Here is a list of the most promising birria spots in San Diego that were suggested by people in Facebook foodie groups, Reddit, and various lists and websites found on Google, sorted by meat. Thank you to everyone who helped to contribute to this list. There is literally no way that I could have done this without all of you!  This is NOT simply a list of every birria spot in San Diego that I can find.

 

For some of you, the best birria in town is clearly either Ed Fernandez or La Central. For others, you have been looking for places that serve goat birria and have been unlikely to find many decent options. And for those like me, we just like to be adventurous and try as many places as possible, while taking in each full individual experience. So, now you have some more options that you are aware of!

 

To make this list thoroughly accurate, I have personally called every single location. Some items vary by location, as noted throughout the list below. Also, please be aware that some places may have limited days/hours when they sell birria.

 

As with any list, over time places open/close/relocate/change their menu, so always check ahead with that specific location before going, to make sure that they still have what you are looking for. Now that I have "finished" this list, I plan to move on to new lists during my free time. With this being said, I cannot promise how often I will update this list now that it is posted.

 

If I am missing any restaurants/locations, please let me know. Also, please comment regarding your thoughts on any places in San Diego that you have eaten birria. 

 

This was a major project! Just the time I spent researching the best potential birria spots in San Diego online, took a ridiculous amount of hours (literally hundreds!). Then for the icing on the cake; I have created a Google map specifically for birria in San Diego, noting which meats are used at each location, then I made this sharable for everyone who wants access to it. 

 

Now, wherever you are in San Diego as a resident or a visitor, and you have those birria cravings, just click on this map. I highly suggest saving this for your future reference and easy access. I already did all of the work for you!

 

CLICK HERE FOR JOE'S BIRRIA GOOGLE MAP.

 

While it seems that many people enjoy my daily foodie posts across different Facebook groups,  I am aware that there are a handful of people who have been skeptical, questioning my intentions, as well as the quality of my posts. Well yes, I do eventually get around to using information from my daily posts and other posts/online research, and then present the results in a user-friendly and resourceful manner, to the best of my ability, as time allows. 

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Now my goal is that whenever I eat birria at one of these places, that I will post a pic, rating, review, and rank them. While some people love lists like I do, I understand that adding this extra information from my personal experience will only enhance this website even more. 

 

If you find any of my posts, lists, maps, or information helpful, please consider buying me a Taco, or margarita by donating to my Venmo @josephnorwood. 

 

OVERALL BEST BIRRIA - 76 PLACES, 130 LOCATIONS

 

ONLY BEEF (64 PLACES, 112 LOCATIONS)

664 TJ Birrieria (Barrio Logan, Chula Vista, City Heights, El Cajon, Hillcrest, Logan Heights, National City x 2, Pacific Beach, Palm City, South Encanto, Vista)

Agave Birrieria (Encinitas)

Bad Hombres Good Mexican Food (Santee)

Birria El Rey (Golden Hill)

Birria Kings (Chula Vista, National City)

Birria Spot (Location Varies)

Birrieria Negro Durazo (Spring Valley) ONLY SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AT SWAP MEET AT 6377 QUARRY ROAD, SPRING VALLEY. BIRRIERIA NEGRO DURAZO LOCATION IS NOT CURRENTLY ON GOOGLE MAPS. I MANUALLY ENTERED IT ON MY BIRRIA GOOGLE MAP.

Birrieria La Loteria (Lemon Grove)

Carnitas Las Michoacanas (Rolando) CHULA VISTA ON GOAT LIST

Chào XO Asian Fusion (National City)

Cocina de Ledezma (Valley Center)

Colima's Mexican Restaurant (Bonita. El Cajon, North Park, Oceanside, Vista)  NO BIRRIA AT CHULA VISTA

Cotixan (Clairemont - Genesee, Encinitas, Mira Mesa)  NO BIRRIA AT SERRA MESA OR CLAIREMONT MESA BLVD

Craft Coast Beer and Tacos (Oceanside)

Don Vargas Birrieria (Chula Vista)

Ed Fernandez Restaurant Birrieria (Nestor)

EL CILANTRO MEXICAN GRILL (El Cajon)

El Gordo Mexican Food (Kearny Mesa)

El Pollo Grill (Bonita, Otay Ranch)  NO BIRRIA AT LEMON GROVE

El primo birrieria (Chula Vista, East Village)

El Tio Pepe Food Truck (Chula Vista)

El Viejon Seafood (Kearny Mesa)

Ferchaladas birria y mariscos (Logan Heights)

Huapangos (Hillcrest)

King and Queen Cantina (Little Italy)

La Central Birrieria & Menuderia (Nestor)

La Doña (Ocean Beach)

La Fachada (Logan Heights)

La Fuente Mexican Food (Chula Vista, Hillcrest, Serra Mesa)

La Libertad Cocina Urbana (Emerald Hills)

La Nacional (Chula Vista) ONLY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

Los Panchos (Del Cerro, Chula Vista x 3, Escondido, Linda Vista, Hillcrest, National City)

Los Tacos (Encinitas, Oceanside x 2, Temecula)

Lupe's Mexican Eatery (Clairemont)

Mariscos & Birria El Ritchie (El Cajon)

Mariscos la Reyna Del Sur Restaurants plus Trucks 1, 2,  3, and 4 (Chula Vista, Mission Valley, Sorrento Valley, Southcrest, University Heights)

Mariscos y Birrieria El Prieto (Chula Vista x 2, El Cajon, Redwood Village)

Mati's Birria + Beer (Pacific Beach)

Menuderia Don Vicente (National City)

Mike's Red Tacos (Clairemont)

Mr. Birria (Santee)

Mucha Fruta taqueria y fruteria (City Heights)

Penelopes Mexican Food (College East)

Ponces (Del Sur, Kensington)

Puesto (Downtown, La Jolla, Mission Valley)

Quiero Restaurants (Imperial Beach, Seaport Village)

Sabor a Birria (South Park)

Sapos Tacos (Mondays Santee) AT BNS BREWING AND DISTILLERY 10960 WHEATLANDS AVE, SANTEE. SAPOS TACOS LOCATION IS NOT CURRENTLY ON GOOGLE MAPS. I MANUALLY ENTERED IT ON MY BIRRIA GOOGLE MAP. THEY ALSO DO CATERING AND LOCATION VARIES.

Sawaya Brothers Jr/ Pollo Mex (Southcrest)

South Beach Bar & Grille (Ocean Beach)

Taco Lounge (Otay Ranch)

Tacos Asadero (Rancho Bernardo)

Tacos de Birria El Chinito Jr (Chula Vista - Montgomery Street) H STREET IS CLOSED. NEW LOCATION TO BE OPENED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

Tacos El Cabron (Gaslamp)

Tacos El Gallo (El Cajon)

Tacos El Panson (City Heights)

Tacos El Poblano (Chula Vista)

Taqueria El Cino (Nestor)

Taqueria Los Chuchys (Gaslamp)

Taqueria Revolucion (Bonita, Otay Ranch)

Todo Pa' La Cruda (Grant Hill)

Tuétano Taqueria (Chula Vista) REOPEN SOMETIME IN 2024 AT NEW LOCATION

Vallarta Supermarkets (National City) ESCONDIDO ON BEEF AND GOAT LIST

Yesenia's Mexican Food (Carmel Mountain Ranch, El Cajon, Kearny Mesa, North Park)

 

ONLY GOAT (3 SPOTS, 3 LOCATIONS)

Carnitas Las Michoacanas (Chula Vista)  ROLANDO ON BEEF LIST

El Comal (North Park)

Super Cocina (City Heights)

 

ONLY PORK (1 SPOT, 1 LOCATION)

Salud Tacos (Barrio Logan)

 

BOTH BEEF AND PORK (1 SPOT, 1 LOCATION)

Cocina de Barrio (Encinitas) HILLCREST ON BEEF AND GOAT LIST, POINT LOMA ON BEEF AND LAMB LIST

 

BOTH BEEF AND LAMB (2 SPOTS, 2 LOCATIONS)

Birrieria & Taqueria La Huasteca (Pacific Beach)

Cocina de Barrio (Point Loma) ENCINITAS ON BEEF AND PORK LIST, HILLCREST ON BEEF AND GOAT LIST

 

BOTH BEEF AND GOAT (9 SPOTS, 12 LOCATIONS)

Birria’s El Padrino (Oceanside)

Birrieria Ay Jalisco (Escondido)

Birrieria Don Rafa (Chula Vista)

Birrieria Y Menuderia Guadalajara (Chula Vista x 2, City Heights)

Cocina de Barrio (Hillcrest) ENCINITAS ON PORK LIST, POINT LOMA ON BEEF AND LAMB LIST

El Rey Moro Taco Shop (Clairemont, Pacific Beach)

Five Star Market (Escondido) ONLY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

La Cocina De Rosita (Grant Hill)

Vallarta Supermarkets (Escondido) CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM GOAT. NATIONAL CITY ON BEEF LIST

 

CLOSED PERMANENTLY (8 SPOTS, 11 LOCATIONS)

Birria Don Juan (Chula Vista)

The Birria Truck (Location Varies)

Birrieria Negro Durazo (East Village, National City) 

EL CHINITO JR tacos de birria (Chula Vista - H Street)

El Toro Street Tacos & Beer, formerly Taco Kings, formerly El Toro Del Cerro (Del Cerro)

La Taqueria Tijuana (Hillcrest, Little Italy)

Mariscos y Birrieria El Prieto (Mira Mesa)

Serrano's Street Tacos & Bar (Coronado, Gaslamp)

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JOE'S RANKINGS, RATINGS, REVIEWS AND PICS WILL BE ADDED AS THEY HAPPEN. THIS WILL BE A SLOW PROCESS.

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