I'm a regular now and I really enjoy the service and the food. Staff is always nice and attentive. The menu is kind of weird. You can't just get cheese enchiladas. They don't appear on the menu. English is the second language for most of the staff so don't expect them to understand any detailed changes to your order like I just want cheese enchiladas. read more

I will start by complementing the salsa which had superb flavor! On the contrary, our meals were not stellar. We ordered carne asada tacos and birria tacos. The carne asada literally came out with the shell and meat and that was it. It came with a side dish with rice and beans and some pico w/ lettuce. Quite bizarre. The birria tacos looked delicious but somehow had no flavor, It was a bummer but what can you do. read more

This place used to be called "Mezcal". Everything is the same, except the name. They had one 1 drink on HH per day. I had the Blackberry drink, it was good and Large! I ended up getting the Make your own Combo, which was like 3 items and a side. Plenty of free parking outfront read more

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I came here on a busy Fri. Night Had a 25 min wait Decided to go to the bar and wait for a table. WARNING !!! The Drink Menus have no price 1 Pickly Pear + 1 Jalapeño Margarita + tip = $40 The food is good. Service is good Good portions and value for the food read more

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This is one of the worst Mexican restaurants in the area. Frankly their food has never been fantastic but some dishes were decent and the cocktails were amazing. However, as of 2025 there is absolutely nothing good left at Cinco de Mayo. Their food is either completely tasteless or has a weird taste. The chicken in their fajitas is not edible. New margaritas suck. The glass is small and the taste is awful. I am never coming back again. This place has become total trash. I sincerely hope they will go out of business and let a decent restaurant come to this location. read more

This was literally not good. The tacos were meat in a shell. Very basic, not seasoned. The margaritas were weak And it was difficult to communicate with the staff. read more

Absolutely love this place! Authentic Mexican food and fast service- even on a Friday night at 6pm. They only have one size of margarita, HUGE. Trust me, you only need one! The fresh guacamole and queso con chorizo are a must. The entree portions are large and make for great leftovers. I got the Birria tacos and they were delicious! Vibe was laid back. Lots of TVs playing various sporting events if you are in to that. It was a bit loud but manageable and the food/drinks more than made up for it. read more

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This place is our New Mexican hideout!!!! The food was amazing, service on point, ambiance was nice. The only issue we have is why the heck is it 3 stars when it deserves 5 stars!!! This place rocks read more

Cinco de Mayo - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

The staff is amazing. I go at least twice a week. Food is seasoned and delicious . Just amazed on the scenery. I always sit at the bar. Enjoy watching sports as I eat and socialize with other customers. read more

One star for decor and one star for the margarita. Cinco de Mayo is another restaurant that caters to the American palette instead of staying traditional to its roots. Whenever I see ground beef on the menu I give a side eye and if I see they don't have horchata and serve cheese with their tacos I give another side eye. I really thought service would be nice but realized what was lacking; Communication and understanding. I'll leave it at that. I'd only come back for the drinks but will happily sit at the bar read more

Cinco de Mayo - Pomegranate margarita straight up - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Clean and cozy, nicely lit so you can read the menu. I had the carnitas tacos and red sangria, delicious! Our server was attentive and we never had to wait for drink refills. This place was also highly recommended by friends. Reasonable prices and I will be back. read more

A good restaurant serving flavorful Mexican dishes with a good selection of vegetarian dishes. Their margaritas were delicious with a good kick of alcohol and their drink sizes are huge. The vegetarian fajitas and chicken enchiladas were good but nothing exceptional. The decor was colorful and inviting. Service was great with friendly servers and the food arrived fairly quick. Prices are reasonable too. read more

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Everything was delicious. The service was excellent. I will definitely be back! 5 out of 5 read more

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The service and environment is always a good time. Very friendly staff the food is well seasoned . Every time is a good time and it is certainly easy to communicate with staff. Please experience this amazing food for yourself then decide. read more

Delicious!! Great food! Very authentic for East Coast. Friendly service. Ambiance is cozy and fun. Folks enjoying the food ans conversation.

Happy Cinco de Mayo at Cinco de Mayo! Writing this review at the restaurant as we speak while we wait for the check. Had to wait a little bit for a table since it's obviously busy today, but service was still decent. Our server still checked on us a few times. $6 all draft beers and $9 margaritas (same price a frozen margarita) for their Cinco de Mayo specials. Steak fajita: 4/5. Steak to veggies ratio was a bit off and steak was thin; would have liked more & thicker steak. It was still good and flavorful. Also comes with a side of beans, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and pico de gallo. Good portion overall. Taco salad: 3/5. I'm only giving my ground beef taco salad a 3 out of 5 because the amount of lettuce was severely lacking for a salad. It was more like a topping of lettuce, so after that top layer was gone, it was hard for me to keep eating my entree with just the meat. It still tasted good though with the seasoning of the ground beef and combination of jalapeños, sour cream, and pico de gallo. But for only $10 for lunch, it's a great deal. Tasty complimentary chips & salsa is always appreciated :) read more

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So it's pretty easy nowadays to find a good Hispanic spot. That being said, this place is at the top of the category. I have yet to have something that I didn't enjoy and I have an obsession with the loaded fries, now. read more

Cinco De Mayo is a Mexican restaurant chain that can be found in numerous areas around Maryland and one out in West Virginia. In my opinion, the food is overpriced for the lack of flavoring and overuse of oil and butter. We have had the "Fresh Guacamole" for $15.99 (should be a larger portion for this price), "Queso con Chorizo" for $14.99 (should be a larger portion for this price and a bit of heat or flavoring could have been added so that the Chorizo was worth adding), "Shrimp Quesadilla" (not on the menu but they made it for us--heavy on the cheese but perfect portion of shrimp--they charged us the same amount as the chicken and steak, $16.99), "Fish Tacos" (they were so soggy in oil that the tortillas were wet and soggy) for $18.99 and the "Ultimate Fajita" (flavorless and incredibly overpriced) for $28.99. They do have Happy Hour from 3:00 PM until 7:00 PM. However, each day is different: Monday includes $8.99 Lime Margaritas (very heavy on sour mix) and $3.50 Miller Lite bottles; Tuesday includes $3.99 Mexican bottles and $8.99 Blue Pacific Margarita; Wednesday includes Blackjack Margarita and 16 ounce Modelo Special for $3.99; Thursday includes $8.99 Pomegranate Margarita and $3.99 16 ounce Dos Equis Amber and Lager; and Friday includes $9.99 homemade sangria (missing something--possibly need to select a better varietal) and 16 ounce Negro Modelo. On a more positive note, they have a great kid's menu which they all seem to love, and the ambience and wall décor is on-point. read more

I'm giving this place an average review. Prices are a bit high on most items. I ordered the mix-and-match tacos and got to choose 3 tacos for $20. I tried the fish, shrimp, and steak. The fish and steak were served with a tortilla and the meat (nothing else in the shell); the shrimp had some shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and a bit of sour cream. All three were very bland, even after I added some salsa (from the chips & salsa that came before the meal) and some of my sides of rice & beans. I love a good fish taco, especially. Suggestion: add a fresh, different sauce to each type of taco to punch up the flavor profile, some cilantro & onion would help, too. read more

Amazing food! Best in MD! When I'm craving Mexican cuisine this is the only place to go that hits the spot. From the chips & salsa placed on the table at arrival, to the scrumptious margaritas & every dish they lovingly create, Cinco de Mayo is everything you need for dining out! read more

The food is excellent. The service is very good too. Drinks are amazing. I had a margarita and it was delicious. The only concern I have about this place is the water in the bathroom is so cold. I don't know how anyone could effectively wash their hands (staff included) with the water so cold. Otherwise I hade a great evening. read more

Me and my boyfriend went with two of our friends yesterday. Upon entree the lack of air conditioning is glaringly obvious, not conducive to the summer heat. Service was subpar, 20-30 minute spans of time passed between our waitress coming to check on us or take our orders. The guacamole is clearly made from a powder packet and over mixed to an under seasoned baby food-like mush. My garlic shrimp entree' was an extreme disappointment. The protein itself was rubbery, that and the rice were under seasoned. The tortillas were clearly store bought brand. My mango margarita was sufficient but it is obvious they use the large glasses served as a cover for the poor quality of everything else. Most definitely will not be returning read more

Cinco de Mayo - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Different management ..but all they did was change the light bulbs. Still the same Bad food and Bad service.

What a terrible cinco de mayo (may 5th) experience. I'm saddened to see my favorite restaurant become unenjoyable. I was looking forward to a margarita or two with my boyfriend after work to continue our tradition of going to cinco de mayo for our favorite days. We come here for anniversaries, holidays (Valentine's Day) or random weekend days for lunch. There was a loud party that made the live music extra loud and the staff did nothing to control the environment. It felt more like a late night club rather than a local Mexican restaurant. I would not have waited 1.5 hours to have to listen to excessive clapping, dancing, cheering and ear piercing noise when I just wanted a relaxing dinner. Service was wonderful as always, but definitely not the night I was hoping for from my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. read more

This our second visit to this restaurant and we love it! What's great is that we aren't alone. Weekends are crowded and the turnover seems quick! The staff is courteous and the drinks are tasty! I'll post more after eating!!! read more

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This place is awesome! The service is very good (ask for Michael). My husband likes the steak tacos, I like the shrimp bowl. We have tried several things on the menu and we have never been disappointed. read more

This place is AMAZING!!!! I typically like to visit place I think are good 2-3 times to make sure it wasn't just the day. But today is my 4th visits and I can attest this is the best!!! The food, the service, the prices, the atmosphere everything is perfect! I love everything from here! I've gotten the Birria tacos, fajitas, shrimp chipotle bowl, guacamole, chimichanga bites, and more all a 10! I'd definitely recommend coming here. I'd submit more photos but everything g is gone lol. They also have HH 5-7pm read more

Cinco de Mayo - Pomegranate Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Went for Friday dinner and was seated without a wait. A server came by and got our drink and appetizer order right away and chips and salsa was brought out right away as well. We ordered beef nachos for appetizer and it came out pretty quick. For the main meal, we ordered mix and match tacos (pastor, fish, diabla), steak fajita and kids meal (1 quesadilla & 1 enchilada). Even though all food was delicious (pastor taco was my favorite), I think the nachos filled us up little too much that we didn't enjoy our main meal as much. Next time, as much as we did enjoy the nachos, we'll probably pass and try to really enjoy our main meal. read more

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service good. our server was very attentive. the food was absolutely awful. salsa was runny--nothing authentic or even fresh about it. Enchiladas had no taste. just flat and soggy. No spice, they didn't even smell good. I ate about one, boxed the rest and tossed it at home when I made something else to eat. Would not even put it out for the raccoons. I grew up eating and cooking Mexican food In East Los Angeles. This was pure garbage. The Mexican equivalent of canned spaghetti. Over-priced. Wasted 20.00 on something worse than a frozen dinner. read more

I lost a bet to my wife over those ravens !!! So this is the spot she picked. I love authentic Mexican food and this place was pretty good except the food was bland with little or no seasoning. The wife asked for spicy but it was only semi mild !!!! The last authentic Mexican restaurant I was at the smallest pepper on the plate caused a fire alarm to go off in my mouth !!!!!!!! She had the chicken Rice bowl and I had the combo fajitas...the fried beans was ok just no seasoning on the fajitas!!!!! But the grand daughter had a ball with the chips and salsa!!!!! The fried ice cream was a total let down but the granddaughter enjoyed it! On another note the service was great! read more

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This is my go to Mexican spot. It's authentic food and it reminds me of cheers. All the staff are so personable and helpful. They have an array of items from steak to vegetarian. I waited until I visited three times to write this review. I never had a bad meal and the place was only ever packed one night on cinco de Mayo. The first time I went it was a snow storm and they were the only restaurant in the area open. I can honestly say that this is great food and authentic. read more

Cinco de Mayo - Vegetable fajitas with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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We ordered takeout: El Favorito, Camerones al Mojo, and Fajitas Cancun. The al mojo dish should have been called 'Garlic with shrimp' because the garlic OVERpowered the meal. The crazy thing is I actually like garlic. However, it was so bad I had to rinse the shrimp off and use a paper towel to soak up the garlic sauce. That helped very little, and I had to throw away the dish ;-[ Then I had to brush my teeth and drink a cup of Listerine..smh. My Fajita Cancun was also missing its scalliops. read more

cute restaurant with good food and amazing drinks! Must get margarita.. delish! mango one was a must drink and the regular margarita wasn't bad! We had some soft tacos and regular plate. The food was on the salty side but good. They started with complimentary chips + salsa and kept refilling. All the food came with sides of rice, beans and salad. Only complaint would be service was a tad slow and had some mix up with order. Otherwise, I'd be willing to return for mexican food again! read more

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First I want to give Franklin, our server a shout out. He is easily the best server I've had in a very long time. Courteous, friendly, attentive, and very personable all without being too present. As for the food definitely to notch. If you are a fan of Mexican food then this is a must try. I did not get to try any of their margaritas, but they all look good. When I come back I will correct that situation. read more

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Ordered carry out ultimate fajitas tonight. Young host never brought me my bag of food when it came out of kitchen, I finally found it in the online pick up area with a fan blowing full steam on the bag. Food was cold, tortillas were hard and stuck together and fajita container was not closed properly so fajita liquid leaked through bag and into my car seat. Very few shrimp, tough chicken and the meat plopped on top of dish was very unappealing - again it was cold. Lastly they no longer sell to go margaritas which is why I went in the first place. Never again. read more

This place is hands down the best authentic Mexican restaurant in Howard county. Customer service top tier the food is seasoned to perfection drinks are big strong and tasty read more

Cinco de Mayo - Food is AMAZING - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

The chips & salsa had a kick and was a good start to a long overdue outing. I have only had 1 other dining out experience in the last year! So it was a much needed patio time. The drinks, although albeit very large, not so tasty. The Sangria tasted like lime and sugar with wine (Nope!) and the mojito was ok. The food was average - nothing bad, nothing great. Service was smooth and friendly. A-ok. read more

My best friend and I happen to be off on a Monday and decided to hook up for an early lunch. Cinco de Mayo is a hidden gem in Columbia. I'm a tequila fan and was happy to see a a bar fully stocked with different tequilas. The presidents margarita was delicious and strong. The food was fast, fresh, and filling. I had the birria tacos with rice and beans and absolutely loved it. read more

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Visited there recently & had a very pleasant experience I really wanted Mexican food & did not want a chain restaurant like On the Border Very nice decorum Simple yet not plain Food was very good Waitresses were great Quick service read more

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Went today and had a taco salad and it was great!! Just the right combination of ingredients and was hit and NOT greasy. Server was very attentive and was watching as she removed the plate soon after finishing and stopped by a couple of times to see if everything was ok. Definitely will be returning read more