First time Excellent food ! Just what I was looking for, the food it’s good better then going to little village or other places.
R D.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
The two of us shared a huge bowel of goat soup served with onion, cilantro, and corn tortillas. Basically it is goat or nothing as the menu is very limited. No atmosphere. But I love places like this, so very authentic with good food of the kind that is hard to find.
Robert A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
No frills, minimal options, and cash only. In spite of those attributes, the place is amazing. I’d give it 5 stars but don’t want to ruin its low-profile gem status. Hopefully the anti-ambiance of the place will continue to scare off the unadventurous or anyone faint of heart. The soup is fantastic, the goat tacos are great, but the best items are the goat head tacos and the tongue tacos. You’d only suspect the cabeza and lengua were different from regular tacos because the meat is so lean and tender, yet flavorful and moist. As for the goat soup, I’ve long enjoyed phở soup, but will probably eat it less in the future for this more convenient and equally satisfying option. Unlike phở, which even at the best places can have varied meat quality, the goat here is never suspect. Though I have no evidence, I think it likely goat is a greener and more humane meat choice than pork or beef, which are dominated by a few large and arguably unscrupulous producers. At least here, their goat meat appears to be of better quality compared to beef and pork at most low price point restaurants. Even better, the soup consume or broth can also be ordered on its own sans meat. I prefer to order a cabeza(means head literally but is mostly cheek meat) taco and lengua taco with the consume separately so I can add a portion of the meat from my tacos to create a meat soup with the perfect meat to broth ratio for my taste. The tacos are plenty stuffed to allow for that without comprising their integrity. At current prices my meal is about 8 bucks out the door before tip, which I do hoping they’ll continue to treat me well. This same meal would cost 25 bucks if it came from Rick Bayless, Big n Little, Antique Taco, etc. and besides not being as authentic probably wouldn’t be as tasty or well-portioned. Some have pointed out the language limitations. I’m skeptical. You can literally point to what you want on an English menu. I imagine the service simply worsens when people complain openly that they don’t have nacho chips or burritos or take credit cards without proper(or any) respect for what the place does extremely well, both affordably and authentically. Finicky types of patrons should get their soup at xoco or frontera and leave this place to folks who truly appreciate it.
Arnold F.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Los Angeles, CA
This place really«gets my goat.» I’m sorry — I had to. Now that that’s out of the way — this is easily the best birrieria I’ve been to so far in Chicago(and I’ve gone out of my way to explore the options). I’ve only had the goat meat soup here but it hits such a crucial spot on a chilly, hungover Saturday that it’s truly a godsend. The goat meat is tender with just the right amount of succulent fattiness. What really makes this birria caldo stand above others though is how rich and flavorful the broth is. You can tell there’s time and love put into it. Add a few dried chilis, squeeze some lime into it and I’m convinced it will cure whatever ails you. The main reason for 4 stars(instead of 5) is that the salsa is a little on the smoky side. Maybe you like that but for me, I prefer it more tangy. I’ve heard the cabeza tacos are really good too and I always intend to try them but it’s just so hard to resist something as delicious and truly satisfying as the goat soup.
Emily D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
Order the cabeza tacos, goat face tacos. Cheek meat is the best part of the face!!!
Holly Y.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Bucktown, Chicago, IL
This place is a no frills, probably not for non Spanish speakers place that is amazing. Goat meat is amazing. If you have the huevos to speak some broken Spanish and feel a little uncomfortable, do it. It’s real cheap and they have just a few things to choose from so they are really good at what they serve. Next I wanted to just say that the guy saying people don’t speak English and that they need to add a burrito to the menu is a CLASS A MORON. They don’t speak English to assholes is what he should have said. I felt a little bad going in because I’m white and felt like it was sort of a Mexicans only restaurant but they were really nice since we’ve been in there twice in the last two weeks. You should go though. Get the birria and get a goat meat taco.
Abe R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
If you want really good Goat Soup then head here. Aside from the soup they also serve tasty Goat Tacos. The day I was there they were carving four large goat heads in the kitchen btw… Awesome. CASHONLY…
Brian R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
Most authentic Birria you will find on the northside! Tounge tacos also awsome. It’s a hole in the wall joint and I mean that with respect. No frills cheap authentic delicious food.
Jon R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
This is THE place to get that authentic Jalisco-style goat stew in consommé. Perfect for that Sunday hangover fix.
Osi U.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
Its impossible to experience true Mexican cuisine in a watered down franchised pretentious restaurant. Birrieria Estilo is non of that. The aroma of the naturally seasoned goal meat charges the room as you walk in. They serve authentic over-sugared Mexican soda, with minimal garnishment. This is exactly what you’ll walk into if you were actually in Jalisco. The food is excellent! Stop there for lunch. Cash only.
Jon B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
You can get a goat plate(small or large) or tacos(goat, beef tongue, beef brain, carne asada). Or go a la carte and get a pound of any of the meats or some soup. That’s the whole menu. The plate is actually a bowl of goat soup, which comes with tortillas and dried hot peppers. Fantastically delicious. If you’re low on broth they’ll give you more(no extra goat, though). Not much English, but they’re very friendly nonetheless. Sadly, they close at 7.
Chan K.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Rochester, NY
The goat meat here is tender and delicious and is hands down superior to all its competitors nearby(although not as lean as I would like). I totally spooned up the rich consommé(which is not as complex and earthy as Ocotlan’s but who has time to trek to Pilsen for brunch?). They offer traditional tacos too, but goat is king here.
Brad C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
AWESOME! I stumbled upon this place after I moved to the area… I had never had Birrieria until trying it here… It was great! Needless to say, i’ve been back several times. You will not be disappointed!
Geoff H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
Not your typical Mexican joint, they don’t sell tortas or burritos, and the only tacos you can get are goat. It’s GOAT-only, pretty much. Their consome is the best in Chicago; cure for a hangover=one consome and as many tacos as necessary(so says my born-in-Mexico roommate). Nothing fancy, but it’s cheap(he says: order the tacos and consome separately — the ‘plato’ has too much meat and is way more expensive).
Mike S.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Alexandria, VA
Fun fact: «birrieria» is Spanish for«goatery.» That, in a word, is the best way to sum up this place that no other Unilocaler has, apparently, eaten at. The menu is very small, so small that I can probably recite it from memory. Here goes: Plato de Birria(Chico o Grande) = Large or small plate of goat. Taco de Birria = Goat taco. Taco de Lengua de Res = Cow’s tongue taco. Taco de Lengua de Cabeza = Cow head taco. Name I Forgot = Entire goat. That’s right, for $ 200, you can order an entire goat. Supposedly, it feeds 40 people. I have no idea how it’s served, or anything about it. I just know that you can order an entire goat. It is now my goal in life to be able to one day walk in here and say«Hello, I would like one goat please.» I had the Grande Plato. Deliciously tender goat meat in a phenomenal broth. The large takeout was a Big Gulp sized styrofoam cup filled to the brim. Served with corn tortillas, diced onions, cilantro, and some sort of slightly bitter, very hot salsa on the side. The food was delicious, and the portions and prices were great. Supposedly, birria is an excellent hangover cure, so more bonus points for being delicious and curative. I can’t believe no one has ever been here before. I really think I should find 39 more of you so we can all go and eat that goat.