“ Authentic Birria Tacos & Outstanding Service! This place is hands down my go-to spot for birria tacos! The flavor is exactly like the ones you'd get in Mexico--rich, tender, and perfectly seasoned. I ordered three tacos with consomé, and every bite was absolutely delicious. Beyond the amazing food, the service was top-notch. The female attendant who helped me was incredibly attentive, welcoming, and had a great personality. She greeted me right away and made sure everything was perfect. If you're craving authentic birria, this is the place to be. Highly recommend! ”

“ Delicious! My favorite was the queso birria taco. The staff were so friendly for this first-timer! Would definitely come back! ”

“ My lord! How did I wait so long to come here! The food was so good and the service was sooo attentive and friendly! I had the birria crunchy taco and soft taco both with tendon! It was amazing! Will Be back for sure!! ”

“ A bit of a drive south of San Diego but well worth the trip! This little birriaria tucked behind an auto repair makes some juicy birria!!! We've ordered by phone, had take out to a nearby park with a view of the border, dined inside and in the back patio. Parking is tough in front of the restaurant but they added a parking lot JUST for the restaurant about 30 yards down the road. Best to get here before 11 to avoid a long line and get a table of your choice. I suggest dining in so that you can fully enjoy the salsas, cilantro and onion, and sliced radishes added to your bites to mix up the flavors. We've had almost everything here and our absolute favorites are the Taco Extremo, Chupacabra and Torta! For two people I recommend getting the Fernandez Combo #1 and a Torta so you get all the good stuff! For drinks they make various Agua free as of Hibiscus, Orange and many others. We also had a coffee here once that was like a Cuban coffee...so hot that after we were done eating it was still almost too hot to drink but very tasty. This is simply the best birriaria we've encountered in the world up to the date of this review. I challenge you to find one better! ”

“ Amazing food! Went in and had their coffee and consomé plate and it was really good! Worth the wait! And the tortillas hechas a mano were delicious! ”

“ The birriaquiles was just chef's kiss, and the Birria tacos was as good too. It had the right amount of beefy fatty goodness without leaving a greasy mouthfeel. The place is clean and almost made me feel like I'm a welcome guest in their house. It had a very homey and warm feel to it. Thank you Mr. Ed for taking the time to welcome and entertain us despite being busy. We absolutely adore the complementary frijoles. I apologize in advance for the picture. We were too hungry and devoured the food the moment the plates were placed on the table. As we got out of the car, the smell had us salivating right away!!! ”

“ I've seen this place pop up time and time again on Yelp, but never went until this morning. Had the pleasure of ordering from the owner, Jorge Fernandez. Ed, short for Eduardo was his brother who unfortunately passed in 2013, but his name lives on. This is hands down one of the best restaurants in San Diego and the highly rated should speak for itself. Everything about this place is phenomenal. The food, service, atmosphere, parking, etc. It was explained to me that in Mexican tradition, Birria is often served for breakfast, which explains why this restaurant opens at 6am. Aside from the different options of Birria served here, they offer Menudo on friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I wish I came here earlier, but now that I know about it, I'll be visiting more often and bring my friends to spread the word about this gem!! HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend! ”

“ Visited around noon on Sunday, and the wait was under 10 minutes. You order at the window, then get seated--no saving seats early! We got the 32oz Birria Soup with 6 tortillas, Combo #1, and an Atole drink. The cashier was super patient and assured us it was enough for four people--it was! All of this for just over $50, and tipping is optional. The food was delicious, especially the Birria soup--rich, flavorful, and perfect with tortillas. My parents loved it, saying it was great value. My mom especially enjoyed the warm, pineapple-flavored Atole. The service was friendly, making sure everything was to our liking. Overall, a wonderful experience! Definitely worth bringing your parents if they're visiting San Diego. ”

“ *** Credit card accepted & service animals only for dine-in *** Ed Fernandez Restaurant Birrieria (since 2005) ranked No. 1 on the "Top 100 Taco Spots in America" list in 2022 ( https://www.yelp.com/article/yelps-top-100-tacos-in-the-us-2022 ). So when I had the opportunity to visit San Diego, I knew I had to stop by here. I was surprised to discover that they open as early as 6 AM. [Parking]: The private parking lot has tight parking spaces, but they have someone out there to assist with getting in and out of the lot. [Ordering]: There was already a small crowd when I came at 8 AM on Sunday so it was a clear sign of how popular this place is. I ordered first at the take-out window and decided to choose dine-in. When they realized I didn't speak Spanish, they switched to an English-speaking cashier and completed the rest of my order. After placing my order, I was given a number and instructed to find the table inside the restaurant that matched the number on my receipt. The tacos arrived in less than 5 minutes after I sat down. [Menu]: This taco shop is best known for their Quesataco Extremo and follows by the Chapacubra and the Quesotaco No Tortilla (a shell made entirely of grilled cheese). I found the menu a bit confusing at first, but I eventually figured it out. They mainly have four different types of tacos: #1 Taco de Birria (with or without tendon): The lowest-priced taco comes on a house-made corn tortilla, beef, cheese, diced onions, fresh cilantro, and served with lime wedges, crispy radish slices, and a small side of salsa. #2 Quesataco (with tendon or no tortilla): Cheese version of Taco de Birria. #3 Extremo Taco (with or without tendon): Fried tortillas, fried cheese, grilled Serrano chiles, onions, and the tatemado crust (birria that's been oven-roasted to create a crispy layer). #4 Chupacabras Taco (birria de rez aka beef birria WITH tendon): It is a spicier version of the Extremo Taco and without the tatemado crust. By ordering the Ed Fernandez #1 or #2 Combo, customers can try all four types of tacos. The only difference between the two combs is that the #1 Combo includes consomé. IMPORTANT - The cashier will ask if you want your taco with or without 'nervios' (beef with tendon - a popular ingredient at Tijuana birria shops). Ordering with tendon does make your taco a bit messier, but I highly recommend it for the added flavor and texture. *** Chupacabras Birria Taco (birria de rez aka beef birria WITH tendon - a spicier version of the Extremo Taco and without the tatemado crust - $5.25): The taco came with grilled onions and it tasted great. It was packed with beef tendon which tasted absolutely amazing. The crispy and double-layered tortilla also added a great texture. Extremo Taco con Nervios (with tendon; fried tortillas, fried cheese, grilled Serrano chiles, onions, and the tatemado crust - birria that's been oven-roasted to create a crispy layer - $6): Simply a must-try #1 seller! The tendon had a melt-in-your-mouth texture with a subtle spicy kick all wrapped in a crispy double-layered tortilla. Small Consomé ($3): Honestly you can eat one of these tacos without consomé, but to get the full experience you kind of have to order one. *** The staff was super friendly and expect things to get a little messy. Please note that the salsas on the table are seriously spicy. Overall it definitely lives up to the hype and it was one of the best birria taco shops I have ever visited. Pro tip - Be sure to arrive early as I have read that this shop tends to run out of food and sell out quickly. ”

“ Let me just say, Ed Fernandez in Imperial Beach is the birria GOAT. My wife surprised me with a birthday trip here, and honestly, best. birthday. ever. From the outside, it looks small--like, "Are we dining in a shoebox?" small. But once you order and tell them you're eating in, they open the doors to Narnia, and suddenly there's seating galore. Like, seriously, where did all this space come from? We rolled in on a Saturday morning, right before lunch, and the birria here... chef's kiss. It's the best I've ever had in San Diego, and trust me, I've eaten enough birria to keep a small taco truck in business. Forget anywhere else, this is THE spot. Other places should just quit while they're ahead. And the tortillas? Freshly made, soft, and perfect. I would've stuffed them in my pockets to take home if I thought I could get away with it. The service? Incredible! Felt like I was at chick fil A! Everyone's so friendly and moving so fast, it's like watching a professional kitchen ballet. Honestly, if you haven't been here yet, stop strolling and just come here you will not be disappointed! ”