Hussong's Cantina

If you're on the Strip and you need a margarita without paying $18 for the privilege, Hussong's Cantina has you covered. This Mexican cantina at the Shoppes at Mandalay claims to be the birthplace of the margarita (Ensenada, 1941, whole origin story), and while every Mexican restaurant makes that claim, at least these guys pour a decent one and charge you $5 during happy hour.

The Happy Hour Lowdown

Daily 2-6pm. The deal is simple and beautiful: $5 margaritas (rocks or frozen) and $4 Mexican beers. Four hours, every single day, which is clutch when your internal clock is destroyed from travel and you need a drink at 2:30pm on a Tuesday. No food specials mentioned, but honestly, you're here for the tequila.

Why You're Actually Here

Five. Dollar. Margaritas. On the Strip. During a four-hour window. They're not bottom-shelf paint thinner either—Hussong's actually gives a damn about their margaritas, given the whole "we invented them" mythology. You can upgrade to fancier tequilas for a few bucks more, but the house marg gets the job done. The Mexican beer selection is solid, and $4 Modelos while you people-watch the Shoppes is a vibe.

The Vibe Check

Cantina energy—colorful, loud, casual, touristy but self-aware about it. Think Baja beach bar transported to a Vegas shopping mall. The crowd is families during early happy hour, transitioning to couples and groups as it gets later. Dress code is "you literally just came from the pool and we don't care." It's fun without trying to be a scene. Background music leans heavy into the cantina aesthetic.

Real Talk

You're in a mall at Mandalay Bay, so keep expectations calibrated. This isn't an undiscovered local gem—it's a tourist-facing cantina that happens to run a killer happy hour. The food is fine, competent Mexican fare, nothing that'll change your life. Service is hit-or-miss depending on how slammed they are. The margaritas are the move; everything else is secondary.

Pro Tips

The 2pm start time is clutch for day drinkers and people fighting jet lag. Frozen margaritas hit different when it's 105° outside and you just walked from Luxor. If you're shopping the Shoppes (or hiding from your group), this is your refueling station. Stack the $5 margs with free casino drinks if you're gambling nearby and you've basically hacked Vegas pricing.