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Imagine sipping a monster margarita from a rooftop barstool overlooking a park and polo fields. That's just part of the experience in store for guests at the new Cinco Mexican Cantina that opened last week in Cumming's Vickery Village.

Owner Mike Brosius has had a Cinco cantina on McGinnis Ferry Road for three years, and another in Suwanee. More restaurants are planned for Cobb's Akers Mill area and downtown Woodstock in Cherokee. But so far, Cumming is the only location to boast the rooftop bar, below a tin roof and surrounded by sliding glass doors.

Phil Skinner/AJC STAFF (ENLARGE)
Pasilla pork tenderloin with black beans, mango pico de gallo and jalapeño coulis is among the entrees.
Phil Skinner/AJC STAFF (ENLARGE)
Cinco Mexican Cantina in the new Vickery Village complex in Cumming boasts a rooftop bar. 'We just knew we'd be busy, so we added it,' said owner Mike Brosius. The spot offers far more than the usual tacos and burritos.
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"It was actually an addition to the original plan," said Brosius. "We just knew we'd be busy, so we added it."

Not your usual Mexican

There's an equally distinctive ambience to the restaurant's dining room, decorated largely with Mexican-made items from the No Mas! store in Atlanta. The sense of something different extends to the menu as well, where there's more than just the basic burrito in store.

Start off with a dip of lobster and poblanos; fried calamari with a chipotle glaze; or cream of lobster soup. Guacamole fans will appreciate the freshness of the hand-crushed dish blended with cilantro, onions, tomatoes, jalapeños and lime. Enchiladas, burritos, fajitas and tacos are present, but along with traditional fillings, diners will find the signature fish tacos, with fried tilapia and pickled jalapeños.

Chef Luiz Ramirez, a native of Mexico and late of Vinny's and Aspen's, puts his touch on entrees such as red-chili seared salmon in a lobster sauce; lump crab cakes; grilled chicken breast with mashed potatoes and a chipotle lobster sauce; chipotle shrimp; and pork carnitas. "Luiz worked on the design of the restaurant and the menu," said Brosius. "He really gets it."

Lunch is a blend of the dinner menu, without the entrees but with several lighter salads instead.

From the bar

Pull up a tall chair on either side of the huge 30-foot bar. Making a selection will keep you busy. There are 18 bottled beers and six on draft. The wine list covers several whites, merlots and cabernets, with a chianti for good measure. The tough decision will be which frozen or on-the-rocks margarita to try next. Options include strawberry, mango and raspberry as well as the traditional Texas. There's also a lineup of more than a dozen tequilas and flavored coffees. Linger over your favorite while enjoying the live music Wednesday through Saturday evening.