These days, all you have to do is spend an hour on Instagram to see what everyone’s talking about. Regarding food, there’s no hotter subject than birria tacos, griddle-fried tacos filled with marinated meat and served with consomme or a soupy stew for dipping.

Birria’s roots are in Jalisco, Mexico, where Spanish settlers introduced goats in the 16th century. The goats became a nuisance, gobbling up crops and starting a famine, leading people to turn to goat meat for making an adobo stew called birria. The marriage of birria and tacos took place in Tijuana before crossing the border and finding a home in L.A.

There are conflicting views about the origin of the birria name, but one of the most plausible is that it derived from “birrioso,” which describes a view of goats as a creature “of little value or importance.” Birria is also a word used to describe something messy and, yes, you’ll need lots of napkins to deal with the meat juices and broth running down your hands.

These days, birria tacos can be made with any meat, the current meat of choice locally being beef. A single photo of reddened dipped taco shells stuffed with beef and cheese is enough to send people rushing to try this latest social media darling. They’re also the subject of an episode of this season’s Netflix documentary series “Taco Chronicles.”

Trouble is, this kind of hype can lead to a letdown. A number of foodies, after waiting in line for hours for their first birria tacos, have uttered, “I don’t get it.”

But it could be these tasters just haven’t found the right ones. “When it’s done right, then you’ll know right away why it’s good,” says Mike Castro, who is among those on a mission to find the best birria locally.

Castro spent his high school years in Southern California, where he developed his love for Mexican food. When he first tried birria tacos in 1998, “it was no big deal,” he said. “It was just something everyone had.” His favorite spot was Teddy’s Red Tacos.

“I think most people here don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like,” he said, “and maybe they can’t get the right chiles here, like guajillos, arbols and pasillas. But I don’t want to criticize anyone, everyone has their own taste.”

He does, however, speak highly of the birria at Taco ’Bout It Hawaii, a pop-up that accepts Instagram orders on Wednesday evenings for Saturday pickups.

He raves about the portion size, the consomme, a shell that stays crisp, and the color and flavor of the tacos. “I don’t need to go to L.A. anymore.”

A combination of the “meh” factor and long lines at the most visible spots has led others to try their hand at making birria tacos themselves. Among them is DJ Jimmy Taco, a radio personality who had become known, until the pandemic struck, for his monthly Mexican food pop-ups at Scratch Kitchen and his Taco Tuesday events at Chingu.

Jimmy learned to cook from his parents, who once owned a Mexican restaurant in Kau on Hawaii island, where his mother was known as the tamale lady. When his father died five years ago, he took up cooking again to carry on his family’s tradition.

He and his friend Jupiter Kajiwara created a beef cheek version of birria that he rated a 7 or 8 on a scale of 10. “It came out very good, very fatty,” he said. But he’s now considering balancing that fat by blending in leaner chuck round.

The experience left him with a desire to return to the food circuit, and he may be announcing new pop-ups soon.

What you’ll find when sampling birria around town is that no two are alike. Even in Mexico each family has its own unique recipe. But what I look for is a potent blend of spices, from cumin to cinnamon, and chiles that are a hallmark of Mexican cuisine. I also look for a bit of a sour tang, historically an important part of authentic birria, used to mask the gaminess of goat.

While there are small differences in broth and meat preparation at each outlet, the best of the bunch by a mile is that of Taco ’Bout It Hawaii by Kryston Avery.

Born in South Korea and raised in Hawaii, she moved to Bakersfield, Calif., where her mom owns two Korean restaurants. Avery’s best friend was Mexican and she spent so much time at her friend’s home, she learned to cook Mexican cuisine, including birria.

She was selling kimchi online as a source of pandemic income when the birria craze hit here, and thought, “I can do that!” She launched her birria in August.

Her birria platter of three mozzarella- coated tacos and broth is $18. She uses five different chiles in a mole-scented broth that doesn’t skimp on garlic and spices. “I think it’s the Korean in me, I love garlic and spicy food.”

Her menu has grown quite extensive and includes birria saimin ($8) and ube horchata ($6).

You have to jump a few hoops to get her tacos, but it’s well worth the trouble. She takes orders starting at 5 p.m. Wednesdays @taco_bout_it_hawaii on Instagram, for Saturday pickups in Makiki.

Another contender is El Jalisciense, named for the people of Jalisco, birthplace of birria, where owner Nelly Estrada was born and birria was part of her family’s culinary tradition.

She doesn’t skimp on beef in her tacos, and her broth is infused with satisfying flavors, with a crunchy mince of raw onions you don’t have to go fishing to find. Birria tacos are $4 each. Her horchata is also the best I’ve tried. At Waikele Premium Outlets, in the parking lot next to Coach. Open 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; birria sold Thursdays to Saturdays. Call (509) 423-4871.

Estrada and her husband are part owners of El Jalisciense 2 food truck in Wahiawa. Their partners, family friends, are using their own recipes, and I haven’t tried them yet.

FUSION APPROACH

Birria’s popularity is so irresistible, it’s made the leap into fusion territory. Jolene’s Market in Chinatown has added birria noodle soup, inspired by Taiwan beef noodle soup ($14; $17 with two birria wontons). Though more Taiwanese than Mexican, the noodles strike the right slightly sour note with calamansi replacing the usual lime or vinegar, and 18-hour smoked brisket providing plenty of reason to order this again and again.

The beef- and cheese-filled wontons pair beautifully (they’re sold separately at three for $6 with the birria.) There’s also a birria cheese melt ($15).

The new items are part of a revamping of the menu to focus on sandwiches, including Jolene’s popular Buttah Lobster Roll, cheese melts and milk teas. At Chinatown Cultural Center, open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, until 5 p.m. Mondays. Call 540-1000.

BIRRIA BONANZA

Here is a sampling of places to get a birria taco fix. Expect more as restaurants jump into the fray. As always in these uncertain times, hours and locations are subject to change; updates are most likely to appear on Instagram:

>> DJ’s Street Tacos: Originally specializing in carne asada street tacos, DJ Moffett of Aloha Jerky Co. now offers birria tacos (three for $12) and oozy, cheesy quesadillas ($12), both served with a delicious chile-and- spice-infused broth. Pop-up open noon to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays at 1235 Hopaka St. Call 979-4772.

>> Frida’s: Rich, beefy birria accompanies a trio of tacoswith tortilla chips for $17.99. A small helping of spicy salsa adds dimension. At Waipahu Medical Center, 94-307 Farrington Highway. Open 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, until 7 p.m. Fridays and until 6 p.m. Saturdays. Call 260-3531.

>> La Birria: Buho Cocina y Cantina chef Arturo Silva partnered with Diamond Dining International Corp.’s Justin Mizufuka to launch this food truck. A trio of birria queso tacos is $12. The highlights here are a beefy birria saimin ($12) and a duo of Hell Fire tacos with consomme ($12). More chiles in the tacos and a chile blend in the consomme (including ghost and habanero peppers) create a slow heat that creeps up on your tongue. The first bites are easy, then you realize you can’t continue without slurping down a cup of horchata ($4). At Pearlridge Center Wai Makai (Downtown) parking lot. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

>> Taqueria La Marea: This street taco specialist offers four options, along with daily specials from portobello to fresh catch to char-grilled tako tacos. Birria tacos are offered during regular hours and occasional Saturdays (the next one is this weekend). Pre-orders taken via direct messaging on Instagram@tacosla_marea. Two birria tacos with a rich tomato broth are $12, served with pickled onions, cilantro and raw onions that are packed separately, a plus for those who’d rather pass on one of those ingredients. At 237 Kalihi St. Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays. Call 468-5066.

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A few I haven’t gotten to yet:

>> Aloha Mamacita: Westsiders can find birria tacos and ramen at Geiger Community Park in Ewa via pre- order, with details online at aloha-mamacita.com or via Instagram @aloha.mamacita. I hope a recent Kakaako pop-up is the first of others to come.

>> Griddled: A 16-hour stewed beef birria taco drew lines when Griddled opened in late August. A temporary closure was announced last week, but updates are promised on Instagram @griddled. At Ohana Hale Marketplace, 333 Ward Ave.

>> TJ’s Tacos: Occasional pop-ups have taken place Saturday evenings in the parking lot of Sarithra South Indian Restaurant on Kapiolani Boulevard across from the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Check @tjstacos on Instagram for updates.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.