[Seoul - Gwanghwamun] Julio Mexican Food - Burrito, Carnitas Kimchi Fries, and Tequila Sol Margarita

Julio is a chain of Mexican restaurants in Seoul. I first visited the Gangnam location in 2013 (post here).



Since it's Cinco de Mayo and people typically search out Mexican food at that time, thought I'd make this post today even though it's not really Mexican...

Since 2013, I have eaten at various locations from time to time. Will it be authentic Mexican food? No, probably not, but does it serve a purpose when you really want a burrito? Yes, of course.

This particular location in Gwanghwamun was a common lunch spot while I was working near City Hall because it had a pretty good lunch set price.

This day my friend and I decided to go for a Julio burrito (9,000KRW). I chose chicken and my friend chose beef (you can also choose shrimp, pork, or vegetarian). The whole menu is in English, so I decided to not take pictures this time.

I'm happy to report that since I first visited in 2013 (maybe around 2015 or so), Julio started using a different type of rice, so it wasn't the soft Korean grain rice anymore.

We both really like Kimchi Carnitas Fries and have been comparing the different restaurant's offerings (Rye Post has been the favorite for both of us), so we decided to try the Julio's Carnitas Kimchi fries (11,500KRW). The fries were not as crispy as I typically like, but I did like that there was also some sour cream and vegetables. The kimchi pieces were not large slices like at some of the other restaurants. I also liked that it was a bunch of fries in one layer across a plate. Many other places tend to put them in baskets, so the fries often get soggy. The carnitas was nice, but not too memorable. I would say these are a pretty okay option, but I'd probably stick to getting the nachos or chili cheese fries next time.

We both wanted a margarita, so we each ordered a Tequila Sol Rise margarita. You have your choice between Sol beer and Corona. We both preferred Corona over Sol, so that's what we opted with.

This was actually a pretty cheap margarita, especially since it came with a beer in it. I think these types of margaritas typically cost around 15,000 KRW, but it was only 10,000 KRW here.

The Tequila Sol Rise was pretty good, actually. They do use real fruit to make syrup, so it's not quite as sugary or artificial tasting.

The real highlight for me is that they bring out this case of four salsas - very spicy, spicy, mild, and fruit.

My friend and I both really enjoyed the mild (green) salsa and the very spicy salsa. I personally liked to mix them. The very spicy is kind of similar to the Chipotle spicy salsa, but not quite the same (sorry if you're a huge Chipotle fan). The fruit salsa was mango at the time we visited. It was kind of more like a mango syrup(?) than a salsa, in my opinion. It did taste kind of nice when mixed with the very spicy sauce.

To find the closest location, search 훌리오 in your favorite map app.

I've been to the locations in Jongro, Hongdae, and Gangnam (original location). There are 8 total locations.

Feel free to comment or send me an email at eatstretchexplore@gmail.com if you need directions.

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