If you are in the mood for fresh homemade Margaritas or Mexican food that is made fresh every day with the finest ingredients check out Cisco's Cafe Mexican Restaurant & Cantina.

Cisco's Cafe Mexican Restaurant & Cantina in the Doral

Cisco's Cafe has been a landmark in Miami for over 15 years, bringing the true Mexican feeling of fun and festivity and complementing that with friendly, efficient service.

The restaurant is decorated with authentic Mexican artwork and ceramics, and the atmosphere is alive and fresh with the aroma of something hot and spicy cooking around the corner.

Cisco's Famous Margarita ($3.95) is made with Sauza Hornitos tequila, a 100 percent blue agave reporado tequila, Cointreau, and blended with their top-secret mix. (Although all of Cisco's house margaritas are made with super premium Hornitos tequila and Cointreau.)

Cisco's happy hour is one of the best in South Florida featuring $1.95 margaritas and $1.25 drafts, while beer and wine is only $1.50 a glass and all other mixed drinks are two shots for the price of one.

Happy hour is Monday through Saturday, 3-7 PM. and Sunday 4-7 PM, and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday you can munch on free chicken wings, while Tuesdays and Thursdays you can try the free spicy fries. Monday through Friday you can always count on complimentary veggie platter and chips and salsa.

If you are starting with appetizers, the Mexican pelican poppers ($5.95), the nine layer dip ($6.75), and quesadillas ($6.75) are a must try.

For dinner you can create your own Mexican combination platter served with Cisco's rice and refried beans ranging from $5.95 to $9.95. The fajita specials are made with your choice of steak ($10.95 1/2lb.), chicken breast ($15.95 1 lb.), or shrimp ($8.95 1/2 lb.), and marinated in Cisco's own recipe. Grilled and served sizzling in a cast iron skillet with sautéed onions, bell pepper slices and juicy tomato wedges, the fajitas are also accompanied with guacamole, sour cream, Cisco's refried beans and heated flour tortillas.

Cisco's was originally started by the Chart House Corporation in the mid '70s, and it opened in October of 1980 when the Chart House Corporation merged with GodFather's Pizza and became Diversity Foods, the largest franchiser of Burger King from Pillsbury.

In 1983 Pillsbury bought Diversity Foods, which included Cisco's Cafe but since it was a small chain they either closed them or sold them.

Other favorite entrees include the Pollo Fundido ($8.95); a seasoned chicken and cream cheese rolled into a flour tortilla and lightly fried topped with Cisco's spread cheese sauce.

Cisco's Chimichanga ($7.95) and Enchilada Del Mar ($9.95) are also popular among customers.

Lunch specials are served from 11:30 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday.

In 1986 Neal Spangler and Vicki Pruitt bought Cisco's Cafe because they felt it would be successful, and as it turned out, they were right.

Cisco's Cinco de Mayo Celebration is the biggest in the country and it's the only place to be in Miami. This year's celebration will include Coast 97, mariachis, and numerous giveaways. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Miami Springs Optimist Club.

"We make everything fresh," Spangler says. "Also we are starting to expand into the retail market with our hot sauce, Neal's Hairy Ass, which can be found in a few mom and pop grocery stores, the Keys ... and we are trying to market the salsa for retail sale."

Cisco's Cafe is located 5911 NW 36 Street, Miami, FL, and you can call them at 305 871 2764 or log onto their web page at www.ciscoscafe.com.