ST. LOUIS — On the rocks or frozen. House or fruity. Salt or no salt. How about extra boost of tequila?
There are so many ways to sip on a margarita. As one 5 On Your Side Facebook fan said, “Is there such a thing as a bad margarita?”
Agree.
But, some are better than others.
So, we took our quest for the best to the masses in St. Louis. On the 5 On Your Side Facebook page, we asked who has the best margarita in town—and we got hundreds of responses. We sifted through all those comments and came up with this ultimate list of the best margaritas in the area.
Ruiz Mexican Restaurant & Cantina in Florissant holds the claim as the oldest Mexican restaurant in St. Louis. They’ve been serving up authentic Mexican cuisine since 1966. For all of those 53 years, it’s been run by the Ruiz family, with the fourth generation continuing the tradition.
What fans are saying: “The sangaritas are to die for!”
Location: 901 N. Highway 67, Florissant, Mo.
Pueblo Solis in south St. Louis has been preparing traditional Mexican dishes for decades. The restaurant on Hampton just celebrated its 21st “birthday” in April. A third generation of the Solis family is now helping run the popular restaurant, serving up handcrafted margaritas and freshly prepared guacamole.
What fans are saying: “Love this place, best margarita.”
Location: 5127 Hampton Ave., St. Louis
Hacienda has been a staple in St. Louis County for 51 years. Hacienda boasts one of the best patios for snacking on chips and salsa and washing it all down with an icy cold margarita. The popular outdoor space just reopened with a fresh, new look this spring—complete with more tables with umbrellas (hello, summertime shade!) and a new cabana bar. Loyal fans love Hacienda so much, it was voted the best place to get margaritas and the best Mexican restaurant by Riverfront Times readers in the magazine’s 2016 poll.
What fans are saying: “Hacienda hands down. I think I have tried every one of them lol!”
Location: 9748 Manchester Road, Rock Hill, Mo.
Best of St. Louis food:
Chava’s says it has the best Mexican food and drink in Soulard... and 5 On Your Side’s Facebook fans agree! Chris Ybarra opened Chava’s in 2006, naming it after his grandfather, who is behind many of the restaurant’s recipes. In an area where you can find no shortage of hurricanes, Chava’s is blending up frozen margaritas with real fruit (no pre-made syrups here!), including mango, cherry, raspberry, pineapple and strawberry, of course.
What fans are saying: “Chava’s Mexican Restaurant – hands down!! There’s one in Soulard and one in Edwardsville. Amazing food too, every time!”
Locations: 925 Geyer Ave. in St. Louis and 217 E. Vandalia St. in Edwardsville, Ill.
Mi Lupita brings authentic Mexican cuisine and tasty margaritas to west St. Louis County. Located in Ballwin, Mi Lupita is owned and operated by the Sanchez family. The recipes come from the matriarch’s mother in Mexico, and—as the website states—“the best margaritas in west county!”
What fans are saying: “Mi Lupita in Ballwin has a really good Cadillac Margarita.”
Location: 15307 Manchester Road, Ballwin, Mo.
South city has no shortage of great spots to grab an tasty margarita, and Amigo Joe’s is one of them. The restaurant claims to be “where friend chicken meets Mexican,” but 5 On Your Side’s Facebook fans agree that this restaurant on Southwest Avenue is a go-to for margs.
What fans are saying: “Amigo Joe’s is 50% tequila!! Yum!!!!!”
Location: 5901 Southwest Ave., St. Louis
Okay, hear us out here. When we asked for the top margarita recommendations in St. Louis one of the most popular picks—even more popular than some of the choices above—was Applebee’s. Fans raved about the chain restaurant’s “Perfect Margarita.” Skeptical? There are plenty of copycat recipes you can try at home. Also, margarita lovers on a budget can enjoy $1 “dollaritas” every month at Applebee’s.
What fans are saying: “I agree that Applebee’s has the best ‘Perfect Margaritas’!”
Location: Several locations in the St. Louis area, click here to find the one closest to you
For plenty of people, the best margarita is the one they make at home. So, if you’re looking to whip up a margarita to impress your friends and family, why not start with the original?
According to triple-sec liqueur brand Cointreau, a woman named Margarita Sames came up with the original recipe back in 1948. She mixed up her favorite spirits until she made the perfect cocktail, which included a blend of tequila and Cointreau. Right there in her home in Mexico, the margarita was born.
Ingredients and directions for the original margarita recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce Cointreau
- 2 ounces blanco tequila
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a shaker and add ice
- Shake and strain into a salt-rimmed rocks glass
- Garnish with a lime wheel
Other recipes to try at home:
5 other favorites from 5 On Your Side’s Facebook fans:
- Jose'peños, 973 Waterbury Falls Drive, O'Fallon, Mo.
- Rosalita’s Cantina, 1235 Washington Ave., St. Louis and 12796 Manchester Road, Des Peres, Mo.
- Amigos Cantina, 120 W. Jefferson Ave., Kirkwood, Mo.
- Chimi’s Fresh-Mex, six locations in Wildwood, Overland, St. Peters, Florissant, Wentzville, Chesterfield
- Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, four locations in Webster Groves, Maryland Heights, Manchester, St. Charles
Think we missed one? Make sure to leave a comment on 5 On Your Side's Facebook page and tell us about your favorite!
