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    Birria El Rey

    4.6 (326 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 8:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Order Birria El Rey Takeout or Delivery

    Birria El Rey Photos

    Business Info

    BIRRIA EL REY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Birria El Rey

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    Birria chilaquiles
    Michelle F.

    Love Birria El Rey! Things are different now that they have an actual restaurant; with tables, a hostess, servers etc. The food quality and taste remains the same. Better actually since now they offer various creative breakfast items. A couple negative comments or constructive feedback: What's lacking now is their seating/hostess system. Unfortunately they only have four tables for four , the rest are tables for 2 (about 6-8 tables) and bar seating. They have a few tables inside, but it's pretty loud so you're better off seating outside. Unfortunately when dining here you order at least two entrees, drinks, they bring salsas, and pickled onions/limes, etc... so seating in a table for two gets crowded pretty quickly. They do need to figure something out as most people prefer to sit on the larger tables. Another negative note. Our food took FOREVER to come out (about 30-40 mins) there were only two parties ahead of us. And, it seemed they had waited a while for their food too. The food is delicious but it almost seems they had more hustle when they had the small window/food cart. I hope they can figure out their kinks sooner then later.

    This place has great birria but the flies suck
    Joan S.

    Love this place and the new location is perfect!!!! Much better for the best birria in SD imy opinion!! I always get the full order because it comes with a big bowl of birria, a side of tortillas & salsas. Reina usually serves us and is always very sweet!! My family and I will continue to come here.

    Adriana T.

    Birria El Rey is simply gorgeous. The space isn't overrun with Spanish décor, but the influence is there in the best way, subtle, thoughtful, and warm. I especially loved the framed pieces around the restaurant. It feels comfortable and welcoming, both inside and out. The menu makes one thing very clear: their specialty is BIRRIA, just in case it was not obvious. You'll find it done every way you could want, and a few you didn't even expect: *Birria tacos *Rich, flavorful consomé *A full birria plate *Burritos *Queso birria tacos *Birria Fries *And to my surprise, a BIRRIA GRILLED CHEESE (yes, and YES ) *Menudo *DESSERTS: choco flan, churros, and cinnamon buns. We ordered all of the above and were not disappointed. The food tasted authentic, cooked to perfection, and the portions were perfect. We left full and happy. The consomé was deep, rich, and not overly greasy, making it perfect for dipping every bite. Nothing was overwhelmingly spicy, which made it great for kids while still being packed with flavor for adults. Must-order: the queso birria tacos with consomé--non-negotiable. Highlights: *Parking in the back *Plenty of space for kids to move around *Family-owned, and it truly shows *Just steps from Golden Hill Park, making it a perfect spot to take a walk after your meal Every employee was upbeat and friendly, and we were even helped by the owner, who made sure everything came out perfectly. That level of care really stands out. This is the kind of place you bring visiting family to when you want to show off real San Diego Mexican food, perfect for a casual family meal, a weekend lunch, or a serious birria craving.

    Seating
    Caitlin D.

    You wait to be seated and inform the hostess how many people are in your party. The seating area is very clean and spacious. I love the incorporation of the bright yellow seating and wood features. The greenery on the other side of the structure adds a brightness to the space. I love when the sun was shining through the area, it was beautiful. The worker that helped seated us and took our order was very kind. She did try to upsell us with chips and salsa, churros at the end, but in a kind way. She felt very friendly and not pushy at all. She was very prompt with service as well-- bringing the food and drinks out. As well as bringing the condiments and silverware. And removing the dishes when we finished. I ordered a horchata & a taco. The taco was their birria taco, nothing too complex. The name of it was very simple so she was confused at first as to what I was ordering, haha. I chose this one because there was no cheese! She did offer the consume as well, but I just had the taco alone. This was also my first time having birria so I'm not exactly sure what to expect from it. My initial thoughts: it's quite oily, but the meat fell apart nicely and had great flavor. I had it with their green salsa and it wasn't too heated, but it was a nice consistency. The horchata had condensed milk on the side and some desiccated coconut. It was different, refreshing, and cold. Overall, it was okay! My friends had their specialty fries, burritos, rolled tacos, combo plates...which looked even better. They polished off those dishes well, so I would say it was a hit! They have a considerable number of items on the menu so something for everyone to try. Would recommend stopping by!

    Quesabirria, Consome
    Brianna R.

    I was visiting SD for the third time and desperately tried to hunt down the incredible quesabirria I had on my last visit. Unfortunately I couldn't find it (the spot may have closed) so I searched for a promising alternative to satisfy my birria cravings. This place was okay. I ordered the quesabirria with a side of consomé (I wasn't thrilled that it was an add on and not included). It was solid but not super memorable. I will say that the birria felt less heavy/greasy than others I've had which was a huge plus. The consomé was delightfully flavorful but a little too salty for me. Overall, decent service, cute decor, and okay food - but I probably won't be back with so many other birria options around SD.

    Food truck in parking lot behind 25th st building next to turf supper club
    Darlene N.

    El Rey Birria has been living rent-free in my mind for over a year. I finally made it back and I can confirm their birria is still completely unmatched. Their menu is one of the most creative I've seen, using birria in every way you could possibly imagine. You truly can't go wrong with the classic birria tacos -- juicy, flavorful, and everything you want in a bite. If you're in the mood for a hearty meal that'll also hold up as leftovers, the quesabirria is the move. It's rich, cheesy, packed with meat, and still tastes incredible the next day. They're currently tucked away behind a building in Golden Hill, a little hidden if you don't know what you're looking for, but they're about to move into the main building with a proper street-front entrance. Easy fix either way: just plug it into your GPS and don't miss out. If you love birria or just good food in general, El Rey Birria deserves a spot on your list.

    Outside
    Tim B.

    Came here on a recommendation from a friend and it didn't disappoint! We opted for the El Rey plate which was a huge portion of birria with beans, rice, and tortillas. So good! Only bummer is they sell the consume on the side, but let me tell you it's worth it! I made little tacos out of the birria and added salsa and red onions that came on the side and it was EPIC. Everything had amazing flavor here and I will be back!

    Menu
    Ryan B.

    Everything was delicious! I was starving so I ordered everything and was not disappointed with anything. The mulita was unreal and the consumé was perfect for everything. Staff was nice and helpful especially since we weren't totally sure how many how many would be in our party. Definitely grab a mulita or a quesadilla sometime!

    Michelada
    Marisol B.

    The birria is delicious but I stayed for the michelada. Everyone is kind and welcoming. The location is in the charming neighborhood of Golden Hill. The outdoor patio is inviting. Try the michelada it's the best!

    Steve T.

    Outstanding. Simple and easy and clean an delicious. My friend Yvonne was here YESTERDAY and loved the Taco Chicharón so much, she brought us all back here today!

    Mulita Birria (middle) Grilled Cheese Birria (bottom). Quesabirria was ordered too but didn't have enough time to take a picture.
    Berenice A.

    Food was amazing! Birria is nice tender melts in your mouth. Really recommend. Service is great ensuring we had everything we needed and that our food was up to what we hoped for. Ambiance is nice mellow outdoor seating. Really enjoyed it. We will be back. We had the quesabirria, mulita birria, and grilled cheese birria.

    Kaylynn Y.

    You want legit/authentic Birria? Say no more. Birria el Rey was a little drive out of our way, but it was WELL WORTH IT. I'm normally not a rice/beans girl - but even that was legit and delish!! The service was fast, the food was unreal, and the weather outside was perfect. It's always good day to get fresh Birria!!!

    I don't usually leave reviews but First time here, service was fast! We were in and out. We got quesabirria it was delicious! We sat outdoors it wasn't crowded and they had nice Spanish music playing. Cute spot to come after church or dinner. I definitely plan on coming back!

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    Birria El Rey Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Birria El Rey

    Do they serve anything else besides beef?

    I mean, you might be able to ask them for a plain quesadilla or just plain tortillas, but everything on their menu has birria (and therefore beef). If you're avoiding beef, I wouldn't come here.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    This place is so cool for celebrating special occasions…read more We celebrated our anniversary and they gave us a candle with our names on it!! So sweet The interior is so cool - very gothic medieval vibes inside!! We tried a couple of items but specifically LOVED the squash blossom and the crab donut and the duck memelita! The fried chicken tacos were pretty good as well Personally I did not love the fondue - comes with corn tortillas on the side - it's not my favorite style Drinks were great - I tried the guava Paloma and liked it a lot but wish it was a bit more sweet more guava flavor

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    Dramatic dining space!

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    Coasterra - main entrance

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    4.0(4k reviews)
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    Made reservations on open table but the space is so big there were still lots of vacancies when we…read morewent for a Saturday lunch. Ordered the crispy calamari, ceviche trio, and ahi tuna tostada. Enjoyed the different flavors of ceviche and was a fan of the super crispiness of calamari. My fav was the ahi tuna tostada. Super dressed up and had a good mix of crunchy, tart, salty, and mildly spicy. The restaurant has a great view of the ocean especially if you sit outside. Our waiter was very friendly and our food came out in a timely manner.

    My girlfriend made reservations for Mother's Day for an early dinner since her mom was in town. The…read morehostess were friendly and led us to our seats. The gentleman/waiter handed us the menu and went on his way. Chips and salsa along with waters for the table were brought and then that was when the service of our waiter went downhill. We ordered the ahi tuna and guacamole for our appetizers but the timing for the meal was so off. It was a long wait before the waiter even checked back on us and which is when I asked for a refill on my water and chips. We had order drinks as well. The smoked old fashion was good and the ahi tuna appetizer portion was plentiful. There were some parts of the diced ahi that was a bit chewy. The gaucamole portion was large and it wasn't until I asked another waiter did my refill of water and chips arrive. For entree, we got the scallops with corn cake, a salad and I had the poblano burger. I asked for the burger to be cooked to medium. When the entrees arrived my burger was overcooked with no pink in sight. The flavor of the burger was good but the burger was definitely dry as can be. The corn cake with scallop was interesting it was almost like the corn cake was a croquet that encased a corn salsa. Overall the food was okay but the service left a lot to be desired. The waiter and the end seemed to put up a fake act when the check came. Since we asked for the check it seemed like the waiter was on hyper speed. Overall the view is nice but the food and service did not meet the expectations.

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    Coasterra - Skyline & bay views

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    Coasterra - View from patio

    View from patio

    Coasterra - Main dining room

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    Main dining room

    Birria El Rey - mexican - Updated May 2026

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