion size. We enjoyed the Rancheros dip last time we went, which was okay.
Its not the greatest place in town to find real Authentic Mexican food as most their items are western versions of classic dishes. There are better places in Calgary to find the more traditional flavors of Mexico."
User Rating
6.33/10
6.33/10
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"Western Mexican "
Carlee
January 2012 — "Julio's Barrio is a really fun place to go with a group of friends for drinks and some fun food.
The food is pretty average and not really authentic Mexican cuisine.
If you are in the mood to get festive in a Mexican way then in Calgary it is one of the best places to find Mexican food. In a fun cultured place!
The music is fun, loud and spunky. Sometimes they have Mariachis that play live music on the weekends.
I like to go for their beautiful drinks and specials.
And like I said it is a really fun place to have some drinks with friends. If you are looking for that more authentic Mexican restaurant, I would recommend The Salt and pepper.
Service is quick, friendly. The restaurant itself is decorated mexican throughout. Fun festive colors, bright pictures, that bring you where else but into the heart of Mexico!
I enjoyed the Rachero dip when I went last time which was very good. Its basically a layered dip of beans, avocado, salsa, sour cream, and ranch. Served with home baked chips.
For drinks I enjoyed a few of the Bulldogs, which is a lime or strawberry Margarita served with a corona beer flipped upside down and sticking straight out of the Maragrita cup.
A must try.
I do enjoy to go here for some drinks and munchies with friend. Fun layed back atmosphere. Enjoy! "
User Rating
7.17/10
7.17/10
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"Poor food"
Elaine
July 2011 — "I am not really sure why my friends keep returning here. I suppose that it's a "fun" atmosphere and there aren't that many big Mexican restaurants around Calgary. I've eaten a lot of Julios Barrio food since my university days and still can't seem to find what it is that is so great. The food tastes very average to me with a lot of cheese and beans but not much flavor. I am also a little taken aback by the price of these dishes as they are a little expensive for the quality of food that I am receiving. Service was ok, not outstanding. The margaritas are fun and next time, I suggest you go there for the drinks only but not for dinner because I don't find the food appetizing and also find it to be a little overpriced. I will admit though the decor does put you in a carefree and easy going mood so it's good for a night out but only for drinks!"
User Rating
7/10
7/10
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"Rooftop Patio with Views of the River"
July 2011 — "On a sunny day, there's not too many better places to be than the rooftop patio of this mexican gem. It's a hop, skip and a jump from my workplace and you have views of the river and joggers. Our server had a very genuine smile which goes a long way towards good service. The drinks and food came quite quickly considering how busy the patio was. It was lunch time and the inside was virtually empty but the patio got quite busy. I quite like the winding staircase to the patio. There is a tonne of Mexican decor to keep it real too.
I had the sole de limon which is a white fish with a lemon-pepper crust $17. It came with rice, beans, corn salad, salsa verde and salsa chimole. The fish was light and tasty. My favorite taste was combining the corn salad with bites of the fish. The sweetness of the corn complemented the sole perfectly. The lemon pepper crust of the sole wasn't cheap and cardboard tasting like a frozen box at the grocery store. The crust was flaky and fresh.
This place hosts UFC and other sporting events so check it out on a hot or cold day."
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Go for the drinks"
Marta
February 2011 — "I've heard mixed reviews about Julio's Barrio so I was a little curious/hesitant when I got invited to a birthday party there, but I knew right away that I'd be back because they have the best drinks in Calgary -- they're known for their "Bulldogs", which are margaritas with a bottle of beer hanging out of them. They come in varying flavours and with sometimes shocking amounts of alcohol. Perfect for a summer days, or a winter one too I guess. The atmosphere is quite good as well -- Mexican music blaring and lots of chatter and laughter going on.
As for the food? I'm torn. I had the enchiladas -- they were quite salty and a little dry, but they were still good. The problem I had with them was the price -- all entrees on the menu were around $18-$25. Really? For tacos? I'd expect monstrous portions for that, but actually the portion size was really small. It was definitely not fine dining, so I think those kind of prices are a bit much. Plus the service was awful -- the waitress was sullen and forgetful.
Surprisingly, the drinks seemed reasonable priced to me. I'd suggest going for the drinks and splitting a plate of nachos. "
User Rating
7.17/10
7.17/10
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"Terrible food with rude and ambivilant waitresses"alan
December 2010 — "
This restaurant is really simply taking up prime real estate in the city. I ordered chicken fajitas on a Wednesday night. The dish was average and arrived at our table without tortillas. The waitress did not bother to check if our food was alright instead spent most of her time talking to coworkers (slow night) WE finally flagged down a manager (?) who casually and non-nonchalantly told us she would 'yell' at the kitchen staff....right... she seemed just as disinterested as the waitress
When the tortillas did arrive they were cold and arrived without apology. It was brought to us by the Manager(?) who seemed to be bothered that she had to do this. The waitress spent the rest of her time half heartedly serving us. It seemed to be quite a bother for her to be working that night. Maybe she would be happier doing another job
Bad food. Bad staff. Bad Restaurant. Avoid this place"
User Rating
3/10
3/10
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"Good For Drinks!"Hanna
June 2010 — "Julio's Barrio is Mexican themed and serves Mexican cuisine. Julio's atmosphere is young, vibrant, inviting and fun. The decor is colourful and patrons will feel at home when dining here.
The menu has Mexican specialties like quesadillas, enchilladas, tacos and more. To be honest, the food at this restaurant is just mediocre. Its not bad but its not good either. Just average. The prices are too high for the quality of food. I feel like you could get the same food at Taco Time and spend only a couple bucks instead of fifteen to twenty five dollars.
Despite the okay food, Julio's is a great place to go for drinks before a night out. There are lots of fun drinks, margaritas, beergaritas and more. The Bull Dog is a popular drink that contains tequila, lime slush and beer. Sangria, the Dutch Puppy and numerous margaritas are also popular. The atmosphere is up beat. Julio's is a great place to pre-drink, and start the night off.
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User Rating
6.67/10
6.67/10
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"Pretty Good Mexican Food"sam
November 2009 — "My friend and I dropped by one evening for dinner. For appetizer, we started with Patiacitas (fried flour tortillas stuffed with cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes) - and it tastes exactly what it sounds like - nothing too special. For our meal, we shared two dishes - the enchilada beef dinner Adobo style and the Chimichangas. Both dishes were very generous and were very filling - we had to doggie bag most of it at the end of dinner. This is a pretty decent place for Mexican food from a chain restaurant and the service is fast and friendly. "
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Understaffed=Horrible service"
Dave
September 2009 — "I was part of a 18 person birthday party this past weekend that featured some of the worst service I have ever received in Calgary. Our group that had a long standing reservation so you would have expected them to be ready for us, however the upstairs section where we sat, along with another large group and 2 family's had 1 waitress who was no where to be found for most of the evening. It took 1 hour to get water to our table and our beers even longer. Food was over an hour and half and many orders had issues with them. To top it off, the waitress who when we sat down informed us that our bill would a group one, as per policy, however as members of our party began to pay, she would tell us that they had been put on a separate bill, making our table short at the end of the night despite everyone leaving additional tips on top of the forced 15% that we where billed. On the upside, the bulldog was a very nice drink invention, however it did not make up for the poor service and very questionable billing. I would not return and most of my part voiced a similar opinion."
User Rating
4.67/10
4.67/10
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"Fun Mexican"Melissa
August 2009 — "Usually if I'm in the mood for Mexican, I want to head down to Julio's Barrio. I get really excited because even though I'm a vegetarian, I can eat almost everything on the menu! For just about each item, the customer can choose between beef, chicken, veggie ground round or sometimes portobello.
I definitely don't have this option at most Mexican spots... and it feels so good to just choose!
Options aside, the food is really good. I often get the tacos, and often take home, like, half because the portions on this dish are huge. Suits me. Tacos two days in a row!
To me, nothing says summer like Julios, then a stroll down along the Bow. Or make a night of it and order some of their fabulous margaritas; the melon is by far my favourite."
User Rating
8.67/10
8.67/10
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"An Authentic Mexican Restaurant-NOT"
Bonita
December 2008 — "This was my first time visiting Julios and I was disappointed with the food. They claim to be authentic and it's far from it. My chicken burrito was very plain, flavour wise. A hint of cilantro would have been nice. It didn't taste fresh. The only good things going for this place are their location (in Kensington) and fun and lively decor. "
User Rating
6.17/10
6.17/10
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"Overpriced and Overrated "Perdita
October 2008 — "I've been to Julio's Barrio time and again and I don't know why I keep going back. Maybe it's the fun atmosphere, but it's definitely not the food. We ordered a Dos Equis, which you can't complain about, and the appetizer platter to start. In the past it's been delicious, but last night it was overcooked and nothing special. The jalapeno poppers were nearly burnt and the patiacitas were soggy. I'm not one to complain or be picky so I just ate it. We chose to share an entree because I wasn't overly hungry and have often been dissatisfied with the entrees at Julio's. We chose chicken enchiladas with a tomato sauce. I think the entree cost $18 and it was soo small. The enchiladas were dry and the tomato sauce was very dark and flavourless. The two of us ate only half of the entree and my husband usually has no problem devouring both his main dish and mine too.
So, for two beer each, one entree and an appetizer platter our bill was nearly $80 and we left totally dissatisfied. I don't know why we keep going back, but we aren't going any more. To add to that, the parking was over $5...
At least the service was very good and the ambiance was festive, but when you go to eat, you will be leaving sorely dissatisfied and left with a large bill. "
User Rating
5/10
5/10
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"Fun Atmosphere"Claire
April 2008 — "I've always like Julio's Barrio. Their food is very good, the atmosphere is lively and I like the decor. Not to mention their deserts are to die for. I personally would recommend the deep friend banana! there is nothing better."
User Rating
8.33/10
8.33/10
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"We Gave it Another Chance!!"Denny
June 2007 — "We have been to Julio's Barrio on several occasions over the last few years and have always thought it was just okay. However, after receiving horrible service at Salt and Pepper Mexican Restaurant and getting up and leaving before we even ate, we still had a hankering for Mexican. We went to Julio's and the wait was over 30 minutes, but I must say it was worth it.
Our server was efficient, the appetizer platter was great and our main courses were satisfactory. The ambiance is fun and they have a good drink selection.
I'm glad that we gave Julio's another chance. We had a really enjoyable evening."
User Rating
8/10
8/10
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"Yo queiro Taco Bell"Ryan
June 2007 — "Food was as classy as fast food and the service was just the same"
User Rating
3.33/10
3.33/10
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"Plastic Margarita Glasses? "Carrie
June 2007 — "I recently went to Julios Barrio with a couple of friends. I had been to the ones in Edmonton several times and have always enjoyed the atmosphere and food so we thought we would check out the Calgary location. We all ordered margaritas to drink and were surprised to discover that they were delivered in plastic glasses! I don't think I am a snob but when I go to a restaurant that doesn't involve a drive through I kind of expect to have a real glass. We ordered the appetizer platter to share followed by salads. The food was OK but nothing special. I am not sure if the Calgary location is not as good or perhaps it is my memory! "
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5/10
5/10
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"Little Goody"Joel
June 2007 — "Every time I go to Julio's we have a great time. Its a tad bit expensive but the bulldog drinks are delicious and the staff are always friendly and quick. They have a good variety of salsa's and the nuclear salsa is wicked hot. The food is always gret and the menu has a lot of options!
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User Rating
8.50/10
8.50/10
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"A Colorful Experience"Sabrina
October 2006 — "I really liked the colorful, vibrant and fun atomosphere at Julios. The food I oredered also matched the atmosphere. Spicy popcorn shrimp and a colorful vegetarian fajita. The good thing about the fajitas is that you get to make your own so you can put whatever you like in it. Although, it was a little overpriced considering I had to make it myself. The waiter also failed to mention the fajita shells were hidden in a container he left at the table and then piled a bunch of other things on top of it. I had to ask if they gave me the right meal since I had no idea where the shells were but other than that he was nice. After the meal, instead of receiving the usual little mint you get at other places, they gave us our own little four-pack of gum. It was actually pretty good gum. Overall, it was a good dining experience."
User Rating
7.50/10
7.50/10
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"Mixed Experiences"Sarah
July 2006 — "We have dined at Julios Barrio several times over the past couple of years and have had mixed experiences. Sometimes I love it, other times I really could do without going there ever again. I like the ambience, but the food is so off and on. I actually got really sick after eating there a couple of years ago, but was brave enough to try it again. We usually order the appetizer platter to start. It is quite tasty, but greasy. The main courses are all right, but when you think of other Mexican restaurants in the city (El Sombrero, Salt & Pepper), they just do not compare. The dishes are also overpriced. However, I live close to this restaurant so once in awhile, we end up going to it anyways. "
User Rating
7.17/10
7.17/10
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"Terrible service"Peter
May 2006 — "A few people had mentioned that this was one of the better paces for Mexican food in Calgary, unfortunately this was not the case. Our server looked like he was about 12 and acted the same age. There were 6 of us dining and 2 were served 15 mins before the rest of us not only that they got 3 of the orders wrong (wrong meat or salsa). The food itself was okay but not particularly good, the kind of standard you would expect in a road side diner. I really dont understand why there is usually a wait for a table at this place, I certainly wouldnt return."
User Rating
3.33/10
3.33/10
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DescriptionJulio's Barrio is an authentic Mexican restaurant located in the heart of Kensington. Featuring classic spicy favourites such as taco salad, stuffed jalapenos, flautas, nachos, fajitas and much more! Don't forget the margaritas, and try the Julio's original Bulldog cocktail.
Location Information1110 Memorial Dr NW
Calgary
AB
T2N 1V4
