Birria Tacos in Edmonton at The 3 Amigos

The 3 Amigos slow-cooks beef brisket until it falls apart, then tucks it into corn tortillas with rich consommé for dipping. It's the same technique driving the birria wave across North America. If you haven't tried birria yet, this is the place to start. If you've had it before, you'll notice the difference right away: the brisket is genuinely tender, the broth tastes lived-in, and it doesn't taste like a shortcut.

What is birria and why Edmonton is talking about it

Birria comes from Jalisco, Mexico. It's a stew, traditionally made with goat or beef, that's been slow-cooked for hours with dried chiles, vinegar, and spices until the meat dissolves at the touch of a spoon. Someone had the idea to dip corn tortillas in the broth and fill them with shredded meat. That's birria tacos. The magic is in the duality: you get the savory, slightly spicy consommé, and you get tender, flavorful meat wrapped in a soft corn tortilla.

Edmonton, Alberta is catching on to birria. Tacos are everywhere now, but birria is still relatively niche. That means the places making it genuinely are getting noticed. The 3 Amigos has been making scratch Mexican food since 2005, so they understand slow cooking. They understand that shortcuts show.

How The 3 Amigos makes birria: slow-cooked brisket + consommé

The team here doesn't cheat the process. They start with beef brisket (not ground beef, not a leaner cut). Brisket has the fat and connective tissue that, when braised for hours, turns into gelatin and flavor. You'll taste dried chiles (guajillo or ancho), cumin, cinnamon, and vinegar. Traditional and done right. The vinegar's bite underneath keeps the broth from being one-note.

The consommé (that's the broth) is where the alchemy happens. It's not a thin gravy. It's rich. Almost meaty. That's what four or five hours of simmering brisket does. When you dip a tortilla in it, it doesn't fall apart. It soaks up the flavor without disintegrating.

This is what separates The 3 Amigos from the birria places that are just catching on to the trend. The 3 Amigos family (Ken, Alfredo, and Elvis Rosales) built this restaurant on homemade food. Every tortilla is made in their kitchen. Every salsa is made to order. So is the birria.

Birria taco vs. birria quesadilla: which to order first

If this is your first birria experience, start with the Birria tacos. They're the classic form: soft corn tortillas, shredded beef, onion, cilantro, and a ramekin of consommé. The softness of the tortilla is important. It lets the broth soak in without resistance. Dip, fold, eat. It's simple and you taste everything.

The Birria Quesadilla is different. Two corn tortillas pressed together with the beef inside, sometimes with cheese, then fried lightly for a crispy exterior. It's richer, denser. Less about the consommé, more about that contrast between crispy outside and tender meat. Pick tacos if you want that consommé-dipping experience. Pick the quesadilla if you want something that fills you up and doesn't need dunking.

That said, order the quesadilla at least once. At $27, it's a full meal. The 3 Amigos doesn't skimp on the filling.

Other tacos worth trying while you're here

Birria is the marquee, but the taco menu at The 3 Amigos is deep. The Al Pastor (spiced pork marinated in an enchilada salsa with onion and cilantro) takes actual time to get right, and the 3 Amigos gets it right. Then there's the Carnitas: moist, pulled pork with mango salsa. This is what keeps people coming back.

If you're indecisive, try the Fiesta De Tacos. It's a 12-piece selection of your choice of any four kinds. Pick Birria, Al Pastor, Carnitas, and either Suadero (braised beef brisket) or Tequila Limon Pollo (seared chicken with tequila and lime). You'll leave knowing what you actually like.

Find us in south Edmonton + how to order

The 3 Amigos sits at 4035 106 Street in Rideau Park, Edmonton. It's a central south Edmonton, Alberta location serving the whole south side. Rideau Park, Edmonton, AB is our home. Southgate, Edmonton, AB is minutes away. Steinhauer, Edmonton, AB; Westbrook Estates, Edmonton, AB; Aspen Gardens, Edmonton, AB; and Rutherford, Edmonton, AB are all in our delivery zone. If you're in any of those neighborhoods, we're close. Dine in if you can; the atmosphere's warm and the place fills up, especially on Fridays and Saturdays.

Can't get in? Order online at the3amigos.ca for pickup or delivery. We're open Monday 11am–9pm, Tuesday–Thursday 4pm–8pm, Friday–Saturday 11am–10pm. Sunday is our day off.

Call (780) 490-6394 if you want to ask about specials or place a large order ahead. Questions? Get in touch with us. On our full menu, you'll find everything from empanadas to enchiladas to desserts like amigo churros and flan. But if you're here for birria, you already know what to order.

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