10 great spots to sip margaritas in metro Phoenix

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 Tequila Day, you can build your own tequila flight, choosing three samples from 12 bottles for $12 in the cantina. Barcoa's basement bar will offer a Corralejo Tequila flight for $12.

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.

Modern Margarita

5410 E. High St.

4165 S. Gilbert Road, Chandler

As its name implies, Modern Margarita is all about the tequila cocktails. On the menu, you'll find more than a dozen takes on the margarita. Stay classic with the OG Rustic margarita or frozen version. Try the restaurant's namesake version, which features Olmeca Altos blanco tequila, guava puree, Aperol, grapefruit and lime juice. Can't decide? Consider a frozen margarita or tequila flight. Those with a big group who love to share can also order fish bowl-sized versions of many of Modern Margarita's offerings. 

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 specials, including all-day happy hour on Wednesdays, which features an $8 Premiere CRU Margarita.

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; roasted jalapeno, serrano and poblano peppers; and agave. And, the restaurant offers a tall house marg for $8 during happy hour each day from 2 to 6 p.m. 

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 margaritas 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. 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.