30 Best Birria Taco Restaurants in the U.S., Ranked
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Mexican food is one of the most popular cuisines in the U.S. because Americans really do love their tacos, burritos and quesadillas. But if you want to try a Mexican dish that is beloved by Mexican locals, then it has to be birria.
Originally hailing from the Mexican state of Jalisco, birria is essentially stewed meat. There are several different ways to enjoy it — whether it be in a soup or stew with dried chiles and spices, or shredded and served up in tacos. Typically, the meat is lamb or goat, but beef has become especially popular in the U.S., and it's always served with a rich, hearty broth. If you add a squeeze of lime juice and top it with onions and cilantro, you'll quickly be eating birria the local way.
The good news is you don't have to travel to Mexico to find fantastic birria tacos. Thanks to the large population of Mexican immigrants in America, the rich and flavorful dish is prepared all over the country. These places are not often flashy or fancy, but that's part of what makes them so delicious. To get you started on your birria tour of the country, we rounded up 30 of the best restaurants for birria tacos in the U.S. Buen provecho!
30. Birrieria Aguinaga
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Location: Dallas, Texas
Straight from the streets of Jalisco comes this birria taco joint chain that is scattered across Dallas and other parts of Texas. The birria experts here make their succulent, juicy birria tacos in the Jalisco state style, which means the meat is slow cooked to make it tender and juicy and is seasoned with chili peppers, garlic, cumin and thyme.
Visit: Birrieria Aguinaga
29. Tacos de Birria Estilo Michoacan
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Location: Los Angeles, California
This must-visit taco truck is a local favorite in Los Angeles. The fresh, flavorful meat is always the first taste of home for those who are returning back to L.A. They even make their own tortillas by hand, which is a huge selling point. In a land like L.A. where tacos are a dime a dozen, it's good to know that this is one of the best spots in the city for succulent birria.
Visit: Tacos de Birria Estilo Michoacan
28. Birrieria Sinaloa
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Location: Victorville, California
Glorious, glistening juicy meat, soaked in flavorful consommé is what this taco joint is all about. Locals say that this is the spot to be, without a doubt. The menu item to order here are the plebe tacos, made with handmade tortillas, birria meat and a spicy, succulent salsa.
Visit: Birrieria Sinaloa
27. Alex's Tacos Birrieria
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Location: Ontario, California
This hole-in-the-wall is an Ontario staple. What you're ordering here are, of course, the barrio tacos, particularly the tacos dorados de barrio, which are next level. Another top-rated order here are the tacos barrio de chivo and the enchiladas.
Visit: Alex's Tacos Birrieria
26. Birrieria Mexico
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Location: Van Nuys, California
For more than 40 years, Birrieria Mexico has been churning out succulent, moist barbecue, consommé and tender goat birria. The Birria en Caldo is particularly noteworthy here, with goat meat that practically falls off the bone and is steeped in a potent broth seasoned with the right amount of spice. Add handmade tortillas and a squeeze of lime, and it's easy to see why Van Nuys relies on this local birria hot spot.
Visit: Birrieria Mexico
25. Birrieria Apatzingan
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Location: Pacoima, California
If you're looking for stellar Michoacan-style birria in the San Fernando Valley, then it has to be from Birrieria Apatzingan. In addition to the birria en caldo, be sure to order the enchiladas con cecina. Complete with handmade tortillas and salsa verde, you'll see why this gem is a favorite among locals and Mexican transplants alike.
Visit: Birrieria Apatzingan
24. Birrieria Guadalajara
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Location: San Bernardino, California
For Mexican people living in Los Angeles, Birrieria Guadalajara is a little taste of home. From the rich and decadent consommé to the flavorful, juicy goat meat, this is the spot that brings people back for more. Pair your birria tacos or quesadilla with a frosty michelada, and you have the real Jalisco experience right at your table.
Visit: Birrieria Guadalajara
23. Birrieria Dimas
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Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
The best birria is often served out of a food truck, and that is certainly the case with Birrieria Dimas in Las Vegas. Just 10 minutes from the strip, the food truck specializes in beef birria, which is roasted in a pot for six hours in a secret broth. The beef is then used in a taco or mixed with cheese and turned into a quesadilla. You can even order it as a soup with ramen if you want to try a bit of fusion.
Visit: Birrieria Dimas
22. Birrieria El Tijuanazo
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Location: Colton, California
What you're ordering here are the quesabirrias, which is basically a birria taco with cheese. The crispy tortillas are plumped up with juicy, slow-roasted meat, mixed with melted cheese and then dipped into the decadent consommé broth. The menu is simple here. Expect birria, birria tacos and birria quesadillas, and that's pretty much it. Add a squeeze of lime and a dash of onions and cilantro, and you'll see that simplicity is always better.
Visit: Birrieria El Tijuanazo
21. Birrieria Jalisco Lynwood
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Location: Lynwood, California
Straight from the streets of Guadalajara, Birrieria Jalisco is another top place for birria tacos in California. The family-run shop has been churning out birria since 1972. What you want to get here is the full order, which comes with tomato broth on the side, fresh cilantro, diced onions and a special recipe of chilis served with homemade tortillas.
Visit: Birrieria Jalisco Lynwood
20. Hola Cabrito Birria De Chivo
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Location: Phoenix, Arizona
South Phoenix considers this birria restaurant to be a coveted staple. The specialty here is the birria de chivo, made with slow-stewed goat meat that has been cooked in a super-secret marinade. Whether it's the birria in broth or the birria tacos, the flavor packs a punch and has been pleasing Phoenix residents for years.
Visit: Hola Cabrito Birria De Chivo
19. ED Fernandez Restaurant Birreria
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Location: San Diego, California
If you can only have one taco in San Diego, you better make it the birria taco at Fernandez Restaurant. This is the Mexican spot that all the locals refer to when they want to brag about the best birria in town. Cheap, tasty and including all the trimmings, the stewed beef birria or the birria and cheese are the go-to orders. Both come with salsa and lime.
Visit: ED Fernandez Restaurant Birreria
18. Tacos de Birria Los Carnales
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Location: Laguna Hills, California
Tender, moist birria is the dish of the day here at Tacos de Birria Los Carnales. Everything from the tacos to the consommé, the quesatacos and quesabirria keep its customers coming back for more. What's even more special about this taco stop is that it is located inside a church. That's right. So when we say you're in for a religious experience, we certainly mean it.
Visit: Tacos de Birria Los Carnales
17. Birrieria Jalisco
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles has no shortage of taco stalls, but if you're in Compton and looking for birria, it has to be Birrieria Jalisco. They are known for their tacos de birria with tortillas made by hand. But if you order a burrito, you certainly won't be disappointed, either.
Visit: Birrieria Jalisco
16. Birrieria Calvillo Aguascalientes
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Location: El Monte, California
If you've had birria in Mexico, then you will feel right at home with a visit to Birria Calvillo Aguascalientes. Calvillo is a city in the state of Aguascalientes, and this birria restaurant is churning it out the same as they do in the motherland. Get ready for tender meat, spicy salsa and a succulent consommé topped with onions and cilantro. Ask for the homemade tortillas, too.
Visit: Birrieria Calvillo Aguascalientes
15. Birrieria Gonzalez
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Location: Los Angeles, California
This family-run truck churns out one thing and one thing only — goat birria. From the traditional taco to the quesataco (complete with a crispy layer of cheese), this is birria like locals love. The family has a few trucks around town, but whichever location you choose, be sure to go with the spicy salsa roja.
Visit: Birrieria Gonzalez
14. Birrieria Aguinaga
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Location: Grand Prairie, Texas
From the same owners as the Birrieria Aguinaga in Dallas, the Grand Prairie outpost is, as some would argue, even better. The specialties of the house are the plate of birria made with lamb or the consommé with birria. The restaurant has breakfast specialties, as well as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and sopes.
Visit: Birrieria Aguinaga
13. Birrieria Nochistlan
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Birrieria Nochistlan brings us to yet another state in Mexico. This time we're doing birria in the Zacatecas-state style. This Los Angeles establishment is the real deal when it comes to birria de chivo. In fact, be prepared to dust off your rusty high school Spanish here, as this family-run, hole-in-the-wall is all about authenticity. It will be worth it for the succulent birria tacos, topped with onion, cilantro and the aromatic chile de arbol.
Visit: Birrieria Nochistlan
12. Birria Huentitan
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Location: Chicago, Illinois
If you have birria on the brain in Chicago, you may want to make a stop at Taqueria Huentitan. Known for its fat, juicy birria tacos and tortas, this is where those in the know come to chow down on serious eats. Other menu items that hold their own are the steak and al pastor tacos, just in case you want to branch out and get a sampling of a few different items.
VIsit: Birria Huentitan
11. Birrieria Don Boni
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Opened back in 1972, Birrieria Don Boni has been a family-run establishment bringing delicious birria to Los Angeles. Founder Don Bonifacio Gonzales was born in Jalisco and brought his century-old birria recipe with him to California. Today, that same recipe is still used, alongside handmade tortillas, all served with onions, cilantro and lime.
Visit: Birrieria Don Boni
10. Birria de Res La Tia Juana
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Location: Los Angeles, California
It's not glamorous, but for food this good, it doesn't have to be. This Los Angeles food truck is always packed with neighborhood locals looking to get their fill of tender, juicy birria. Go for the quesadilla version, which is stuffed to the brim with the succulent meat, cheese, cilantro and onions. The truck is always parked in the same spot, so you won't have to chase it all over town to find it.
Visit: Birria de Res La Tia Juana
9. Birria El Compa
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Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Done up in the traditional Jalisco style, Birrieria El Compa is known for its crispy, crunchy, plump tacos dorados filled with beef birria. Also excellent are the birria tacos de chivo. The consommé here is next level, with a rich and deep flavor. Add a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of onions and cilantro, and these birria tacos are what dreams are made of.
Visit: Birria El Compa
8. Birrieria El Tijuanazo
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Location: Moreno Valley, California
The same owners of the Colton counterpart to this restaurant bring their famous birria recipe to Moreno Valley. In fact, many customers argue that the Moreno Valley location is the superlative one. Done in the Tijuana style, the birria here is packed with meat, doused with succulent juice and smashed into handmade tortillas. Opt for the ones with cheese for an extra level of awesome.
Visit: Birrieria El Tijuanazo
7. Birrieria Zaragoza
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Location: Chicago, Illinois
Owner Juan Zaragoza brings a taste of his hometown (La Barca, Jalisco) to Chicago. He opened the restaurant in 2007 as a five-table storefront in the Archer Heights neighborhood. The restaurant is owned by Juan and his wife, Norma, and their son, Jonathan, is the Executive Chef. You can taste the tradition and love in every single bite of their classically prepared birria. A variety of plates are on the menu, but the large plate of birria is the star here, with cilantro, onion, lime, salsa and chile de arbol.
Visit: Birrieria Zaragoza
6. Birrieria Patinos Ocotlan
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Location: Chicago, Illinois
Another Chicago staple, Birrieria Patinos Ocotlan, is a stand-out option in a town full of Mexican restaurants and taco stands. This humble shop always has a line out the door and for good reason — the birria tacos are insane. The braised goat is melt-in-your-mouth good, topped with salsas and fried chilis and stuffed in between handmade tortillas. Don't forget to try the homemade horchata as well.
Visit: Birrieria Patinos Ocotlan
5. Tacos y Birria La Única
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Skip the flight to Jalisco, and just head to this Los Angeles-favorite taco truck, where the birria is hot, tender and intense. Guests seem to love the vampiros and quesadillas as well as their regular tacos, of which lengua and asada are top notch. But what draws you in here are the birria tacos, hot and crispy on the outside and juicy and delicious on the inside.
Visit: Tacos y Birria La Única
4. Birrieria Estilo Jalisco
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Location: Chicago, Illinois
Often the best-tasting food comes from the most unassuming places, and that is certainly the case with Birrieria Estilo Jalisco. Located on a humble block in Chicago, the delectable birria here simply melts in your mouth. Order by the plate or by the taco for perfectly tender, authentically prepared birria, straight from the pots of Jalisco.
Visit: Birrieria Estilo Jalisco
3. Birrieria Las Marias
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Location: Phoenix, Arizona
While the menu here has everything you'd want from an authentic Mexican restaurant, what you're really coming for here is, of course, the birria. This Phoenix necessity does not skimp on the meat. Expect tacos that are completely stuffed with perfectly slow-cooked meat. And the succulent consommé adds a whole other level of savory flavor.
Visit: Birrieria Las Marias
2. Birrieria Ocotlan
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Location: Chicago, Illinois
Like many other cities in the U.S., Chicago does birria well. But if there is one spot to get birria in Chicago, diners agree that it has to be Birria Ocotlan. From the quantity and quality of food to the extremely affordable prices, diners from all over the Windy City name this the best spot in town for the most authentic, rich and hearty birria tacos.
Visit: Birrieria Ocotlan
1. Taqueria y Birrieria Las Cuatro Milpas
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Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
It may surprise you that some of the best birria tacos in the United States are found in Minneapolis, but it’s true. Taqueria y Birrieria Las Cuatro Milpas is serving up absolutely next-level birria tacos from the Twin Cities. Tacos dorados de birria, quesabirria and even the burrito and quesadillas are supremely well balanced, delicious, hot, flavorful and at a great price. If you're looking for some of the best birria in the country, Minneapolis may have to be your first stop.
Visit: Taqueria y Birrieria Las Cuatro Milpas