User's Guide

Ocho Options For Eating and Drinking on Cinco de Mayo

We’re legally required to write something about how Cinco de Mayo is really just a commemoration of the Mexican Army’s victory over the French in Puebla in 1862 and more like Mexican Saint Patrick’s Day in the U.S. rather than something anyone should really give a pinche pedo about. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, it’s time to lead you as far away from Cabo Cantina as possible with a few suggestions for captivating food and drink deals on next Saturday’s 150th Anniversary of Cinco de Drinko. While a massive fiesta is planned along twelve blocks of Broadway this Sunday and a Cinco-themed car show will overtake Santa Monica on May 6, we have an itinerary planned to score several decent deals in town, some popping up at tongue-in-cheek locations well-stocked with fine tequila and a few at restaurants getting in on the deal with discounts or specials for customers. Take a look and ten divertido!

Border Grill: Both locations plan to celebrate the holiday for three days, May 4-6, with margarita deals and two happy hours. On Friday May 4, the Downtown location will present a spicy chile dinner with five courses and four tequilas. Dishes include a cochinita pibil with ghost peppers and arctic char wrapped with spicy bacon. Full menu online.

El Carmen: Suited up in Mexican wrestling velvet paintings and toting 400 tequilas and mezcals, El Carmen feels the spirit year-round and plans to go for seven hours next Saturday. It will be slammed, especially when happy hour reigns from noon to 3:00 P.M. with drink specials and one-and-a-half hour table limits. 8138 West 3rd Street.

El Chavo: Come feel the “chespirito” in Silver Lake at a patio party uniting drink specials, a taco cart, and live music from 5:00 P.M. on. 4441 Sunset Blvd. Silver Lake.

La Sandia: Richard Sandoval’s Santa Monica mall location is offering a menu of creative and regionally influenced guacamoles, including one with grasshoppers, another with kiwi, strawberry, mango, and mint. 395 Santa Monica Place, 305 N. Santa Monica.

Pink Taco: This is definitely one day where you just need to embrace a place called Pink Taco. The Sunset location will finally open on May 5 at 11:30 A.M., with a day of partying planned around luchadors, mariachis, DJs, and a cocktail wheel that will decide which drink is on special every hour. $20 tickets will be sold at the door in West Hollywood, and advance in Century City, for what promises to be a rowdy afternoon. 8225 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood.

The Churchill: Along with its sister property The Hudson, The Churchill plans a day-long offering of five-dollar Peilgroso Tequila shots, five-buck micheladas, six-dollar margaritas, and eight-dollar themed cocktails with fresh fruit. The Churchill: 8384 West 3rd Street. The Hudson: 1114 North Crescent Heights.

Sonoma Wine Garden: We have no idea what Sonoma Wine Garden has to do with Mexico, but what the Hell? The Santa Monica rooftop restaurant is offering a week-long happy hour from 3:30-6:30 P.M., April 30 to May 4. Five-dollar drinks include tequila mojitos with key limes, tequila and elderflower martinis, and grapefruit margaritas, in addition to five-dollar churros, albacore ceviche, and tacos al pastor. 395 Santa Monica Place Suite #300.

Ocho Options For Eating and Drinking on Cinco de Mayo