Irma's Original 22 North Chenevert Street, Houston, TX 77002

"Having wanting to visit for years, today it finally happened. We were seated immediately and ordered drinks. We didn't know what they served because there is not a menu, but we took the suggestions for tea and lemonade. These arrived quickly, before the rest of our party. Also appearing quickly were tortilla chips and warm salsa. . My lemonade had some adjunct that left it tasting like watermelon juice. Tasty and refreshing, but not quite lemonade. . When our friends arrived, Irma came to our table to recite the brief menu. When she said mole, I stopped listening because I love mole. Irma told me that they offer a red mole and a green mole on the weekends, but only red during the weekday. Whatever, I wanted it. . The charro beans arrived quickly, and they were fantastic. The plates arrived soon after, hot and attractive. The ladies had enchiladas, while the other gentleman raved about the best Chile Rellenos he'd ever had. . My mole featured two giant chunks of chicken breast sauces with darn good mole. The rice was delicious and functioned well to sop up the sauce. When I was done, it looked like I had licked my plate. . We split a Tres Leches, and loved every bite. We appreciated the firmer texture. It was definitely not soupy as other restaurants can be. . Throughout, Irma was attentive, gracious, but not overbearing. It was a fantastic experience. . I do want to address two issues we saw in other reviews. Some claimed the servings were small. I didn't find that true. I was completely sated by the meal, but not groaning. It was an excellent size for lunch. . Yes, there was no menu. There was no mention of prices--ever. There was no itemized bill. I don't know what anything cost, if we were charged for something we hadn't ordered, or anything like that. The bill we received was basically just the total... but it was reasonable for what we received and the level of service. This is not a normal gas station taqueria, don't think that it is. If the thought of lacking information throws you off, don't come. It isn't for everyone. But just know you will miss out, because this was a great lunch."

"WOW! This place is an absolute must if you’re visiting or live in the Houston area. Me and my partner came all the way from Atlanta and let me tell you it was EVERYTHING! Irma is a national treasure. She came over several times to make sure everything was good! And let me tell you this was the best tamales I’ve ever had. You have to try Irma’s famous star berry lemonade! I will definitely be back to take some food home before I leave. I almost cried this food is so tasty. Everything is fresh and just melts in your mouth. Look for yourself. I wish you all the best thanks for taking care of us!"

"A must for Mexican foodies! 5 across the board for authentic Mexican food that reminds me of visiting family. The entire staff welcome you and make sure to take care of you. The food is worth the money and there’s no other place like this in Houston. As a Mexican, I am super picky about food and this Irma’s never disappoints. Plenty of places to get cheap Mexican food throughout Houston, but it doesn’t measure up to the food at Irma’s. You pay for what you get and if you don’t know the difference of great authentic food or appreciate Mexican cuisine go to chipotle! All of the food is fresh and you can taste it in their dishes. The lentil soup starter prepares your taste buds for the goodness to come. Every dish I’ve had at this place has been delicious. I never like Chile rellenos at restaurants, but Irma left me with no complaints. The Chile was light, fluffy, and stuffed with picadillo. The mole is always a hit too. The decor of the restaurant gives me the sense of walking into my aunt’s or mom’s house with my cousins checking in on me while bringing me food. The owner walks around checking in on you - this very rarely happens in other restaurants. I am writing this long review because I read that people complain about the prices, but undervalue Mexican food and the significance of this being a family owned business. I always come to Irma’s for an experience like no other. Highly recommend to Mexican foodies!"

"The lemonade was the best part. Was in for lunch today while waiting for my car to be worked on in Baytown. We’d seen this restaurant on YouTube, and our curiosity was peeked. The atmosphere seemed like walking into Sanford & Son. While clean, there is clutter everywhere. The owner came out and waited on us, the restaurant is actually much smaller in person than it looks on television. Without menus or prices, we only knew what we’d seen, which was just ask for something and they’ll make it. Well my wife asked for something, but they weren’t just out of it, it’s something they don’t even make at all. So she mentioned a dish and that’s what she got. I ended up with 2 micro tamales (while fresh & tasty), a micro beef fajita with mexican rice. My wife got some kind of chicken dish, with guacamole. Very small portions. For this I paid $98. Had I planned on $98? No. Was the food good? Yes. Will we be back? Only for the house watermelon lemonade."

"Amazing food and atmosphere! Margaritas were strong and very tasty. There is no printed menu so you have no idea what anything costs. Recommend eating before the drinks start to save your budget. Good luck!"