Five Best Cinco de Mayo Spots in Laguna Beach

If you're serious about celebrating Cinco de Mayo, head to Las Brisas. This Laguna Beach institution is going the full nine yards. In fact, it has even created a special margarita in honor of this special day: “The Slim Jim for Cinco de Mayo.” It’s made with Hornitos tequila and comes with a shaker you can take home in remembrance of your margarita experience. Las Brisas will also host a taco bar where you can design your own shrimp, chicken, beef, or carnitas tacos for $2.25 apiece. Yet the real draw to this spot is the music; from 6-10 p.m., you can eat, drink, and be merry with a mariachi band.

Although an Irish pub may seem like an unlikely place for a great Cinco de Mayo party, Hennessey’s never misses the opportunity to celebrate any holiday no matter how irrelevant. Located in the heart of Laguna, this is one of the few bars in town that has a dance floor and music every night of the week. On Thursday, they'll have two musicians, a DJ upstairs and a live musician at street level, to ring in Cinco de Mayo. In addition to the regular Thursday half-off martini special, they will also be offering $7 jumbo Pacificos and a $9.95 taco platter, which consists of two tacos of your choice, served with rice and beans.

If you are looking for a slightly more relaxed celebration, look no further than Avila’s El Ranchito. This location has only been in Laguna since 2006, but their first restaurant opened over 40 years ago, and the recipes have been passed down for generations—so you know it’s gonna be good. It's got a view of the ocean and a patio on Coast Highway, which is always a great spot to sip your margarita and people-watch. On Cinco de Mayo, Avila’s is hosting the Don Julio Tequila Girls for the evening, so bring your game to win merchandise!

I could say this restaurant's name says it all, but I’d be neglecting to tell you that this House has some of the best food and drink specials on the coast—and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. All night, you can delight in $1 blackened fish or chicken tacos (and believe me, with the size of them and the ambience of the restaurant, you are definitely getting your dollar's worth). If it’s the drink specials you're concerned with, try the $3 Pacifico draft, the $4 tequila shot or the $5 margarita. And after you’ve tried one (or all) of these, feel free to tap your foot or shake your booty to Americana/folk music performed by entertainer Andrew Corradini.

This locals spot is commemorating the Mexican army’s incredible victory over the French by hosting happy hour all day, with the extra added attractions of tequila girls, raffles and prize giveaways. While enjoying your $3 or $4 beer, wine, well drinks, margaritas, or the shot of the week, you can hang out with the Hornitos tequila girls and perform embarrassing acts for merchandise. Or, for $1.50 to $4.50, you can indulge in the Coyote Grill’s fresh appetizers like the crab civiche or street tacos. And if you’re feeling lucky, get some of those raffle tickets—I heard rumors that the prizes could be Angels tickets and bottles of tequila. The restaurant will also be giving away prizes to guests throughout the day.