Uncle Julio's Vernon Hills Menu
Welcome to Uncle Julio's Vernon Hills, a delightful dining experience nestled in the Hawthorn Center. This vibrant restaurant offers a mouthwatering menu that celebrates the flavors of Mexican cuisine. Guests rave about the tortilla chips, hailed as the best around—thin, crispy, and perfectly paired with a fantastic salsa that strikes the right balance of flavor without overwhelming heat.
The atmosphere is inviting, with pleasant music enhancing the overall experience. Customers appreciate the attentive service, singling out waitstaff like Armando for their magical hospitality. Whether it’s a casual lunch, a birthday celebration, or a summer evening on the patio, Uncle Julio's makes every visit memorable.
Don't miss the chocolate piñata, a fun and delicious highlight that has become a family favorite. With a concise yet satisfying menu, each dish bursts with freshness, ensuring that this gem in Vernon Hills is a must-visit restaurant.
Holiday Tamales
Holiday Tamales
Your choice of one dozen pork tamales with Red Chile, chicken tamales with Tomatillo sauce or a combination of 6 pork and 6 chicken tamales. Must be ordered 3 hours in advance.
Family Enchilada Meal For 4
Chips and salsa, choice of queso or guacamole 3 beef enchiladas with house red sauce, 3 cheese enchiladas with house red sauce, 2 chicken enchiladas with green tomatillo sauce, Mexican rice and beans, plus churros for dessert
Family Taco Meal For 4
Chips and salsa, choice of queso or guacamole Ground beef and pulled chicken with our homemade flour tortillas or crispy taco shells Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, Mexican rice and beans, plus churros for dessert
Nacho Appetizer For 4
Build your own nachos with 2 full pounds of homemade chips plus all the salsa, queso, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, fresh and pickled jalapenos, beans, sauteed chicken and ground beef you’ll need to serve 4-6 people.
Family Fajita Meal For 4
Chips and salsa, choice of queso or guacamole Mesquite grilled steak and chicken or carnitas fajitas and our homemade flour tortillas, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, Mexican rice, beans, sauteed peppers and onions, plus churros for dessert
Family Fajita And Grilled Shrimp Meal For 4
Chips and salsa, choice of queso or guacamole Mesquite grilled chicken and steak fajitas or carnitas plus 12 grilled shrimp with our homemade flour tortillas, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, Mexican rice, beans, sauteed peppers and onions, plus churros for dessert
Family Fajita And Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Meal For 4
Chips and salsa, choice of queso or guacamole Mesquite grilled chicken and steak or carnitas fajitas plus 12 bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with cheese and fresh jalapeno and grilled over open flame Homemade flour tortillas, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, Mexican rice, beans, sauteed peppers and onions, plus churros for dessert
Family Meals for 4
Appetizers
Shrimp & Fish Ceviche
cod & shrimp lime juice tomato red onions cilantro avocado tortilla chips serrano peppers chimichurri dressing
Tortilla Soup
chicken broth avocado sweet corn Monterey jack tortilla strips tortilla strips
Nacho Appetizer For 4
Build your own nachos with 2 full pounds of homemade chips plus all the salsa, queso, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, fresh and pickled jalapenos, beans, sauteed chicken and ground beef you’ll need to serve 4-6 people.
Honey Habanero Shrimp Appetizer
Sweet and Fiery. Four mesquite-grilled jumbo shrimp stuffed with fresh minced habanero and crumbled queso fresco, wrapped in smoked bacon and topped with the honey chipotle glaze.
Guacamole
Made in-house with fresh Hass avocados, Onions, cilantro, tomatoes and jalapenos. Served with homemade chips.
Chile Con Queso
Spicy blend of cheeses.
Roasted Salsa
One pint of daily hand roasted salsa. Served with Homemade chips.
Queso Blanco
Rich white queso with jalapeno peppers.
Nachos Especial
Individual Chips w/ refried beans, Monterrey jack & Cheddar cheese, served with Pico de Gallo and Guacamole. Choice of: Bean & Cheese, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Steak, Steak and Chicken Combo
Mushroom Quesadillas
Sauteed mushrooms and monterey jack on seasoned flour tortillas with sour cream and guacamole
Quesa-Birria
Adobo rubbed beef, slow braised in savory Mexican spices, folded into spicy corn tortillas & griddled with melted Monterrey Jack Cheese. Served with delicious broth for dipping.
Pulled Chicken Quesadilla
Sauteed pulled chicken, tomatoes, onions, and Monterey Jack on flour tortillas with sour cream and fresh guacamole.
Vegetable Quesadilla
Sauteed peppers, onions, and Monterey Jack on flour tortillas with sour cream and fresh guacamole.
Fajita Quesadilla
Steak or Chicken Fajita, sauteed onions and Monterrey jack on flour tortillas with sour cream and fresh guacamole.
Quesadillas
Famous Fajitas
Beef Barbacoa Fajitas
Tender adobo-rubbed beef, slow braised in savory Mexican spices, complemented with Grilled zucchini and squash, sauteed peppers & onions, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, corn tortillas
Carnitas Fajitas For One
Savory braised pork with honey chipotle glaze, lime crema and fresh cilantro
Carnitas Fajitas For Two
Savory braised pork with honey chipotle glaze, lime crema and fresh cilantro
Seasoned Shrimp Fajitas For 1
Mesquite grilled fajita-style shrimp generously spiced with our signature parrilla spice. Served with Mexican butter
Seasoned Shrimp Fajitas For 2
Mesquite grilled fajita-style shrimp generously spiced with our signature parrilla spice. Served with Mexican butter
Grilled Vegetable Fajitas For One
Mesquite grilled vegetables including zucchini, yellow squash, portobello mushrooms, sauteed peppers, and onions. Served with fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, with our homemade flour tortillas.
Grilled Vegetable Fajitas For Two
Mesquite grilled vegetables including zucchini, yellow squash, portobello mushrooms, sauteed peppers, and onions. Served with fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, with our homemade flour tortillas.
Steak And/Or Chicken Fajitas For One
Tender cuts of Midwestern grain-fed steak, hand-trimmed by our butcher and mesquite grilled chicken topped with whipped Mexican butter. Served with fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, sauteed peppers and onions with our homemade flour tortillas.
Steak And/Or Chicken Fajitas For Two
Tender cuts of Midwestern grain-fed steak, hand-trimmed by our butcher and mesquite grilled chicken topped with whipped Mexican butter. Served with fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, sauteed peppers and onions with our homemade flour tortillas.
Jalisco
Spicy mesquite grilled jumbo shrimp and mesquite grilled chicken and steak fajitas. Served with Mexican butter, fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, sauteed peppers and onions, and our homemade flour tortillas
Guadalajara
Mesquite grilled jumbo bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese and fresh jalapeno with mesquite grilled chicken and steak fajitas. Served with Mexican butter, fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, sauteed peppers and onions, and our homemade flour tortillas.
Crab & Shrimp Enchiladas
crab shrimp poblano cream sauce monterey jack pickled onions rice cabbage slaw
Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Poblano
roasted poblano shrimp crab queso cotija cilantro rice with corn refried beans
Cheese & Onion Enchiladas
Choose between two or three cheese enchiladas with red chile sauce. Comes with rice and fresh cabbage slaw.
Chicken Enchiladas
Choose between two or three chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce. Comes with rice and fresh cabbage slaw.
Beef Enchiladas
Choose two or three ground beef enchiladas with red chile sauce. Comes with rice and fresh cabbage slaw.
Combination Enchiladas
Choose two or three enchiladas: ground beef, pulled chicken or cheese & onion. Comes with rice and fresh cabbage slaw.
Tex-Mex Combination Dinner
Beef enchilada with agave queso sauce, chicken enchilada with creamy hatch chile sauce and one crispy beef taco. Comes with rice.
Tex-Mex Enchiladas
Tex-Mex Tacos
El Dorado Tacos
three fried corn tortillas lettuce pico de gallo monterey jack cotija cheese mexican rice
Mushroom Tacos
three corn tortillas monterey jack cabbage mix pico de gallo chopped cilantro chipotle crema Cilantro rice
Baja Fried Fish Tacos
three corn tortillas Avocado Crema cabbage mix pico de gallo cilantro rice
Carnitas Tacos
three corn tortillas roasted pineapple habanero salsa onions cilantro queso fresco mexican rice
Soft Taco Plate
Choose between two or three pulled chicken, ground beef, mesquite grilled fajita chicken or beef tacos with lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheese. Served with Mexican rice.
Crispy Taco Plate
Choose between two or three pulled chicken or ground beef tacos with lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheese. Served with Mexican rice.
Chicken Tortilla Bowl
Sauteed pulled chicken, rice, roasted corn, black beans, sauteed peppers, onions and queso fresco, topped with crispy tortilla strips, a lime crema drizzle and pickled avocado escabeche.
Steak Fajita Bowl
Mesquite grilled skirt steak with rice, roasted corn, black beans, sauteed peppers, onions, chipotle crema, grape tomatoes, queso fresco, topped with crispy tortilla strips and a lime crema drizzle.
Grilled Cauliflower Bowl
Seasoned Mesquite Grilled Cauliflower, cilantro rice, roasted corn, black beans, sauteed peppers, onion , guacamole, pico de gallo, queso fresco, topped with crispy tortilla strips and a crema drizzle.
Bowls
Salads
Southwestern Cobb Salad
Mixed greens avocados egg tomato salad corn monterey jack bacon
Classic Taco Salad
Choose from: ground beef, pulled or fajita chicken on a bed of fresh romaine lettuce. Topped with avocados, grape tomatoes, black beans, roasted corn, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese in our homemade tortilla shell with homemade ranch on the side
Fresca Salad
Seasoned shrimp served chilled atop a mix of greens and cabbage, with carrots, roasted corn, tomatoes, avocado escabeche & cotija cheese. Choice of: Ranch, Jalapeno Ranch and Herb Vinaigrette
Mexican Caesar Salad
romaine sliced avocado tomato salad parmesan cheese croutons house-made caesar dressing with anchovies. chicken fajita grilled shrimp steak fajita
Limited Time! Mango Habanero Salmon
A lightly seasoned salmon mesquite grilled to perfection on a bed of cilantro rice. Topped with a sweet & spicy mango habanero sauce and a vibrant pineapple Pico de Gallo, accompanied with a side of traditional elotes. Squeeze a lime wedge to intensify the heat of this dish and bring all the flavors together.
Jalisco
Spicy mesquite grilled jumbo shrimp and mesquite grilled chicken and steak fajitas. Served with Mexican butter, fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, sauteed peppers and onions, and our homemade flour tortillas
Guadalajara
Mesquite grilled jumbo bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese and fresh jalapeno with mesquite grilled chicken and steak fajitas. Served with Mexican butter, fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, sauteed peppers and onions, and our homemade flour tortillas.
Bacon Wrapped Camarones
Six jumbo shrimp stuffed with Monterey Jack and fresh jalapeno, bacon wrapped, and mesquite grilled. Served with Mexican butter, homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, Mexican rice and frijoles a la charra
Camarones Diablos
Six spicy mesquite grilled jumbo shrimp. Served with Mexican butter, homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, Mexican rice and frijoles a la charra
Honey Chipotle Salmon
Mesquite grilled salmon filet topped with honey chipotle glaze served with Cilantro rice, homemade pico de gallo and black beans
Pechuga De Pollo
Mesquite grilled chicken breast with sauteed peppers and onions. Serve with homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, Mexican rice and frijoles a la charra
Carne Asada
Hand-cut marinated 21-day aged skirt steak*. Served with homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, Mexican rice and frijoles a la charra
Mesquite Grilled Specialties
Desserts
Churros
house-made dusted with cinnamon sugar with chocolate & cajeta sauce for dipping
Kid Chicken Fajita
Kid-sized serving of Uncle Julio’s famous original fajitas! Mesquite grilled chicken served with rice, refried beans and fresh flour tortillas.
Kid Crispy Or Soft Taco
Single beef or chicken taco with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Served with rice and refried beans.
Kid Quesadilla
Melted yellow cheese between triangles of grilled flour tortillas served with rice and refried beans. Four to an order.
Kid Burrito
Kids Chicken Tenders
Three juicy fried chicken tenders with your choice of ranch or ketchup for dipping. Served with French fries