It’s almost time for the biggest Mexican-American holiday of the year, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate in the Queen City.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, where foreign French invaders trying to take over the city were soundly defeated.
While the day is traditionally a minor holiday in Mexico itself and is often mistakenly confused for Mexican Independence Day on September 16, it’s been America’s biggest celebration of Mexican culture ever since it was first celebrated all the way back in the 19th century in Columbia, California.
Read on to see some of our favorite restaurants in the area to grab a few tacos or a margarita—whether it’s on Cinco de Mayo or just any old Taco Tuesday.
Olla Taqueria Gutierrez
302 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Covington
Olla didn’t establish itself as every Cincinnatian’s de facto answer for ‘where are the best tacos in the city?’ for no reason. Whether you agree or not, good luck finding a better birria in town than what you’ll find here.
Mazunte Centro
611 Main St, downtown
Since opening in 2019, Mazunte’s downtown location has been the preferred grab-and-go Mexican spot for professionals in the Central Business District. Personally, I could eat their chips and guac forever until my teeth fell out.
Taqueria San Miguel
812 Madison Ave, Covington
A perennial lunchtime favorite among CityBeat staff, I always laugh when I come in here and instantly feel like I’ve been transported to another place. This is the kind of place someone would praise as “super authentic” and then some; I’ve never been here and heard another table speaking English. If you can’t order in Spanish, you better just start pointing to things on the menu. No shame in doing that when the food is this cheap, quick and delicious.
Tacos El Joven
2157 Queen City Ave, South Fairmount
It’s easy to tell when a restaurant is a hidden gem if there’s no website or social media presence to speak of. Tucked away behind an Ethiopian grocer, this is the kind of place serving up incredible food that you only hear whispers about from people ‘in the know.’ Bet you’ve never tried a huitlacoche taco before.
Taqueria Tapia
518 W Pike St, Covington
Formerly known as Taqueria Cruz, this is another hole-in-the-wall joint with no website or online menu available. Nestled in the side of an unassuming building near the Anchor Grill, some of their soups are quite possibly the best Mexican dishes you’ll have in the city, period.
Taqueria Mercado
100 E 8th St, downtown
When you think of your average Mexican-American restaurant, it’s probably something similar to Taqueria Mercado. Their jumbo-sized menu is only upstaged by their even larger margaritas.
La Canasta Mexican Grocer
7812 Colerain Ave, White Oak
We’ve all heard the classic adage about how you shouldn’t go to the grocery store when you’re hungry. La Canasta solves that issue by having a Mexican restaurant directly inside their grocer. It might seem a little weird at first to chow down in the middle of a store while customers walk by, but it’s hard to beat the convenience of sitting down for a huarache and then walking out with a 12-pack of Tecate.
Pata Roja Taqueria
52 E. Court St, downtown
Celebrating the culture of both Cincinnati and Mexico City—the name is a nod to how the baseball teams of both cities are known as the Reds—in two years of business, Pata Roja has quickly become a community staple in south Over-the-Rhine and the northern areas of downtown. While it’s by far the most expensive on the list, their house-made meats and innovative twists on Mexican staples make this place worth the cost.
