🩺 Dining with Vital Signs: La Birria in Winfield, Illinois
📍 27W570 High Lake Rd, Winfield, IL 60190
⭐ 4.9 stars on Google (almost 700 reviews!)
🫀 Vital Sign Check:
When a restaurant has nearly 700 five-star reviews, my confidence automatically goes tachycardic. La Birria in Winfield, Illinois, is a family-owned gem celebrating its third anniversary — and I couldn’t resist testing its “gluten-free friendly” claims. Their site mentions gluten-free options (score ✅), but you’ll definitely want to chat with staff about dairy-free needs.
🩷 First Impressions:
Pulling up to La Birria feels like arriving at someone’s home — because it actually was one! There’s no dine-in area or public restroom, but they’ve set up picnic tables in the back (just bring hand wipes, trust me). I appreciated the bottle of sanitizer by the door — practical and on brand for a nurse practitioner 😉.
The owner greeted us warmly and really impressed me with his ingredient knowledge and cross-contamination awareness. That kind of transparency always earns a healthy pulse rate from me!
🌮 What I Ordered:
2 Birria Tacos (corn tortillas)
Junior Build-Your-Own Bowl: rice, pinto beans, cilantro, birria meat
16 oz Hibiscus Tea
💸 Total: $31.19
The tacos came wrapped in foil inside a styrofoam container (heat retention = excellent). The consomé on the side was rich, flavorful, and not overly spicy. The tacos themselves were soft, warm, and bursting with savory goodness — messy, yes, but in that “worth it” kind of way.
The street corn (made with vegan butter, no cheese) was sweet, creamy, and slightly spicy — honestly, one of the best dairy-free elotes I’ve had. The bowl was hearty and comforting, though not as flavor-packed as the tacos. I added a little consomé to boost it, and that helped.
The mild salsa... let’s just say its definition of “mild” and mine do not align. 🌶️ Flavorful but fiery. The hibiscus tea, while a beautiful maroon color, wasn’t my favorite — too floral and too sweet. (It earned a literal flatline in my rating.)
💓 Dining Rhythm Ratings:
Dish
Rating
Notes
🌮 Birria Tacos
Tachycardia ❤️🔥
So good they raised my heart rate. Worth the drive!
🌽 Street Corn
Tachycardia ❤️🔥
Sweet, creamy, and dairy-free deliciousness.
🍚 Junior Bowl
Sinus ❤️
Solid and balanced, but the tacos stole the show.
🌶️ Mild Salsa
Bradycardia 💓
Flavorful but too spicy for “mild.”
🍷 Hibiscus Tea
Flatline 🖤
Pretty, but not my cup of tea (literally).
🪑 Accessibility Notes:
No indoor dining or restrooms, but friendly service and clear allergen knowledge made up for it. The outdoor picnic tables are a nice touch, though I recommend bringing hand wipes and sanitizer. Maybe a few flowers or umbrellas could make the space more inviting — hint hint 😉.
💬 Final Impression:
La Birria is full of heart — you can tell it’s a family-run spot that locals adore. The food is flavorful, comforting, and mostly allergy-friendly with a little communication. I’d absolutely return for tacos and corn on a nice day (with plenty of napkins on standby).
Stay safe, happy, and healthy 💕
— The Gluten & Dairy Free NP
Disclaimer: I’m a Nurse Practitioner, but not your Nurse Practitioner. This review is for entertainment purposes only and based solely on my own opinions and experiences
