Birria has taken Galveston by storm, popping up on menus in forms both familiar and unexpected - crispy tacos, cheesy quesadillas, steaming ramen bowls, loaded fries, and even birria-topped snacks. It’s the kind of dish that invites exploration, and local restaurants are embracing its versatility with enthusiasm.
The story of birria begins in the Mexican state of Jalisco, where cooks developed a way to transform tough cuts of meat into something celebratory. By marinating the meat in a vibrant adobo of dried chiles, garlic, spices, and vinegar, then braising it slowly until it falls apart, they created a dish that became a staple at weddings, holidays, and family gatherings. The rich consommé left behind became just as iconic as the meat itself.
Making birria today still honors those roots: a deeply seasoned marinade, hours of patient cooking, and a broth that carries layers of smoky, spicy, and savory notes. It’s this foundation that allows chefs to reinterpret birria in so many delicious ways - and why it’s become one of the island’s most crave-worthy flavors.
Galveston now has birria offerings scattered all across the island, from longtime neighborhood favorites to newer food trucks and cantinas. While countless restaurants serve their own take on this slow cooked classic, the spots highlighted below were the most consistently recommended by our staff and our readers.
Many of them - including several food trucks - also offer delivery through DoorDash, making it easier than ever to enjoy birria wherever you are on the island.
Brewchachos Tacos & Cantina | 2010 Strand
Brewchachos serves hearty Quesa Birria Tacos: three corn-tortilla tacos filled with slow-cooked pulled brisket, melted jack cheese, onion, and cilantro. Each order comes with their house-made consommé for dipping.
Café Canela Restaurant | 6105 Stewart Road
Café Canela prepares its birria fresh each week, beginning the cooking process on Wednesday and serving it only on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday - until it sells out. Their birria tacos include four toasted corn-tortilla tacos served with consommé, cilantro, and onions, with the option to add cheese for queso birria tacos. Off-menu birria options, including birria-filled gorditas and a birria burrito, are also available on those same days while supplies last.
Chilangos Brothers Taco Shop | 708 Holiday Drive
Chilangos Brothers offers several birria-forward dishes, starting with their popular Birriamen - a comforting bowl of ramen infused with house birria, cilantro, onion, and a splash of Valentina. Their quesabirria features three corn-tortilla quesadillas stuffed with cheese and birria, served with consommé, onion, and cilantro. They also serve traditional birria tacos made with slow-cooked beef, plus birria burritos wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.
El Jefe Mexican Food Truck | 3801 Broadway
El Jefe offers a full lineup of birria dishes, starting with birria ramen - savory ramen noodles in a rich birria broth topped with shredded birria, cheese, cilantro, onions, and sliced avocado. Their gorditas feature three corn cakes stuffed with birria, lettuce, tomatoes, Mexican cream, and refried beans. Birria tacos come as an order of five beef birria tacos with onion, cilantro, red and green salsa, limes, and consommé. They also serve a Pizza Birria: a double-layered tortilla “pizza” packed with birria and Monterey cheese, finished with onions, cilantro, limes, consommé, and red and green salsas.
Galveston Island Taco | 2028 Strand
This BOI family-owned food truck at Hendley Green Park serves authentic Mexican dishes made with meat sourced from local markets. Their birria tacos - three cheesy tacos served with consommé - are available on weekends and remain one of their most popular offerings.
Gordita’s Mexico | 712 Seawall Blvd
Gordita’s Mexico serves Jalisco style quesabirria - crispy fried corn tortillas filled with slow-cooked shredded beef, melted cheese, and a rich, spiced red broth flavor. Each order comes with limes and consommé for dipping. The restaurant offers a wide range of traditional dishes from regions across Mexico, with their quesabirria standing out as a customer favorite.
Mr. Taco Cantina | 4114 Seawall Blvd
Mr. Taco Cantina serves tender shredded beef birria tucked into warm corn tortillas, topped with pickled onions and fresh cilantro. Each order comes with a rich consommé for dipping, along with refried beans and Mexican rice for a full, hearty plate.
Mr. Taco Downtown | 120 20th Street
Mr. Taco Downtown serves classic birria tacos made with tender shredded beef and melted cheese tucked into crunchy corn tortillas. Each order is topped with pickled onions and cilantro and paired with a rich, flavorful consommé for dipping.
Social Tap Cocktails & Kitchen | 811 21st Street
Social Tap puts a creative spin on birria with its Viva La Birria pizza, built on a Chicago-style thin crust layered with marinara, birria, mozzarella, salsa verde, and cilantro. They also serve quesobirria tacos topped with pickled red onions served with fresh limes and consommé for dipping. Guests can round out their meal with birria nachos made from house-made chips topped with birria, queso, and beans.
Tacos El Faraon | 3902 Broadway
Tacos El Faraon is a food truck that offers several birria favorites, starting with their Birriarramen - savory ramen noodles in a rich broth topped with tender shredded meat, cilantro, onions, and sliced avocado, finished with lime wedges. Their birria tacos include four tacos served with a cup of frijoles charros, while the quesabirria features a cheese-filled corn tortilla stuffed with stewed birria and served with consommé. They also make a playful Pizza Birria: two oversized tortillas layered quesadilla-style with birria and cheese, served in a pizza box with consommé for dipping.
Vida Agave | 711 25th Street
Vida Agave offers a birria quesadilla made with slow-cooked beef birria and melted cheese grilled to golden perfection, served with cilantro, onions, and consommé. Their birria tacos come four to an order, stuffed with beef birria and Monterey Jack cheese, topped with onions, cilantro, consommé, and pickled onions. They also serve Agave Fries, a loaded basket of waffle fries topped with birria, roasted corn, bacon, queso, Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, cotija, and pickled jalapeños, served with chipotle aioli. Vida Nachos topped with birria round out their birria-inspired menu.