Here are Fort Worth’s best margarita deals for Cinco de Mayo. One is made with Tajín
Here’s the truth about Cinco de Mayo this year:
Go on May 4. Or May 6.
For the first time in memory, restaurants are actually filling up with reservations for May 5.
It has become one of the busiest dining nights of the year, by far the biggest for margarita sales.
That’s how popular “Cinco” has become in the 33 years since the Mexico City-based Grupo Modelo brewing company started advertising it, appropriating a small Puebla, Mexico, celebration and turning it into what amounts to a national margarita day.
Now, don’t get me wrong.
Cinco de Mayo is a big deal.
It’s definitely a big deal in Texas, because Tejanos led the victory at Puebla.
Texas-born Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza and Texas Revolution hero Juan Seguín led the army that defeated the invading French 160 years ago.
But I doubt those names will ring a bell with many of the customers packing tables May 5 at newer restaurants scuh as Don Artemio, Maria’s Mexican Kitchen, Mesero, Paloma Suerte or Tinie’s, or old favorites such as The Original (1930), Joe T. García’s (1935), Mexican Inn Cafe (1936) and Pulido’s (1966).
Here are a few old and new places to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but be warned: Everywhere will be crowded.
▪ Tinie’s, 113 S. Main St., will host an outdoor party with music and street tacos, along with its regular menu of distinctive empanadas, ceviche, poblano chorizo queso and other dishes you won’t find in most restaurants.
Tinie’s is open for dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays and for brunch weekends; 682-255-5425, tiniesfw.com.
▪ Paloma Suerte, 122 E. Exchange Ave. in Mule Alley, celebrates its first Cinco with half-price frozen margaritas during lunch.
It’s open for lunch and dinner Thursdays through Sundays, dinner Mondays through Wednesdays; 682-267-0414, palomasuerteftx.com.
Nearby in the Stockyards, the John Wayne: An American Experience exhibit will offer tastings of Duke Spirits tequila from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m; 2501 Rodeo Plaza, 682-224-0956, johnwayne.com/experience.
▪ Enchiladas Olé, 2418 Forest Park Blvd. and 9005 North Tarrant Parkway, will have $5 margaritas, $3.50 beers and $8 nachos.
The Forest Park location will have a conjunto band at dinner. Both restaurants are open for lunch and dinner daily except Sunday; 817-984-1360 or 817-849-2451, enchiladasole.com.
▪ Salsa Limón, now with five Fort Worth locations and another coming soon near Keller, is offering $5 margaritas all day; salsalimon.com.
▪ The chain restaurants will be mobbed, but even simple Taco Cabana is offering an unusual special: Tajín margaritas for $4.
Taco Cabana is also introducing a menu of Tajín items and Tajín salsas, featuring the Houston-based chile-lime seasoning. The chain also now serves enchiladas in white queso; tacocabana.com.
▪ The Austin-based Chuy’s Tex-Mex chain, with four locations in Tarrant County, will offer $5 queso appetizers and $1 tequila floaters. The current feature is a frozen blackberry margarita; chuys.com.
▪ Blue Mesa Grill, 612 Carroll St., will serve its weekly bargain Wednesday lunch buffet May 4, then roll out a Cinco de Mayo dinner buffet May 5 including enchiladas, adobe pie and tacos (chicken verde, brisket or beef).
It’s $20, with top-shelf margaritas for $5; 817-332-6372, bluemesagrill.com.
▪ The On the Border Restaurants have been celebrating Cinco every Thursday for weeks, ending with $5 large margaritas and Grand Marnier specials; ontheborder.com.
If you don’t see your favorite restaurant here, just ask if there’s a special. Some small, family-owned restaurants don’t need to run big drink promotions.
This story was originally published May 2, 2022 at 5:45 AM.
