Ready to celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Grab tacos and margs at these local Mexican spots

Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read

Cinco de Mayo is Friday, and plenty of people will be looking for a good place to celebrate Mexican heritage and chow down on some tasty food.

Plenty of national chains will have Cinco de Mayo deals on Friday. Applebee's is celebrating spring with $6 cocktails and beer. Buffalo Wild Wings will have special happy hour and late-night deals for Cinco de Mayo. Chipotle is offering free delivery through Friday with promo code CINCO23 for online orders and orders in the app. Get more details on deals at chains here.

Of course, you can also support local. Here are the best places to get Mexican food in Akron according to Trip Advisor:

  • Taqueria La Loma

  • Bomba Tacos and Rum

  • Tito's Mexican Grill

  • El Meson

  • El Rincon Mexican Restaurant

  • Chili's Grill & Bar

  • Azteca Restaurante Mexicano

  • El Rancho

  • Crave Cantina

  • La Mexicana Cantina & Grill

Before you go out for tacos and tequila, here are a few things to know about Cinco de Mayo:

What is Cinco de Mayo?

Cinco de Mayo is an annual celebration on the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the French Empire during the Franco-Mexican War.

On May 5, 1862, 2,000 Mexican soldiers defeated 6,000 French soldiers during a battle in Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in East-Central Mexico. Days later, Mexican President Benito Juárez declared May 5 a national holiday.

La Loma: Restaurant brings authentic Mexican tacos and more in Akron's Ellet neighborhood

According to USA Today, the holiday commemorates the start of France leaving Mexico during a time when Mexico was "economically vulnerable."

The battle also had an impact on the American Civil War. After France was defeated, the Confederacy could not use the European country as an ally to win the war, per USA Today.

Why do we celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Blue Habanero's $55 variety taco tray comes with your choice of 4 types of tacos, 12 total, with 4 sides of Mexican rice, cilantro white rice, black beans, and refried beans on Friday, July 22, 2022 in Brecksville.
Blue Habanero's $55 variety taco tray comes with your choice of 4 types of tacos, 12 total, with 4 sides of Mexican rice, cilantro white rice, black beans, and refried beans on Friday, July 22, 2022 in Brecksville.

While it's not a significant holiday in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo has become an annual celebration of Mexican American culture in the United States.

The celebration of Cinco de Mayo began as a form of resistance to the effects of the Mexican-American War, which occurred in the late 19th century. The holiday gained popularity during the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. By the 1980s, companies began commercializing the holiday.

Today there are Cinco de Mayo festivities throughout the United States and Mexico, especially in Puebla.

When is Cinco de Mayo celebrated?

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated every year on May 5.

How is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in the United States?

According to the History Channel, Cinco de Mayo celebrations often include parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods, such as tacos, enchiladas, tamales and mole poblano. Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois, and Houston, Texas, are among the cities with the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Best Mexican food in Akron: Spots to celebrate for Cinco de Mayo