THE BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN ORANGE COUNTY
Wondering where the best Mexican Restaurants in Orange County are located? Well, we’ve taken the guesswork out of it for you! And we’ve even included some that are having a Cinco De Mayo Celebration on May 5th. Located below you will find a list of local Orange County Mexican Restaurants, and we hope there is one near you. If you have a favorite and it’s not listed, please let us know and we will add it. And if you happen to go to one of the best Orange County Mexican restaurants based on our list, please let them know you saw them on My Local OC. We don’t receive any compensation for this list, nor do we expect to, but a ”shout out” would be great. It’s just one more way that we @ My Local OC serve those who live, work and play in Orange County. “See You Around the OC!”
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CINCO DE MAYO
The first American Cinco de Mayo celebrations date back to the 1860s. A common misconception is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. However, it is not. May 5, 1862, is the day that Mexico defeated the French at Puebla in California.
The French landed in California and intended to set up a monarchy in Mexico, and then that monarchy was intended to become an ally with the slave states during the American Civil War; of which the United States was deeply embroiled.
Napoleon III the emperor of France at the time, had already selected Maximilian of Austria to be Emperor of California. The Latinos of California, which was still part of Mexico but had been deemed a “free territory” since 1810, were not going to allow that to happen.
The amazing stand-off of the Californios (the name for California’s residents during that time) against the powerful French is truly a shining example of brave citizens standing up for their civil rights. And while we know that Cinco De Mayo is a fun day for celebration, let’s remember to raise a beer, or a margarita, or whatever your pleasure to our California predecessors who were courageous and strong and fought for all of us, the current Californians. Happy Cinco De Mayo from the Team @ My Local OC.
THE BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN ORANGE COUNTY
Aliso Viejo Lupe’s Mexican Eatery 26541 Aliso Creek Rd Ste C 949.328.9099 Website
Anaheim Mi Casa Mexicana 630 W. Orangewood Ave. 714.971.0111 Website
Anaheim El Cholo 8200 E. Santa Ana Canyon 714.769.6269 Website
Anaheim El Torito 2020 E Ball Rd 714.956.4880 Website
Brea El Torito 555 Pointe Drive 714.990.2411 Website
Brea Cabo Grill & Cantina 301 N. Brea Blvd. 714.529.2540 Website
Buena Park La Huasteca 6940 Beach Blvd. 714.670.6621 Instagram
Corona Del Mar El Cholo 3520 E. Coast Hwy. 949.777.6137 Website
Corona Del Mar Avila’s El Ranchito 2515 E. Coast Hwy. 949.644.8226 Website
Costa Mesa Playa Mesa 2428 E 17th St. 949.287.529 Website
Costa Mesa Habana 2930 Bristol Street 714.556.0176 Website
Costa Mesa El Matador 1768 Newport Blvd. 949.645.0324 Website
Costa Mesa Avila’s El Ranchito 2101 Placentia Ave. 949.642.1142 Website
Costa Mesa Descanso Mexican Restaurant 1555 Adams Ave. Suite 103 714.486.3798 Make Reservations Online For Cinco De Mayo Website
Cypress El Torito 5995 Katella Ave 714.761.8155 Website
Dana Point Olamendi’s Traditional Mexican Cuisine 949.6611005 34660 Pacific Coast Hwy. Website
Dana Point Lupe’s Mexican Eatery 949.558.5430 33621 Del Obispo Website
Foothill Ranch Avila’s El Ranchito 949.4521721 26771 Portola Pkwy Website
Fullerton Super Mex 714.992.2624 250 West Champman Website
Garden Grove Sabrosa! Mexican Grill 657.427.6317 13129 Harbor Blvd. Website
Huntington Beach Ola Mexican Kitchen 714-969-7300 21040 Pacific Coast Hwy F200 Website
Huntington Beach Las Barcas Gourmet Mexican Food 714.536.2616 21032 Beach Blvd. Website
Huntington Beach Avila’s El Ranchito 714.960.9696 318 Main Street Website
Huntington Beach Lupe’s Mexican Eatery 714.892.7252 14961 Springdale St. Website
Irvine El Torito 18512 MacArthur Blvd 949.833.8230 Website
Irvine Habana 708 Spectrum Center Dr. 949.419.0100 Website
Irvine SOL Mexican Cocina 949.975.1220 1910 Main St. Website
La Habra El Cholo Celebrating Centennial! 562.691.4618 840 E. Whittier Blvd. Website
Laguna Beach Avila’s El Ranchito 949.376.7040 1305 S. Coast Hwy Website
Laguna Niguel Calo Kitchen & Tequilla (949) 409-7380 28141 Crown Vly Pkwy Website
Lake Forest Avila’s El Ranchito 949.855.4989 24406 Muirlands Blvd. Website
Los Alamitos Taco Surf 10542 Los Alamitos Blvd 562.598.3088 Website
Mission Viejo Hacienda La Joya 25542 Jeronimo Rd #6 949.586.4765 Website
Newport Beach Cabo Cantina 949.675.7760 100 Main St. Website
Newport Beach SOL Mexican Cocina 51 Pacific Coast Highway 949.675.9800 Website
Orange El Mariachi Bar & Grill 714.602.9914 650 N. Tustin Call To Reserve For Cinco De Mayo Facebook
Orange Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen 714.633.3035 141 S. Glassell St Website
Rancho Santa Margarita Carmelita’s Kitchen 949.709.7600 31441 Santa Margarita Blvd. Website
San Clemente Asada Cantina & Kitchen 949.561.1200 225 W. Avenida Vista Hermosa Ste G Website
San Clemente Sol Agave 949.312.2210 111 Avenida Del Mar Website
San Juan Capistrano Sol Agave 949.218.1158 31111 Rancho Viejo Rd. Website
San Juan Capistrano Ricardo’s 949.493.4941 32082 Camino Capistrano Website
San Juan Capistrano El Adobe 949.493.1163 31891 Camino Capistrano Website
Seal Beach Taco Surf 115 Main Street 562.594.0600 Website
Seal Beach Yucatan Grill 550 Pacific Coast Hwy Ste 11 562.430.4422 Website
Stanton Dos Amigos 714.636.5907 8546 Champman Ave. Website
Villa Park Cocina El Ranchito 17851 Santiago Blvd Ste 2 714.602.8237 No Website Listed
CINCO DE MAYO EVENTS 2025
Anaheim (on HOLD for 2025) Anaheim 5 De Mayo Festival @ La Palma Park 1151 N La Palma Pkwy Website
Anaheim May 3 Cinco De Mayo Event @ Center Greens 305 E Broadway Website
Newport Beach May 3 Newport Beach Cinco De Mayo Bar Crawl 114 Mc Fadden Place Website
Santa Ana May 4 Free Cinco De Mayo Family Festival @ Bowers Museum 2002 North Main Street (714) 567-3600 Website
Santa Ana May 4 Energia Day Party Pre Cinco De Mayo Party 215 N Broadway Purchase Tickets Online Website
Written by: Patricia Braun
Research: Tina McNamara
*While we try our best to be accurate, we are not responsible for errors and/or omissions.
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