Cinco de Mayo is the observance of Mexico’s victory — despite being outnumbered two to one — over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. If you want to be a killjoy, you can mention that the French eventually came back with 30,000 troops and overtook Mexico City.
Now that we all sound smarter, here’s some Butler County restaurants offering specials to celebrate this year.
CANTINA LAREDO
7125 Fountain View Drive (Liberty Center), Liberty Twp.
Cantina Laredo serves authentic, modern Mexican food, plus top shelf margaritas and specialty sangria. On Friday, they’re offering an all-day happy hour that includes a special $5 Tajin Watermelon Margarita and a $5 Cinco Rita. The all-day happy hour deals also include $2 domestics, $3 imports, $4 house wines, and $5 Casa Ritas, Cantina Laredo’s signature margarita.
FIESTA CHARRA
25 W High St., Oxford
Fiesta Charra is offering $2 off all margaritas and $1 off select beers from open to close on May 5.
TAQUERIA MERCADO
6507 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield
Taqueria Mercado will be offering up drink specials throughout the day Friday, including house margaritas for $2.25, Mexican beer for $1.99 and Budweiser and Bud Light beers for $1.75.
EL RANCHO NUEVO
229 Floer Drive, West Chester Twp.; 6752 Cincinnati Dayton Road, Liberty Twp.; 4978 Union Centre Pavilion, West Chester Twp.; 8111 Cincinnati Dayton Road, West Chester Twp.
This local chain not only has delicious specials, but there’s six locations that will be holding specials for Cinco de Mayo. And if you don’t feel like eating out, you can order online and pick up carryout at any of their locations.
TRES AMIGOS MEXICAN GRILL
1012 Lebanon St., Monroe
Tres Amigos Mexican Grill is holding a special happy hour, which will include a wide variety of beers, both bottle and draft as well as specials on margaritas.
VERACRUZ MEXICAN RESTAURANT
1230 Elliott Drive, Middletown
Veracruz is offering drink specials all day in honor of the holiday, plus they'll have their daily lunch special, which is typically posted each day to the restaurant's Facebook page.
ACAPULCO RESTAURANT
953 Boymel Drive, Fairfield
Acapulco is offering drink specials throughout the day on Friday, which will include both specials on beer and on margaritas.
COCO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT
3320 Tylersville Road, Hamilton
Coco’s Mexican Restaurant is offering drink specials throughout the day on Friday.
CHUY’S TEX MEX
The new West Chester Twp. restaurant has happy hour every weekday from 4 to 7 p.m. During happy hour you can also enjoy the benefits of a free fully-loaded Nacho Car filled with chips, queso, ground beef and more.
CANCUN MEXICAN RESTAURANT AND CANTINA
11930 Hamilton Ave., Fairfield
Cancun is advertising that they’ll have all day happy hour specials, which include ½ price drinks, such as beers and even pitchers of margaritas.
EL RANCHO GRANDE
6601 Terhune Drive, Middletown
El Rancho Grande is advertising specials all day long in honor of Cinco de Mayo. In addition, their typical happy hour will be taking place from 3 to 6 p.m. where you can get 16 oz. or 20 oz house margaritas, bottled beer and draft beer, both domestic and imported, for half price.
HOT HEAD BURRITOS
3585 South Dixie Hwy., Middletown; 6862 Liberty Plaza Drive, Liberty Twp.
The national chain, with two Butler County locations, is offering up $5 burritos or bowls on Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Are you a restaurant owner with food or drink specials planned for Cinco de Mayo? Email the details to Megan.Fenno@coxinc.com.