At Old Town Mexican Cafe, Rosendo Solis was excited to welcome customers for Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
“We’ve been busy prepping for later on,” Solis said. “I wasn't expecting a lot of people to be out around Old Town today since it's the middle of the week.”
Around 10 a.m., on a Wednesday, though, the restaurant already had people lining up to be seated.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
“Today was like, ‘Oh, we can come out,' " a diner named Eleanor told NBC 7. "This is the first time out with my friends. It’s a nice gathering but at the same time we’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo.”
With margaritas, tacos and cervezas, partiers celebrated the holiday across Old Town.
While its a festivity that is celebrated nationwide in the U.S., that's not really the case in Mexico.
“It’s not something that us Mexicans here in the community, in San Diego celebrate,” said Ana Rubio, another diner.
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration but a day of remembrance commemorating Mexico's victory over the French during the 1862 battle of Puebla.
In the U.S., however, Cinco de Mayo has become a popular party day and a great excuse to enjoy Mexican food and cocktails.
“This is a great excuse to be out," Rubio said. "This is my excuse to be out."
Local
An excuse local restaurant owners hope will bring much-needed revenue to their businesses.
“[It’s been a ] very difficult year,” Solis said. “I mean, like, very difficult. A lot of uncertainty, not knowing when this was going to end. We’re still not out of the woods, but at least there is something good happening right now.”
That "something good" is coming in the crowds out to celebrate the Mexican holiday.
