Build Your Los Angeles Birria List: A Tasting Method

To build a Los Angeles birria list, judge each stand on the meat, the broth, the tortilla and the salsa, and keep the same order each visit. Birria is on every corner of Los Angeles now, from trucks to sit-down kitchens, and no one eats enough of it to remember each plate.

Birria began in Jalisco as a goat stew slow-cooked in chiles and spices. A method travels to any parking lot, truck or counter in the county, and the notes make each stand comparable.

Where does birria come from?

Birria began in Jalisco as a goat stew, slow cooked in chiles and spices. Its exact age is not well documented. The taco version took shape in Tijuana, where beef became common, and sources disagree on when. One food writer saw birria served in tacos at a Tijuana truck, and cooks soon added cheese.

Tijuana cooks brought quesabirria to Los Angeles around 2016, according to one source, and social media helped it spread. Sources disagree on where dipping the taco in the broth began. So the dish you are eating has been in motion for a long time, and the version in front of you may differ from the one at the next stand.

How do you rate birria tacos?

To rate birria tacos fairly, order the same thing each time: a plain taco, a cheese version if the stand offers one, and a cup of broth. Judge four things in order: the meat, the broth, the tortilla and the salsa. Give each a mark and one line of notes.

Take a bite before you dip. The meat should be tender enough to shred and rich without tasting greasy. Then dip and taste again. The broth should deepen the flavor, not drown it.

What should you look for in the meat?

Birria meat should be moist, deeply seasoned and easy to pull apart. Beef is common, goat is the older tradition and some stands offer both. Look for a clear taste of dried chile, a little warmth from spice and a savory depth that comes from long cooking.

Dry meat is the most common miss. Meat that tastes only of salt is the second. Ask which meat the stand uses, and write it on the card, since a beef taco and a goat taco are different dishes. If you can, order a taco of each and compare them side by side.

How do you judge the consomé?

The consomé is the broth that comes in a cup alongside the tacos. It is made from the cooking liquid and should be red, glossy and full of flavor without being greasy. A thin, pale broth suggests the pot was watered down.

Taste it plain before you dip. It should be hot, savory and slightly spicy, with onion and cilantro on top. A good broth makes you want to drink the last of it. A broth that is lukewarm by the time it reaches the table loses points for that alone.

What about the tortilla, cheese and salsa?

For tacos made with cheese, the tortilla is dipped in fat from the pot and crisped on a griddle, which gives it color and crunch. It should hold together when dipped, and the cheese should be melted all the way through. A tortilla that tears is a miss.

Salsas, lime, onion and cilantro finish the plate. Note whether the salsa adds heat or brightness, and whether the stand offers a choice. A thoughtful table of toppings often means the kitchen cares about the rest.

How do you keep notes and build a Los Angeles birria list?

Write the stand, the date and the order at the top of a card. Give meat, broth, tortilla and salsa one mark each, a hit, a fine or a miss, and add one line on what stood out. Keep the order the same so that the results compare.

After five or six visits, sort the cards. Put the best meat first, then the best broth, then the best value, and keep the list to ten. A good list names the stand and the one thing to order.

How do you compare and share LA favorites?

An LA birria ranking of your own is a map of your palate, not a verdict on any stand. Compare it with a friend's by swapping lists and seeing where you differ. The differences teach more than the matches.

Be honest about the day, too. A stand can be off on a Tuesday and excellent on a Saturday, and a note on timing helps you decide whether to return. To share LA favorites, send your list to one person and ask for theirs.

Where should you read next?

For more Los Angeles eating, read the best pastrami and delis in Los Angeles guide and the downtown Los Angeles food guide. The Los Angeles farmers markets guide helps on weekends, and the US guides page lists more cities.

How this works in the app: Make a list.

Friends' picks on the Mosey map show the places the people you follow have rated or saved, which helps when you are choosing where to start your birria list.

When you are ready to start, download the Mosey app, rate your next birria taco on the meat, the broth and the tortilla, and keep a Los Angeles list that is yours to edit and to hand around.