The Best Birria Taco Restaurant In Every State

Birria, the famous Mexican meat stew dish, is becoming increasingly popular among U.S. foodies. This tender, juicy meat dish has been popping up in taquerias: Even Mexican-style fast food staple El Pollo Loco has gotten in on the craze. Birria originated in Jalisco, Mexico, and it was traditionally made with goat meat. As the birria craze spread North through Mexico, beef birria ("birria de res" in Spanish) became more popular. Birria is now taking the U.S. by storm, and many restaurants actually opt for beef, possibly owing to the fact that the U.S. is the world's biggest beef producer. And while you may be familiar with the best tacos in every state, you may not have considered the best establishments that offer birria tacos. 

The Mexican diaspora in the U.S. is not, of course, evenly distributed, so while the Southwest may have dozens of restaurants offering birria, some other states in which the birria craze has barely penetrated the restaurant scene may have slim pickings. Professional and amateur reviews, word-of-mouth from locals on social media, and restaurant awards granted at the local and national levels can help determine the best birria taco restaurant in each state. The tastiest birria tacos are absolute knockouts, whether they're mutton- or beef-based; red-shelled or not; cheese-laden or dairy-free. 

Alaska, despite being geographically closer to Russia than it is to Mexico, has developed a homegrown birria scene. Anchorage's AK House of Birria was started by a husband and wife team who were inspired by learning about the dish on the Cooking Channel. The couple has been steadily growing the operation, largely due to the glowing reviews it receives from its customers. They have plans to expand the offerings to include goat meat. They're also working on establishing a food truck that can serve up delicious Mexican foods. AK House of Birria is well-poised to offer some prime South-of-the-border flavor.

Due to the advent of the popularity of birria tacos, U.S. diners have been exposed to the long-marinated meat without experiencing it in the traditional format as a stew. This has led to some confusion between birria and barbacoa. Barbacoa originated in Central Mexico. It's a traditional Mexican dish that entails cooking slow-cooking meat, typically lamb or goat, in a hole in the ground. El Señor de los Tacos serves both of these dishes across two locations in Arkansas, one in Rogers and the other in Springdale. It uses goat meat for the birria and beef for the barbacoa, offering customers a variety of different flavors. 

Redditors frequently recommend La Calle when someone asks for good local Mexican fare in Denver, Colorado. La Calle opened in 2012 with a dedication to serving authentic Mexican food and street-style tacos. While La Calle does serve good birria, it actually serves traditional goat birria stews. You will not find birria tacos anywhere on the menu. However, the stew arrives with a side of tortillas, meaning some assembly is all you really need for good birria tacos. La Calle also sells barbacoa tacos and asada tacos, among other varieties. La Calle's food is highly recommended by local food critics.

El Pique specializes in all things braised and stewed, and it serves bowls of lamb-based consomé. El Pique's website features a banner photo of crispy birria tacos, tortillas soaked and fried in consomé, and a giant cup of that broth. Its delicious quesabirrias contain lamb and mozzarella, and they're served with a variety of condiments for dipping. El Pique also serves a range of different tacos. If you're feeling especially hungry, you could opt for the combos, which are served with two sides. One intrepid Redditor who was compiling a field guide on the First State's Mexican food and tasted the tacos firsthand gave them a 10 out of 10. 

You probably think you know which city in Georgia boasts the best food scene, but you might be wrong. You may still refer to Atlanta as "Hotlanta;" however, the best spots for knockout birria aren't in Atlanta but at a twenty-minute drive Northwest, in Marietta. Birria El Gordo serves a healthy selection of birria fillings: Goat, beef, and even jackfruit for the vegans. This spot is so popular that people often stand in line for the tacos. Birria El Gordo started off as a weekend pop-up during the Covid-19 pandemic, but its popularity has given it staying power and led to it staying open week-round.

Bronco Tacos serves some of the most incredible tacos in Boise. It's a family-run food truck that's typically parked behind the Old Fashioned Fruit and Veg farmers' market. Broncos Tacos serves incredibly delicious maruchabirria or birria ramen. Customers can also ask for a quesabirria taco on the side for dipping. This gives diners the experience of dipping the taco in the consomé broth. The three-taco quesabirria plate is also a great option. Birria lovers can also opt for the birria quesadilla or the birria burrito. The birria quesadilla contains birria and melted cheese, and it is also perfect for dipping in consomé. 

Indianapolitans (yes, that's what they're called) asking for good birria tacos on Reddit are often pointed in the direction of Paco's. Paco's is a three-location chain. It operates restaurants in two locations: One in Keystone and the other one in Thompson Road. It also operates a food truck. Paco's, by all appearances, makes a mean beef birria. However, Aqueria Y Birrieria Aqui es Jalisco, a dine-in restaurant situated in Indianapolis' Parkview neighborhood, really brings the beef and the mutton with a kaleidoscope of housemade hot sauces as topping options. The birria is incredibly delicious, and if you're feeling particularly hungry, you can opt for the birria plate.  

Any survey of Kansas' top birria spots must pay respects to El Menudazo KC, a restaurant that specialized in birria, and the similar Mexican meat stew and folk hangover cure, menudo. The passing of El Menudazo's founder and recipe creator Jose Lucero prompted the restaurant's closure at the end of 2021, leaving big shoes to fill. The best contender for a successor has got to be Tacos El Guero 100 Percent Michoacanos. It has stellar reviews from both customers and critics. El Guero serves delicious birria stew, and it has earned frequent the title for the best birria tacos in town from Kansas residents.

Imagine making birria so good it changes your entire business model. Valencia Labostrie started a mobile bartending service that later began serving birria tacos and ramen. BR Guilty Pleasures shifted focus from slinging drinks to serving hungry customers some of the best succulent beef birria in the Baton Rogue area. Labostrie makes her famed birria by cooking chuck or sirloin roast with spices and vegetables for several hours. This delicious meat is then packed into corn tortillas. Pre-ordering and following Guilty Pleasures' movements on social media are the best methods to secure your food before the daily stock runs dry.

You've likely noticed that most renditions of birria in the U.S. utilize beef, and the more traditional Jalisco-style goat birria is not quite as popular. Meanwhile, Baltimore's La Food Marketa rides in with pork as the choice of meat. The reason? Chef John Bedingfield simply wanted to switch things up after seeing beef practically everywhere, and he asserts that pork is actually much more tender (via Baltimore Magazine). Pork birria may blur the lines between birria and your standard carnitas, but the hearty side of broth for taco-dipping should help make the delicious distinction quite clear.

Many of the Great Lakes State's best birria joints have congregated in the Metro Detroit area, and the Catrina Mia food truck has carved out a particular niche by keeping its food 100 percent halal and catering to Michigan's growing Muslim population. Catrina Mia is currently located in the Detroit exurb of Dearborn Heights, and it serves slow-cooked birria cradled in golden-tinged tortillas. Its birria tacos, which are smothered with melted cheese, are incredible. Those looking for more exotic birria meals can also explore the birria pizza as well as the ingenious and unique birria grilled cheese. 

Green Ghost Tacos has two locations in Mississippi: One in Jackson and the other in Ridgeland. Green Ghost Tacos takes pride in serving authentic and delicious Mexican fare. The recipes utilized by this restaurant originate from founder Cesar Torres' mother. However, only the Fondren location serves birria tacos from its specialty menu. Green Ghost Tacos is also among restaurants that are reportedly favored by Mississippi lawmakers, perhaps due to its proximity to the capitol. Diners can enjoy $2 tacos on Taco Tuesdays. You can choose between a variety of taco meats, such as chicken, steak, beef, shrimp, carnitas, and chorizo.

Birria tacos can be somewhat difficult to find in Montana. While there have been some reports of a great food truck in the area, there are few established spots where you can reliably procure birria. Luckily, Robert Ibarra opened the Taqueria Ibarra food truck in Great Falls, Montana. The truck tours the Great Falls area on a seasonal basis,  regularly closing down during harsh Montana winters. Ibarra reportedly worked with local businesses in the Great Falls area to promote the food and his business. The  Taqueria Ibarra food truck serves queso birria tacos served with rich, practically-opaque consomé as a special offering. This special dish is often only offered on Sundays. 

Las Vegas, as a major city in a Southwestern state with a bustling tourism industry, is, of course, spoiled for choice, which makes finding a reigning champion a challenge. The restaurant Birria El Compa opened its sister restaurant La Cruda. La Cruda by Birria El Compa serves goat birria as well as beef birria. Las Vegas Weekly applauds its quesadilla con carn as the best delivery method for El Compa's birria but don't miss out on the queso tacos: They're particularly good when served alongside consomé. You could also opt for the carnitas or the menudo. 

Irma's Cafe in New Jersey is a restaurant in New Jersey that has both Mexican and Salvadorian staples on its menu. This cozy spot in the Heights (not to be confused with New York's Washington Heights) has impressed both casual diners and food critics. Jersey City has plenty of restaurants that specialize in birria, but Irma's takes the top spot for consistent overall quality across its entire menu. Irma's consomé-fried tortillas have a bold, rich nacho-cheese-orange hue, whether they're served with or without dripping cheese; however, both versions arrive with complimentary consomé when ordered they're ordered in a set of four.

New York's Mexican-American population has had a significant influence on the Empire State, and especially New York City, which boasts great taquerias and taco trucks that have seized on the birria trend. The East Harlem eatery Las Delicias Mexicanas serves solid, authentic birria. Las Delicias serves a healthy bowl of goat birria, which consists of vegetables in a thick, rich, spicy guajillo broth. Las Delicias' birria tacos are served in sets of three with a cup of dark red consomé. The birria tacos are topped with sour cream and cheese. The birria quesadilla is another great option. 

The Casa Delica food truck has opened and closed a restaurant. It seeks to reopen a brick-and-mortar location, but all the while, it has been slinging delicious birria.  Casa Delicia sources its peppers straight from Mexico to spice its birria. It also serves birria tacos and quesabirria. The tacos are perfect when accompanied by a variety of different sauces as well as a lovely bowl of consomé. The food truck is typically parked in a strip mall on Northern Pacific Avenue. Casa Delicia's frequent specialty pop-up events and trips to the open-air Red River Market offer additional opportunities to get its delicious food while it's hot.

The Birrieria Diaz restaurant in Bethany, Oklahoma, was founded by Juan Diaz in 2011. While Juan prepares the food himself, his daughter Lily manages other aspects of the business. Birrieria Diaz serves both lamb and beef birria varieties in three different sizes. Customers can order consomé for dipping purposes. You could also opt for the quesabirria tacos, which are served alongside famous red-stained consomé-fried tortillas and a side of broth for hot and spicy dipping. Other exciting dishes include the Tacos Dorados, which consist of mashed potato, cabbage, and sauce, and the Tacos Rancheros, which contain steak, onions, and cheese. 

Mi Pueblito has such a solid reputation in the tri-state area: The New Jersey Digest recommends that people from Southwest Jersey cross the Delaware River to sample the food truck's fare. The beef birria tacos are double wrapped, fried on the grill, and ladled with consomé as they crisp. Mi Pueblito offers catering for special events: Customers can pre-order taco trays. Mi Pueblito's hours are currently limited to Tuesdays and weekends. This food truck is dedicated to only serving beef, which makes it ideal for beef lovers. It also offers elotes, which are essentially a type of Mexican street corn. 

Lucy's Deliveries y Mas, formerly known as "La Cocina de Lucy," is a restaurant in Goose Creek located about a 30-minute drive north of Charleston. It was already a beloved local favorite before the big birria boom took off a few years ago. Lucy's Deliveries y Mas served goat birria for a few years before swapping to the more-popular beef option. The restaurant serves birria tacos, birria quesadillas, and the classic birria stew. Lucy's Deliveries y Mas also spins some Latin fusion magic in the form of a dish that combines Mexican birria with Puerto Rican mofongo.

If you're looking for a good take on birria, it helps to find a place that specialized in Jalisco cuisine, and Nashville has got you covered. Just about every handheld food on Jaliciense's menu can be ordered with birria, including tacos, quesadillas, and burritos. If you're feeling extra hungry, then you can order the birria platter, which is accompanied by a delicious sauce as well as rice, beans, and tortillas. This way, you can enjoy assembling your own taco. 

Santo Taco has five locations around the greater Salt Lake City area, but don't let the fact that it's "a chain" steer you away. The choice of meat used to make Santo Taco's beef birria puts it a cut above the rest: The chuck roast lends an extremely tender texture to the meat. The marbling melts into the rich consomé and gives it a lovely body and rich flavor. Utah indie food blog Donut Critic, who made several visits to assess the birria quality, even reported that Santo Taco had really stepped up its consomé game.

When Northern Virginia Magazine published a list of places serving knockout birria in the area, La China Poblana's consomé was ranked among the spiciest. This Mexican restaurant in the city of Manassas serves its famed brisket birria in the form of tacos, and of course, ramen, mulitas, and its own take on the pizza birria. The pizza contains Oaxaca cheese and brisket, as well as toppings such as cilantro, onions, and sour cream. It's served with consomé. La China's special twist? The tortillas are made with chile de arbol, which is a type of pepper. 

When the trendy cantina Cozumel Express opened in downtown Charleston last year, local blogger The Food Guy praised it but noted that there was a different place in the city offering the best birria tacos. Los Agaves opened in 2005, and it has three locations across the Charleston, Parkersburg, and Dunbar areas. As the menu indicates, the birria tacos are incredible and addictive. The beef is cooked in an extra special blend of numerous different spices and then folded into tacos and served alongside consomé. Los Agaves, in contrast to newcomer Cozumel, gets special marks for the savoriness and flavor of its consomé.

Laramie County's tourism initiative for the city of Cheyenne simply refers to Los Conejos as being one of the best food trucks in the city, which is a simple and direct assessment of this incredible food truck. Los Conejos offers hot Korean-Mexican fusion street food, giving even the most in-fashion taco-remixing trucks in Los Angeles a run for their money. Los Conejos' pork birria tacos really up the ante: They're a delicious escalation of the short rib tacos from chef Kogi Roy Choi's BBQ taco truck. Other incredible menu items include sliders, bao bun tacos, and truffle fries.