Most taco shops serve basic street tacos, but this Clairemont restaurant perfected birria for a year creating crispy red shells that changed everything.
Mike’s Red Tacos specializes in beef birria slow-simmered for hours with signature consommé for dipping creating Mexican Dip perfection.
The casual trendy atmosphere with graffiti art walls ranked #52 on Yelp’s 2023 Top 100 Places to Eat proving red tacos work.
What Makes Mike’s Red Tacos Special
The restaurant slow-simmers big juicy marinated chunks of shredded beef for hours, tenderizing succulent meat into magical birria throughout preparation.
Classic Red Tacos with beef birria, cheese, cilantro, and onions in crispy red shells earn 169 reviews as the signature creation.
Founder Mike Touma spent a year perfecting every detail from the slow-simmered beef to the signature consome before opening the food truck.
The Story Behind the Birria
Mike’s Red Tacos started as a simple food truck idea serving birria the way it’s meant to be enjoyed – rich, flavorful, unforgettable.
The success led to multiple locations including Clairemont, Point Loma, and upcoming Mira Mesa expansion proving the concept works throughout San Diego.
The bigger Clairemont shop next door added more tables and restrooms, showing growth from humble food truck beginnings throughout the years.
San Diego’s Favorite Menu Items
Food Highlights
- Birria Tacos: Beef birria with cheese, cilantro, and onions in signature crispy red taco shells creates the 420-review bomb tacos. The incredible consome for dipping makes these the go-to birria in San Diego worth getting exploded for. 🌮
- Classic Red Tacos: The signature red taco shell with beef birria at 169 reviews defines Mike’s throughout the menu. The crispy red shell sets these apart from traditional birria tacos, creating the innovation that built the business. 🔴
- Birria Ramen: Beef birria with consome, cilantro, and onions creates fusion perfection with cheese at 91 reviews throughout creative menu. The ramen crossover proves birria works in unexpected formats beyond traditional tacos throughout innovative offerings. 🍜
- Crunchstack: Beef birria, beans, guacamole, queso, cilantro, onions, and tostadas at $13.99 creates the elevated Crunchwrap Supreme. The 42 reviews prove this yummy flavor combination hits different, though eating immediately keeps tostadas crunchy throughout to-go ordering. 🌯
- Cali Burrito: Beef birria with fries, rice, beans, guacamole, cilantro, onions, sour cream, and cheese at $14.99 creates filling satisfaction. The 79 reviews show generous portions, though majority fries might overwhelm for some throughout burrito cross-section. 🌯
- Birria Quesadilla: Red quesadilla stuffed with cheese, beef birria, cilantro, and onions creates pretty good variations throughout the menu. The 42 reviews prove the red shell concept works beyond tacos throughout cheese-heavy preparations. 🧀
- Consome: The signature broth for dipping served in full cups earns 97 reviews as the essential accompaniment throughout birria service. The incredible consome makes the Mexican Dip comparison work perfectly throughout skinny dipping for sexy saucy flavor. 🥣
- Mike’s Meal: Two birria tacos plus chips plus consome at $13.99 creates the standout combo worth ordering consistently. The price-to-portion-to-flavor ratio proves this meal deal delivers complete satisfaction throughout combo offerings with free Taco Tuesday taco. 🌮
- Taco Combo: Two tacos with sides creates the under-$15 option that fans swap tortilla chips for extra tacos throughout customization. The 28 reviews show this combination hits the spot with perfect birria texture throughout nicely organized tray presentations. 🌮
- Breakfast Burrito: Beef birria with scrambled eggs, tater tots, and cheese at $14.99 brings morning flavors throughout all-day service. The 35 reviews prove birria works for breakfast when combined with traditional morning ingredients throughout diverse menu. 🍳
Atmosphere
The Clairemont location sits at 4310 Genesee Ave Suite 105-106 with shared plaza parking throughout the corner spot.
Inside, graffiti art walls create casual trendy vibes with inside seating and restrooms throughout the expanded bigger shop.
The salsa bar features six different options ranging in heat levels, with jalapeño salsa hitting spicy but bearable levels throughout self-serve condiments.
Bottom Line
Visit Mike’s Red Tacos for San Diego’s best birria featuring signature crispy red tacos, crunchstack, and incredible consome worth 30-minute waits.
The slow-simmered beef perfected over a year with Yelp Top 100 recognition proves founder Mike Touma’s dedication to birria excellence.
Taco Tuesday free taco with Mike’s Meal purchase and multiple locations make this former food truck a must-try destination. 🌟
Address: Mike’s Red Tacos
4310 Genesee Ave, Ste 105-106, San Diego, CA 92117 (Clairemont)
📞 (858) 737-4299
🕐 Mon-Thu: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM | Fri-Sat: 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM | Sun: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Free Taco Tuesdays | Free parking | Multiple locations | Online ordering | Catering available