Cinco de Mayo is more than an excuse to drink margaritas. It's a celebration of culture, community, and the kind of food that makes you close your eyes and just say "okay, yeah, this." Lucky for us, the Fredericksburg area has a genuinely impressive Mexican restaurant scene — and now we have receipts. The First Annual FXBG Neighbors' Choice Awards put it all to a vote, and neighbors across Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Fredericksburg came through with their opinions. Here's your festive field guide to making the most of May 5th, by the numbers.
🏆 Best Mexican Restaurant: Agave Bar & Grill (Winner)
If you only make one stop today, make it Agave Bar & Grill at 101 William Street in downtown Fredericksburg. Neighbors didn't just vote for Agave once — they voted for them everywhere (more on that below). This Mexican-American family-owned gem tucked at the corner of William and Sophia Streets has earned a devoted following for its fresh guacamole, perfectly seasoned tacos, handcrafted margaritas (see a tasting flight pictured under the “Best Margarita” section), and a bar stocked with top-shelf tequilas and mezcals that you won't find just anywhere, locally.
The staff is friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu, and the bar can guide you through tequila choices or craft a margarita tailored to your taste. They also do Tacos & Tequila Tuesdays, so the stars are basically aligned on this one.
Pro tip: Agave is on the smaller side, so reservations are recommended, especially for larger parties.
On Cinco de Mayo to boot? Don't say we didn't warn you.
🥈 Runner-Up: El Patron — A strong showing from a local favorite. If Agave is packed, El Patron is your next call.
🎖️ Finalists: Soup and Taco · El Gran Charro · La Tingeria
Fajita nachos— the perfect Happy Hour sidekick to a margarita flight.
🌮 Best Tacos: Soup and Taco (Winner)
Don't let the name fool you — the taco half of the Mexican-Latina gem Soup and Taco earned the top spot in the community vote for Best Tacos in all of FXBG. That's no small feat given the competition. If you want the taco that your neighbors collectively decided was the best in the area, this is the place to find it. Grab a bowl of soup while you're at it. Live a little.
🥈 Runner-Up: Agave Bar & Grill — Yep, them again. The taco game at Agave is clearly no joke.
🎖️ Finalists:
La Tingeria — Also a Best Mexican Restaurant finalist, so clearly doing something right across the board.
Maria Cheryl's — Because the best tacos don't always come with a brick-and-mortar address, this food truck brings delicious tacos to local breweries, festivals, and more. Be sure to check out where they’ll be on May 5. Weekly schedules are posted on their Facebook page.
Mama's Kitchen (inside Get-n-Go, 9243 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania) — This one deserves a special shout-out. Don't let the gas station location fool you — Mama's Kitchen is a beloved, family-run Latin food spot known for what fans call "world-class" empanadas (beef/cheese, chicken/cheese, and a cheeseburger version that sounds wildly good), plus quesadillas, burritos, rice, beans, and in-house sauces. Hours are Mon–Fri 7:30 a.m.–3 p.m. and Sat 7:30 a.m.–2 p.m. — so get there early on Cinco de Mayo morning for a breakfast taco situation to start the day off right!
🍹 Best Margarita: Agave Bar & Grill (Winner)
At this point, Agave is basically collecting trophies. Your neighbors voted them the home of the Best Margarita in FXBG — and if you've had the mango margarita with Tajin on the rim, you already understand why. The bar offers a fantastic selection of tequilas and mezcals, and the knowledgeable bartenders can guide you through choices or craft a delicious margarita tailored to your taste. On Cinco de Mayo, that expertise is going to be well-tested.
A flight of four favorites: pomegranate, prickly pear, jalapeño, and berry!
And, if you still can’t decide between flavors, might I recommend a flight?
🥈 Runner-Up: El Gran Charro — Also a Best Mexican Restaurant finalist and no slouch in the margarita department. Definitely worth a visit!
🎖️ Finalists:
El Pino Authentic Mexican Restaurant
Pancho Villa
And some non-Mexican spots that made the cut (see below)!
🍸 Best Bartender: William Lopez at Agave Bar & Grill (Winner)
The man behind the margaritas. William Lopez of Agave Bar & Grill was voted the Best Bartender in the entire FXBG area, which, combined with Agave's Best Margarita win, tells you everything you need to know. If you're sitting at the Agave bar tonight and William is pouring, consider yourself lucky. Tell him the neighbors sent you.
Agave also earned Runner-Up for Best Bar Staff overall — a testament to the whole team, not just the bartender at the top.
🌟 Best Wait Staff: Agave Bar & Grill (Finalist)
The awards love keeps coming. Agave was also a finalist for Best Wait Staff, which means that from the moment you walk in to the moment you settle the tab, the experience at Agave has been noticed and appreciated by the community. On a busy holiday like Cinco de Mayo, great service is worth its weight in chips and salsa. Tip your servers well, folks — especially the ones at the award-winning spots.
🎉 But Wait — What If Every Mexican Spot Is Packed?
Good news: the Best Margarita category didn't stay strictly in the Mexican restaurant lane, and some of FXBG's other beloved spots earned finalist nods. If the wait times at the taquieras are looking grim, swing by one of these for a Cinco de Mayo cocktail:
🍹 Sedona Taphouse — A Best Margarita finalist. If they're pouring 'ritas worthy of a community award, that's a Cinco de Mayo stop.
🍹 River's End Speakeasy — A speakeasy that makes award-contending margaritas? Yes, please.
🍹 Fatty's Winghouse — Another Best Margarita finalist. Wings, drinks, and a festive vibe? Sounds like a Cinco de Mayo backup plan you won't be mad about.
🗺️ Your Cinco de Mayo Game Plan
Morning: Swing by Mama's Kitchen (Spotsylvania Get-n-Go) for an early empanada — they close at 3 p.m.
Happy hour: Head to Agave Bar & Grill (William St./Downtown) — Best Mexican Restaurant, Best Margarita, Best Bartender. The triple crown. Reserve ahead.
Dinner: Soup and Taco (Caroline St./Downtown) for the neighborhood's Best Tacos, or El Patron if you want the Best Mexican Restaurant runner-up experience.
Late night: If the lines are long, River's End Speakeasy, Sedona Taphouse, or Fatty's Winghouse are all Neighbors' Choice margarita finalists ready to keep the fiesta going.
Remember to drink and celebrate responsibly. We want to see all of our neighbors on Wednesday morning!
¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo, FXBG! 🎉 May your tacos be crispy, your margaritas be cold, and your bartender be William Lopez. Congratulations to all the winners, runners-up, and finalists of the First Annual FXBG Neighbors' Choice Awards — your community sees you and appreciates you!