Irma’s Original

I was so excited to get back to the original Irma’s.but unfortunately had such a terrible experience that it inspired me to create a Unilocal account.
Myself and 3 others went prior to the Astro’s games to get a few drinks and food. We got there 1.5 hours early, so there was plenty of space and were the first ones to get in the back room. We were greeted in a decent amount of time to get our drink order, but the problem is when we waited an hour and 20 minutes for 2 quesadillas that they kept ‘forgetting’. Meanwhile, several other tables came in the back room, got their food, check, etc. and left.
The quesadillas were good when we finally got them after asking for them 2 – 3 times since we now had to be late to the game. However, they were over $ 20 each. The real issue came when we had to go up to the register to pay (we weren’t worth actually being waited on apparently). I mentioned that I felt we were neglected, and the owner snapped «i own this place it’s busy everyone is!» It was incredibly rude, and she didn’t even apologize for the lack of service! I’m so disappointed and will never be going back.
For a $ 50 tab, you can get much better service along with great food here in Houston. There is a Pappasito’s downtown and then of course you have El Tiempo, Ninfa’s, etc. I can’t believe for such expensive prices they would treat their customers like that. Will they get business before games? Sure. But I can promise you I’ll never be one of them again. What a let down!

I’m going to post two reviews. One is about 26 years late:
I first went to Irma’s about 25 years ago. I was home on leave from the Army and my father took me in to go check the place out. Then it was tiny and the menu was a chalk board. The food then was amazing. I fell in love with the salsa. It was hot enough to get your attention but not so much as to overpower the flavor. Somehow we got on the subject of me being in the Army and how much I was loving the salsa. When it was time to leave, Irma brought out two giant jugs of her salsa. She gave it to me to take back to DC. Irma… that salsa was gone the first weekend I got back. Everyone in the barracks was coming by to try some. At one point I was ready to get into a fight over it. To this day, I have buddies that talk about that salsa.
SO!!! Today, I was in the area and saw it. I had flashbacks. I went in and it felt like I was in a Mexican food wonder land. I ordered the chicken nachos to go. I’m a nacho monster. You can tell a lot about a place by how good their nachos are. I got those nachos home and GOODNESS!!! Those were the best damned nachos I ever had. Hands down, the best. If you disagree with me you are a terrible person who obviously punches kittens in their free time. I got the half order. I should have grabbed the whole order. The chicken was cubed and spiced just right. There were other veggies on there that were cooked just enough to stay crisp and keep their flavor. This was not your regular set of chips thrown on a plate with frijoles thrown on and cheese dumped on. The cheese was enough to hold everything together without turning it into a gooey, greasy mess. The beans held the chicken and vegetables together nicely. Yeah… vegetables on nachos. It was awesome!!! Who knew? Obviously Irma.
I for one am beyond excited to rekindle my love affair with Irma’s cooking. I don’t mind paying for it because it’s great food. If you want cheaper quality food, then take your kitten punching self to some other overrated place in town and suck up their cheese sauce with the other Hipsters.

Turned us away at 9:18pm on a Thursday night when hours say open until 10pm.
Terrible place. Will never try to go back

I love Irma’s! The food is excellent and the staff is very friendly. It is a family run business. I brought my parents and my aunt here. It was their first visit and they loved it.
My Dad had the chicken mole and he said it was the best mole he’d had in years. My aunt and I both had the tilapia with shrimp and it was very good. My Mom had the beef enchilada and shrimp taco and she loved hers too. For dessert, we had the flan and it was delicious.
The staff is very attentive. We never had to wait to have our drinks refilled. The food came out quickly and was piping hot. There are no menus here. They have several daily specials from which to choose. You must try their lemonade and their guacamole.
This is a great place to have dinner and drinks before an Astros game. Minute Maid Park is only a one block walk from Irma’s.

Expensive and tasteless food. You are better off going to a real Mexican restaurant on Navigation.

HEY Unilocal! How about offering a guy a 10 star option for such an exquisite, authentic, delicious dining experience like Irmas? 5 stars doesn’t quite do it justice.
My buddies and I decided to go to Irmas before the Rockets playoff W last night. We sat down at the bar and met Ray (son of Irma). This is a generational, old school, family run establishment. Within 10 minutes of chatting with Ray, knocking back some margaritas, and watching the Stros; we felt like we were home.
Guacamole is the best on the planet. We split 2 between four of us but I honestly could have eaten 2 by myself, with a spoon.
Following that they brought out a delicious complimentary bean soup before transitioning into our meal.
Here’s the coolest thing about Irmas. They got everything. But they don’t have menus. You want an enchilada? You GOT IT. You want fish tacos? You GOT IT. You want any combination of Mexican food. And they’ll make it. I got some chicken enchiladas that were easily the best in the city. An explosion of flavor.
My one buddy made a fatal mistake of eating before the game because he didn’t know we were going to Irmas. No matter. Ray hooked him up with a couple of Tamales anyway. Because that’s the kind of people Irma and her family are. They take care of their customers like family. We even got to meet Irma herself (very sweet lady)
Pricing was lower than expected for such delicacies. I find it hilariously pathetic that some of the Unilocalers below me complain about the old school charm or the price. In a sense they are humiliating themselves in displaying their complete lack of culture, culinary prowess, and taste. Cry me a river you jerks. You want a 5 dollar garbage taco and a precious little menu? Take a hike and go eat somewhere else. Pardon my aggressiveness, but Irmas took care of me and my boys like family so I’ll fire right back at any unjustified criticism that fruitlessly attempts to smear their name. There’s a reason famous people travel from all over the country to attend this place. It’s a staple for all visiting sports clubs in town to play the Astros or Rockets. And if it’s good enough for them, and me who is a worldwide food enthusiast, it’s more than good enough for the Joe Schmos below me.
Overall, if you stop in at Irmas, you will not be disappointed. El tiempo is 5 stars for me as well but Irmas blows it out of the water. Best Mexican Food I’ve ever had. Better people.
Thank you Irmas staff. We will see you soon.

Great service and good Mexican food. Probably a little pricey compared to some Mexican places but not that high. I got the beef fajitas and they were flavorful and seasoned well. I actually like the fact that they don’t have a traditional menu and your server just comes to the table and tells you what your options are for dining, and the options were numerous and diverse. Another nice little perk is that if you dine there and go to the Astros game you only pay $ 10 to park. Finally a little more about the service. It really is amazing. Your drink will never be empty and your chips will always be full, and everyone is very nice and accommodating. I will definitely return to try something else on the menu.

They don’t have menus. It really shouldn’t be a problem, but when your waiter thinks he’s God’s gift to women, and spends his time flirting, he’s much too busy to describe the menu items. I ordered spinach enchiladas, which seemed simple enough.
However, since they had no menus I failed to realize that what I was ordering was a crunchy spinach salad, sauteed for less than a minute, rolled in a tortilla and drowned in a tangy tomatillo sauce so you don’t have to taste the spinach. If I would have read that, I would have ordered something else.

This place is amazing! We were greeted joyfully by Irmas daughter, Monica. She offered margaritas and queso and we immediately said yes. They areived quick and we were amazed tonsay the least. Monica arrived shortly afterwards and told us the menu. We ordered chicken fajitas and someone else ordered enchilada plate. We are in love with this place to say the least. We ended dinner with banana pudding, and tres leches. We are in heaven! Shortly after we arrived, monica offered free parking since we ate here and were going to the game. Cant say she will make that offer again, but she was awesome. We love this place and we will be back.

Oh, man. This is a tough one because I had a great time here… right up until I got my check. As many people have pointed out, there are no menus at Irma’s. The charming waiters – Irma’s sons as I understand it – basically rattle off the options (e.g., tamales, chili relleno, enchiladas, fajitas, etc.) and you order verbally. I have no problem with that at all; I can see how it adds to the traditional, family feel. Even though my friend warned me, I don’t think I was mentally prepared for a pre-​gratuity bill of $ 48 for two margaritas and an order of fish tacos. Forty-​eight dollars! I loved the laid-​back atmosphere and the food was decent, but there is absolutely no way to justify that cost. A large portion of their clientele seemed to be businesspeople who didn’t mind, but for regular folks, the lack of transparency is bizarre at best and shady at worst.
If the prices weren’t so outlandish, Irma’s would have received a firm ⁴⁄₅. The family-​run joint, with tin walls that have rusted over its many decades of operation, sits in an enclosure near Minute Maid Park. The inside is vibrant in décor, with Christmas lights, photos, and various knick-​knacks and memorabilia covering nearly every inch. The culture is laid-​back and warm: the man who took our orders was very pleasant and treated us like personal houseguests. Later on, we met Irma herself, who was quite talkative and genuinely seemed to take pride in treating her customers.
If you do drop by, don’t miss their colossal margaritas with little chunks of fruit. I had two, and I prefer the drier non-​frozen one. Both were quite strong. In terms of the comida, the chips were thick so they didn’t snap (a pet peeve of mine). The warm red salsa is tasty, if not very spicy; the green one packs more heat, but lacks the tangy flavor. For my main course, I chose the fish tacos, i.e., two medium-​sized corn tortillas containing grilled tilapia and shredded veggies. The fish was so thick I could barely close the tortilla, but the texture was tough and it was fairly bland. Pouring some salsa on top helped a little. I got two pieces of grilled shrimp on the side and these were delicious, crunchy and well-​seasoned.
I found the food unremarkable, but the warm service and chill vibe were great. Altogether, I would’ve been comfortable paying in the $ 27-​$ 33 range. Unfortunately, I’d have to recommend one of the other historic Tex-​Mex kitchens in Houston.

I’ve heard great things about Irma’s food over the years. I’ve always been hesitant to come because there is no menu, which I think it’s very strange in 2016. But we were nearby so we went in for lunch. I’m not sure what was going on with the main waitress that we dealt with, but her tone of voice and lack of concern for requests was very off putting. She got louder and louder with each question I asked and basically didn’t answer me at all. She even went «Is this your first time here?» not as if she really wanted to help me through the process but to point out how clueless I was. I am an educated, and friendly person. So there was no reason for this reaction.
I am lactose intolerant so I asked if the tacos I ordered come with any dairy products, she said «The sauce is just mayonnaise.» I asked if she could put it on the side just to be safe — she said it’s not that much so we can’t put it on the side. Low and behold, the tacos came out with not only the sauce but CHEESE, which I promptly sent back. Seems to me that common sense would say to make sure your customer doesn’t come across anything that could be harmful to their allergy. And furthermore not to argue with them over silly stuff.
The rest of the people we encountered were friendly enough but this person had a chip on their shoulder, which is sad because she seemed to be getting on well with certain other patrons. But not us. Had I been there alone I would’ve left without the meal but the others in my party were ready to eat. I will say once she saw the look on my face at how frustrated I was becoming, she tried to clean it up a little bit. But still, we weren’t treated as well as a few other customers I observed her with.
The other downside was the environment. It’s a pretty tight and cramped place but I can handle that if weren’t for the blasting of the a/​c on a day when it’s below 60 degrees. The food — it was decent. It’s hard to mess up Tex-​Mex tacos. But for that attitude, I won’t return anytime soon or recommend. And maybe that’s what the waitress wanted. Big bummer for such a seemingly iconic place. Houston is too big of a place with too many choices for me to go dine somewhere that I’m treated like a child.

This was a choice of a business associate and I was pleasantly surprised. Good food to cost value ratio. I had the fajitas. The guacamole was excellent. I had key lime pie for dessert. Everything was good. For whatever reason I ordered lemonade which I usually don’t, but I couldn’t get enough of it! So don’t forget to order guacamole and chips and lemonade.

Loved the no menu concept. Just go with it. My shrimp fajitas and lemonade were yum! I will be back.

There’s much to like about Irma’s but there’s also some to not like about this iconic Houston restaurant. Irma’s grew a following for their tamales and quickly expanded their menu. Located downtown, they have a small parking lot enclosed by a gate.
I have nothing bad to say about their food. Their lemonades are some of the best I’ve ever had and all of their Mexican food is quality. We had quite a feast with some chips and queso, shrimp quesadillas, tamales, and mole. The problem I have with Irma’s is that they don’t have a menu. As a result, you are not given the price for a dish prior to receiving your bill. I mean I’m no cheapskate but I like to know what I’m getting myself into before I pull the trigger. At Irma’s, the waiter asks you want to eat. While I have some go-to’s at the typical Mexican restaurant, I sometimes take a look at menus and decide to go with something different. This is a bit more difficult at Irma’s. I’m not really sure what the point of not having a menu is but it’s become their thing.

My wife and I went there with friends. They bring you chips cheese dip and guacamole automatically. Waitress comes around and tells you what they have for the day there are no menus. The staff have real bad attitudes, very unhappy. Had one fish and one shrimp taco, spoonful of rice, & a small cup of pinto beans. The portions are very small, however the food was tasty. My wife and I split the key lime pie which is really more like a key lime cheesecake, it’s delicious!
I don’t like the no menu, no prices concept. They charge you whatever they want and with their poor service and attitude they know they aren’t going to get very good tips, so they inflate the bill. It’s worth trying once — but hold on to your wallet! Just remember, since they play the no prices game, you can play the no tip game — perhaps it’s included in the price???

I went to Irma’s Friday night. There are a lot of parking spaces on site and street parking if that’s full. This was my second time going here and both times the service was great and they make you feel like family.
We got our chips and salsa as we were seated and also ordered a small bowl of queso. The salsa and queso were really good and tasted fresh. While the waitress served our drinks, Irma’s son came by with a bowl of spicy salsa because he realized we liked spicy food. That salsa was amazing and really spicy! I put it on all of my food. Ask for it if its not given to you!
There is no menu, so the waiter came by and listed the menu for the day. I ordered pork tamales that came with charro beans and rice. The tamales tasted delicious and authentic. Since we liked the spicy salsa, they gave us a plate of grilled whole jalapeños to eat with our meals.
We also had the sopapillas for dessert because Irma learned that it was my birthday and she gave it to us on the house. They were huge and drizzled with honey and so soft on the inside with a nice crisp on the outside.
Overall, I really liked the food and service. The only downside is that the bill at the end can be surprising since they do not have a menu. I would come here again without having a budget for a meal.

I guess I should’ve read the reviews before I went. I was meeting one of my salesman at 11:15 for a lunch before a meeting downtown. Our waiter was an arrogant guy that when we mentioned we would be there until 1245 he stated «man I could turn this table 3 times while you all are sitting here». Of course we asked for menus and were told they do not have menus, he mentioned the mahi-​mahi and shrimp so we both went ahead and ordered that. When they say and shrimp it literally means one shrimp a piece, The mahi-​mahi was OK it was just served with rice. I was drinking water which was empty most of the time and the gentleman I was sitting with was drinking an iced tea. When we asked for the bill the gentleman asked if we were paying with cash or a credit card, we gave him the credit card but were never provided with an itemized receipt. The total before tip was $ 56! 2 Mediocre pieces of fish and 1 shrimp a piece. No apps No Alcohol. All in all service sucked food was subpar and price was ridiculous…

I knew there was a reason why I have only been to Irma’s twice in the past three years. I was reminded today — table of three, two fish tacos, one tamale/​enchilada combo plate, three teas, one quac, one queso with meat on top we did not ask for, and a replacement queso for the vegetarian at the table who definitely did not want meat on the queso… final bill $ 102 for border-​style TexMex. No itemized receipt… no idea what cost what. Food is mediocre and flavorless. Service is so slow I got to see all of the «gifted» photos of attorneys hanging on the walls. Nice. Third time and shame on me… will really remember to never come back!

Over rated. Bad service and subpar fajitas for the price. You are better off going to ninfas or el tiempos on Navigation.

I went for lunch one day during work and the place was packed, figured that was a good sign.
For starters we had the standard chips and salsa and ordered guacamole and queso as well. The salsa was definitely not some average salsa taken out of a can. It tasted fresh and had a good kick to it. The guac and the queso were nothing to write home about but they were still good.
I had an entrée recommended by our waitress — pork enchiladas with a traditional red gravy, a fried egg on top, rice and a side of charro beans. The flavors were awesome!
The service was fast and the price was fair too. I will definitely be coming back.

Mediocre food that is overpriced and small plates. I don’t mind paying more for good food and leaving feeling satisfied. Skip this place & go to the original Ninfa’s on Navigation or El Tiempo.

Verdict
The prices are too expensive
The staff is too unprofessional
The style is too ambiguous
The food is not that good
Personal Opinion
I believe Irma’s is a concept restaurant and if you don’t like the concept you won’t like the restaurant… I don’t like this restaurant.
Preface
I was referred to Irma’s by an associate who praised them for their delicious food… but failed to mention anything else.
Story
I came in on a Thursday night around 8:30pm and they mentioned they would probably close soon. There were several workers by the bar but none of them identified themselves as my waiter. I asked for a food and drink menu and was told «we don’t have one». I was floored. I immediately pulled up Unilocal on my phone. After reading reviews I was forewarned about the high prices so I approached with caution.
I asked the waiter if there was no menu then what were my choices. He replied «what do you like?» Another gentleman sitting at the bar praised the place for the good food and mentioned a few dishes. I was not impressed but I stayed and ordered the shrimp tacos and guacamole. I passed on the alcohol because I didn’t want anything to alter my judgement on this place.
Food
People let’s be serious. There are plenty TexMex restaurants in Houston, several of which have way better food than this place. My tacos and guacamole were ok but I was more concerned about the expensive bill I was going to receive and too focused on the lack of professionalism by the working staff. My bill came to 25 bucks. I ordered no drink, only had water. So I guess that makes my tacos 20 bucks and my guac 5? No argument from me, I simply paid my bill left a 20% tip and vowed to never return.

Cool place but very expensive. Paid $ 33 for enchiladas and a margarita. Nice atmosphere and nice server though.

Several of us went for lunch. Near been before. A little thrown off by the «just tell me what you want and we will cook it». Asked price and was given ranges. Ok… for the enchiladas, was told about $ 8-​$ 9…No, it was $ 13.99. Carne asada was quoted as $ 10-​$ 12, No, it was $ 16.99.
Surprised at the $ 3.50 each for iced tea. Surprised at the price level for the portion size
Not surprised that I won’t be back

My cousin and I went before the Astros game. The place had no menu and the guacamole was very tiny. We each had one entrée and was surprised that our check was 56 $ we couldn’t even verify the prices because there was no menu. I asked the lady to confirm what we had and she said yes that right. I would not visit this location again.

Extreme rip off. No menu, they will make whatever you want (very small portions) and they will charge you dearly for it. They charged me $ 34 for 2 small fish tacos and water. You are better off eating at some of the Mexican restaurants a few blocks over on Navigation Blvd.

After dining at the new Irma’s, my guest swore up and down the originals is better and I would love it. I visited the original and love the free private parking lot, regardless of the one way entrance and exit. I ordered from the specials of today, the grilled tilipia with grilled shrimp. Sounds good, right! My entrée comes out and I am ready until I see this small tilipia filet with a shrimp, did I mention a shrimp with rice and an ounce of charro beans in a very small cup for $ 20. Hell, needless to say I was hungry when I left. Out of all the options I had to choose from for dining, I came here with guests. One guest ordered steak fajitas and even he said he remember their fajitas tasting better. Smh… These restaurants are going downhill and won’t be satisfied until their doors are permanently closed.

This is an interesting place tucked away on the outskirts of downtown. I found the place interesting, but way overpriced. There is no menu so you just order what the waiter tells you they have for the day… I ordered Fish Tacos that ended up being $ 32.00 for 2 tacos and an Iced Tea… They were tasty but at that price lunch for No Ma’am Irma you need to disclose your prices… Not sure I’ll make it back… Bye Felica

I think I’ve found my favorite Mexican place downtown. Irma’s ambience place the biggest part for me. The character of the place is surrounded with that home-​y feeling and it has that because of the people working there. You see Irma in her kitchen wear, walking around, which is so cool. The people in this place treat you as if you’re a friend coming into their home, I loved it! I was also surprised to find out that there was no menu, they basically just cook up what you want (with their twist, of course). We ordered shrimp quesadillas with spinach and it was much more flavorful than I anticipated. Their swirl margarita was also delicious! I have to come back and I definitely will be bringing my clan!!!

Don’t bother, save your money. No menu or prices. The guacamole was nothing more than avocado cut up and put in a small bowl. We had to mash it up in order to put on chips. Dinner for 4 was 175 not including tip. That was no appetizers, except the one small bowl of avocado. Two of us had fish tacos and the others had fajita tacos, and mole.
Really overpriced for what we ate/​drank. The only saving grace was the staff was friendly.

I feel duped by Irma’s!!! They come up to your table to tell you what they are serving, if they do have menus we were not offered any.
When the bill came, we just shook our heads believing that Irma’s intentionally doesn’t want you to see their prices. Initially we thought it quaint that the waiter verbally told us the menu, until we got the bill.
Who the heck charges $ 3.50 for a glass of tea or a can of coke? Outrageous! And then there was the VERY small bowl of guacamole and one of quest-​not enough to serve the 4 of us, yet $ 6.50 apiece. Oh my gosh-​ridiculous.
We all felt taken advantage of. None of us will return whether the food was good or not. We will all also discourage others from getting sucked in to their padded prices.

Tasty Tex-​mex in downtown Houston. Things to now before you go:
1. There is no menu. This super handsome guy comes to your table and shouts what’s on the menu for the day. Of course, the table full of women I was with weren’t listening and he had to repeat it.
2. Order the lemonade. Don’t be lame.
3. Ask to sit in the back. It’s so eclectic and full of memorabilia.
They are open for Breakfast and Lunch — Monday — Sunday and now for Dinner 5−9p

Irma’s is a great location if you have an expense account and are looking to really stick to your employer. They will never know wht hit them! Just like you wont once you begin to order. The place is nice, order whatever you want, they will give you whatever they want. Overall it generally tastes good, that is until you get the bill, at which point I guarantee their pricing will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth!
If your looking to get robbed without all the peskey calories, might I recommend walking a few blocks north of their location and someone fresh out of their most recent court appearance will surely lighten your load and you wont have to worry about the tip. That right there will save you a few bucks!

I am giving Irma’s 4-​stars because everything we ate from the guacamole to the ‘complimentary’ charro beans was excellent. Absolutely fantastic. We also enjoyed the team service concept. However, I almost gave it 3-​stars because were were completely in shock when we received our bill.
Irma’s was recommended to us by a business associate of my husband’s. Our visit to Irma’s occurred on a Sunday night around 6:30p. They were somewhat busy — they «new» section of the restaurant was 80% full. We loved the funky Mexican-​grandma décor, and we were welcomed, seated, and served immediately. We explained it was our first-​time, so our primary server took a little longer with us to explain the entrée options. As other reviewers have stated, there aren’t any menus; just a verbal listing of «this is what we have today». The wait staff (mostly family members) all quickly pop by the tables throughout the evening asking «Do you want queso or guacamole?»; «Do you want another margarita?», or offering dessert selections. We ordered the Mahi entrée ($ 28.50!!) and the Pork Taco ($ 18.50). I never order dessert in a Mexican restaurant, but I did here — an order of sopapillas. It just seemed perfect. Especially after Irma personally visited our table. We were completely entranced, and felt like part of the family. That’s the problem. WARNING for first-​timers: It’s very easy to get seduced into the ordering style and not realize that you and your husband spent nearly $ 95.00 on dinner for two!
The non-​descriptive bill arrives (an old-​fashioned register tape) I politely questioned an explanation of some the charges. We had 1 margarita ($ 10), 1 Corona ($ 10), a small guac ($ 6.50), an iced tea & a diet coke ($ 4/​ea.), 2 entrees, and sopapillas ($ 3.00/ea!!!) Note, we didn’t specify a quantity — they just brought us three.
So…we’ll go back because the food was GREAT! When we return we’ll be armed with more cash. And we’ll probably ask about the pricing of certain entrees…

Irma’s Restaurant is absolutely the best Mexican food Restaurant in Houston. Irma, her son and all the people working there are extremely nice and helpful. If you haven’t tried Irma’s yet put that on your bucket list of things to do.
Your Houston Chiropractor,
Dr. Gregory Johnson and Renae Johnson