‘Mexican Bingo’ Finds a Home at Pinches Tacos

Is there a way to make the magical combination of tacos and tequila even better? Just add a game of chance named lotería 👀

"It's Mexican Bingo,” according to Javier Anaya, chef and owner of Pinches Tacos. “It’s always been part of our culture — the stories, the memories, it’s a family pastime.”

The origins of lotería trace back to Europe, but it became the quintessential Mexican game when Spaniards brought it across the Atlantic. While Bingo is played with numbered cards, lotería is more colorful, with illustrations drawn from a deck of cards in hopes of matching the patterns on tablas in front of players.

Part of the fun is using offbeat items like pennies or pinto beans as markers. “Back in the day, all the kids in our apartment complex would play for a bag of chips,” Anaya remembers.

As Pinches Tacos celebrates 10 years at the Gramercy this month, the restaurant has introduced monthly lotería nights to foster a greater connection with customers. Anaya even likes to play MC, noting that traditionally, the games are led with stories and humor.

The spirited competition pairs well with the food. Anaya prefers the term “family tacos” to “street tacos” when describing the menu. “It’s about the quality of meat my mom cooked with and the quality of tomatoes my mom used,” he says. “It's a different palate. We really do focus on the authenticity of the food.”

Highlights include the best-selling Gringo Taco — shredded beef or chicken with mozzarella and chipotle cream in a fried tortilla — and the Blood Orange Margarita, blending tequila with fruit puree instead of syrup.

Sounds pretty good, right? Well, you’re in luck.

But why stop there? Las Vegas has more ways to play lotería in the weeks ahead: