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Irma's Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
22 N Chenevert StHouston, TX 77002
Neighborhood: Downtown
(713) 222-0767
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 8 am - 3 pm
Thu-Fri 8 am - 10 pm
Sat 4 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
48 reviews for Irma's Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"My favorite Tex-Mex place in Houston (and that's saying a..." In 7 reviews -
"I chose one of my favorites; chicken enchiladas verdes." In 9 reviews -
"There's no menu but the wait staff always has some good..." In 7 reviews
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48 reviews in English
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Review from Col S.
Austin, TX
5/20/2012
This place is amazing.
We pull up and lot is full and IRMA herself sees us and comes out to park us in a spot that is normally not a parking spot!
She let's us park for free during the Astros Game. FOOD IS AMAZING and authentic.
She took our drink/food orders, talked to us for a bit and took reservations for the following week for us!
What an experience, not many places like this anymore. -
Review from Bryce K.
5/4/2012
I came here for lunch during the week. Service was brutally efficient (definitely appreciated for a weekday lunch). We had the options of pork enchiladas, chicken mole, or chile relleno.
I had the pork enchiladas. They were tasty and the pork was great, tender and tasty, although I wish there was a bit more pork in the dish.
The basket brimming with chips was promptly refilled and the salsa was good, if a bit mild for my taste.
The mole was apparently fantastic - that's what I would try next time. -
Review from Melissa M.
Sugar Land, TX
I completely agree with Albert N's review from 2008. It looks like things haven't changed much through the years.
We arrived for a pre-Astros-game dinner on a Friday night. We parked on the street and were so confused when we went to the door and it wouldn't open. We had no idea that it was locked and the only entrance was through the parking lot. It'd be nice if they put a sign on the door. There was something about after 7pm on game days, but this was well before 7. We were going to leave, but I decided to call when I saw people through the window. Irma came to the door and let us in after explaining the door situation, BUT come on people... put a sign out there with a little arrow.
There are two distinct areas to sit in, the old area that looks like a bar and the new area with lots of light and high ceilings. We sat in the new area and I preferred that. I do wish they had an auto-closing device on the door, because me and a guy from another table took turns closing it after inconsiderate people left it open in the rain.
Our service was painfully slow. I still don't know who our server was. We had one lady come over and take drink orders, but after she came back with the wrong items we realized her English was pretty bad. One of Irma's sons was wandering around, talking loudly with his chest all puffed up, but he certainly wasn't efficient.
My chicken enchiladas were delicious. The green sauce was perfect as were the chicken, tortilla, and cheese. The rice was just ok. I would love to eat these regularly, but with this wait and at this price, I don't see that happening. $13 for the enchiladas alone.
At least they now have basic menus, but the sticker shock may be enough to scare you away.
Food is 4 stars
Service is 2 stars
Price = expensiveListed in: ¡Ay, Caramba!
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Review from Michelle G.
Lisle, IL
5/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I ate my body weight in his restaurant. We had a large party and they just kept bringing out plates of food - tamales, fajitas, rice. All of it was awesome. Oh, and the sopapillas - deep dried + honey = heaven. Try the sangria.
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Review from siena b.
Houston, TX
1/31/2012
my bf took me here for lunch. it's a small place but when you go in and sit at the back part of the restaurant, it feels like you're in someone's house. It isn't your typical texmex restaurants - let's just put it that way. Irma's daughter makes you feel at home. Staff are very personable.
lil pricey but food is great.
I had the carne guisada and it was delish! My bf had their special dish of the day which was pork with ranchero sauce and it was yummy!
I'd recommend it. -
Review from Oscar G.
Houston, TX
3/20/2012
If you want authentic Near Northside Neighborhood style Houston Tex-Mex, homestyle cooking, then this is the place for you. The smell would be the same if you walked into my moms kitchen. Not too many of us left in the city that can cook this way.
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Review from Mary W.
Houston, TX
2/27/2012
Decided to try Irma's for lunch. Crowded, but waitstaff handled well. I had heard that Irma's was expensive, but the food was worth it. Since there is no menu,( the waiters tell you what's available)you have no idea what the prices are. I had the enchilada combo, 1 enchilada, 1 tamale, rice and beans. Husband had carne asada plate. Had a small queso,ice tea , and lemonade. Bill was $40, before tip. There was plenty to eat, but way overpriced. (especially tea and lemonade @$3.50 each) nice atmosphere, not worth the drive or price. Better food and value at Teotihuacan.
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Review from Jose C.
Houston, TX
2/14/2012
Parking is limited so you need to be there early if you are going for lunch. The food has a homemade taste. I had the chicken enchiladas with refried beans and red rice. It was delicious. My coffee was fresh and the tres leches cake was good. The lady told me they did not have a menu so I found that to be a little strange because all restaurants have menus. The plate was a little pricey but it was worth the money. I love the decorations they have inside the restaurant. From the taste of the enchiladas the tortillas were homemade and staff was very friendly.
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Review from Gina M.
Houston, TX
Updated - 5/4/2011
I just read my review from 2009. Irma's, this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.
I always get to choose where we go for our company birthday parties, going aways, and all - around we wanna go celebrate somewhere with great food events. It's almost ALWAY's Irma's and our usual waiter is AMAZING.
Today, our party of 6 got a woman who must have been having a bad day and decided to take it out on us. First we were informed that we needed to go ahead and get our order in, because they had a big party of coming in (that never materialized in the near empty restaurant). The lag time between getting drinks and ONE appetizer was ridiculous.
Delivery of our orders was quite rude, she was actually raising her voice when she had to ask a second time who the enchiladas were for. Forget about refills on drinks, we were pretty much forgotten about through the meal.
The food was still top notch, but the service fucking blew. And when we asked to split checks, she said they didn't do that. Well guess what, my normal waiter did the week before with ZERO hesitation - he must KNOW that if you do a little bit of good for people who visit you often, the usually reciprocate by way of excellent tipping. I ended up having to put the entire bill on my personal card, no big deal, but she actually would have made MORE money than the 20% tip she went ahead and included for herself when she handed me the slip to sign.
I am was so very disappointed in one of my favorite places today.Listed in: Top Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/7/2009
Dear Irma's:
You are IRMAZING!
After a brief scuffle over some reservations, Irma's accomodated our… Read more »
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Review from Brad F.
Houston, TX
3/6/2011
I went to Irma's last night (Saturday) and I've got to say that it was a bit of a disappointment. I ordered the fish tacos (very good) and a sangria (not so good) but the big problem was the service.
- There were 7 of us, our waiter did not write down our order and then (of course) got it wrong.
- There were multiple people coming by to check on us which you would think would be nice but just seemed to cause confusion.
- They would not split our check (no big deal) but then gave us a receipt that was literally just a list of dollar amounts.
- Finally, it took 45 mins for our credit cards to get picked up and then returned.
All in all I think that the food was on par with other places at that price. If we did not have the trouble with the service I would have given it 3 stars. -
Review from Star C.
Houston, TX
3/6/2011
I have been to the Irma's Southwest, which is on Texas St., and found it acceptable. However, last night, my experience with this primary restaurant was not good at all.
We had a party of 7. The guy took our order and didn't write anything down. I was concerned. When my Chile Relleno came out, instead of beef it had chicken. My date and I had other plans after dinner so I really didn't have time to send it back and wait for another one to be made. So I dig into my dinner.
The chicken was dry. For some reason, it was really a confusing dining experience because we did not have one server handling our table. A total of 5 different individuals kept coming around to our table. We kept running out of salsa and tortillas and would try to flag someone down for service and it was like they ignored us. I felt the tone with which we were spoken to was also rude.
So, after dousing my chicken with salsa, the meal was mediocre at best. I ordered an iced tea, but it seems people appreciate drinks more than food here... Or at least you would think so they way they hard sell the libations.
Then came the bill. Once our credit cards disappeared, it took about 20 minutes for them to ring it up. The food was fine, but what made this a terrible experience for me was the service. I was sort of irritated the whole night because I started my evening with this poor experience.
If I come back, it will be to sit at the bar where orders aren't complicated and the cash register is RIGHT THERE. -
Review from Tom B.
Dallas, TX
3/4/2012
Was in town for a college baseball game. Other than the fact it was close to Minute Maid Park our group (my son and my brother) did not like anything about this place. I asked for a menu and got a verbal one with no prices. Portions were small, prices were high, service was terrible, when I asked for a check I was sent to another room where one with errors was presented. Finally, food quality was mediocre. This place is living on a reputation it no longer deserves.
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Review from Stefanie P.
Nashville, TN
1/1/2011 3 photos
Irmas. A quirky place with home made tex-mex food with no menu.
Its in a strange part of downtown but has been there forever. They have just expanded a whole brand-new section with about 12 tables and a massive bar. We were shown to the back where the original location is connected to the new one.
With newspaper clipping tacked to the wall, little tea cups, dolls, lights, stickers, its like you walked in to your old grandpas house who never wanted to throw anything away, every little piece has a special meaning. And a piano, and about 12 small tables, and a bar. Alot of stuff.
Our sweet waitress came over and asked us what we were in the mood for. Since it was our first time, we said, you're best stuff with beef. Chips and Salsa were great. The salsa had massive pieces of hot pepper, so beware, but we liked the hot stuff. So no menu. You just take your best guess.
Out came piping hot steak, onions, pepper fajitas with this oh-so- awesome Mexican rice and tortilla wrapped, cheese, beef, thing. The tortilla shells for the fajitas were handmade and i wanted to put 10 of them in purse to eat later.
They suggested the lemon aid, (which other yelpers raved about) and they were right. Its magical.
They asked if we were interested in dessert and even though we were SOO stuffed we said sure. I dont know the name. I didnt ask. We love it.
The service was great at this one of a kind place. These folks treat you like family and that is hard to find in our busy world. This was one of our best stops in Houston and look forward to going back. -
Review from MIchelle P.
Houston, TX
2/22/2011
Everything here is really, really good, and their service is really on the ball.
I particularly like their Chilean Sea Bass.
I can't give it 5 stars because they have no menu. I know this is somehow deliberate, but it just doesn't work for me. I'm a visual person, and I like knowing what I am ordering.
Either way, Irma's is a good spot downtown- I haven't tried their breakfast yet, but I hear it's pretty good.Listed in: Downtown
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Review from Ian V.
Houston, TX
2/16/2009 ROTD 3/3/2009
Myself and Adam O. went out for a bite today and discovered Irma's. Or, as I will now refer to it, business lunch paradise.
Seriously, I've never seen a restaurant run with such ruthless, delicious efficiency before. We were led to our table and had our drinks and appetizers ordered before our asses hit the chairs. No more than a minute later, said drinks and appetizers were sitting on the table in front of us - very impressive.
Let me get it out of the way and say that the bottomless strawberry lemonade is a must-have.. it is made fresh daily (with little strawberry bits in it even) and is all kinds of refreshing. The queso dip (appetizer) was equally as unique and tasty, made with pico de gallo and beef, and definitely not your mom's velveeta dip.
Entrees (ordered from the verbal menu) were out in 15 minutes, and were just as good as expected. Adam had the pork enchiladas and made a bunch of happy grunting noises - I had the chicken milanesa and thoroughly enjoyed it too. Our waitress, Monica, was funny and attentive, and we were taken care of very well. The whole meal went swimmingly, and at $35 for the whole deal, it wasn't cheap, but certainly wasn't enough to break the bank either.
The only thing that I would recommend you look out for is that they can't split orders between credit cards, so be ready for that. Otherwise, I would say Irma's is a delicious, interesting spot that I would and will check out again. -
Review from Adam O.
Houston, TX
2/19/2009
Efficiency, Speed, Deliciousness.
In the time it took me to write that, someone will have already entered Irma's, ordered two of their famous Strawberry Lemonades, chips and queso, and sat down at their table... in that order.
That's how it happened for Ian V and I on President's Day for lunch. To say that we were impressed by this was like saying the 1966 World Cup winning England squad was only sort of good.
Our server, Monica, was so proficient at business lunch speed that she got us seated with chips, queso, drinks, and had our orders taken before I even knew what hit me.
For anyone who isn't familiar with Irma's, their catch is that they only really cook a few things a day, and you get to pick from just those. Since I take ages to actually decide what to eat, this is good for me, especially during a short lunch hour. I got the pork enchiladas, and I was blown away.
Delicious food, not too pricey (although $35 for 2 for lunch isn't cheap), quick service and a friendly staff. This has to be on the list for anyone who works downtown. -
Review from Terre D.
Houston, TX
2/13/2011
Simply amazing...... A hidden gem.
I had the shrimp and Spanish enchiladas (off the non-menu), simply amazing.....
Irma and her handsome son's are always on deck, personally welcoming ever customer as if they were family.
Everyone should try Irma's, no room for error...... Es Muy Muy BUENO! -
Review from Albert N.
12/31/2008
Executive Summary: Great but pricey enchiladas in a quirky downtown location
We were lunching downtown, and in the mood for Tex-Mex. It was just after 2, and my go-to spot, the Last Concert Cafe, was closed. Irma's wasn't far, so we jetted on over.
We were immediately struck by the homeyness of the place. It's an old tin building that looks like it's been downtown forever, and the decor inside is best described as eclectic. (Nick-nacks, publicity photos from a slew of minor celebs, thousands of business cards, etc.) We were promptly seated and offered some lemonade.
As many have noted, there are no menus. I chose one of my favorites; chicken enchiladas verdes. My companion sampled the beef tex-mex enchladas.
First came the chips and hot sauce. The chips didn't impress; they were slightly stale. The salsa was interesting; warm, smoky and somewhat thin, with a pronounced ancho flavor. With fresh chips this would be a real winner.
The entrees moseyed out after about fifteen minutes. My enchiladas verdes were superb; fresh marinated chicken hand-rolled into corn tortillas, topped with shredded oaxaca cheese, a fresh, tangy tomatillo sauce, and lots of cilantro. The freshness of the enchiladas was transcendent; all the flavors were present and distinct.
My partners beef enchiladas were almost as successful. (She's not a fan of cilantro, so that was a minus for her.) The ground beef was sauteed well but not overly greasy; the cumin flavor wasn't lost. The chili gravy was mild and didn't overpower the other flavors; again, the distinct flavors were impressive and atypical for Tex-Mex places around here.
The strawberry lemonade was delicious, as other yelpers have noticed.
Service was genuinely pokey. Our waiter disappeared for long periods of time, most notably when the meal was over and we were awaiting our check. He reappeared, and there was no check... just follow him up to the counter and we'll settle the bill.
Our lunch for two, with drinks, came to $30 on the nose. As much as I enjoyed the enchiladas, that's just too high for lunch, and it's compounded by the fact that you're not given a menu, so there's no warning in advance. Irma's would be a solid 4 stars if the prices were in line. -
Review from Connie B.
Houston, TX
6/3/2008 ROTD 9/25/2008
One day, I managed to sneak out of the office for lunch, and hit up Irma's Restaurant with some co-workers. It has been a hellish month, and I was excited by the opportunity to not only have lunch away from my desk but to also try a new place. We arrived a little after noon on a Friday, and I was surprised that there was zero wait and we were seated immediately.
Irma's reminds me of a decked out basement, as I don't recall there being any natural sunlight in this place. The decor is reminiscent of a garage sale or flea market, where the proprietor collects dolls of all kinds; their unblinking eyes stare at you from every direction. In most other situations all the dolls might be kind of creepy, but here, there are so many of them that the net effect is minimized. In any case, it gives you something to talk about; remember Cabbage Patch Kids? Well, there's one at Irma's. And it will be looking at you.
As other reviewers mentioned, the lack of a menu is jarring, but not an obstacle. If you are familiar at all with Mexican food, you will be fine. If you don't know what carne guisada is, just go with the flow and ask for Irma's recommendation. As she says, it's like home here, and she's right, mismatched glasses and all. (I wanted the one with the bumblebees on it!)
Our table ordered queso and guacamole, which each came in dish that's sized for the dolls to eat out of. I think each of us put queso on five chips and it was gone. Same for the guacamole. I personally ordered the carne guisada, and it was good but not great. It had a nice heat, but some of the meat was a little tough. The rice was a little dry and the beans were nothing to rave about. That's sort of what I don't get about the other reviews -- the food is fine, but it is not the best Mexican you will ever have. And for the price, it is certainly not the best bang for the buck either.
The strawberry lemonade is divine though, and you get free refills on it, which is so unusual and so welcome for strawberry lemonade. I would go back just so I could drink some more. Or at least drink enough to figure out how I can reproduce it at home.
The service is excellent, and Irma is attentive and personable. Irma's Restaurant is probably a 3.5 star kinda place for me, but I had to round down because four stars are really for places I would frequent. I will most likely revisit Irma's, but I don't expect it to be much more than a rotation for my co-worker lunches out. -
Review from Michelle B.
Seattle, WA
3/27/2006
This place has the best lemonade this, or that, side of the Mississippi. It's not really even lemonade, it's more like watermelonade with delicious fruit bits in liquid suspension.
Irma's really is Irma's. When you walk in Irma herself will greet you, and her sons will promptly seat you and tell you the menu (cause there is no printed menu - it's just what they've decided to cook up that day) then while you are waiting for your lemonade you can look around and just try to take in the scenery. It's a sensory overload of, but not limited to, stories cut out from the Houston Chronicle, porcelain dolls, live caged birds, random business cards, velvet paintings, Christmas ornaments...well you get the picture.
The food is very good, but most people in TX will complain that the portions are small and/or the prices are high. And I must admit that compared to other Tex-Mex places that is true, but it's so worth it.
Enjoy.Listed in: I lived in Houston Texas
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Review from Cliff J.
Houston, TX
9/10/2009
I dont see what the great draw is to this overpriced Mexican resturant. The food was okay, but nothing to write home to mother's about. First of all, there is no menu...which has been stated before. Yeah, I know Mexican food pretty well (duh, I live in Houston) but who would have thought that a lunch platter consisting of two tamales some rice and refried beans was gonna run me $19.00.
EXTREMELY over-priced. They say the place stays busy during lunch, and I went there on the rave reviews from Yelpers. The problem was that I looked at the stars and didnt have time to actually "read" the reviews. If so, I would have known the price-tag at the end of the meal is a shocker. I could have gone to Los Cucos, gotten the same meal and spent half as much money. -
Review from Travis D.
Palo Alto, CA
6/26/2008
This is my favorite place to go with my Dad before we hit a 'Stros game.
There's no menu. No paper menu. No menu written on a chalk board. How cool is that? When the waitress shows up she tells you two or three things that they're cooking today and you pick what you want right then and there. Imagine if your favorite restaurant had no paper menu and only served specials and thats what its like. Now thats character.
There's also no check. You just stroll up to the register when you're ready to get on out of there and tell them what you had. Strictly honor system here, folks. I like the honor system.
How's the food? Its great. I think when they only serve 2 or 3 dishes a day it gives them a chance to really focus on those dishes and perfect them.
GET THE LEMONADE! Its homemade and comes with fresh fruit in the glass. Its awesome. Kinda like sangria, but not alcoholic. How could it be awesome if its like sangria without the alcohol? Trust me, it just is.
The space is cozy and nice, with a pretty eclectic group of people.
I love Irma's. Too bad i can't go there more often.Listed in: Houston
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Review from Chris H.
Houston, TX
2/11/2008
I almost didn't want to review this place because the other two reviews were so excellent and right on point. I only add my own because I don't want people thinking that these opinions are flukes or something.
Irma's really is authentic. She does great you at the door, and it feels like the cooking is right out of her kitchen. The menu, its also true, is all verbal, quite a shocker if you aren't ready. For someone like me (who speaks zero spanish), it is actually a little tough to follow. I had to ask to hear it again, and even with a second hearing I still had no idea what was going on. I caught the word "enchilada" in the second go around, and just said that. I was actually served a different kind of food (the waiter told me half way through the meal), but it really didn't matter, because whatever I got was incredible.
And the review would not be complete without seconding the ladies' verdicts on the lemonade. Wow, its not really describable. I think it is a watermelon lemonade, but whatever it is, it really hits the spot.
I think this place is only open for lunch, but I could be way off. If you are downtown, especially near the courthouse, this place is too close to miss. -
Review from Jeremy G.
Humble, TX
8/20/2011
I ate here a a few times for lunch, at a time when it was reaching its trendy status among business and legal professionals in the downtown area. I liked it, but didn't think it warranted the word-of-mouth touting it as the new 'Ninfa's.' I haven't been in a while, so another visit is probably in order. But until then, I really don't have a strong opinion about it - good or ill.
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Review from Yvette T.
7/8/2009 1 photo
Quirky but the food is EXCELLENT.
I imagine that this place is run by someone similar to "mama" (Kathy Bates) from the movie Waterboy with Adam Sandler. The restaurant decor is a pediophobe's (fear of dolls) worst nightmare, seeing as the dolls are everywhere, seated in the chairs and highchairs right next to your table. The walls and windows are lined with random memorabilia collected over the years.
With no menus, Irma's offers only a few specialties per day. The waiter recommended I try the spinach and chicken enchilada, which was absolutely fantastically AMAZING! One of those dishes where afterward, you lick the plate to make sure you have devoured every single last bite. Each table also gets a stack of chips and salsa.
However, I'm afraid I must dissent from popular http://yelp.com opinion about the strawberry lemonade, which didn't taste like strawberries nor lemonade, so it was rather disappointing. The specks of strawberries were the size of sesame seeds, and made me yearn for Red Robin's freckled lemonade.
Not having formal menus, you can be surprised at the end of the meal with your check. Mine (with the enchiladas and the lemonade) came out to $17, not including tip, so it's not exactly a cheap lunch option. But if you want tasty food, Irma's will definitely satisfy your palate. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Spring, TX
9/19/2011
Food was decent but expensive margaritas. They weren't worth $10 each.
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Review from Clara P.
Houston, TX
6/26/2011
Went to lunch last Thursday, now, do not understand how it makes the lists of "best" Lunch for 2, limonaide, 2 entrees, and a dessert, $56 - we the food...6 on a scale of 10. Service - so swift, we arrived at 11;35 AND WERE HUSSLED OUT BY 12:15, no hospitality there...obviously turn thoses tables fast to make more money.
Food was good, but not worth the trip downtown, and again, NO hospitality. -
Review from Remmer R.
Denver, CO
8/31/2011
This place is truly authentic!! Wait staff is great! Yummy Mexican dinning!!!
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Review from Brandon C.
Houston, TX
6/4/2008
My favorite Tex-Mex place in Houston (and that's saying a lot).
The guacamole is amazing; I doubt you can find better at a restaurant. And you have to order the lemonade.
As for the decor, this place is all about the food, so don't expect a beautiful dining space or anything. Not a problem for me.
The menu, as has been mentioned, is all oral; but when I went, a friend wanted cheese enchiladas, which were not on the menu, and they had no problem getting them for him.
One caveat: dress humbly, because the rumor (which I can neither confirm nor deny) is that the check changes based upon your apparent income.
UPDATE: I'm going to remove a star here, because even though I still feel like the guacamole is the best anywhere and the lemonade is fantastic, the rest of the food there is just not consistently good enough to merit the coveted fifth star. But I still recommend it.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Paige M.
Houston, TX
3/2/2008
I ate at Irna's for the first time last week.
We came in just after the lunch crowd and was shown to our seat by a helpful waiter. When we were walking to our table, we passed Irma ourself. Since we didn't recognize her, she knew that it was our first time there.
The menu consists of whatever is fresh that day. The food is exceptional. Irma came over and poured us some lemonade (which was just fantastic). The cheesecake I think was the best dessert I've ever eaten.
I'd highly recommend visiting this restaurant. -
Review from John N.
Spring, TX
12/30/2011
This place offers some of the best Mexican food I've ever had! I took my family here today and they loved it also. Food and service was great. Wished they had a location in The Woodlands.
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Review from Tamara I.
Webster, TX
I went here for my work group's end of year lunch. I had very limited options for entree as part of the menu so I got the beef enchiladas which to me were a mess. I don't like enchiladas, so I guess I am a bit biased here. The so-called lemonade looked like alcohol free sangria, it tasted ok, but I am not sure why it is called lemonade. I don't think I will be back here because it is a bit to quaint for my taste, and I don't like the fact that everyone working there is always all up in your face asking you how the food is before you even had a chance to complete the meal.
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Review from Cletus O.
Houston, TX
5/16/2011
Had a couple of chicken fajita tacos and a frozen margarita. Tacos were delicious--the margarita was o.k, even though it was topped of with a shot of Patron. In addition there's no menu(the waitress tells you what's available that day). I'll probably eat here again before attending an Astros game(because of the location).
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Review from Ivan T.
Deer Park, TX
10/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
Classic case of - Location, and the "Emperor's new clothes". Have experienced better food and better service. Quirky locale and ambiance. However the price was an issue, after all for 25$ lunch - value factor was sorely lacking. Yea $25 bucks isn't backing up the armored truck either. However other Houston Tex-Mex eateries would feed 2 with that amount and the food would be equal if not better. "Alas behold the Emperor and his new clothes.."
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Review from Kelly S.
9/16/2009
There is a very specific two star reason. I would almost give it three for to the food alone. Amazing. Seriously. And I'm from the RGV. It is mexican food with a twist and really, really delicious.
But...
They lose two stars for service. Walked in, harassed because we didn't use their five dollar parking, sat us in the back where the server proceeded to watch the news for a good 10 minutes, then, when i asked for menus, told me it was a "verbal menu". By the way, the verbal menu is "here are three options and you can choose a lot of other stuff because we make it all". Give me a goddamn menu people. I want prices, i want selection, I don't want to have to remember everything you said or just assume that you can make "anything". I'm somehow guessing they're not making curries or general tsos back there so really, you're not making everything. Also, it's possible that I have a limited amount to spend. Do i want to sit there and ask how much everything is? No. Also, a big TV with the Houston news on isnt exactly ambiance. I am not from Houston and I dont give a rats ass about what the city councilmen are saying. So ask me if I want it on (when I'm the only one in the place) or turn it down. And lastly, don't act like your food just caused world peace. Yes, its good. But don't ask me if its good and then act all "yeah, i know."
Second, the price. Yes, I loved my milanesa and my BF loved his tilapia. We both loved our margaritas. Did we love it $50 worth? Probably not. Mexican food, although delicious, is inherently cheap. So why does it cost me $50 bucks for some chicken, fish and margaritas out of a tub?
Last part of my rant, they had birds in the restaurant. Yes, they're confined but birds have mites and that is sick.
To recap, infuriating service and price negatively balance out what could be a really fabulous place. -
Review from J. A.
Houston, TX
7/28/2011
i go to irma's about once a year and am always reminded why i don't go more ofter. first, the good--the food is good and the location and building are interesting. the bad--the price and the service. if i'm going to pay $30/person for lunch, i should not be asked what i'm eating at the same time im seated. similarly, you should not start removing one person's plate when another person is still eating (especially when the place is half empty). also, no menu = failure. finally, the servers had no idea who ordered what, and forgot to bring parts of the order until all the plates had been removed.
i don't think i will need my yearly reminder again in 2012. -
Review from Church C.
Houston, TX
4/22/2009
i have never understood the draw to Irma's, but didn't think much about it until it came up in conversation over drinks yesterday with a coworker. we both agreed that it is one of the most overpriced, over-hyped mexican joints around. the food is boring. the drinks are non-existent. the location is poor.
for some reason this is a favorite of the older execs around the office, and the only time i eat here is when i am invited by someone higher up in the foodchain. still dont get it.
needless to say, i gravitate towards the VPs that prefer to spend 3 hours getting loaded at Molina's on a Thursday afternoon.
It gets two stars since the staff is friendly. -
Review from Amy G.
Houston, TX
8/8/2009
This was my first time to Irma's and will definitely not be my last. The portions were perfect so I wouldn't stuff my face or have to be rolled over to the Astros game. Also, if you eat there before a game the parking is free. There are no menus, but we weren't afraid. I had the Chicken Mole which was fabulous and just melted in my mouth - very tender and juicy. The hubby had chicken and beef fajitas (he liked the chicken better). The place is a little freaky in the decor area (I felt like I was in a crazy old lady's attic or basement) with nick nacks and random paper everywhere but it was awesome.
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Review from Ms. B.
Houston, TX
12/3/2008
The food and service are excellent. Best lemonade, tres leches, flan I've tasted---and I only took bites of desserts. I had the chicken spinach enchiladas, which were excellent. The staff is upbeat, funny, and helpful. This place is very down-home, not upscale, but excellent for a great lunch party! I love the day specials, no disappoint! Will return!
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Review from A S.
Chicago, IL
2/21/2009
Having lived in Austin for many years, you must know that I've eaten my fair-share of amazing tex-mex food. This background to say that Irmas is probably the best I've had in a long time and the only thing that keeps it from taking top place is that they aren't open all the time for when I want pitchers of margaritas on a porch. As others have said, the strawberry lemonade is amazing. I also love that the owner personally takes your order, but by that I mean she tells you what to get. I like to eat this way -- have food that is recommended by a person who helped make it that morning.
