Long-awaited Mexican restaurant finally opens its Bellingham location

Birrieria Tijuana has finally opened its long-awaited Bellingham location at 3040 Northwest Ave. The restaurant brings traditional Mexican food to Washington at seven locations across the state.

Originally supposed to open in September, Birrieria Tijuana was delayed until Monday, Dec. 12, due to permit issues, according to owner Freddy Zavala.

Zavala started in the restaurant business selling street food with his friend in Kent, Washington. Over three years he has opened ten restaurants.

“My customers love my product, what I sell, what I have, is very different from other restaurants,” Zavala said. “I take my money, and I invest in new projects... I always take the risk.”

Birrieria Tijuana stands out from other Mexican restaurants with its large portions and varied menu, with birria as the main seller. The restaurant has a little bit of everything, open for breakfast all day through to dinner, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Birria is a Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. Zavala said he cooks about 2,000 pounds of beef in a week. Birria meat is traditionally marinated in an adobo made of vinegar, dried chiles, garlic, and herbs and spices before being cooked in a broth.

“Everything is different than other restaurants, other places have the same food for many years, and I bring new flavors to my food,” Zavala said.

Zavala’s goal is to bring new foods to areas that may not have access to anything else like it. He makes “authentic” foods that he believes everyone should have access to.

His food focuses on being juicy and flavorful, rather than intensely spicy, so young kids can enjoy the meal as much as their parents, Zavala said.

Zavala is currently working the kitchen at Birrieria Tijuana in Bellingham, where he is training new employees before he moves on to other projects. He plans to open a carnitas restaurant in Burien in the next couple of weeks.

This story was originally published December 14, 2022 at 11:00 AM.

Jack Belcher

The Bellingham Herald

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Jack Belcher covers transportation and recreation for The Bellingham Herald. He graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in digital journalism in 2020 and joined the staff in September 2022. Belcher resides in Bellingham.