If you love margaritas, you’ve come to the right spot.
The margarita is the ultimate happy hour cocktail. Easy to find, easy to drink – sometimes a little too much- and easy to order. But, it’s also easy to make a bad margarita.
A truly great one shouldn’t be too sweet. It should have a little saltiness that cuts through any juices and end up very balanced.
So, when craving a cold cocktail − today and any day − over an order of cheese dip, these are some of the best margaritas being made in Atlanta.
Agave
242 Boulevard SE, Atlanta, GA 30312; (404) 588-0006, agaverestaurant.com
More Southwest than Tex-Mex, the folks at Agave still make one of Atlanta’s favorite margaritas. A dozen varieties, each better than the last, are available. Go with the Ultimate, made with Centenario Plata tequila, orange liqueur, fresh squeezed lime juice and house-made sour mix served over the rocks. Fried chicken is not normally paired with margaritas, but make an exception here.
Mi Barrio
571 Memorial Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30312; (404) 223-9279, www.facebook.com/Mi-Barrio-Mexican-Restaurant-261667748403.
Grant Park residents know that the strangely shaped red building across from Oakland Cemetery holds some of the most potently tasty margaritas in town. Alongside an expertly crafted torta and a salsa bladed thin, should be a glass goblet filled with a margarita. Arriving an almost lime green color, this is no cocktail crafted by a mixologist. This margarita has one job, and it does it well.
Minero
Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #136, Atlanta, GA 30308; (404) 532-1580, mineroatlanta.com
Any taco spot worth their salt-rimmed glass has to have a great margarita, right? Sean Brock's Ponce City Market taco stand brings it. On a menu stacked with tequila and mezcal, the margarita keeps it classic with reposado and añejo tequila, dry curacao, lime, orange, and agave. It's not overly sweet, and not overly boozy. Great for a mid-afternoon stop while exploring the Beltline.
The El Felix
1130 Avalon Blvd #1030, Alpharetta, GA 30009, (678) 248-5239; 455 Legends Place SE, Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30339, 770-675-6318 (The Battery at SunTrust Park), theelfelix.com
Ford Fry's Tex-Mex outpost is almost always on a wait. So, put your name on the list and sidle up to the bar for a drink. Margs here range from the familiar, and thankfully, not too sweet, to some with ingredients not usually tasted in a 'rita such as ginger beer. A very pleasant buzz will be your payoff.
The Original El Taco
1186 North Highland Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306; (404) 873-4656, www.eltaco-atlanta.com.
With dozens of tequilas on the shelves behind the bar, these guys take their cocktails seriously. Classics are available both frozen and on the rocks. Be sure to try the Key West. The drink is crafted with Antiguo Reposado, Orangeville and Key Lime juice. It’s tarter than a classic, and wonderfully refreshing. Bonus: If you’re flying out of town, there’s 2 locations in the Atlanta Airport, so you can get your fix there.
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