Houston is home to some of the best Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine in the country, and when it comes to pairing a drink with tacos and enchiladas, there’s no shortage of spots serving seriously good margaritas.
As the city’s restaurants, bars, and nightclubs evolve and embrace the craft cocktail movement, Houston’s mixologists have upped the game when it comes to the humble lime, tequila, and triple sec concoction. From skinny margaritas, to drinks made with the finest tequilas and shrubs, there is a rita for everyone, no matter how simple or sophisticated their palates.
While we will forever mourn the margaritas at the long shuttered Cafe Adobe in Montrose, we are moving forward and enjoying the many new tequila creations that abound in the Bayou City.
Here’s a list of margaritas that will make your day a little happier.
Cuchara
Inspired by the flavors and style of Mexico City, this bustling Montrose hangout has a house margarita that uses piloncilla, a Mexican cane sugar, for a little sweetness, plus Espolon blanco tequila, fresh lime, and Jalisco 1562 orange liqueur. At $10, it’s a great deal for a well-made cocktail. For those feeling flush, the Margarita Fulana is a coconut margarita made with Don Fulano blanco fuerte, a 100 proof to-kill-ya.214 Fairview St., Houston, cuchararestaurant.com
Molina’s Cantina
Considered the oldest continuously-operating Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston, family-owned Molina’s has been serving cheesy enchiladas and frosty margaritas for more than 80 years. The classic Molina’s margarita is a bestseller, made with fresh lime and a hundred percent agave. There are also options like the mangonada margarita, and a blackberry version with Hornitos reposado and a sugar rim. Multiple locations, molinascantina.com
Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
Mama Ninfa Laurenzo is credited with creating tacos al carbon in Houston, but her namesake restaurant is just as well known for the Ninfarita. However, it was the Tranquilita that made headlines in 2024 when Mick Jagger ordered one while in town with the Rolling Stones. Made with Cut Above’s non-alcoholic tequila, it features Ocho Verde’s cannabis spirit with 4 milligrams of THC. If you prefer to stick to the original, Ninfa’s has frozen and on-the-rocks varieties. Frozen margarita fans should opt for a flight, which lets you mix and match flavors like prickly pear, blueberry, and jalapeño. Multiple locations, ninfas.com
Hugo’s
James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega has several Mexican restaurants across the city, all of which serve excellent margaritas. At his namesake restaurant in Montrose, guests can try the signature Hugo Rita, a fresh lime cocktail with blanco tequila, simple syrup. and triple sec. Or, they can splurge on the Greatest Margarita, made with Gran Centenario anejo tequila, Grand Marnier Cuvee du Centenaire, tangerine, lime, ginger, agave nectar, and sea salt. Served straight up in a brandy snifter, the margarita will set you back $33, but it’s a special drink for sipping slowly, while contemplating life, or a plate of Hugo’s barbacoa. 1600 Westheimer Rd., Houston, hugosrestaurant.net
Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen
Though this restaurant from Sylvia “Enchilada Queen” Casares rolls out numerous types of award-winning enchiladas, the margaritas are not to be missed. You can go with something basic like a frozen sangria or mango rita, or opt for the Perfect Margarita, made with Casamigos blanco tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime juice. For a top shelf margarita, there’s the Roca, a citrus-forward blend of Patron Roca silver, Patron Citronge Orange, and lime juice. Multiple locations, sylviasenchiladas.com
Best Regards
Not all great margaritas come from Mexican restaurants. At this lush, marble-filled cocktail lounge in the Heights, there are two signature cocktails that take the drink to a whole new level. The Rita from Accounting is a serious frozen treat crafted with Blue Weber agave, passionfruit, and mango chinola liqueur, with a hint of jalapeno. For mezcal lovers, the No Paper Trail hits all the notes with Amaras Verde mezcal, Herradure reposado, and guava, flavored with cilantro, lime, and chili tincture. 222 W. 11th St. Houston, bestregardshou.com
Johnny Rita’s
This new Lindale Park restaurant mixes the modern Mexican flavors of Oaxaca and Baja, and it’s got the perfect margaritas to pair with the cuisine. The house ritas, offered frozen or on the rocks, add a little fresh orange juice to the mix. During the weekday happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., they can be had for $8. For those who like things spicy, the Havana Nights uses Mijento blanco tequila for a complex, aromatic profile, then adds lime, mango, Tajin, and serrano peppers for a subtle kick. 5602 Fulton St., Houston, johnnyritas.com
The Spot
With locations in League City, Galveston, and even inside Hobby Airport, this restaurant and bar offers tropical drinks that would make the late, great Jimmy Buffet happy. Its house margarita is available in sizes spanning 20 ounces to 100 ounces, meant for sharing. Fun flavors include spicy cucumber, watermelon, and hibiscus, plus there is a flight option of original, strawberry, mango, and raspberry. Its margarita of the month is only $6 and there are $5 select ritas during weekday happy hour. Multiple locations, thespotrestaurants.com
Julep
Bright and airy by day, moody and romantic by night, Alba Huerta’s James Beard Award-winning cocktail bar has a truly unique drink that should be on everyone’s margarita bucket list. The Morning Call takes typical ingredients like tequila, agave nectar, and lime, then adds tonic and hibiscus-infused mezcal for a sophisticated twist on an old favorite. There are also plenty of bar bites and small plates to share with cocktail-loving friends. 1919 Washington Ave., Houston, julephouston.com
Flora Mexican Kitchen
With chandeliers twinkling overhead and treetop views of Buffalo Bayou Park’s stately oaks through floor to ceiling windows, Flora offers an escape from the urban jungle. The Flora margarita is classic, while the Jacy is a spicy alternative, adding jalapeno to the lime and tequila. For something a little different, try the Conejos, which has all the elements of a margarita with the added flavors of ginger beer and creme de cassis. 3422 Allen Pkwy., Houston, florahouston.com
Via 313
Thoughts of margaritas may not turn to pizza joints, but this pizzeria is unique. Known for its Detroit-style square pizzas as well as traditional pies, Via 313 has regular rotating specials on both pizzas and cocktails that keeps life interesting. The Fria-Rita is a signature frozen margarita, made from a secret recipe, while the Tommy’s Margarita is made with tequila, agave, and lime, and served on the rocks. Keep your eyes peeled for specials when the restaurant offers $3.13 margaritas. Multiple locations, via313.com
Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina
Few Houston institutions understand the rhythm of Tex-Mex quite like Goode Co., where margaritas are designed for lingering. Served alongside mesquite-grilled eats and on breezy patios, the drinks strike a familiar, crowd-pleasing chord—bright, easygoing, and deeply tied to the region’s culinary identity. You can’t go wrong with the Damn Goode Margarita, a classic built with Tequila Arette Blanco, lime, and orange liqueur, but for a sipper that has a sweet and spicy kick, try either the roasted poblano or strawberry habanero margs. 1801 Yale St., Houston, kitchenandcantina.com
Real Agave
Tucked away on the ground floor of Enterprise Plaza in Downtown, this cocktail bar is a cozy spot for enjoying a light bite after work and an agave-based cocktail. The Annie margarita takes Don Julio blanco tequila, Grand Marnier, and fresh lime juice, then adds a bit of Italicus bergamot, adding a botanical burst of flavor to the drink. There’s also the spicy El Bendito, made with Tres Generaciones plata tequila, Fever Tree ginger beer, pineapple, lime, and jalapeno. For a non-alcoholic rita, try the Blood Orange Margnorita. Using Ritual zero-proof tequila, Monin blood orange syrup, and Fever Tree club soda, it’s all the flavor without the hit. 1100 Louisiana St., Houston, realagave.com
Candente
Sambrooks Hospitality has two locations of this smoked meat-heavy Tex-Mex restaurant, and its menu showcases plenty of margaritas to pair with brisket nachos or seafood enchiladas. The house margaritas will do ya just fine, but for those who need to go top tier, the lineup goes from premium to ultra premium. The ultra premium calls for Don Julio 1942 and Grand Marnier, which accounts for its $40 price tag. For those watching their sugar intake, the skinny margarita, made with Jarana blanco, fresh lime, and sugar-free orange syrup will leave room for calorie-bombs like chile con queso. Multiple locations, candentehtx.com
Eight Row Flint
At this reimagined icehouse in the Heights, the margarita is anything but an afterthought. The menu dedicates an entire section to the cocktail, with varieties like the Eight Row Classic crafted with blanco tequila, Marfa Spirit Co. rio grande orange, fresh lime, lime oleo, and egg white; the Mezcalote fueled be mezcal, corn liqueur, and corn honey; and the margarita al pastor spiced with hellfire + mole bitters and sweet with caramelized pineapple. 1039 Yale St., Houston, agricolehospitality.com/eight-row-flint
El Patio
Old-school in the best possible way, El Patio trades polish for personality—and its margaritas follow suit. Since 1964, the restaurant’s famously potent pours (especially the electric-blue house margarita) have fueled generations of Houstonians, earning a reputation as both a rite of passage and a party starter. In a city that reveres its Tex-Mex heritage, El Patio’s unapologetically strong, slightly nostalgic margaritas remain a benchmark. 6444 Westheimer Rd., Houston, elpatio.com
Duck N Bao
A Sichuan restaurant may seem an odd place to order a margarita, but this is Houston, baby. Margaritas are flowing everywhere, and at Duck N Bao, they help cut through the mouth-numbing heat of Sichuan peppercorns. The Azalea margarita is a blend of tequila, orange liqueur, pineapple juice, lime, and grenadine. For those who want to keep on burning, the Spicy Lady is a mix of jalapeno tequila, mango puree, green agave, chile y lemon, and pink peppercorn. Multiple locations, ducknbao.com
Toca Madera
At Toca Madera, the margarita becomes spectacle. This high-energy, design-forward Mexican steakhouse approaches cocktails with the same theatrical ambition as its dining room—expect bold flavors, premium ingredients, and a presentation calibrated for impact. Choose from the Toca Margarita, a premium classic, made with Gran Centenario Plata tequila, lime, agave, and dressed with lava salt; or go for the vibrant passionfruit marg, which offers a sweet finish that lingers on the palate. 1755 Allen Pkwy., Ste. 101, Houston, tocamadera.com/locations/houston
