Tacos Doña Lena (18th Street)

"Tacos Doña Lena is a technicolor fantasy world you must be a part of. The birria-focused, electric-orange restaurant—filled with papel picado banners and family photos framed in flowers—in Lazybrook is even better than the Spring Branch original, thanks to their margaritas with a perfect tequila, lime, and sugar ratio. The menu has every known birria concoction, from consomme-drenched tacos, crispy machetes, and gorditas stuffed with refried beans to beefy bowls of ramen topped with a fried egg. Split the hulking combination plate with a special someone (and by someone, we mean yourself), load up on quesabirrias, and don’t be ashamed to drink the consomme straight from the bowl. photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen Food Rundown photo credit: Quit Nguyen Margaritas Unlike the original Spring Branch location, this one serves margaritas. And while these are the standard lime, the flavors hit a sweet Goldilocks balance. They’re light on the sugar and citrus and heavy on the refreshing factor. photo credit: Liz Silva Salsas Before the food arrives, someone brings six different squeeze bottles of equally delicious salsa to your table, arranges them from mild to the spiciest, and explains the taste of each one. It’s a small gesture that will keep you from dousing your birra taco in fiery La Mocoso Habanero when you’re really a mild tomatillo person. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Street Tacos If you’re all about the birria, go straight for the street tacos. Other meat options exist, but birria is what Doña Lena does best. For these tacos, stewed beef gets stuffed into tortillas drenched in consomé, and every plate arrives with even more consomé. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Machete Shaped like the handheld tool that bears the same name, this huge crispy taco is a mash-up between a taco and a quesadilla. It’s massive, full of meat and cheese, and just another incredible way to eat birria. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Quesabirria The ratio of cheese to meat can make or break a quesabirria, no matter how much chile-rich consomé the tortillas are marinated in. Tacos Doña Lena’s quesabirria is about fifty-fifty melty cheese to birria. Dip into the hot cup of consomé on the side to keep the cheese gooey and rich. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Birria Ramen We think about this ramen often, even on Houston’s hottest days. The pairing of birria and Doña Lena’s earthy, chile-spiked consommé is a thing of genius, even more so because it’s smothered in cheese." - Chelsea Thomas

"The consomme at Tacos Doña Lena is so beefy and concentrated, but somehow light and not at all greasy. If you decided to drink it straight from the bowl, no one will judge you. In fact, you might inspire others. The electric-orange restaurant in Lazybrook is the second location of the birria-focused taco shop. And it’s even better than the Spring Branch original thanks to margaritas with a Goldilocks ratio of tequila, lime, and sugar. Along with making the best birria tacos in town, Doña Lena also has crispy machetitas, gorditas stuffed with refried beans, and beefy bowls of ramen topped with fried eggs. Split a hulking combination plate with a special someone (and by someone, we mean yourself), load up on quesabirrias, and make sure to try all six of the salsas brought to the table." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas

"The birria experts from Spring Branch are now serving the greater Heights area. Their second spot is just as colorful and full of red chili-stewed beef and gooey cheese as the original, but with even more space in the dining room. The menu has different combos of quesabirria tacos, plus six different salsas and a full margarita bar." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene