Los Angeles was at the center of the great birria taco boom that took the country by storm just a few years ago. At some point, it felt like everyone under the Southern California sun was dunking their beef-filled tacos into a steaming cup of consomé before taking their first bite.
But before this craze, birria was commonly known as a dish served on a plate, usually only on weekends and at family parties or big celebrations like bautizos (baptisms) or quinceañeras.
Birria was usually served with the meat still clinging to the bone, bathing in a bowl of rich broth that the beef had been slowly cooked in. In the U.S., the land of "combination plates," birria came to be served with a side of Mexican rice, beans, and packaged tortillas.
Birria originally comes from Jalisco, which is known to be traditionally cooked with goat, but in places like Tijuana, birria is made with beef. Naturally, beef is more approachable and cheaper, but birria de chivo is said to be one of the best. Let one thing be clear: Both have their purpose in the Taco Life.
Now, you can find its taco and dish forms every day of the week at any given taquería as an additional filling option next to asada, al pastor, and carnitas.
From goat to beef, tongue, and even jackfruit birria, these are the best birria tacos from L.A. TACO’s "TACO 69" guide. A curated list that ranks the best tacos in Los Angeles.