Best Bars in Denver to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo, a day where Mexicans fought for their freedom, is around the corner and Denver’s Latin flavors are coming out to celebrate. With Cinco falling on Monday this year, expect to find Mariachi and margaritas all weekend long. Ole!
Cinco de Mayo Festival (Civic Center Park, Broadway and Colfax)
Enjoy the celebration all weekend long at this free event downtown. Enjoy music, dancing, a taco eating contest and Chihuahua races. There will be three Coyote Gold Margarita stations and six Tecate/Dos Equis booths. The event, held May 3 and 4, is free to the public, but food and drink are pay as you go.
Benny’s (301 E. 7th Ave.; 303-894-0788)
Jose O’Shea’s (385 Union Blvd.; 303-988-7333)
This Mexican institution just off 6th Avenue in Lakewood has a weekend of events to kick off the month of Mayo. Starting Saturday, May 3, is the Maker’s Mark Derby Party in the Cantina. Enjoy Mint Juleps and Loaded Coronas (with a floating shot of Hornitos Lime). On Sunday, May 4, enjoy free sangria for brunch, Mariachi music from noon to 3 PM. Then on Monday, Cinco de Mayo, enjoy more Mariachi music from 5 to 8 PM and the 25th annual Jalapeno Eating Contest. The featured cocktail is the 303 Margarita with Tres Generaciones Tequila and 303 Orange Liqueur for $8.99.
Kachina Southwestern Grill (10600 Westminster Blvd., Westminster; 303-410-5813)
Up north in Westminster Kachina is starting a little early. Enjoy Cuatro de Mayo on the indoor/outdoor patio where Chef Jeff Bolton will roast a pig on the patio along with $5 tacos. Guests can enjoy $20 pitchers of margaritas and sangria and live music with Chicha. Start munching at 4 PM.
La Biblioteca (1610 Little Raven St.; 303-572-3000)
Enjoy $5 margaritas all night on Cinco de Mayo. Over the weekend, guests who bring in five or more friends receive complimentary infusion shot per person.
La Loma (2527 W. 26th Ave.; 303-433-8300)
La Loma restaurant will debut this year’s Summer Concert Series on May 4 and feature Cinco de Mayo specials all day long. Enjoy live music from Rowdy Shadehouse, Petals of Spain and Stray Dog. There will be two tequila bars featuring Don Julio Tequila, Mexican beer specials and donkey rides for the kids. Music from 2 PM to sundown.
Tamayo (1400 Larimer St.; 720-946-1433)
Celebrate Cinco all weekend at Tamayo in Larimer Square with special tequila tastings. Starting Friday, May 2, Patron will be giving away shots and margaritas to guests from 7 to 9 PM. Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, features Cazadores Tequila with shots and margs from 7 to 9 PM. Then Patron makes a comeback on Cinco de Mayo with Reposado and Anejo shots and margs from 6 to 8 PM. Guests can also enjoy traditional margaritas or Tecate with a shot of house tequila for only $5. Happy hour will start at 2 PM each day and a DJ will be spinning Latin tunes on the terrace during weekend brunch.
ViewHouse (2015 Market St.; 720-204-4202)
Add a little spice to your Cinco de Mayo weekend with the Spicy Mamacita featuring Corona beer infused with ViewHouse ghost pepper and cucumber vodka, tobacco sauce and fresh jalapeno. Have some water handy with this one.
Zengo (1610 Little Raven St.; 720-904-0965)
For Cinco celebrating, enjoy the Tequilajito cocktail for $5. It features mint, lime, sugar and a splash of sour and simple. The bar will also have $5 Mojitos all night long. The weekend brunch leading up to Cinco is only $35 per person and includes unlimited small plates and brunch cocktails.
