For nearly 10 years, brothers Yasmany and Jaime Mendoza have served Angelenos the type of Michoacán-style goat birria that defies rote replicas of one of the landmark foods of the pandemic era. Their truck, Tacos y Birria La Unica, operates in East Los Angeles and Mid-City as a destination for, yes, glistening quesabirria, but also tacos dorados, vampiros, mulitas, machetes, quesadillas de harina, ramen de birria, heaping birria plates, and steaming red-rimmed cups of consomé. Earthy birria de chivo makes La Unica stand out in Los Angeles’s saturated birria scene, which often focuses on Tijuana-style beef birria (almost to a fault). The shredded goat comes tender and sopping in its own juices — perfect for the handmade corn tortillas nestled around it.
The agua de Jamaica and horchata sold here are bottled; if you want something homemade, go for the fresh lemonade with chia seeds.
Lingering late afternoons wrapped around one of the wobbly folding tables in front of the truck — just sturdy enough to keep the food in front of you. This is not a late-night taco joint; come when they open at 10 a.m. for a soul-warming breakfast, or make plans for lunch or early dinner (East Los Angeles closes at 4:30 p.m., Mid-City at 6 p.m.). Both locations close on Tuesdays.
