Best Bars To Celebrate Cinco De Mayo In Minnesota

A celebration of Mexican heritage all across the United States, and specifically a celebration of the defeat of French by Mexican forces during the Battle of Puebla in 1862, Cinco de Mayo is one of the most vibrant holidays of the year. You can find celebrations all around the Twin Cities, especially in St. Paul's District Del Sol, where music, parades and cars shows fill the streets.  For food and drink, here are the best bars to visit for Cinco de Mayo.

El Burrito Mercado
175 Cesar Chavez St #2
St Paul, MN 55107
(651) 227-2192
www.elburritomercado.com

Hidden away from the bustling marketplace, the deli counters and the cafeteria-style eatery lies El Burrito Mercado's tequila paradise. Here, you can sit down and get comfortable, order a margarita from your server, maybe enjoy some of the house-made chips and salsa with something from the menu. Specials, like $5 margaritas and two-for-one beers, make this an excellent place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. If you want to stay outside, the party can be found around back with a giant tent, plenty of tequila and fresh, hot elote (grilled corn on the cob with grated cotija cheese and red pepper) to keep the hangover away.

Barrio
925 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 333-9953
www.barriotequila.com

Whether you're in St. Paul, Minneapolis, or Edina, Barrio offers a great party for Cinco de Mayo. If you're starting during the day (as the discounts do) make sure to take advantage of Barrio's excellent selection of small plates and street food like excellent tamales, enchiladas and tacos, so that the tequila doesn't go right to your head. Barrio itself seems like a tribute to the flavors and culture of Mexico and on a holiday like Cinco de Mayo, it seems like the perfect place to celebrate.

El Nuevo Rodeo
2709 Lake St. E.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 728-0101
www.elnuevorodeorestaurant.com

Restaurant? Bar? Dance club? This Lake Street institution is all three. The menu is fantastic featuring some of the best, authentic Mexican food this far north. If you're looking for a calmer holiday you can stick with that. For those really looking to celebrate the beer and tequila never stop flowing and the dance floor will be the best place to end up. There's nothing quite like a wild night at El Nuevo Rodeo, and for Cinco de Mayo this is one of the very best places to visit.

Related:  Best Latin Dance Clubs In Minnesota

Pancho Villa
2539 Nicollet Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 871-7014
www.panchovillasgrill.com

Nothing beats Pancho Villa for late night food and drink in the heart of Eat Street in Minneapolis. With a new location out in Monticello, you don't have to travel into the city to get in on some Cinco de Mayo fun. You'll find some of the metro's finest margaritas here and they are discounted for the holiday. The spirit of the restaurant's namesake, one of the first Mexican Revolutionary generals, will make sure that you are celebrating Mexican heritage and independence the right way.

La Cucaracha

www.lacucaracharestaurante.com

La Cucaracha embraces the spirit of the holiday with live music, food and drink specials and a lively crowd of revelers, some who have been celebrating Cinco de Mayo here for decades. Large plates of sizzling hot food will make sure you don't leave without eating, but the enormous selection of tequila will probably be the real star of the show. If you get a chance, chat with the bartender about the tequila selection. It seems almost every bottle has its own story.

Related: Best Margaritas In Minnesota

Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.