Cinco de Mayo falls on Taco Tuesday this year, giving Austin diners an extra reason to check out the city’s many Mexican and Tex-Mex happy hours. While often celebrated in the United States with food and drink specials, Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s 1862 Battle of Puebla victory over French forces, not Mexican Independence Day.
More: Why Austin loves queso
Across Austin, restaurants are marking the occasion with weekday happy hours, all-day Monday deals and specials on margaritas, tacos, queso and more. For anyone hoping to celebrate on a budget, here’s a look at 15 of the city’s notable options.
Article continues below this ad
Arriba Abajo
Arriba Abajo’s happy hour runs Sunday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Provided by Tanveer Badal Photography
This rooftop happy hour runs Sunday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The restaurant also offers Tequila Tuesday, with 50% off high-end tequila and mezcal all day.
Menu items include guacamole with pomegranate and pickled jalapeño, queso with chimichurri, short rib barbacoa taquitos, crispy rock shrimp and carne asada tacos. Drink offerings include house margaritas, wine, Modelo drafts and shots of Cazadores Blanco.
Article continues below this ad
506 San Jacinto Blvd. 737-257-3026, arribaabajoatx.com
ATX Cocina
Happy hour at ATX Cocina runs from Monday through Thursday 5 to 6 p.m., Friday, Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Provided by ATX Cocina
Happy hour is offered at this downtown restaurant Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Article continues below this ad
Cocktails include a house margarita for $10 and a mezcal paloma for $10. Red and white wines are $8, while Estrella Jalisco beers are $5. Food specials include guacamole for $10, fish tacos for $10, flautas for $10, ribeye tacos for $9 and tacos alambre with beef tenderloin for $12.
110 San Antonio St., Ste. 170. 512-263-2322, atxcocina.com.
Chuy’s
Chuy’s on Barton Springs Road hosts a popular happy hour.
Austin 360
The Tex-Mex chain has a popular happy hour that runs weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Article continues below this ad
Drink specials include discounted house margaritas, Texas martinis, beer and wine. The chain also offers $5 Chips ’N’ Dips, including queso, queso with beef, layered bean-and-queso dips and other shareable snacks.
Barton Springs: 1728 Barton Springs Road. 512-474-4452.
Mueller: 2027 Aldrich St. 737-289-4201.
Article continues below this ad
North Lamar: 10520 N. Lamar Blvd. 512-836-3218.
More locations available online.
Comedor
Comedor’s happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 5 to 6 p.m.
Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman
For a high-end happy hour, try Comedor. The modern Mexican restaurant’s happy hour menu features both drinks and small plates at the bar. Highlights include aguachile for $10, crab totopos for $13, quesadilla for $12, fish taco for $6 and bone marrow tacos for $13.
Article continues below this ad
Cocktails such as the Comedor Margarita, Repo Ginger and Carajillo are $6, while beers and some nonalcoholic drinks start at $5. Sleek windows give this spot cinematic natural light during happy hour, plus downtown views.
501 Colorado St., 512-499-0977, comedortx.com.
Curra’s
Curra’s happy hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. daily.
Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman
The local chain that claims to be the home of the avocado-rita offers happy hour daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Hyde Park and from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Oltorf location. Deals include $7 house margaritas, palomas and mezcalitas, plus $5 queso and guacamole and $8 ceviche.
Article continues below this ad
Hyde Park: 4215 Duval St. 512-596-1860, currashydepark.com.
Oltorf: 614 E. Oltorf St. 512-444-0012, currasgrill.com.
De Nada Cantina
De Nada’s happy hour includes deals on margaritas and chips and queso.
Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman
Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with a separate late-night menu nightly from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Article continues below this ad
Daytime deals include $1.50 chips and salsa, $6.50 chips and queso, $8 chips and guac, and tacos or quesadillas from $4.50 to $5.50. House frozen or rocks margaritas are $10, Pacifico draft is $5 and seasonal beer is $7. Plus, on Tuesday, you can get any two tacos, rice and beans for $15 and $2 off large margaritas throughout the day.
East: 4715 E. Cesar Chavez St. 512-615-3555
South: 1302 S. First St. 512-447-7445.
Article continues below this ad
El Alma
The upstairs patio at El Alma.
Austin American-Statesman
El Alma offers happy hour daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Discounted items include guacamole ($11 happy hour price), nachitos ($7), pastor street tacos ($6), queso blanco y rojo ($5 small) and ceviche clásico ($12).
1025 Barton Springs Road. (512) 609-8923, elalmacafe.com.
Article continues below this ad
Este
Este’s happy hour runs from Monday through Thursday 5 to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman
The East Austin seafood-focused Mexican restaurant offers a broad happy hour menu.
Specials include guacamole for $9, cevichito for $10, fish tacos for $8 each, 50 cents off oysters, $15 off seafood platters and $25 off seafood towers. A variety of margaritas and cocktails are $10, while bottles of wine are 25% off.
Article continues below this ad
2113 Manor Road. 512-522-4047, esteatx.com.
Fonda San Miguel
Tom Gilliland curates the art for his grand Mexican restaurant, Fonda San Miguel.
Mikala Compton, Mikala Compton/American-Statesma
Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Article continues below this ad
Reduced-price appetizers include quesadillas, tacos al pastor, ceviche Las Brisas and tostadas compuestas. The restaurant also offers $2 off tequila and tequila cocktails.
2330 W. North Loop Blvd. 512-459-4121, fondasanmiguel.com.
Fresa’s
Fresa’s happy hour includes discounted prices on margaritas and quesadillas.
Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman
Fresa’s offers $2 off all aguas frescas, botanas, beer, wine and margaritas during happy hour.
Article continues below this ad
Lamar: 915 N. Lamar Blvd, 512-428-5077
South First: 1703 S. First St, 512-992-2946
West Lake: N. Capital of Texas Highway, Ste A-110, 512-881-2491
Geraldine’s
The prix fixe menu at Geraldine’s includes the option of mushroom enchiladas or enmoladas de pato.
Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman
The Hotel Van Zandt restaurant offers happy hour daily from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Article continues below this ad
There is a $39.99 rotating three-course prix fixe menu. Additional specials include half off wine by the glass and draft beer, $6 martini flights and light bites such as oysters, seafood sopes, tlayudas and papas machas.
605 Davis St. 512-476-4755, hotelvanzandt.com/geraldines.
Güero’s Taco Bar
Güero’s Taco Bar on South Congress Avenue offers happy hour all day Monday and Tuesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Mikala Compton/American-Statesman
Happy hour at the South Congress spot runs all day Monday and Tuesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Casa margaritas are $7, signature margaritas are $10, beers are $1 off and appetizers are $1 off.
Article continues below this ad
1412 S. Congress Ave. 512-447-7688, gueros.com.
La Condesa
La Condesa has been a staple of the downtown Austin dining scene for over a decade. (Stephen Spillman for AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
AMERICAN-STATESMAN FILE
Happy hour is offered Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the bar only. Tacos are $3 each, with fillings including tuna, steak, al pastor pork, pollo and grilled oyster mushrooms.
Article continues below this ad
400A W. Second St. 512-499-0300, lacondesa.com.
Licha’s Cantina
The happy hour at Licha’s runs Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Ana Gutierrez / Austin American-Statesman
Licha’s offers one of the most extensive happy hour menus in town with $8 cocktails, including margaritas, palomas, Mexican martinis and more. Beer specials include a 32-ounce Sol Familiar for $10, Coronita buckets for $18 and mix-and-match beer buckets for $27.
Article continues below this ad
Appetizers are $8, with options including esquite, cochinita pibil sopecitos, quesadillas and huaraches.
1306 E. Sixth St. 512-480-5960, lichascantina.com.
Suerte
You’ve obviously tried the suadero tacos at Suerte. Right?
Austin American-Statesman file/2018
“Lucky Hour” runs Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The East Austin restaurant offers $10 house cocktails, $2 off draft beer, $2 off glasses of wine, 25% off bottles of wine and 50% off pours of mezcal and tequila.
Article continues below this ad
1800 E. Sixth St. 512-522-3031, suerteatx.com.