National Margarita Day is coming up on February 22, 2021, but let’s be real, it’s National Margarita Day every single day in Austin, y’all. Whether you’re exploring the vibrant drink menu at local spots or sipping on a classic, the margarita culture here is unbeatable! 🍹
SEE ALSO: Best Tacos In Austin
The real questions are: frozen or non-frozen, salted or non-salted, and spicy or non-spicy? Celebrating at home? Try this English Garden Margarita!
Table of Contents
Tamale House
Founded in 1958, Tamale House East is the undisputed King of Tamales and makes a killer margarita on the rocks, frozen, or by the pitcher.
1707 E 6th St, tamalehouseeast.com
Gabriela’s
Gabriela’s in South Austin has an extensive list of different frozen and on-the-rocks margs.
9600 S I-35 Frontage Rd Ste. B-500, gabrielasdowntown.com
La Condesa
Let’s start off this best margaritas in Austin list with the Margarita La Clásica at La Condesa in downtown Austin. This classic margarita is made with 100$ agave Bat-Friendly Tequila, fresh lime juice and agave nectar, and a cactus-lemongrass salt rim. Goes perfectly with a plate of Mexican food and this is one of my favorite margaritas in Austin.
What to order: Margarita La Clásica
400 W 2nd St
Fresa’s South 1st
Hands down, this is my favorite margarita on this list of best margaritas in Austin. The frozen prickly pear margarita is as Instagrammable as it’s refreshing. Beware, you’ll want to drink more than one. Fresa’s also has an avocado margarita that’s just as popular.
What to order: Frozen prickly pear margarita
SEE ALSO: 24 Most Instagrammable Murals In Austin
Grizzelda’s
Grizzelda’s in East Austin has ten margaritas you can choose from, or drink them all! Favorites include the Grizz Mizz with el jimador blanco, cardi B, queen bey, and the fro-mo. If you like mezcal, order the mezcal margarita with el Silencio mezcal, chipotle infused honey, lime, and black sea salt rim.
What to order: Grizz Mizz
SEE ALSO: 24 Spots With The Best Brunch In Austin, Updated 2020
paloma at ATX COCINA
ATX Cocina
The margarita de la casa at ATX Cocina is made with Lunazul Blanco, agave, and lime. My personal favorite it the off-menu half watermelon cocktail for four people. I love the Mexican cuisine at this restaurant!
What to order: Margarita de la Casa
110 San Antonio St #170
photo c/o Resplendent Hospitality
El Naranjo
El Naranjo’s Margarita Clásica is made with cimarron silver, orange liquor, and fresh-squeezed lime juice. Or create your own margarita with your favorite agave spirit and mixed with freshly squeezed lime juice.
What to order: Margarita Clásica
2717 South Lamar Blvd (originally Rainey)
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Güero’s Taco Bar
When I think of Tex-Mex restaurants in Austin, Guero’s always comes to mind. Güero’s has 19 (yes, 19) margaritas on their menu that you can drink from. I do love hanging out on the front patio of Guero’s while eating chile con queso with a frozen strawberry margarita and people watching on South Congress.
If you like spicy margaritas, try their jalapeno margarita with house tequila infused with jalapeños, triple Sec, and fresh-squeezed lime juice.
Happy hour: $2 off signature margaritas and $4 frozen and casa margaritas from Monday to Friday from 3 – 6pm.
What to order: Frozen margaritas
1412 S Congress Ave
SEE ALSO: Ultimate Neighborhood Guide To South Congress, Austin
Desert Door Sotol
If you’re having margaritas, might as go straight to the distiller at Desert Door Sotol. Desert Door is a craft distiller of a premium and unique Texas spirit known as Texas sotol. The spirit is made from the sotol plant (Dasylirion texanum) which is wild-harvested as far east as Driftwood and as far west as Marfa.
Desert Door launched in Driftwood, Texas, in November 2017 and has a distillery and tasting room located at 211 Darden Hill Rd, Driftwood, Texas, offering tours, tastings, and craft cocktails. The distillery is open Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
What to order: Tamarind Rita
photo c/o Richard Casteel
Odd Duck
Odd Duck offers its classic Frozen Ice Aged Margarita made with Lunazul tequila, Damiana, Ancho Reyes, lime, and chili pepper agave for $13.
What to order: $68 dollar top-shelf margarita
1201 S Lamar Blvd
Cisco’s
The margarita at Cisco’s is made with Gran Centenario Plata and goes great with one of their lunch specials like the beef enchiladas, crispy beef tacos, or carne guisada with tortillas.
Happy Hour: every day from 3-7 pm.
What to order: Margarita
SEE ALSO: Best Breakfast Tacos In Austin
photo c/o Richard Casteel
Sour Duck Market
Sour Duck’s Frozen Margarita keeps it simple with tequila, lime, lemon, agave, and salt. You can add any draft cocktail swirl for $2 extra.
What to order: Frozen margarita
1814 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, sourduckmarket.com
Vinaigrette
Compliment Vinaigrette’s fresh produce with a Vinny Margarita, frozen or on the rocks, made with pressed ruby red grapefruit, silver tequila, St. Germaine, grapefruit bitters and a salted rim.
What to order: Vinny Margarita
2201 College Ave
c/o Eric Medsker
The Roosevelt Room
Made with Arette Blanco Tequila, RR Triple Sec, lime and maguey sap, the secret to the award-winning bar’s perfectly balanced version of the margarita lies within the addition of maguey sap syrup, which balances out the sweetness of the Triple Sec.
The Margarita can be served with or without salt and is available for a steal of $7 during happy hour.
What to order: The Margarita
307 W 5th St
SEE ALSO: Best Happy Hours In Austin
c/o Inked Fingers
Bar Peached
The draft house margarita at Bar Peached is an iconic local iteration made with habanero infused tequila, Thai basil, Cointreau and lime juice is available at the original brick-and-mortar restaurant on Burnet and also as a draft cocktail on the bar menu at the Clarksville outpost, Bar Peached, for $9.
What to order: Draft Margarita
1315 W 6th St, barpeached.com
Matt’s El Rancho
Matt’s El Ranch in South Austin touts itself as the “Family-friendly Tex-Mex spot that’s been drawing crowds with enchiladas and margaritas since 1952” so it’s on my Ultimate Guide To Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Austin. If you like your margaritas with a spicy kick, ask for “el fuego”.
Fun fact: Matt’s El Rancho made $517,280 in May 2019 and I bet most of those were from margaritas.
What to order: Frozen margarita
2613 S Lamar Blvd
Chuy’s
Chuy’s has five margaritas to choose from that range from $6.75 to $9.50 for the Grand Ma’s Rockin’ Rita. You can get the Chuy’s Famous Ritas on the rocks, frozen, strawberry, or swirl & dot. All margaritas are made with fresh lime juice that’s squeezed every day in-house.
Pair it with the Chuy’s Appetizer Plate that comes with queso, nachos, fajita chicken quesadillas & chicken flautas with guacamole & sour cream.
What to order: Chuy’s Famous Ritas
Hula Hut
I wish there was a beach in Austin but unfortunately, there’s so not so the closest thing is the back patio at Hula Hut on Lake Austin. Try their top-shelf margarita on the rocks with handmade sweet ‘n’ sour, Jose Cuervo Tradicional 100% agave reposado tequila and Grand Marnier.
I like getting the Pu Pu Platter to share – my favorite is the Polynesian Pescado platter with two Coconut Shrimp, two Mexonesian Shrimp Flautas, two Grilled Fresh Fish Tacos, Grilled Fresh Salmon, Hula Hut chopped salad & papas asadas.
What to order: Wipeout Margarita
Torchy’s Tacos
Torchy’s has eight different margaritas to drink from including the house frozen (my go-to) with 100% pure agave resposado tequila, Perfected Patrón, the Peg Leg with a Coronita, and the Torchy’s Tini that is served in a shaker with freshly squeezed lime juice and olive juice.
Above is the house frozen strawberry margarita.
What to order: House frozen
SEE ALSO: 7 Secret Tacos On Torchy’s Secret Menu
El Alma
This Mexican restaurant has several different margaritas to drink from – charlie’s special, skinny, top shelf, flaquita (watermelon serrano), and piñarita (frozen margarita with tequila marinated pineapple juice puree with coconut milk). Pick up and head up to the rooftop.
The sangria blanca is a popular drink during happy hour for only $5!
What to order: Piñarita
1025 Barton Springs Rd
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Trudy’s
While Trudy’s does have margaritas, I felt like their Mexican martinis deserved on a spot on this list. The Mexican martini challenge is visiting all four Trudy’s in Austin and downing two drinks at each location. Be responsible and have a designated driver or use rideshare!
The Mexican Martinis are only $5 on Mondays!
What to order: Mexican Martini Challenge
Fonda San Miguel
If you’re looking for authentic interior Mexican food, go to Fonda San Miguel. They also have a tequila-infused watermelon margarita!
What to order: Silver Coin Margarita Watermelon
Licha’s Cantina
If you’re with a group who all wants margaritas, Licha’s Cantina has margarita cocktail pitchers for $45! The house margarita with exotico reposado tequila, combier, lime, and agave is only $5 during happy hour.
The watermelon jalapeño margarita is made with watermelon Espolon tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and chili powder.
What to order: Margarita Cocktail Pitcher
1306 E 6th St
SEE ALSO: 10 Spots For The Best BBQ In Austin
Curra’s Grill
And last but not least is Curra’s Grill that’s home of the original avocado margarita in Austin.
What to order: Avocado Margarita
614 E Oltorf St
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Other margaritas in Austin
- Polvos – 2004 S 1st St
- Taco Flats
- Iron Cactus
This guide is part of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance’s 2021 City Guide. Check out more of the best eats in Austin, curated by Austin food bloggers, on the full list of guides.
