Best Margaritas In Los Angeles

Margaritas. The perfect blend of lime, orange liqueur and tequila makes for a cocktail that never goes out of style or season. But as of late the margarita has become a target of mixologists who have thrown the classic recipe into the wind. Infusion is all the rage when it comes to the margarita these days and Angelenos say yum! The traditional is still readily available, but let your tastebuds take a walk on the wild side. Get yourself an unforgettable margarita at any of these five places.

Yxta Cocina Mexicana has over 50 brands of tequilas to select from so you're already destined for a great margarita as soon as you walk in the door. Whether you choose the Jamaica or the spicy cucumber you can't go wrong. The La Piña (muddled pineapple, cilantro, jalapeño) and the El Pepino (cucumber-jicama purée) are a little outside the box but completely worth the risk. You can try them all for 6 bucks each during happy hour.

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There are two words on everyone's mind when they walk through the door at El Compadre: flaming margarita. That's right, the margaritas are set ablaze. Sure, it's a gimmick but nothing sets the mood at a table than a couple of flaming margaritas en route to your table. El Compadre has a delightful list of margaritas but customer favorites are the lime and the spicy pineapple. The food is pretty good too.

No margarita list would be complete without El Carmen on it. From the Spicy with muddled jalapenos; the fresh fruit marg with a selection of cactus fruit, watermelon, blood orange, pomegranate or guava; the cilantro ginger with agave; or the cucumber mint there's no wrong way to go. Choosing a margarita from the menu will be difficult so bring friends and have your own margarita tasting party. The enchiladas are pretty good too.

El Coyote may not be following the infusion trend but they are still giving people what they want when it comes to margaritas: cheap, strong and delicious. Margarita Monday is definitely the night to go. Whether you order the “scratch” or one of the blended peach, mango, melon or strawberry margaritas your taste buds (and wallet) will be doing a happy dance. There's also the "Jala"rita with jalapeno infused tequila if you're looking for a little kick. Bring friends so you can create your own margarita sampler.

While Palomino is pretty well known for their cranberry mojitos and basil gimlets, their pomegranate margaritas hold up just as well. A delightful blend of tequila and pomegranate gives just enough tart and sweet with the traditional bite. They're another believer in the “scratch” margarita making each one fresh to order. The Palomino also offers a “skinny” version to their cocktails for those counting calories and sugar intake. But one look at their happy hour menu and your calorie counting will go right out the window.

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