The best enchiladas! If you're in the area (or even if you're not), and you're a fan of enchiladas (or even if you're not), you should give Barcenas a try. I had the basic Enchiladas Cheese, which were fantastic. The rice and beans were perfectly cooked and flavorful, which many comparable restaurants seem to struggle with. Chips and salsa were pretty standard, but still good. The place feels authentically Mexican, which is a nice change-up from all of the Tex-Mex places that are so common. The music and decor is all on point! Service was above and beyond as well. Even for a Sunday at lunch time, the waiters were constantly checking on us to make sure our drinks were topped off and to make sure we didn't need anything. I'll definitely be returning next time I'm in that part of town to try another of their enchiladas! read more

Barcenas Mexican Restaurant - Enchiladas Cheese - Mexican Near Me - Friendswood, Texas

Your Yelper Girl here! My mom, sister, and I went here for dinner after a day of shopping. It was a cute place, and the service was so friendly. The chips and salsa were good, and we also ordered queso, which was good. The Enchiladas Trio was my entree of choice, which had cheese, chicken, and beef enchiladas. The food could have been hotter temperature-wise but was yummy. Out of the three kinds of enchiladas, the chicken was the best. My mom enjoyed her dish which was another enchilada dish and my sister ordered a yummy chicken veggie soup. We would definitely visit again! read more

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The night before Thanksgiving I went here finally and really enjoyed the whole experience. I ordered the Chicken Enchiladas with gravy, just some yellow cheese on them with rice n refried beans. It was juicy, savory and very delicious. The sauce was mild, aromatic, salted enough and not too dense. The enchiladas were full cooked and tender. The cheese amount was enough to get some richness without being too cheesy or greasy. The chicken was plentiful and soft in feel adding nice bite and some protein vibes. The rice was subtle, fluffy and comforting. The refried beans were thankfully chunky with a touch of pudding feel, not too smooth. They also had a very unique spice in them too, which was good. The service was very welcoming, friendly and efficient. I also plan to try their chipotle and spinach chicken enchiladas on future visits when in the area. I also liked how the food is not too Tex Mex like some restaurants that are overly Americanized. read more

Barcenas Mexican Restaurant - Fantastic Chicken Enchiladas Meal !!! - Mexican Near Me - Friendswood, Texas

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Decent way to get your Mexican food fix for breakfast. Place looks very traditional. The menu has the typical items you would expect for breakfast. But for me, a couple of the prices were a little higher than I expected. I asked for Charro beans instead of refried beans and they were very good and hot. Salsa on the table is good but not the best that I've had. I went a second time to have breakfast there and my breakfast potatoes were cold. I asked for the corn tortillas and got them like I expected wrapped in aluminum foil, but what was weird was they had a sticker for Wednesday which made me think are they from Wednesday or are they good until next Wednesday? In typical Mexican breakfast style the coffee wasn't very good. It wasn't the worst that I had tasted, but it could be way better. Service was quick and polite. read more

We came here tonight after visiting the space Center as it was only a couple of miles from our hotel. Everyone was very friendly and wow, do they have an extensive menu. We needed 10 minutes to go through everything. Manny helped us to decide. We ordered the Barria tacos and the fried carnitas plate. Both were quite good with the carnitas being our favorite. We would return if we lived in the area. read more

My husband and I come here a lot. The food and service is always great. We almost usually order the beef fajita quesadillas. They are SOOOOOOO GOOD! Also their beef enchiladas are amazing. Everyone is super friendly and welcoming. Their drinks are not that strong but I like that they have unique margarita flavors like banana and Amaretto. I believe they have happy hour Monday thru Saturday from 10am until 7pm. There has been contradiction about the flavored margaritas. Sometimes I can get them at Happy Hour prices but recently they told us they weren't included during Happy Hour. So I'm not sure which one is correct. I love their fresh guacamole. I like that they don't put tomatoes in it like most places do. Everyone is very friendly there. We will definitely will be back. read more

Barcenas Mexican Restaurant - Happy Hour! - Mexican Near Me - Friendswood, Texas

Very friendly family business with good family food. Hidden a little past Baybrook mall. Good breakfast too! read more

The only reason I don't give Barcenas five stars is because the prices have gone up so much. They have the absolute best refried beans that I've ever had. Especially if you get them in a flour tortilla with cheese like a breakfast taco. Delicious. Their lemonade is also quite tasty. Both of my boys love their queso. It's been a go to for nearly the last 20 years, but we're finding ourselves going less and less often due to the price. If they came down a bit on their prices, we would start going there again more often like we used to. read more

I'm at Barcenas Mexican Restaurant, it's 12:30 Nov. 7th, having lunch. The food is good as usual, however the Flan is not very good in my opinion. The overdressed it putting chocolate syrup drizzles on it and it tastes like they put cinnamon in it. I like cinnamon a lot but not in flan. They also have managed to keep the grainy texture, which I don't like. I'm going to Johnny Tamales if I want Flan theirs is really good and cost the same. read more

First Time to try this restaurant and it will be the last. Shrimp dry and rubbery, tasteless chicken, beef and beans. Paid around $40 for a meal that says good for 4. But really it looks it can only feed one adult. read more

We have been coming here since 2001 and went back yesterday. As delicious as always. Everything is homemade, the salsas are a testament to years of experience. We had breakfast and couldn't finish it all. The refried beans were full of flavor and the potato's well done per our request. Fresh ice tea. Manager/owners sitting right up front. Family owned and the pride they take in their food and service shows! read more

On our neighbors recommendation a friend and I visited Barcenas. There was a small quaint place in Friendswood. The staff is super friendly very nice. The food was unremarkable. I had the three different enchilada trio. My friend had a combination plate. We were not disappointed, it wasn't as good as my neighbors rave review about it. But the real deal killer was ordering a Cadillac margarita, it was $21! Who ever heard of that?? Still looking for that favorite Mexican restaurant! What should I try next? read more

This fine establishment has been in operations for over 25 years and frankly for any Mexican Restaurant to have those bono fides means that they are meeting the needs of there customers consistently and effectively which is precisely what I found during my dining experience here . Firstly, let's talk about the ambience which iOS quite typical of most Mexican Restaurants...colloquial, eclectic and enormously roomy. There is no mistaking it for other than a comfortable ambience. Secondly the service (Christian) was expedient, courteous, knowledgeable about the bar and could describe the ingredients in any dish we discussed and in addition was quite spot on in his descriptions. Lastly, when not hustling tables (ours and others in his station) he was quite conversant about Mexican food and restaurants in and around the area...quite affable frankly. Thirdly, and this is always one of my test meals in Mexican restaurants (pulpo, menudo, albondigas and pozole are likewise test meals) and in the case of Barcenas the menudo was perfect. What was even more impressive was that it was late in the day Sunday and menudo in this case is served only on the weekends...bottom line was that I was happy they still gad some left and I will return for more...likely it'll be pozole. read more

Where do I start!! We were hungry and stumbled across this little gem! The place was clean and the music selection was great. Everyone was very polite and the environment was warm and inviting. I had the Enchiladas Laurita and they didn't disappoint. The salsas were all very delicious, don't touch the dark green one if u don't like ... so good that I had to purchase some to go! We will definitely be back! read more

Might be tied for the worst Mexican restaurant I've ever been to with Luna's. Server was super nice but food is AWFUL! So so so low quality and meat is questionable. read more

Went late on a Sunday evening on the spare of the moment idea and I had been driving by it occasionally for years. Glad that I finally tried it. The whole experience was nice from the moment of arrival until departure. Everyone was friendly the service was prompt, the appetizers were good, drinks atmosphere, service everything was good and the food exceeded my expectations. My son had enchiladas that he enjoyed and they were a good sized portion and the fajitas were a good portion as well as juicy and delicious. I am a connoisseur of Mexican food and I now have another good spot to put in my rotation. read more

Enjoyed National Margarita Day 2024 last Thursday at (where else?!?) Barcenas-Bay Area. Walked into a fun, party atmosphere. Everyone was clearly having a great time. Hub's was a frozen; mine, on the rocks. Well-done. Delicious queso flameado with roasted poblanos, fajita beef, and hot tortilla. Staff there is always courteous and efficient. We lucked out again with Beatriz (Betty). She really is the best and we always look forward to seeing her. Next time you visit Barcenas-Bay Area, ask for Beatriz' section. She'll treat you like a King or Queen! -- at Barcenas Mexican Restaurant. read more

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As always, this family owned restaurant of Bay Area never disappoints. The service whether you're dining in or taking out is always five stars. I've never had the pleasure of visiting the other locations, maybe another day! Our to go to favorite Mexican Restaurant in this whole area is this wonderful location. read more

We came here on a Sunday evening and pretty much had the place to ourselves. There was more staff than patrons so we had pretty good service and everything was very clean. We ordered a house margarita ($5.99) and a Pina Colada ($8.50) and their chorizo nachos ($15.50). I did not see the drink prices listed on the menu so you need to ask if that is important to you. The drinks were okay. pretty standard. The nachos had a good amount of cheese and chorizo but with all that chorizo you really needed some avacado or guacamole to cut through the acidity. That would have really taken the nachos from just fine to really good. So I'd recommend ordering a small side of avacado/guac to go with them. They do have a happy hour M-Th 11-5 where they offer specials but again, they don't list what the specials are or pricing. If they did, I would be interested in checking out other items at their happy hour. Overall everything was okay but I would probably only come back for a happy hour or something. read more

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The food, service & ambiance of this grill are about as authentic an experience your going to find North of the border. "Tex-Mex" is the order of the day in the Lonestar state, and this restaurant gets it right EVERYTIME! Come out, bring the kids and ENJOY yourself! Don't worry if your Spanish isn't perfect. The aroma will guide you as far as what to order: Trust me! And for a New Yorker, I don't believe my stomach has EVER led me wrong! read more

I love Barcenas my family and I have been ordering takeout every Saturday night for the past ten yrs and every time we have friends or family coming from out of town this is where we take them. I've never had any problems with the food until last night we got the quesadillas dinner and the meat looked almost white and the cheese was not the same I just couldn't eat it and even the red sauce tasted like nothing but tomatoes I'm not sure if the regular cook is out of town bc of the thanksgiving or what but he needs to come back bc it was aweful and we spend 50-80$ when we eat here. read more

Some of the best Mexican food in the Bay Area. Always a great experience. The employees are all fantastic and always go above and beyond to make sure everything is to your liking. Highly recommended. read more

First trip to Barcenas and my family will def be adding them to our rotation. Not only was the food and margarita amazing but the staff is hands down, as a whole, one of the friendliest in a restaurant in the whole area. Thank you for making me feel welcome, we will be back. read more

Barcenas Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Friendswood, Texas

The food was great and the portions are large. Our servers were usually very attentive and checked in regularly. My one suggestion, if you get a margarita, get a shot of tequila on the side to add to your drink. They are so sweet and the extra alcohol really helped tone the sweetness down. read more

Loved the chalupas and rita. The flan was overcooked and grainy, but I think this must have been a one off issue that they will fix\. It was beautifully presented anyway. Great service! Beautiful little place close to home. I'll be back! read more

Great breakfasts Thursday - Sunday! Great staff, awesome food and reasonable prices! Lunch and dinner are good there as well - Monday thru Sunday! read more

I dont know why we have never really given Barcenas a chance, but thank goodness we did this week. Twice, in fact! We had been there before and gotten the soup. Its big and the broth is sooo tasty. We love it. But we had never tried anything else until now. I got the crispy taco lunch plate and my husband got the fajita quesadilla. Omg those ranch chicken tacos were amazing, the beans were wonderfully creamy, the chips were warm and the salsa was A-1. Just one of the tacos was filled enough for two tacos. The meal was pure perfection!! Husband had enough quesadilla for 2 meals. We enjoyed it so much that we returned a couple days later and ordered the same meals again. We've lived in Texas many years and think this is one of the best ever! read more

I got the steak avocado delish! The rice wasn't my favorite, the queso was okay, they messed up my boyfriend's order and he had to get a new one which took a while. He loved the sopapillas read more

Staff was friendly, service was great. But we shared one meal (fajitas for one, side of guac, one mixed drink, two waters) and spent $56. That is insane. The food was good but I was shocked at how expensive that meal was. Unfortunately I don't think we will be returning because of the prices for what it is. read more

Wonderful place with good service and consistent quality. Friendly atmosphere and delicious food!

This is a great restaurant that always has great service and friendly staff. The food always comes out hot and fresh. Drinks and chips are topped off as well at all times. Definitely recommend this place if you like good quality Mexican food. read more

The food was okay, but not good enough for how much they price it. We ordered enchiladas, shrimp cocktail, a water, and a Pepsi. That came out to $60. I'm used to eating at different restaurants and only paying that much if order an appetizer and maybe a couple of drinks too. The service was great though. Whole stuff was very attentive and constantly checked on us. Ambience was a little dead. I thought they were about to close when we got there. Overall, I wouldn't go back unless it was just to try their alcoholic beverages during happy hour. read more

This is actually a 3.5 star rating. Barcenas has been on my radar for a couple of years, and we finally made our way there for a mid-afternoon Saturday lunch. First, the atmosphere is old school Tex-Mex. It's clean. Fun. Comfy. Service is excellent (we didn't know who to tip). Bathrooms actually had soap and operational auto-towel dispensers, and that's a big deal. Nothing on draft here, but the beer is cold as ice and wonderful from the bottle to the frozen mug. Chips, albeit served hot and replaced regularly, are average -- seemingly not cooked in house. The salsa, which is why I've not given this place four stars, has some bite ... but it's missing something. Cilantro, maybe? Tastes quite institutional. As with any Tex-Mex joint on my first visit, I ordered the house combo plate. Wow. I don't know where this place sources their tamales, but my goodness it was toothsome and delicious! The cheese enchilada was average, except for the chile gravy, which reminded me of the old days of eating Tex-Mex only on special occasions during the 1970s. The retried beans might be some of the best I've ever tasted (sans Carlito's in Longview, TX) and the rice was al dente and perfectly seasoned -- the best I can remember. The crispy taco also dominated in the flavor department, with nary a grease drip, rather a nicely seasoned serving of beef in a crispy shell with cold veggies and cheese placed atop. I rarely go into specifics about hard tacos, but this one was special. Finally, I ordered an a la carts bean/lettuce/cheese tostado, which also held its own. But ... the salsa. If I'm in the neighborhood and am jonesing for Tex-Mex, I'll eat here in a heartbeat. If they could up their salsa game and ease up a little bit on the "Are you ready to order?" pressure, this joint would be 18 stars in my book. (Yes, salsa is *that* important to me.) read more

Barcenas Mexican Restaurant - Jeanie's Plate - Mexican Near Me - Friendswood, Texas

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Doesn't pay to order on line because if you look a certain way, they harass you when you go to pick it up. In addition to asking you the name of the order they'll also as you the phone number. Last time I was confused because the lady asked me to confirm the order. What are you talking about? If you don't want people ordering through apps get your own interface or system to accept orders. My quest for a good daily restaurant with good customer service in the clear lake area continues read more

Always a wonderful experience. They greet you very courteously and get you a table immediately. When you are seated your drink is served immediately and you are given a menu. All of their food is excellent and the salsa is really good. They never miss anything and will check on you to make sure you have plenty of chips and drinks. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and there are televisions in different areas. read more

This is the best queso around! I get queso all over and this is my new favorite. The pork was perfect; so flavorful. Chips and rice were good, and the charro beans were excellent - smoky and savory. The house margs were good but go for the top shelf! Big difference. The service was awesome, the atmosphere is cozy authentic Mexican, and the portions are very generous. This is definitely one of my new favorite Mexican spots! read more

Barcenas Mexican Restaurant - Tacos al pastor and top shelf margarita - Mexican Near Me - Friendswood, Texas

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I mainly order to go. My order is always right and on time. The food is delicious and fresh.

Great tasting food and even greater customer service. Will be back if we return this way from Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The prices and quality of food are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Can not believe the staff thinks this is acceptable. read more

Barcenas Mexican Restaurant - At these prices and this quality no wonder the parking lots empty - Mexican Near Me - Friendswood, Texas

Barcenas Mexican Restaurant in Webster/Friendswood, Texas, is a gem filled with delicious food and exceptional service. Ricardo and Lino are the standout waiters who provide attentive and friendly service that makes every visit unforgettable. The menu options showcase the authenticity of Tex-Mex cuisine, and the flavors are consistently rich and appetizing. Don't miss out on this hidden spot! (There's a reason this location has been thriving for the 25years/1998) read more