Where to begin! The food is AMAZING, as is the service. We actually went to Columbia for a small trip to to eat here and are already planning another visit. Their passion for culinary innovation is very obvious. Highly recommend this experience. Both the tequila and rum flights are so worth it. Since we have been twice we have tried a few things and everything has been excellent. Bartender and staff know their stuff and give great suggestions. We have tried the platters and a torta and the meats on both where outstanding. The spoon bread and the sweet potato sides are a MUST, and the brownie dessert is definitely the best way to end the meal. read more

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Went to Irene's late at night on a weekend with two friends. It was pretty packed for the time, but we still found a table quickly. The service was good and simple. You order at the counter, take a number to your table, and the rest is basically self service besides them bringing your food out. I ordered the grilled chicken thigh platter and was honestly really underwhelmed. The chicken barely had any flavor at all. The sauces they gave helped save the meal a little, but even then I still wasn't very happy with it. Now let me talk about the BBQ pulled pork nachos because those were amazing. You get the spice from the jalapeños, the crunch from the chips, the sweetness from the BBQ sauce, the creaminess from the nacho cheese, and the savory flavor from the pulled pork. Everything together was honestly a party in your mouth. read more

This is my second time visiting Irene's. We live out of town. My first experience was a good one, so I decided to return while being in Columbia for a cross country meet. Big mistake this time I ordered the chipotle chicken nachos to go stopped in a parking lot. Very close to the restaurant to have some before hopping on the highway and the chicken was outright cold, as in straight from the fridge. And by cold, I mean room temperature would've been warm compared to this. The cheese was hot to pour over the nachos. I certainly wasn't expecting cold meat. If I hadn't been on a time crunch to get back to St. Louis I would've returned. So next time we are passing through Columbia we will not be making a return to this restaurant. read more

Irene’s BBQ - Chipotle Chicken nachos with straight from the refrigerator cold chicken. - Barbeque Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

The food was unique and flavorful. The host taking orders was SO helpful and energetic offering suggestions. The overall vibe was really nice and the food came out SO quick. If they warn you about spice level of certain dishes, believe them! I love spice and was impressed with the flavor and heat of the barbacoa taco platter. Definitely try the spicy sauce. We also ate spoon bread and sweet potatoes for sides which I highly recommend. The only thing that wasn't for me was their take on a Bloody Mary - there's has a "verde" twist. It is apparently really popular so might still be worth a try! read more

Irene’s BBQ - Barbacoa platter, sweet potatoes, homemade tortillas, spoon bread (so good!), & a breakfast burrito. The Bloody Mary has a verde twist. - Barbeque Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

In town for a concert and Irene's was recommended by many people. We dropped in and had these DELICIOUS nachos that another friend told us about (not on the menu though) but wow. The pulled pork was amazing. We sat at the bar and Nate and Kayleigh were great. Friendly service, great drinks and attentive. This place is super cute with such a great vibe. It's like a modern restaurant with a mexican/BBQ twist. The menu had so many amazing options and wish we were in town longer to get to try their brunch! We will certainly be back! read more

Irene’s BBQ - Pulled Pork Nachos - Barbeque Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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The food was really good. Pulled pork had a nice level of spice for someone who can't handle a lot of it. Enjoyed the sweet potato fries as well. There were several other menus items that I would have liked to try. Service was fine. It's an order at the counter and they drop off your food type of place, so there's not much to it. Atmosphere was ok. A little loud and cramped, but not too bad. read more

Went with my family for dinner. It was great. Had the Brisket Barbacoa platter. My wife had the Torta and one of my Son's had the Carne Asada platter. It was quite tasty. I have spent a good deal of time in Southern California and Central America and the flavor was one point and the heat was where it needed to be. I will be back for sure. The service is fast, friendly and the quality is fantastic. The atmosphere of the restaurant is laid back but welcoming. Exactly what you want. read more

At some point, I will cease to be surprised by the excellent food options in Columbia. Irene's is serving up some excellent barbecue featuring not only a couple classic barbecue features but some proteins you won't find anywhere else. Bbq chicken thighs, green chili pork, house made spicy sausages, smoked barbacoa... all fantastic. Counter service with one order taker is engineered to keep the pace of incoming patrons to a slow enough flow to allow for tables to empty out. They must have taken some lessons from Pappy's in St. Louis. We had the Tacos for the Table (there were 6 of us): - grilled chicken thigh (4.75/5): Honestly, my favorite. Great flavor and cook - Green chili pork (4.5/5): Love this protein. This is something you might find in the southwest. I was happy and pleased to see it here. - Smoked Brisket Barbacoa (4.35/5): Typically, this is a braised protein. Love the smoked treatment. Excellent flavor! - Brisket (4.25/5): well executed. Great flavor. Not as tender as traditional Texas style, but very good - tortillas (4.75/5): Fresh, handmade and excellent - Mac & cheese with green chili (4.5/5): loved the flavor! Would have liked a bit more cheese sauce - my preference - slaw (3.75/5): Cojita dominates this dish, which I am not a huge fan of. But still tasty. - salsas: Everyone of them hit! Loved the very spicy rojo. Open space with large tables gave this a friendly and casual vibe. Love the service model. read more

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Grabbed lunch at Irene's while in Columbia. My husband and I shared a platter and and extra side. I also ordered a michelada and it was perfect! Our food was good - the tortillas and sweet potatoes were the stand outs. I felt like the meat didn't have a ton of flavor. I loved sitting at the bar - service was great. read more

Irene’s BBQ - Platter with sweet potatoes - Barbeque Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

Columbia Missouri has some great restaurants however I have been looking for another taco joint down here. On a random night my boyfriend and I decided to check out Irene's and I am very happy we did. To start off, the atmosphere of this place was wonderful. They had live music going on in the background, a wide menu of drinks and the service was amazing. Everyone was super nice and patient with us because we had a rough time deciding what to get! The food we had was fresh and delicious and the place was perfect for a little date I would definitely check out Irene's if you are in the area!! read more

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Very neat smoky TexMex spot. Cafeteria/Cantina hybrid layout, so if you've never been before, the ordering and reordering process is a little confusing but easy to get the hang of. Food was stellar, so was the mezcal flight. read more

Irene’s BBQ - Mezcal flight - Barbeque Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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We had heard good things about this place, and were excited to find it had opened this month! We went in on a weekday for dinner, and the place was pretty busy. It seems like an American take on Mexican food, with an emphasis on barbecue, and it was all yummy!. It is a fast casual type order at the counter. Very modern, nice but casual. - Beef carne asada platter (4.5/5): Very delicious. Lots of flavor, and lots going on. Basically like build your own tacos. We got lime dressed sweet potatoes as the side, and fire roasted taquera roja salsa. I wish it came with more salsa, but you can purchase extra. The tortillas are so yummy, taste homemade. The carne asada was cooked perfectly, seasoned well, and was tender. - Wagyu beef barbacoa sandwich (4/5): This was really good, just a bit greasy overall. The flavors and textures were amazing. Definitely recommend. Side was macha roasted Brussels, which were delicious. - Heart of fire cocktail (4/5): Love the smokiness of the mezcal. Semi sweet, and tart, good flavor overall. - Spicy margarita (3/5): I was a bit disappointed, this didn't really taste like a margarita, it was kind of plain. Tasted spicy but not much other flavor. read more

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The menu is fun and the staff is friendly and attentive. The one-big-room set up is done with a goodly amount of nice tables and chairs, a bar with a long line of stools, and an ample check in area to avoid crowding when they are busy. The vibe is half neighborhood and half college town. The bbq is good! read more

This place is fabulous! The staff is friendly and extremely helpful, The food was great! I highly recommend the smoked brisket platter! The sauces are sooo unique. The first taste is very flavorful and then the heat hits...but your tongue gets the feeling back really quickly! I wish they had an Irene's in Wichita!! read more

Great food. Very fast Service. Would definately recommend to anyone. The Name is a little deceiving. Its really a Mexican restaurant but it does not dissapoint at all. read more

This place is always my favorite spot to take my mom to lunch when she visits. When you first enter it smells like you're walking into your grandmas kitchen! I highly recommended the cold smoked turkey sandwich which features thick slices of turkey, crispy bacon, arugula, avocado spread, and a creamy white bama sauce. We've also enjoyed the chicken thigh platter and chicken torta. Caylee is our favorite bartender/server. Although we've only been a few times, she always remembers our names and favorite beverages. All the drinks from the bar are hand crafted with the freshest ingredients! Margaritas are epic!! 10/10 for Irene's and the entire staff!!! read more

Food, drinks, and ambiance are second to none. Great concept, they nail it every time we go. Dinner or brunch, they're both fantastic.

Very different from other local Mexican restaurants. I loved the pulled pork and sweet potatoes. Very deep selection of Mezcal and Tequila. Knowledgeable bartender. read more

Cute place food was ok. I wont be back though because I hate restaurants that do not have table service, expecting me to read a menu and make a quick decision about what I want to order while I am forced to stand in a line. Then to make matters worse most of their tables are long "communal" style tables. Sorry I go out to eat to relax, enjoy good food and a nice conversation with my partner. Not sit next to a stranger who hears every word we say and us theirs. Plus parking sucks. read more

OPENED MAY 2023! Newly opened restaurant and hang out spot North of MU campus. This place has an abundance of seating (indoor and out!) I would definitely describe this place having a more communal vibe. Tables are long and you don't have staff waiting on you. Ordered: Piña Colada Lime Margarita Chicken Torta w/ roasted sweet potatoes Carne asada platter w/ poblano potato salad and a side of tomatillo salsa and flour tortillas Before I get to the food, I want to mention the staff! You walk in and order right away. Everyone was so friendly and the staff was patient as we tried to decide what to order. This place is unique in that if you want to order more food, you place additional drink/food order via a QR code. Which is awesome because the line can get long and I'd rather sit and chat and order my food at my table. The menu is unique. It's definitely BBQ with a Mexican flair. You won't find your typical Mexican rice and beans here but it'll be delicious. Chicken Torta The chicken was smoked and OH SO tender! The Torta was finished off with black beans, pickled red onion, cilantro and queso cotija. The bread was crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Sweet potatoes Yummy roasted sweet potatoes has a hint of lime topped with pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and cotija. Carne Asada Platter (Comes with tortillas, side and one salsa) The meat was marinated so well and had that charcoal roasted bits on the outside. The meat was cut thick and I felt like I should have had more meat on the platter for the price I paid. Poblano Potato Salad This was unique spin on potato salad. It's very light and refreshing and I loved the poblano pepper in it. Flour Tortilas HOLY SMOKES were these tortillas AMAZING. They were thick but soft and they held up to the meat. Can I please order some to go!? Yes. You can! But they're $2 for an order of 3 tortillas. One thing I wish they did was offer was a salsa bar or unlimited salsa. I wanted to try all of them! Extra salsa is $1 each. read more

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Great Location and atmosphere. We went on a Friday for dinner and it was pretty busy. I'm not the biggest fan of the community seating style. We all enjoyed the food we ordered and portions were great. The blood orange margarita was delicious. read more

Good food, good service, dog friendly. Great patio. Would highly recommend. Staff is on top of it.

Great bar with good food! Stopped on the way from Cleveland, going to KC. The brisket was outstanding. Always try to eat local when on road trips - Irene's did not disappoint. read more

As soon as they gave me Mexican coke in a glass bottle, I knew I was at the right place. Very friendly staff, customers were a combination of families, young people, old people, etc. Food was fresh in taste and fresh in combo ideas. read more

This place is awesome. Has something for everyone. Their Saturday brunch can't be missed. The workers are knowledgeable and kind. Really cool space as well. read more

Food was good service was good. Seating was good dining area was comfortable and clean. A bit over priced, but I blame Joe Biden for that. read more

Well, what to expect. Authentic, yet not, bbq set up, but odd. Over all. I come back, again and again. The bartender was awesome, great service. For your first time sit at the bar, party of one or two. It's the best way to understand the food, the drinks, Nate was very informative, we could ask questions about the food, ingredients, my husband and a mammal allergy, have you heard alpha gal? Never the less. He confirmed the ingredients, he made us feel welcomed, made a delicious Mango Fuengo during. Yes not fuego. But it was delicious. We had tortas and not platters for tacos. Just a little different. The chicken and the barbacoa lonches were amazing. Too bad I did not take pictures. It was aesthetically pleasing, as it was flavorful. I can't wait to come back!! read more

The food was amazing!!! We had the guacamole app and the Caribbean chicken bowl, both were delicious! The service was amazing as well. Hopefully the two owners expand. read more

Irene's is a hidden gem in Columbia MO! From the moment we came in our experience was excellent! Our server Jess was so kind and helpful with suggestions. The food had such modern layers of flavor, I just wanted more! We will be back repeatedly. read more

The service was great and I loved the ambiance! I had the brisket and it was delicious!

I was to hungry and forgot photos!! This place seems like a twist of Caribbean and Mexican cuisines mixed together. The Caribbean chicken thighs were ok. It came with tortilla shells on the side. The rice had a Caribbean name but was very different from Caribbean coconut rice, not as flavorful. I did enjoy the fried plantains with a twist of pineapple, nuts and I believe whipped cream. Summer veggies had a good flavor and the pulled chicken torta sandwhich did as well. I am just not a huge fan of flavors for my personal style. I will definitely try it again and see what other choices are out there that I may like more. Its in a nice spot at the arcade district. You order at the counter, get a number to place on your table and choose where ever you like to sit. The waiters then bring your food too your table. They bring drinks to the table as well but water is self service on a back table. Its pretty chill vibes at this place. read more

This was a great find as we travelled through the area. Quickly greeted by the host staff who explained the ordering process to us since this was our first visit. We both had the green chile pork bowl which was one of the freshest meals I have had in a long time. Made me never want to eat at a well known chain again. The mango mock tail was delicious. Would definitely go back again if in the area. read more

The food here is so flavorful (try the brunch, too!) they are super quick at getting your food to you and it's a fun place to gather with friends. read more

Delicious restaurant for authentic BBQ/ Mexican menu. Great choices for sides - would highly recommend the poblano potato salad, green beans, and sweet potato. Bar vibe is casual and lots of large tables for big groups. Delicious margarita and mezcal options as well as nonalcoholic flavored drinks. read more

Ordering is a little confusing, but the food and drinks are excellent! Open, welcoming feeling. Have been twice and the staff was terrific. Will try lunch there soon. read more

By far Columbia's best new restaurant. Set in the up and coming Arcade District, the vibe inside is superb. The menu is BBQ but I opted for the Tacos for the Table. Fed 5 of us and we took home some leftovers for an absent family member. Wow, this food is amazing; the meats were diverse and flavorful, the sides were complimentary and tasted wonderful. Eat inside at community seating or step outside on the patio and dine watching a movie on the screen. Service was fast, and if you needed another beverage, you scan a QR code and order. They will bring it to you. Will be headed back soon to sample more of the alcoholic fare, but the bar menu was fantastic as well. This is an all-around winner and a welcome addition to CoMO dining!!! read more

Food was ok; not great. Service was very good and friendly. Atmosphere was relaxing, but a little bit of echo that made it noisier than we like. All in all not our cup of tea. read more

Amazing food. Fun environment. We had a good time and our bellies were happy. Go check it out! Great service too!

The Waiter or busboy was literally the rudest waiter we have ever had. Our first time here and my husband grabbed a seat while I ordered. We didn't know you weren't supposed to grab a seat while ordering. There was tables everywhere but only 2 of us so we just sat at the end of a table with a big party so we didn't take up a whole table. While I was ordering my husband repeatedly got harassed by waiter. The waiter told my husband he has to go get in line really rudely and I was literally ordering at the register. The waiter then said "what are you not understanding!" And my husband was nice and said my wife is literally right there and pointed at me. The waiter said I don't care. So we canceled our order and left. Won't be back read more

Disappointing. Gucamole lacking lime juice. Carne asada lacking spice. Cole slaw bland (the sweet potatoes with cotija were good, though). The food was so much better when it was pre-order only out of Barred Owl! I suppose it was inevitable when you scaled up, but now it's getting more like an expensive Chipotle. Please try harder. read more