Texas Bebe’s Quesobirria is located in Grayslake, approximately 10 miles from Antioch Community High School. The restaurant opened on Oct. 11 of 2020, and business has been booming ever since. At the restaurant, they serve authentic birria tacos in addition to classic sandwiches, nachos, tortas, various cakes and more.
Birria tacos are a Mexican food that originated in Jalisco. This traditional dish is served on corn tortillas with birria meat cooked in a stew, creating the melt-in-your-mouth experience, which is paired with cheese melted inside a tortilla. The tacos come with broth–also known as consommé–onions and cilantro on the side.
The tacos, which have been enjoyed for decades in Mexico, gained popularity on TikTok last year. Thousands of videos have been posted of people reviewing tacos they bought, sharing their recipes and even putting unique spins on the traditional tacos.
Senior Mady Lopez found out about birria tacos through social media.
“I have seen [birria tacos] on TikTok and Instagram,” Lopez said. “They look really good and the meat they use looks delicious.”
Texas Bebe’s is a family-run establishment that makes their food from scratch whenever possible. Furthermore, they put a large emphasis on using recipes that are passed down from generations.
Owner Aaron Ortiz believes in the power of a restaurant with exceptional food.
“Our goal [in opening] was basically to make the customers happy and to try to get the community more involved,” Ortiz said. “Hopefully you know we could just have one thing in common, which is tacos.”
In addition to helping the community, Ortiz runs the business with his family, which means more than just working together.
“That’s what makes us a little different, that we are all family-owned [and] we are not doing anything precooked, nothing like that,” Ortiz said. “[Being a family-owned business] means the world to us. Waking up and just knowing that we are going to come to a location that is not just work, it is more of somewhere we can all get along and make each other happy.”
The name “Texas Bebe’s Quesobirria” comes from a nickname given to Ortiz by his abuela, Estela. The word “Bebe” was included in the restaurant’s name to honor his abuela and show his love for family.
Ortiz has recommendations for anyone going to Texas Bebe’s for the first time.
“Try the dip-in tacos, that is the new trend,” Ortiz said. “The queso birrias is something that you cannot turn away from. That is why I would like the people to know, try the number one out.”
The #1 is the Queso Birria meal which is priced at $15. The meal includes the options of six corn tortillas or five flour tortillas that contain birria beef and cheese with an eight-ounce cup of dipping sauce, cilantro, onions, radish and fresh lime on the side. It is also served with fresh red and green salsa.
Senior Josh Frye was pleased with the birria tacos he had at Texas Bebe’s.
“You could tell it was family-owned and authentic,” Frye said. “[The tacos] were really good and they were a pretty good price too.
While it is a little bit of a drive from ACHS, it is more than worth it for authentic and delicious food.
“If you are trying to get that Texas feeling and taste I recommend stopping by,” Ortiz said. “You are going to get a little bit of Texas with [any meal].”
There is clearly a reason why birria tacos have amassed a huge following in the past year. When searching for somewhere to try the viral tacos, Texas Bebe’s is certainly the place to go. Being a family-owned restaurant that makes food from scratch distinguishes it from other restaurants in the area. These mouth-watering tacos are a must-try for anyone who enjoys a good heart-warming meal.
Ashley Lubkeman • Nov 3, 2021 at 12:50 pm
Incredible story. Such a great notice of small businesses near us. Will recommend it to everyone I know.