Cinco de Mayo is now one of the busiest drinking days of the year, and while it doesn’t celebrate Mexican independence day — that’s September 16 — it is a festive celebration of Mexican culture, especially food, beer and tequila. To help you celebrate, we’ve put together a list of Cinco de Mayo destinations around the 405.
Alfredo’s Mexican Cafe | A popular spot in Yukon and Moore for Tex-Mex classics, Alfredo’s also serves up a variety of delicious margaritas. The Sangria Swirl is the perfect place to start, and it’s available on the rocks or frozen. alfredosok.com
Azteca Mexican Grill | Rapidly becoming one of the city’s most popular Mexican spots, Azteca offers delicious food and a full bar, including margaritas, pina coladas, tequila shots and a good selection of Mexican and domestic beers.
Barrios | The Midtown hotspot has an excellent selection of margaritas, including a stellar house margarita, and the chips and queso are outstanding. If that isn’t enough, it also has a diverse selection of tequila at multiple price points.
Big Truck Tacos | It’s OK if you want to start with breakfast tacos or a Gemini burrito and really kick off the day, but BTT will have its specialty cocktails all day, and the house-made sauces are already local favorites. It has fresh guacamole and delicious queso, too.
Hacienda Tacos | Technically, it’s New Mexican cuisine, but the tacos taste like tacos, and it has one of the best mezcal selections — at both locations — in the metro. All the sauces are made in-house, and for the full experience, you’ll want to try “Christmas style.”
The Lazy Donkey | Locations downtown and in Moore have drink specials for the day, with 16-ounce house margaritas for $5.99 and $2.99 for any beer. The chile verde is excellent, and pairs well with a cold beer with salt and lime.
Pepe Delgado’s | The Campus Corner restaurant is a poorly kept secret, largely on the strength of excellent food and what Normanites consider a life-changing frozen margarita. The menu is large enough that there is something for everyone, even the healthy eaters in your friend group (it’s true; some people eat healthy on Cinco de Mayo).
Revolucion | Get there early enough and you get one of the limited number of swag bags, and Rachel Cope’s only Mexican-food joint is also extending the celebration through Saturday. There are drink specials, to-go margaritas, beer specials and a limited menu to ensure faster service.
Ted’s Cafe Escondido | With multiple locations around the metro, Ted’s is close and convenient for your celebration. The service is always excellent, and the food has been a favorite for decades. While we admit it’s not necessarily a Cinco de Mayo cocktail, we’ll understand if you start with the cherry limeade for grownups.
Trompudo’s Tacos | Now that Lupe Garcia’s bar is open with excellent margaritas and craft cocktails, Cinco de Mayo on the south side looks even more delicious. Garcia’s tacos are the best in the city, especially the al pastor and suadero, and the sauces are made in-house to be paired with specific tacos.
