Cinco de Mayo holiday celebrates the Battle of Puebla, in which vastly outnumbered Mexican forces defeated the Imperialist French Army on May 5, 1862. Today, in the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is celebrated of Mexican culture and heritage. Here are some top spots around San Diego to enjoy Cinco with a drinko!
Casa Guadalajara
Enjoy drink specials in the lively Cantina, including cans of Tecate and Dos Equis for $5.50. At the entrance of Casa Guadalajara, guests will be welcomed into a marketplace filled with art, clothing, accessories and other merchandise from around the world, plus delicious Mexican cuisine for purchase and activities for kids. Mariachis and ballet folklorico dancers will perform throughout the restaurant.
Casa de Pico
Head into the cantina to celebrate with $5 tacos, $7 shots and $8.95 margaritas! Additional drink specials will be offered both days, including giveaways from Tecate and Dos Equis, and hourly tequila specials featuring Cabo Wabo, Patron and Tres Generaciones. Mariachis, troubadours and ballet folklorico dancers will provide live entertainment throughout the restaurant.
Casa de Bandini
Spice up your fiesta with the Carnitas Taco Sampler and wash them down with Casa de Bandini’s Don Julio margaritas. Sip on specialty cocktails with drink specials by the hour, offered Saturday and Sunday. The fiesta wouldn’t be complete without live Mariachi music and Folkloric dancers.
Casa Sol y Mar1
Enjoy festive food and drink specials in the Cantina such as the Tour of Mexico Bucket of Beer, five different beers for $20 and the Taco Sampler, three kinds of tacos for $7. Music and folkloric performances will take place throughout the weekend.
Death by Tequila will introduce a new margarita punchbowl during a weekend-long celebration from Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5. The popular Baja-inspired restaurant will open the bar early at 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and will celebrate with a new dragon fruit and tangerine margarita punchbowl, served in a skull-shaped goblet that’s meant for sharing.
El Chingon, GBOD Hospitality Group’s “Bad Ass Mexican” restaurant, will host a party in honor of the Battle of Puebla with signature brunch drinks and dishes including Chingon Breakfast Burro, a flour tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, chingón cheese blend, french fries, avocado and sour cream; huevos rancheros, tostada topped with refried beans, two eggs, ranchero sauce, sliced avocado and sour cream; El TJ Dog, bacon-wrapped jumbo hot dog topped with chingón cheese, caramelized onions, jalapeño and chipotle mayo, served with french fries; and more.
barleymash
On Sunday, May 5th, celebrate Cinco de barley at barleymash, a high-energy, vibrant Gaslamp District spot for great eats and delicious drinks! Sip festive cocktails like their Coconut Margarita or Afternoon Delight, made with Herradura Reposado, pineapple, jalapeño, lime and agave. You can also snack on dishes like the San Diego Fries, topped with red chili braised short rib, pepperjack beer cheese, sour cream, spicy guacamole and salsa fresca.
Mavericks Beach Club
PB’s top party destination, Mavericks Beach Club, is going big this year with a Cinco De Mayo Lucha-Mania fiesta. From Noon to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 5th, the beach bar will have a full-size wrestling ring with professional luchadores from Mexico, announcers and wrestling matches, including a battle royale at the end of the evening! There will also be a ring-side bar, street taco station, taco eating contest during half-time of the wrestling competition, tons of giveaways and much more! The first match will begin at 2:30 p.m.
The Smoking Gun
Head to the Gaslamp District to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at The Smoking Gun! Specialty cocktails, available all day long, include Tijuana Lady, with Olmeca Altos, lime and honey, Jalisco Scout made with El Jimador, curacao and Angostura Bitters, and the one-of-a-kind Al Pastor Taco – El Jimador, lime, pineapple, vinegar and taco seasoning. Food specials consist of an $8TJ Bacon Wrapped Hotdog, nachos and queso, and three tacos (your choice of brisket, chicken or fish) for $7.50.
Himmelberg’s is celebrating the occasion by serving their signature “Wasted Away in Margaritaville” cocktail for only $5 all day long. “Wasted Away in Margaritaville” is the perfect, spicy blend of milagro blanco tequila, cointreau, ancho reyes verde, lime, agave, and jalapeño.
The Taco Stand will be slinging local favorites including their coveted Al Pastor, packed with flavorsome rotisserie-marinated pork, cilantro, onions, cilantro sauce and pineapple. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with one of their signature creations in-hand, as you sip $3 beers, available all day at La Jolla, Downtown, Encinitas and North Park locations!
Head to Union Kitchen & Tap Gaslamp and soak up Downtown’s energetic vibes matched with live music Friday – Sunday, plus $5 Pacifico and Modelo drafts, and $10 Jalisco Margaritas. Foodies can get their fill with brunch and dinner food specials all weekend long.
Get hoppy this Cinco de Mayo at Pacific Beach’s first and only brewery, Pacific Beach AleHouse, and delight in $5 Pacifico drafts and $8 Don Julio Margaritas all weekend long, plus a sunset mariachi on the 5th! Pair this with Grilled Fish Tacos, crafted with marinated mahi, chipotle aioli, jalapeño cream, purple cabbage, pineapple papaya salsa and cotija cheese rolled into a warm flour tortilla, served with a black bean and corn skillet for good measure.
Raise a glass to the vibrant Mexican culture at Jalisco Cantina, an Oceanside tequila and mezcal bar! Named for the home region of the magnificent blue agave plant, Jalisco carries an exclusive selection of some of the finest tequilas and mezcals in the world – and what Cinco de Mayo is complete without tequila? Sip on tasting flights of tequila and mezcal or toast with house specialty margaritas including the Cilantro Smash, the Mango Serrano, and the Pineapple Jalapeno. This Cinco de Mayo, Jalisco Cantina will also be offering $5 house Micheladas to celebrate all day long!
The Whiskey House’s extensive craft cocktail menu and unrivaled bar selection make it the ideal destination for some festive sips this Cinco de Mayo. Snag a seat for their holiday Happy Hour special of a $5 Beer and Shot combo of El Charro tequila, available from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM!
Let’s taco ‘bout the Cinco de Mayo special at Natural Style Chicken, Hillcrest’s newest hometown BBQ eatery! This Cinco de Mayo, Natural Style Chicken will be offering ice-cold $4.50 Hite Beers and $2.50 Tacos including their signature chicken tacos, shrimp tacos and Asian-fusion bulgogi tacos.
Tahona
Tahona in Old Town will celebrate Cinco de Mayo on May 5 with the launch of its first ever brunch service, to feature dishes like Chilaquiles with Tesajo (a traditional Oaxacan-style dried meat), Frenchican Toast (French toast with a Mexican twist), Breakfast Sopes (twist on eggs benedict with a sopes-style thick corn tortilla bottom) and Guacamole Avocado Toast. Tahona will further round out Cinco de Mayo festivities with tequila pairing samples, cocktail specials and the debut of brunch cocktails such as the Bloody Mayahuel on May 5.
Tocaya Organica
Come ‘fiesta’ at fresh casual modern Mexican Tocaya Organica will be offering select combinations at $5.50. Snack on deals like Small Chips & Guac + Bottle of Beer or 1 Taco + Bottle of Beer all day, at both La Jolla and Gaslamp locations. $5.50 margaritas – like refreshing Prickly Pear and Tamarind – will also be available at Tocaya Organica Gaslamp!
