Cape to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on Saturday

Cinco de Mayo is Saturday and there are three restaurants in Cape Girardeau devoting most � if not all � of their resources to making sure you have a good time with friends, family and coworkers this weekend.

Seis Amigos, 1832 N. Kingshighway � formerly known as Casa Mexicana � will feature live music along with specials all day Saturday, owner Mario Mendoza said.

Mendoza said the restaurant now has �different people, new owners� and it�s their first location.

�Business has been good,� he said. �The first time we moved here, it was slow but now it�s 100 percent better.�

Along with the live performances, Mendoza said there would be margarita specials, beer specials and �giveaway stuff� such as St. Louis Cardinals tickets and a cooler.

Carlos Bacques cooks food in the kitchen of El Acapulco on Friday in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

He said this is an event that took some time to plan and looks for it to be annual.

Mendoza said he has prepared for the holiday this year by ordering extra food supplies � �a lot of chicken and beef� � and 40 cases of tequila, in addition to a beer wagon.

�So we have a lot of beer,� Mendoza said. � A lot of people, too.�

Even though Mendoza has arranged for there to be a Cinco de Mayo themed menu, he said the most popular menu item is still the chicken, cheese and rice because, �everybody likes that,� he said.

Mendoza expects nearly 500 customers between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday.

Cinco de Mayo T-shirts for sale are seen Friday at El Acapulco in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

�We�re also going to have light music all day,� Mendoza said. �And the Mike Renick Band starts at 7 p.m.�

El Acapulco Mexican Restaurant manager Ignacio Anceno said he has been with the company for 17 years and said extra staff will be scheduled to handle Saturday�s expected crowd.

�We normally double the employees, try to get the team together and do the best we can,� Anceno said.

He said Saturday would feature music on the patio along with drink specials, and margaritas will be half-priced along with half-priced appetizers at the 202 S. Mount Auburn Road location.

Anceno expects to sell �lots of margaritas� between 11 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Seis Amigos photographed Friday in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

�We actually just got a new machine. We normally have four,� Anceno said. �But there�s not enough. We have five now.�

He said �boxes� of giveaways such as T-shirts and �all kinds of stuff� from the restaurant�s alcohol suppliers will be distributed, as well.

Cinco de Mayo is one of the craziest days for his staff, Anceno said, and even compared it to the annual kickoff to the Christmas shopping season.

�Like, Black Friday was crazy, but not as crazy as Cinco de Mayo,� he said.

Gabby Aguirre and Laly Martinez � sisters and owners of Muy Bueno Mexican Restaurant at 1751 Independence St. � said this year they plan to have a beer garden stationed on the west side of the building, so if customers are going from one location to another Saturday, they can �certainly have themselves a fun time out there.�

The interior of Seis Amigos photographed Friday in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

She said she expects the most popular menu item for Cinco de Mayo to �for sure� be tacos, since Muy Bueno offers a wide variety such as the �al pastor, carne asada and barbacoa.�

�We�ll have draft beer specials Saturday, because we�ll have the beer garden along with the margaritas, and we�re going to have karaoke at 7 p.m.,� she said, �and a lot of �little swag.��

Martinez also labeled Cinco de Mayo as �definitely� the busiest holiday of the year.

�We usually pack the patio, for sure,� she said. �It does get busy dining-wise, so there is usually a wait. And we don�t do reservations because it�s just too busy.�

jhartwig@semissourian.com

Gracie Aguirre, owner of Muy Bueno, cooks in the kitchen Friday at Muy Bueno.KASSI JACKSON

(573) 388-3632

Pertinent address:

1751 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

202 S. Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1832 N. Kingshighway St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.