Birrieria San Marcos

As you might've guessed from the logo's cute smiley cow, this local mini-chain specializes in beef birria—specifically Jalisco-style. That means traditional birria en su jugo is on the menu, a perfectly salted, just-spicy-enough soup full of juicy, shredded beef to get the cogs in your brain moving on a Saturday morning. The rest of the menu at this Van Nuys window, however, leans more Tijuana-style, like crispy cheese-lined quesatacos with a side of consommé for dunking. San Marcos consistently nails the ratios of meat, cheese, and oil in every order, which is why it's a reliable go-to every time we're nearby. 

photo credit: Matt Gendal