Where are DC’s best tequila-infused concoctions?
Here are our top five.
By Kinne Chapin
(Photo by Lee Coursey)
With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to evaluate the District’s margarita selection (not that you need an excuse). To help you in your quest to find the best, here are our top five places to sip on tequila and lime.
Salud!
Surfside
2444 Wisconsin Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20007
Why it’s the best: Sometimes simplicity is the best answer. Surfside presents one margarita, frozen or on the rocks.
Trust us, that’s all the options you’ll need.
What to pair it with: The Negril blackened fish tacos with spicy cabbage will have you sipping your cocktail to soothe the spice.
Tacklebox
3245 M Street Northwest Washington, D.C. 20007
Why it’s the best: It’s all about the happy hour special for this margarita hot-spot in Georgetown. On Mondays, you can sip a margarita frozen or on the rocks for just $4 – and they don’t skimp on the tequila, either. Tacklebox is also the perfect spot for margarita lovers looking to stray from Mexican cuisine for the night.
What to pair it with: Order the crispy oyster roll to offset your sour drink with a little salt.
Oyamel
401 7th Street Northwest Washington, D.C. 20004
Why it’s the best: Jose Andres and his team raise the humble margarita to the heights of haute cuisine. The Oyamel is a twist on the traditional cocktail that substitutes “salt air” for a salt rim, while the El Regalo transforms the margarita into a sip of spring with the addition of cherries and vanilla.
What to pair it with: Oyamel’s guacamole, made table-side to your specifications. Now close your eyes, and relax.
Casa Oaxaca
2106 18th ST Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20009
Why it’s the best: Variety is the spice of life at this authentic Mexican restaurant. You can order your margarita with a twist of blackberry, blood orange, pomegranate, or even prickly pear.
What to pair it with: The complex layers of flavor in the Tuna en Mole Negro will throw your mouth for a loop… even more than your prickly pear margarita did.
Alero
1301 U St Northwest # 113, Washington, D.C. 20009
Why it’s the best: Sometimes size does matter – Alero offers multiple ways to get your margarita fix, from the glass up to the super-sized Pancho Villa pitcher. You can also pick your poison from flavors like strawberry, pacific wave, and matrimonio (a swirl).
What to pair it with: Platanitos, or sweet fried plantains, are the perfect antidote to a sour margarita.
