10 great spots to sip margaritas in metro Phoenix

Though the margarita may not (yet) be Phoenix’s official drink, the tequila, lime and triple sec tipple is a constant on menus across the Valley. It doesn’t take much to get us to take a sip – whether it be that first warm day of spring, a poolside quencher or just because. In the case of Thursday, in addition to it being Friday eve, it’s National Margarita Day.

Here are 10 metro Phoenix spots to get a great margarita – shaken, spicy or sweet.

Barcoa

829 N. First Ave.

Since opening its doors in downtown Phoenix in 2021, Barcoa has been spreading the gospel about all things agave from its two-bars-in-one concept. While the basement lounge is an ideal spot for sipping spirits or watching the creative bar team at work, the cantina is where simplicity reigns with well-made margaritas of all stripes, from house and Cadillac styles to mezcal and mango riffs. On National Margarita Day, you can try cocktails made with agave spirits besides tequila and mezcal. Barcoa will serve margarita flights made with bacanora, raicilla and sotol from 4 to 11 p.m. for $22.

Urban Agave

6685 W. Beardsley Road, #180 Glendale

This Glendale cantina has an array of specialty margaritas on its menu, but its namesake is the Urban Margarita, a Cadillac style with blanco tequila, Grand Marnier, agave and fresh lime. Other flavor infusions include prickly bear, blood orange, pineapple-jalapeno and chimango – a chile de arbol-infused tequila with orange liqueur, mango and lime. And, if you’d rather keep it simple, Urban Agave offers a house marg that can be served as-is or made spicy or skinny.

Barrio Cafe

2814 N. 16th St., #1205

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza’s “comida chingona” has wowed diners near and far since Barrio Cafe opened its doors in 2002. It’s consistently among our favorite Mexican restaurants and Valley-wide restaurants – and The New York Times agrees. You should come to delight your palate with the kitchen’s stunning Chiles en Nogada or Cochinita Pibil, and wash it down with one of the restaurant's signature cocktails, including its Lowrider Margarita – featuring Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Cointreau and fresh lime juice – or El Suave, which uses añejo tequila with pineapple, lime, cilantro, candied jalapeno and agave.

Mi Patio Mexican Restaurant

3347 N. Seventh Ave.

Sipping a margarita at Mi Patio is a Phoenix rite of passage. The central Phoenix spot has been serving comforting, affordable Mexican food and drinks for 40 years. Mi Patio keeps it simple with a house version that is – yes, even in this economy –  $3.89 or $4.99 for an extra large. Sure, it does taste a bit like Gatorade, but it’s hard to argue with a sub-$5 cocktail, seemingly bottomless chips and salsa and hearty plates.

CRUjiente Tacos

3961 E. Camelback Road

At the Arcadia taqueria and cantina CRUjiente Tacos, the neighborhood gets a namesake drink. The Arcadia Margarita combines tequila, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, house agave syrup and fresh lime. CRU’s bar team also is infusing unique flavors, including cinnamon, coconut and a version with passion fruit and serrano. You’ll find daily happy hour specials, including Margarita Mondays when select margs are $8.

Centrico

202 N. Central Ave.

Located inside the San Carlos Hotel in downtown Phoenix, Centrico’s extensive, well-executed margarita menu led it to being named the New Times’ Best Margaritas for 2023. Its selections include a sandia version with muddled watermelon, a spicy chipotle-infused take, a classically-Phoenix prickly pear rendition and a jamaica sipper that uses reposado tequila, triple sec, simple syrup, hibiscus and orange bitters. The bar also boasts an extensive list of agave spirits including tequilas, mezcal, sotol, raicilla and bacanora.

Hamburguesas y Cervezas

888 N. First Ave.

The team from America’s Taco Shop opened Hamburguesas y Cervezas just off Roosevelt Row last year serving, you guessed it, Mexican-style burgers and beers. In addition to Sinaloan-style eats, the team is shaking up inventive margaritas, including the Green Emerald, made with tequila, house-made margarita mix, a chile verde infusion and agave. For the holiday, the restaurant is offering $5 house margs and specialty versions, including its Green Emerald and Pineapple Habanero margaritas for $7. 

Via Delosantos Mexican Food and Lounge

9120 N. Central Ave.

This Sunnyslope institution serves an astonishing selection of Mexican dishes, including breakfast staples such as chilaquiles, comforting meatball soup, burritos, fajitas piled atop pasta and a solid selection of vegetarian dishes. Its tequila selection is just as encyclopedic. Via Delosantos will pour you a shot of blanco, reposado or añejo tequila or mezcal, or make it into a margarita. If you don’t want to worry about picking your spirit, you can stick to the house version – available by the glass ($4) or in small ($10) or large ($20) pitchers.

Bacanora

1301 Grand Ave., #1

Bacanora is a love letter to Sonora, including the restaurant’s namesake agave spirit that hails from the Mexican state. On the celebrated spot’s taut cocktail menu, Bacanora offers a traditional margarita and or the Bacanorita – using bacanora, fresh lime juice, agave and orange liqueur, garnished with a citrus-sugar and chiltepin rim. Reservations to chef Rene Andrade’s Grand Avenue restaurant remain a hot commodity, but you can also try your luck walking in for brunch or visiting his reservation-free sibling restaurant Huarachis Taqueria, which serves a classic margarita among its array of inventive cocktails.

Gallo Blanco

928 E. Pierce St.

Chef Doug Robson’s bright Garfield neighborhood eatery and bar offers several renditions, from the Gallo Margarita – its house version using a scratch-made sour mix – to the El Dorado, made with tequila, mango, guava, lime, chile and chamoy. The restaurant offers a daily happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. that features $5 margaritas. And, if you're not imbibing, Gallo Blanco’s regular rotation of agua frescas – a blend of fruit, water, lime juice and sweetener – are a fantastic zero-proof mimic of a flavored marg.