She worked at another Wichita restaurant for 20 years. Now, she’s opening her own place.

Wichita loves a drive-through Mexican restaurant — the kind that serves giant stuffed burritos in giant flour tortillas out of a drive through from early in the morning until late at night.

Now, northwest Wichita is getting one.

On Friday, Yudy Ibarra — with the help of her niece Kimberly Silva — plans to open Ibarra’s Mexican Food at 4041 N. Maize Road. The restaurant is taking over the space in a strip mall near 37th and Maize that Mr. Miyagi vacated in August.

Customers who frequented Rene’s Mexican Fast Food at 677 N. Eisenhower over the years will likely recognize Ibarra. She worked the front counter and helped manage that restaurant for the past 20 years.

But at the urging of her niece, Silva, she decided to open her own place. She secured the lease on the old Mr. Miyagi space, which is on the opposite end of a strip center from Knolla’s Pizza, and she even added a drive-through window.

The restaurant’s menu offers Tex-Mex fast-food dishes like big burritos, including breakfast burritos, plus tacos and tortas filled with various meats and combo plates. Ibarra’s proteins include chicken, carnitas, adobada (marinated pork), lengua (tongue), tripas (chitterlings) and carne asada.

Customers will order their food either at the drive-through or at the counter, and the restaurant will have the dining room set up for those who want to dine in.

Silva, who is a full-time nurse, said that her aunt will be running the restaurant and that she will be helping with things like publicity. It was important to her aunt, Silva said, that the restaurant had a drive-through.

“When we saw this location, we liked the space inside,” she said. “But I think that COVID really made people hermits. A lot of people now will avoid interaction and like curbside and like stuff delivered to them.”

Though it’s a scary time to open a restaurant, Silva said, she thinks her aunt’s experience will help Ibarra’s succeed.

“I think we can gain some customers,” she said. “My aunt is known to be a hard worker. We hope customers will recognize her.”

Ibarra’s hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Ibarra’s Mexican Food menu

This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 12:53 PM.

Denise Neil

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6327

Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.