Now I'm kind of wishing I'd planned to come for Thursday. Oh well.
PORM:
I've checked out a couple of options - beyond the hotel or Manuel's, what's looking like a good alternative is the tapas place next door to the hotel. I haven't talked to them yet, because they don't open until 5:30. But looking at their private party menus, etc., it seems like it might fit.
Cocktail party menu would be $24 pp, add $16 - $20 for liquor (the 20 would cover beer, wine, sangria, and mojitos, the $16 doesn't get the mojitos.) We could also add a dessert display for $6 pp. This puts us not that far out of the hotel range, but with all our food and drink covered, and without having to do set-up/clean-up. And it's close enough to the hotel to be practically on site. (Plus - tapas!)
(We'd need to remember to include gratuity and taxes in our numbers, though. For the hotel, I'm not sure what the tax situation is.)
I'll call them later to see about availability and ask any questions anyone has - got any? Particularly I'm hoping to figure out what the general vibe would be, prom-wise.
It occurs to me that Cinco de Mayo makes Manuel's or (especially) bar hopping a less appealing option, rather than more. Just because of the crowds of drunks out and about. Less so for Manuel's (which is not really a Mexican place) than for the other, but still.
ETA: the Moulin Rouge type place was way out of our range, and a couple of other places that were suggested didn't seem a good fit.