Cinco de Mayo specials and other menu updates

It goes without saying that your favorite Mexican restaurant will be open this Friday. Moreover with Cinco de Mayo falling on a Friday, expect a brisk and bustling celebration at many spots around town. Here are all the specials, updates, deals and one off events we currently know of for the big day.

Epic Brewing

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo and their Los Locos brew, Epic will be giving away free tacos on Friday, May 5th starting at 11.00 a.m. Epic will be serving completely free tacos from Yoko Taco to anyone who stops by the brewery.  

If you stop by you can also enter the free raffle as well as grab some Los Locos Mexican-style lager and Horchata Cream Ale for your own fiesta. Note: limit one taco per person while supplies last, pictured taco above from Dos Olas (scroll down). 

Katrina’s Mexican Restaurant

The Millcreek mom and pop are set to host a festive evening of live music and dancing – the soundtrack to Katrina’s impeccable menu. Mariachi will be live 6.30 p.m. through 7.30 p.m.

Flanker Kitchen

Specials on the May 5th menu at Flanker include:

• $5 for an order of two tacos
• $5 tequila
• $25 pitchers
• $7 margaritas
• $5 Pacifico

Dos Olas

Up in Park City, the fabulous Dos Olas (pictured top) are hosting a lively Cinco de Mayo evening. From 5.00 p.m. enjoy the live music of the Rumba Libre band on the plaza, weather permitting, with food and drink specials throughout the evening until 10.00 p.m.

Billy Blanco’s

Also in Park City, this Bill White property will offer a number of specials and deals on Friday:

• Pork chile verde, garnished with pico de gallo and sour cream, served with rice and beans
• Pork chile verde burrito with shredded cheese and sour cream, served with rice and beans
• $5 Cinco de Mayo margarita
• $8 beer and shot

Millcreek Common

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at the new Millcreek Common both Friday night and Saturday. The Common will feature music, performances, food vendors, pinatas, kids crafts balloons & face painting, and more. Details.

Draper Park

A similar styled event will also be in full Swing at Draper Park. The festivities (free to enter) will include food trucks, a variety of family friendly entertainment – as well as a jalapeño eating contest. The event will run 6.00 p.m. through 8.30 p.m.

Fiesta For The Future

Another big bash can be found at the Utah State Fairpark. Serving as a yearly fundraiser for the Guadalupe School’s students and families – attendees can enjoy live mariachi music, folklórico dancing by guadalupe school students, delicious latin-inspired cuisine, and live & silent auctions.

Provo Towne Centre

For those in Utah County head to The Reserve, Salon inside Provo Towne Centre. Starting at 11.00 a.m. the event will feature mariachi, music, traditional dance, food & piñata. Eduardo Baca Cuenca, head consul of Mexico will be the honored guest.

El Pollo Loco

In a rush? The popular fast food chain are offering a Cinco de Mayo promo. Receive a free crunchy birria taco with the purchase of any shredded beef birria entrée. Valid on Friday, May 5th only.

The Neighborhood Hive

This East benches’ marketplace will be hosting a special “Sip & Shop” event this Friday evening. The Cinco de Mayo themed event will provide samples from several local food and drink vendors as well as music from live DJs. This is a 21+ only event and requires an RSVP. More details on their website.

Cinco De Rhino

For something a little different, here’s some info from Hogle Zoo:

Help us celebrate the 5 species of rhinos and Mexican culture with our after-hours family night. This event will have something for everyone, from food in a “street market,” to entertainment, and activities for all ages. In addition to rhino-themed fun, enjoy traditional Mexican dishes along with live music and dance entertainment. 

Proceeds from the event go towards supporting local and international conservation efforts and raising awareness about the importance of protecting rhinos and other wildlife around the world. Everyone of all ages and backgrounds are welcome. Zoo members get $3 off the ticket price. 

In other menu news

As we lean into Spring proper, there’s a lot of news to cover on local restaurant menu updates – not least several specials and deals. Here’s this month’s menu watch news.

Salt Lake Brewing Co

A new Cheers to Heroes program is now underway at the downtown brewpub – where the restaurant will be offering a buy one, get one free entrée to various groups of people who have helped serve our community. First up, those hardworking snowplow removal folks who kept us all motoring along this exceptionally flurried Winter season.

From April 14th through May 31st, Salt lake brewing co is offering a buy one entrée – get a second entrée free. The offer is valid for any UDOT employee with valid UDOT ID card.

Flanker

As a reminder, a whole new brunch menu has rolled out at Flanker over at The Gateway in downtown SLC. I popped by myself a couple weeks back and the steak and eggs was perfectly on point; lovely grill kissed steak with a smokey sear, and precision point sunny ups. The starter platter of mixed pastries and mimosas didn’t hurt either.

You can enjoy the brunch menu in full this Mother’s Day along with drink specials like $5 mimosas and Marys, as well as $125 bottles of Veuve. This weekend sees the bar also mark the Kentucky Derby with several drink specials including mint juleps.

Whiskey Street

A new cocktail menu has rolled out at the popular Whiskey Street on Main Street. Details as follows:

• Japanese slipper – Midori, Cointreau, lemon juice, Waterpocket Eau de Mélisse
• Pink sand – Piedra Azul tequila, Pama liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, orange bitters, soda water
• Starburst – Wheatley Vodka, Cointreau, honey, orange juice, fresh raspberries
• Torri – Roku Gin, pomegranate juice, lime juice, simple syrup, fresh basil
• Cold noodle – Bacardi Coconut Rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, cucumber, sesame oil
• Cowboy’s oasis – Larceny Bourbon, Aperol, pineapple juice, lime juice
• Odd couple – Knob Creek Rye, Bozal Mezcal, Aperol, grapefruit juice, honey syrup
• Cablecar – Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum, orange juice, lemon, cinnamon sugar
• Grumpy’s old fashioned – Elijah Craig Bourbon, Domaine ginger liqueur, black walnut bitters, honey syrup, lemon twist
• Toronto old fashioned – Benchmark Bourbon, Fernet Branca, cinnamon syrup, angostura bitters, orange twist

Table X

Spring flavors have arrived at this Millcreek fine dining spot. New dishes you can enjoy at Table X include:

• Niman Ranch beef bavette steak, spring greens, radish, new potatoes, chili béarnaise
• Intermountain Gourmet Mushrooms, brined, marinated & roasted brassicas, buttermilk
• La Tur cheese, vegetable chutney Table X Bread seeded cracker, garden herbs

Accompanying them include a couple new cocktails too:

• Bon voyage – Kirk And Sweeney reserva rum, Ransom Spirits grappa, demerara, orange bitters
• Something different bloomed – Pisco Logia, Holystone Distilling “La Perla” vodka, rose shrub, egg white, vanilla bitters

Dos Olas

More news from this Park city Mexican restaurant. The spring season brings a fresh menu of authentic starters of yellowfin tuna aguachile, elote on the cobb, camarones y aguacate, and mahi-mahi ceviche tostada.

Beyond the specials of May 5th Dos Olas have several other ongoing promos. The restaurant are offering a 2 for 1 entrée special for locals dining in this spring when they present a coupon or use promo code DOS23, along with Taco Tuesdays ($4 street tacos), Nacho Normal Wednesdays ($12 nachos), and Thirsty Thursdays ($10 house margaritas and $5 ceviche shots).

The Local

If you happen to stop by the Local food hall on a Sunday, I’d encourage you to check out the currently recurring special menu occurring at Hog & Tradition; the BBQ spot operated by local chef Geoff Patmides. The sabbath sees the whole menu switched out for an extra special Dominican BBQ focused one. Smoked chicharon, smoked pernil, chicken, it’s all available individually or as pictured above, a big old plate of everything.

Oquirrh

New dishes are now hitting an updated Spring menu at Oquirrh; winner of best restaurant in Utah at this year’s Salt Lake Magazine dining awards. Pictured is a new pasta creation, bucatini pasta with lamb ragout, wagyu beef, and pork. Also in the mix, snow peas, sun dried tomatoes, chili pepper flake, and ricotta.

Copper Onion

Everyone is getting in the Spring mood – updates at Copper Onion this month include:

• Crispy artichokes
• Asparagus salad with walnuts, mint, lemon, anchovy bread crumbs, grana padano
• Pork belly with cucumber, red onion, radish, avocado, habanero, peanut, salsa matcha

New cocktails include:

• Velvet grog with Appleton Estate rum, meletti, pineapple, lime, velvet falernum, kronan swedish punch
• Flora spritz with vermut flores, prosseco, soda water

Veneto

Highlights of a new menu at Veneto: white asparagus, carbonara, tortelloni, 24 month aged monte veronese, and saltimbocca.

Laurel

Over at the Grand America chefs Fernando Soberanis and Tomas Olvera have teamed up to launch the following seasonal menu updates at Laurel:

• Oyster mushroom “calamari” – fried oyster mushrooms served with tartar sauce, lemon
• Steamed mussels & clams – spicy sausage, tomato sauce, fennel, parsley
• New England clam chowder – manila clams, potatoes, bacon, celery
• Donna dinora pizza – grilled shrimp, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, pistachio pesto
• Chicken fricassee – crispy baby artichokes, orange-caraway glazed carrots, asparagus, natural jus
• Country style pork chop – warm potato salad with fava beans, morel mushrooms, creamy demi glaze

Laurel’s bar will also be celebrating the Kentucky Derby in style with its Derby Day event on Saturday, May 6th from 3.00 – 5.00 p.m. As part of the festivities, Laurel will be “serving classic race day fare, including specially crafted Mint Juleps and Peach and Bourbon Smashes served at market price, along with complimentary passed hors d’oeuvres. The event will kick off at 3 pm with live music on the lawn and will wrap up at the conclusion of the race. Kentucky Derby coverage will be broadcast live on the terrace via TVs throughout the event. Additionally, a contest for the best hat/outfit will win a grand prize of a one night stay at The Grand America Hotel and a Laurel Brasserie & Bar gift certificate with a $250 value. The runner-up will take home a Laurel Sunday brunch gift certificate for four.”

ChiFa

This West side Peruvian eatery took to social media lately to announce a new chef, with a particular specialty. The restaurant writes:

“We have an addition to our staff. Alfonso, a Peruvian Seafood Specialist. Our Mahi Mahi Ceviche is reaching perfection. The soup of the month “Parihuela Peruana” or “Peruvian Seafood Soup”. It is a type of medium thickness bisque. Dungeness Crab, Shrimp, Ono Fish, Mussels, Small Clams, Sea Conch Snail, More Clams (without the shell), Giant Calamari, etc. The soup is made to order and we don’t make a base for it in advance. Other than the fried cassava; it is made to order from scratch.”

A few more morsels

• Tandoor Indian Grill – the buffet is now back at this Indian restaurant
• Mano Thai Dinner – $6.95 pad Thai special will be offered on Fridays

Other useful links

• Free newsletter – signup and receive our weekly newsletter for free
• Food talk group – chew the fat with other like-minded Utah foodies over on Facebook.
• Best of SLC 2024 – what you can’t miss in the Beehive right now.

Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.

I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.   Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.    I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.