Watch CBS News

Where To Get The Best Margaritas In Los Angeles

We can't be sure who invented the margarita or why, but we can be sure where you can drink the best of them in Los Angeles and across Southern California. Many enjoy a margarita for a regular night out and others like to explore the delicious options on Cinco de Mayo or other holidays like National Margarita Day. Whether you like salt on the rim of your drink or not, we've got you covered fort the best Margaritas in L.A.
purista - Gracias Madre
(credit: Gracias Madre)

Gracias Madre
8905 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 978-2170
www.graciasmadreweho.com/

Step into the beautifully decorated Gracias Madre restaurant and you'll be overcome with the terrific setting. Add on delicious vegan Mexican food and a terrific cocktail menu, including margaritas, and you'll be in heaven. The restaurant offers many margaritas to choose from including house margaritas like the Mero Mero cocktail with mezcal, tequila reposado, artichoke & cherry liqueur, italian sweet vermouth and orange bitters, and much more. Want a fruity cocktail with tequila? Try the La Quinceañera with tequila blanco, kiwi, mint, and lime bitters, or the Mexican Fruit Standoff with tequila reposado, mandarin, ancho chile, yuzu, cucumber, cilantro, and citrus apertif. The restaurant offers a huge list of tequila as well, so you can easily build you own margarita.

neon-sign-el-carmen
(credit: El Carmen)

El Carmen
8138 W 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 852-1552
www.elcarmenla.com/

El Carmen is easily on the top of the list when it comes to tequila bars in Los Angeles. More than just tacos and tequilas, this bar is the exemplar of "good things come in small packages." Hidden behind an unassuming door and an old neon sign is a world of black velvet paintings, Mexican wrestling masks and Vietnamese snake bottles. But El Carmen is more than just eye candy, as it offers a bountiful selection of tequila. The list alone is something that will have you look again because of all the options. From blaco tequila to anejo, they offer options from top brands like Don Julio, La Certeza, Magave, Frida Kahlo, Rey de Copas, Peligroso, and hundreds of others. Take a shot, or have them put together a margarita on the rocks or frozen!

el-cholo-margarita - VERIFIED
(credit: El Cholo)

El Cholo
1121 S Western Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(323) 734-2773
www.elcarmenrestaurant.com/

With locations throughout Los Angeles, El Cholo is practically an institution in L.A. Serving terrific Mexican food in an authentic setting, rest assured that their margaritas are just as delicious as their food. In fact, there is a menu dedicated just for margaritas with a variety of options to choose from. From the Gran Tradicional with Cuervo Tradicional, Herradura Silver, and Contreau, to the El Cholo Margarita and the blended and delicious Coconut Margarita, El Cholo is a great place to stop by if you're looking to sip on a few margaritas.

Border Grill Border-Margaritas
(credit: Border Grill)

Border Grill
Union Bank Plaza
445 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 486-5171
www.bordergrill.com

Their Santa Monica outpost is no longer, but don't fear as there is a great one in downtown LA. Visitors will love everything about this Susan Feniger restaurant. With both Feniger and Chef Mary Sue Milliken as co-chefs, you'll be in good hands when it comes to both the great Mexican fare and drinks from the cantina bar. They offer plenty of margaritas to choose from, including the "Blanco Margarita," with tequila blanco, agave nectar and fresh lime, as well as the cadillac margarita, with tequila reposado, grand marnier, agave nectar and fresh lime. Or, opt for two favorites on the menu: the Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita, with cucumber and fresh lime, as well as a tasty Pineapple Vanilla Margarita.

Red O Margarita- red o restaurant mexican margarita
(credit: Joe Greto)

Red O
8155 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 655-5009
Multiple Locations
www.redorestaurant.com/

West Hollywood and Santa Monica's Red O restaurant, which is the brain child of famed celebrity chef Rick Bayless, offers some of the finest Mexican food and margaritas in the city. Try their "Organic Skinny Margarita," which is served on the rocks and includes Sauza Tres Generaciones Organic Blanco Tequila, fresh lime, organic agave nectar, as well as the favorite "Red O Margarita," with Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila, JDK & Sons O3 Orange Liqueur, house-made limonada, a "Alacran Margarita," with Sauza Hornitos Reposado, VeeV Açaí Spirit, JDK & Sons O3 Orange, house-made limonada, and serrano chile syrup, as well as many others. You can rest assured that this beautifully designed restaurant is perfect to grab margaritas along with great Mexican fare.

margaritas_elcompadrerestaurant
(credit: elcompadrerestaurant.com)

El Compadre
7408 West Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 874-7924
www.elcompadrerestaurant.com/

In the heart of Hollywood, this rocker hangout is home of the famous Flaming Margarita . Potent and dazzling, the blue flame is a conversation stopper. The menu here is also top notch, with cuisine from several regions in Mexico including a variety of vegetarian options. Find everything from tacos, burritos and fajitas to tamales and more.

Solita Tacos & Margaritas Valencia - El Hombre
(credit: Solita Tacos)

Solita Tacos & Margaritas
7631 Edinger Ave
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 894-2792
www.solitatacos.com/

From the house margarita, served with 100% blue agave tequila blanco, house made sweet & sour, and orange juice on the rocks, to their Solita skinny margarita with fresh lime, agave and nectar, and their watermelon margarita, there's plenty to choose here. They also offer a tasty frozen margarita, a watermelon margarita with Agavales blanco tequila, crushed watermelon, & fresh lime juice, as well as a guava margarita, and much more!

El Coyote VERIFIED
(credit: El Coyote)

El Coyote
7312 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 939-2255
www.elcoyotecafe.com/

You won't find the glitz and glam that other Mexican restaurants might offer here, but at El Coyote's landmark location, you can be sure you'll get some of the most traditional fare and margaritas in Los Angeles. Serving Los Angeles since 1931, it's still one of the most frequented restaurants in the city. With a decor that can best be described as quirky and colorful, they offer a wide variety of margaritas, including a cadillac margarita, the Ultimate Margarita, with Herradura Silver and Cointreau, as well as the Blended Fruit Margarita. Others are offered as well, so there's something for everyone here. Make sure to stop by on Monday's though, as you'll get big discounts all day long on all margaritas.

Casa Vega_Margarita rim pic2014
(credit: Casa Vega)

Casa Vega
13301 Ventura Boulevard
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423-3912
(818) 788-4868
www.casavega.com

If it's one thing that Casa Vegas is known for, it's delicious Mexican fare and tasty margaritas. This Sherman Oaks Mexican outpost offers a variety of margaritas to choose from to go along with their delicious fare, including the Casa Vega Margarita with Ray Vega's award winning classic recipe, a cucumber margarita with fresh lime juice and muddled cucumber, the Skinny Margarita with Partida tequila, fresh lime and agave nectar, and an Organic Margarita with Sauza Tres Generaciones "Plata" Organic Tequila, fresh lime, and agave nectar. Make sure to not miss out on their Blood Orange Margarita, too!

cabo cantina -  margarita - MegaRona
(credit: cabo cantina)

Cabo Cantina
Multiple Locations
www.cabocantina.com

With several locations throughout greater Los Angeles including Venice Beach, Culver City and Balboa in New Port, the sports bar can be a whole lot of crazy fun. Sip on margaritas like their Rosa Rita strawberry margarita, their Mazatlan watermleon margarita with Jose Cuervo tequila, watermelon liqueur, triple sec and a splash of fresh lime juice, as well as a cucumber margarita, a mango margarita and many more.

Petty Cash Taqueria
(credit: Katie B./yelp)

Petty Cash Taqueria
7360 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 933-5300
www.pettycashtaqueria.com

Stop by, dine on their tacos, and other bites, and sip on their Petty Cash Margarita with your choice of tequila or mezcal, lime, and citrus spiked agave curacao.

What are your favorite margaritas in Los Angeles? Share in the comments below.
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.