Grab a margarita at any of these top rated local establishments in Austin Texas – there is nothing better than discovering all the flavors of Austin through the flavors that local bars/restaurants add to their mix.
Eldorado Cafe
4.7 ★
Located on west Anderson Ln is the first establishment being mentioned on today’s list, Eldorado Cafe. This local restaurant is known for creative cocktails and daily food specials. Not only do they produce a full meal of food that will keep your taste buds happy, the brains behind the operations at Eldorado Cafe are invested in the local community. Showing support to local animal shelters whenever they can is important to this business and their website proudly provides a link to various nonprofits in the area to give easy access to giving donations. When you’re done contributing to the good folks of Austin, grab a house margarita or the “top shelf” margarita and add a fruity twist for only an extra dollar before browsing their menu full of hearty, Mexican-inspired dishes. Tuesday through Saturday, you can visit Eldorado Cafe for fruity margaritas and filling meals.
Mi Madre’s Restaurant
4.5 ★
What started out as a small taco shop that seated less than twenty people back in the 90s, Mi Madre’s Restaurant is the place to be for margaritas that are filled with flavors that you would not normally expect. Get a taste of Austin when you order the Barton Springs margarita. Keep an eye out for the red restaurant sitting nicely on Manor Rd and visit them any day except Monday. From 7 am every day that they are open, Mi Madre’s Restaurant is home to the Basil Serrano Margarita, among other choices. From breakfast through dinner, Mi Madre’s Restaurant serves up tacos that are made with ingredients that will keep you full and satisfied. Experience happy hour Wednesday through Saturday from 4-7 pm and bring your dog to sit on the patio. Mi Madre’s Restaurant has consistently remained inviting for locals, regulars, and visitors from all over.
Maudie’s Cafe
4.2 ★
Located on 7th St is Maudie’s Cafe, the Tex-Mex cafe with a rich history that dates all the way back to humble beginnings in 1954 when Maudie Hamilton Wilson would serve food to the community. Austin’s locals have always known that Maudie’s would be there when you needed a filling plate of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. These days, Maudie’s Cafe is still turning out plates of food but they have an expansive drink menu that features a number of margaritas. Ask for the El Duelo for a margarita that includes pomegranate molasses or the Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita, which has the ingredients that you would expect. From 8 am – 9:30 pm daily, continue the tradition of eating great food and drinking margaritas (and other cocktails) that taste too good to turn down.
Azul Tequila
4.2 ★
Traditional recipes from Puebla, Mexico are brought right to your table in Austin at either of Azul Tequila’s two locations in town. Austin loves Azul Tequila so much that they had to add the second location to keep up with demands. Hand picked ingredients and specialty spices are brought together by hands that are skilled and ready to give you only the best version of each meal made. Even the drinks are made with the same attention to detail that people grow to expect out of the food, including the frozen margaritas. Try the avocado rita or the mango rita and hang out for a while, both the Lamar Blvd and Dry Creek Drive locations are open daily from 11 am – 9 pm. Either establishment will provide you with the same cozy atmosphere and flavor packed refreshments.
El Alma
4.4 ★
Locally sourced decor, delicious recipes, and a general sense of comfort all combine at the original El Alma restaurant on Barton Springs Rd. Don’t expect an average margarita at this location, but there are plenty of Mangoritas and Avocadoritas, not to mention the orange chile Chilanga. Start your experience with appetizers like Jalapeno Crab Queso Dip and don’t be afraid to dive right into the flavors that El Alma creates with their inventive dishes. El Alma has been an essential piece of Austin’s community for a decade, even featuring the works of local creatives on their walls. Order one of their tasty margaritas and find a sea on the El Alma rooftop deck and allow yourself to get lost in the overall ambiance of the locally loved location from 11 am – 10 pm daily. Keep an eye out for their second location in Westgate and try them out if you get the chance. Folks kept asking for more so El Alma delivered with another restaurant that holds true to the traditions that El Alma have lived by since their first establishment’s opening back in 2021.
VIVO
4.5 ★
If someone in your group of friends is feeling particularly adventurous on the day that everyone has a margarita craving, Vivo is the place to visit for an extensive selection of the classic drink. Infused with an array of ingredients like basil or honey syrup (among many others) VIVO goes above and beyond with their variety of takes on the margarita. Pair these drinks with a menu filled with Tex-Mex style food and there’s no reason to miss out on their tacos and fajitas. Much like their drink menu, VIVO has a wide selection of tacos, enchiladas, burritos each with their own list. Find this restaurant inside of The Linc at the intersection of Highway 290 East and IH-35 for lunch or early dinner any day outside of Monday. VIVO stays open from 11 am – 6 pm, closing an hour later on Saturday and Sunday. Sundays bring the promise of brunch specials until 3 pm so take advantage of the deals if you are able to.
Chapulin Cantina
4.5 ★
Fresh ingredients are what keeps the Chapulin Cantina menu tasting amazing from the food to the cocktails, with every flavor pallet considered in the process. Get some tasty treats straight from Mexico with a heavy emphasis on Oaxacan influences when you try their tacos, tortas, moles, and more. Chapulin Cantina is in the art of creative cooking and even creative cocktail making. Inventive and exciting are two words you would use to accurately depict their drink menu and that includes the Rocks Margarita made with orange liquor and even spicy tequila if you’d like. Find Chapulin Cantina on south Congress Ave and find out why people are constantly saying that the quality of food and drink does not match the cost, in the best possible way. There is no doubt that these folks only want to serve the best to their guests. Closed on Mondays, Chapulin Cantina is otherwise open from 11 am – 10 pm throughout the rest of the week.
Matt’s El Rancho
4.4 ★
Back in 1923, a gentleman named Matt Martinez decided to start selling tamales from a small cart that wasn’t even big enough to attach to a car. By 1952, Matt had opened the original El Rancho on 1st Street in a building that could only comfortably seat 40 guests at a time. Now, the El Rancho that we know is massive with the ability to seat 500 people if needed and is located on south Lamar Blvd. One quality that has never changed is that the food is made in house, from scratch every day. But the food isn’t what we are here for today. This time, we are talking about the blended drinks and Janie’s Margarita, the Burnt Orange Margarita, and the Sangria Margarita are only three choices. Tuesdays are the only days they don’t open so visit Matt’s El Rancho between 11 am – 9 pm throughout the rest of the week for margaritas and homemade meals.
De Nada Cantina
4.6 ★
As you make your way down the east end of Cesar Chavez St, you won’t be able to miss De Nada Cantina’s bright neon stripes and green writing on the building. Even when they have a full house, De Nada Cantina is known for being able to handle large crowds with grace and ease. Order a solo margarita or make use of their “Marg Fiesta Packs” to save on a large pitcher. These margaritas always taste better when you have fish tacos or quesadillas, De Nada Cantina even features happy hour deals for their food menu. Happy Hour happens Monday-Friday from 3:30-6:30 pm but De Nada Cantina is open daily from 11 am – 10 pm (12 pm on the weekends) and is a solid establishment for margaritas and a number of other refreshments. For a truly stellar effect, pull up a neon colored stool in their outdoor seating area to take in the sunshine. Everyone knows that Austin’s best meals are served with a side of sunny skies at no extra cost to you. Keep your eyes peeled for their pop up cantina at Austin based events throughout the year or take the initiative and hire them for your next celebration. They can bring all the comforts of their establishment right to you with all the bells and whistles included. Catering doesn’t get much easier than scheduling a time with De Nada Cantina’s pop up cantina so make sure to give them a call.
Santa Rita Cantina
4.0 ★
Trying new flavors of margaritas can be a fun way to get to know a new drink without having to stray too far from what you’re used to drinking. At Santa Rita Cantina, they already have an impressive cuisine selection that people love to use for catering events. When you decide to sit down for a meal with them, Santa Rita Cantina also offers a drink menu that will have you wondering what has stopped you from adding cucumbers to your margarita all this time. Ask for the Ruby Red Rita for a taste of grapefruit in this iconic Austin-style margarita. Happy Hour happens every day between 3-6 pm with plenty of deals on drinks and appetizers to save money, leaving room to try as much as you want on their menu. Located on 38th St, Santa Rita Cantina is open from 11 am – 9 pm every day except Tuesdays.
CONCLUSION
No matter which way you twist it, the margarita is a long time loved frozen drink that tastes like a party no matter where you order it. In particular, Austin is known for having a huge margarita scene and no one list could possibly encompass all of them. This list mentions only top rated establishments, we only want to give you the best information at The Austin Insider. Take a second before you finish reading to browse through past articles that we have published. At The Austin Insider, we want to be sure that you have access to all of the best information about our favorite place to be. Austin is a massive town with more than enough of what you need located inside of too many establishments to be able to comfortably name. The Austin Insider takes some of the effort out of your planning stages so make sure to come back to our articles page anytime you have a question about this area. From drinks to food and activities of all kinds, AustinPedalParty.com is here to make sure you can get the most out of your trip to Austin, Texas. As always, if you need to book an activity that is affordable and fun for everyone then look through our FAQ tab to find out why folks love to book our pedal party tours.