LAist hype check: We tried the viral birria ramen at Del Taco

Birra Ramen at Del Taco? What a time to be alive.

In early November 2023, Del Taco debuted its viral fast food take on birria ramen. But I missed the window. It was gone before I could try it.

For those who have never tried it, birria ramen is just what it sounds like — ramen with seasoned shredded meat that contains notes of dried chiles, garlic, herbs, and spices. Mexican chef Antonio de Livier is credited with dreaming it up about a decade ago, and the dish has been making it way north ever since, showing up at taco trucks and street stands across L.A. You can even find a version at Disneyland’s California Adventure.

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So when Del Taco announced they were bringing it back for a limited time this summer, it was time to act.

I enlisted LAist Senior Editor George Kiriyama to help me see what the fuss was about. George is a self-described ramen connoisseur, having grown up in the South Bay in a Japanese American household. Ramen was a mainstay of his everyday diet. And I love birria.

We ventured to the Del Taco in Pasadena to get you the scoop. Here's our takeaway:

The good

The beef

Upon the first slurp, the standout was the shredded beef. It had a melt-in-your-mouth quality, a surprisingly strong player. George agreed. “The beef was the best part of the Birria Ramen. Tender, flavorful. I could just have soup and beef, TBH.”

The broth

I was half expecting the consomé or the broth to be overly salty. But it wasn’t excessively seasoned — or too watery. I found it to be decently OK, meaning nothing about it offended me (as I helped myself to another spoonful).

Again, here’s George: “The soup was flavorful. I didn't need to add anything. It was good, straight up.” I am a bit maximalist when adding flavors, so I took advantage of the slice of lime floating in the soup. The light touch of citrus was a nice thought; however, it didn’t add much to the flavor profile of the consomé overall.

LAist Food Editor Gab Chabrán and LAist Senior Editor George Kiriyama toast their birria ramen to good health and prosperity at Del Taco in Pasadena.

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Diana Morales

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LAist

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The bad

The temperature

George zeroed in on this as soon as we got our cups of soup: the temperature of the soup itself. Ramen soup should be served piping hot, he said. This was not. “The broth was lukewarm. I always look forward to a hot, steamy broth, and this did not cut it.”

George said he can tell if ramen is at its proper temperature if it steams up his glasses as he goes in for a slurp.

The noodles

For me, this was the dish's weakest element. The noodles were soft and a bit limp, for my liking. I prefer a bit more chew, similar to al dente. George was also underwhelmed. “The noodles were so-so. But, about what I expected from a fast food joint. Just a teeny-tiny step above Cup Noodles.”

The verdict

Overall, it wasn’t a bad experience. For $5.79 plus tax, it's a pretty good deal. The soup comes in a cup somewhere between a wide coffee cup and a Cup Noodles container.

It fits perfectly in your hand, making for an ideal on-the-go scenario, especially if you are hitting the drive-thru. (Maybe that’s why the temperature was lukewarm. Probably best to avoid scalding complaints from customers.)

However, if you’re going to enjoy your birria ramen behind the wheel, you probably want to park while you eat, just to be safe. (And take a lot of napkins).

Pro tip: Grab a couple of the birria street tacos and use the soup for dipping. It’s a great use of the broth.