Cinco De Mayo Good Eats: Top 5 Mexican Restaurants in El Paso, Texas

Eating Mexican food in El Paso Texas can be a daily event since Mexicans celebrate more than 365 festivals each year, including Cinco de Mayo. The 5^th of May 1862 marks Mexico's victory over France occupation in the battle of Puebla. Puebla, a small town 100 miles east of Mexico City, is where 4,500 untrained Mexican Indians and Mestizo's fought under Mexican General Zaragoza and beat Napoleon III's French army of over 8,000 soldiers.

While September 16 is Mexico's Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico that represents unity and patriotism. There are also lavish celebrations held in the United States for Cinco de Mayo because if Napoleon III would have won the battle of Puebla, the French would have aided the South in the American Civil War and our history would have been very different. General Zaragoza was born in Texas when it was still part of Mexico, so Cinco de Mayo is a huge holiday celebrated in El Paso Texas. Here are the Top 5 Mexican restaurants in El Paso Texas to eat at on Cinco de Mayo.

Chico's Tacos in El Paso Texas

Chico's Tacos is a local El Paso phenomenon, turned national craze! El Paso Texas city officials passed a resolution for Chico's Tacos' 50^th Anniversary where they thanked N'Sync, Oscar de la Hoya, and other famous people for eating there.

5305 Montana El Paso, TX 79903 (915)-772-7777

4230 Alameda Ave. El Paso, TX 79905 (915) 533-0975

I always start my Cinco de Mayo celebration, traditionally around 11 a.m., with a trip to Chico's Tacos. It might be a stretch to call Chico's Tacos in El Paso a Mexican restaurant, but if you are from El Paso, Chico's Tacos is a local phenomenon. Chico's Tacos are rolled beef tacos smothered in red chile juice and tons of yellow cheese. Chico's Tacos makes the best green chile hot sauce in the world. It is true that people from all over the world order Chico's Tacos when they visit El Paso.

A double order of Chico's Tacos, a simple inexpensive delight, is a symbolic Cinco de Mayo tribute to the Mexican Indians and Mestizos who were untrained soldiers and commoners, but were victorious over Napoleon III and his giant French Army. You have to eat Chico's Tacos on Cinco de Mayo and say a prayer for the Mexican Indians and Mestizos (people of Mexican Indian and European descent).

Avila's Mexican Restaurant in El Paso Texas

Avila's continues to be voted El Paso's Best Mexican Food Restaurant in local media polls.

6232 N. Mesa El Paso, TX 79912 (915) 584-3621

Avila's Mexican Restaurant is a family owned Mexican food establishment and has been in business for over 50 years. There are members of the Avila family tree who are the owners of Leo's Mexican Restaurants, another one of my favorites in El Paso Texas. Avila's makes the best green chile and red chile enchiladas north of the Rio Grande River. I also love their chile relleno rolled in a homemade flour tortilla. It is true that Avila's Mexican Restaurant is showing some age and needs some interior design renovations, but you still can't beat the authentic Mexican food and authentic Mexican atmosphere of the dining at Avila's.

Kiki's Mexican Restaurant in El Paso Texas

Hispanic Magazine named Kiki's Mexican Restaurant one of the nation's 50 Best Hispanic Restaurants for six straight years.

2719 N. Piedras El Paso, TX 79930 (915)-565-6713

I think Kiki's Mexican Restaurant in El Paso Texas is my favorite place to order a huge Mexican food combination plate, complete with red chile enchiladas, crispy tacos, chile rellenos, flautas, guacamole, beans, and Mexican fried rice, all for $10.45! I personally think Kiki's Mexican Restaurant in El Paso makes the best Chile Rellenos in the world. If Mexican breakfast is your thing on Cinco de Mayo, you cannot beat the Huevos Rancheros at Kiki's Mexican Restaurant. Their homemade corn and flour tortillas are the best.

Leo's Mexican Restaurant in El Paso Texas

Best Chile con Queso and Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas in El Paso

5103 Montana Ave, El Paso, TX (915) 566-5161

315 E Mills Ave, El Paso, TX (915) 544-1001

7520 Remcon Cir, El Paso, TX (915) 833-1189

8001 North Mesa Street, El Paso, TX (915) 833-1189

Leo's Mexican Restaurant is my favorite place to get green chile con queso and I love their green chile chicken enchiladas! Leo's Mexican Restaurant uses Mexican white cheese and long green chile to make their chile con queso. This is true - I have friends in El Paso who actually shipped me Leo's queso all the way to Virginia and Utah. Leo's Mexican Restaurant in El Paso also makes the best sopapillas served with real honey.

Carnitas Queretaro Mexican Restaurant in El Paso

Cinco de Mayo celebrations should include Carnitas Queretaro Mexican Restaurant in El Paso with their extensive list of Mexican drink specialties.

9077 Gateway Blvd W, El Paso (915) 633-9877

4001 N Mesa St, El Paso (915) 543-9229

6516 N Mesa St, El Paso (915) 584-9906

What the heck are carnitas? Carnitas means "little meats" in Spanish and Carnitas Queretaro Mexican Restaurant has the best variety of Mexican cooked meats in town. Carnitas are chunks or pulled strings of braised or roasted pork served a lot of different ways. It is a staple Mexican dish in most authentic Mexican restaurants. Queretaro is a state in the middle of Mexico and Santiago is the capital city of Queretaro.

If you like mole, Carnitas Queretaro is the El Paso Mexican food restaurant to visit. They make the best chicken mole enchiladas in El Paso. In honor of Lent, Carnitas Queretaro serves Emmoladas with mole and no meat. Carnitas Queretaro also makes a really good unique version of Tortilla Soup called Aztec Soup. There is something about the red chile spices they put in the soup that makes it zestier than regular tortilla soup. Delicious!

Sources:

Cinco de Mayo Trivia and Facts

http://purpletrail.com/partytrail/holiday_parties/cinco_de_mayo/cinco-de-mayo-trivia-facts/

Fun Facts About Cinco de Mayo

http://www.parents.com/fun/parties/special-occasions/fun-facts-about-cinco-de-mayo/