Birrieria Guadalajara

Even by Orange County’s high standards for Mexican food, Birrieria Guadalajara is special – though also somewhat mysterious. During the late 2010s, birria – heavily stewed meat coming from either cows, goats, or lambs, invented in Cocula, Mexico – reached a critical mass of appeal around Southern California, spawning dedicated restaurants and inspiring existing taco shops to update their menus. At some point, Birrieria Guadalajara restaurants began popping up all around California, offering birria in the style of Guadalajara, which is near Cocula.

Today, there are at least 10 Birrieria Guadalajara locations across Orange County. Though they use similar logos and may have similar menus, they do not appear to be commonly owned; there’s no central web site for all of them, and little social media. Their online ratings vary widely, and our only experience is with the Costa Mesa location on Placentia Avenue.

It wasn’t the ramen birria that made us fall in love with the Costa Mesa restaurant, though it was certainly their most Instagram-ready dish – and so filling, despite the supermarket-grade noodles, that a single person probably won’t need anything else except a drink to wash it down.