Cinco de Drinko: My 3 Favorite Margaritas in San Diego

I can think of no better day than today, Cinco de Mayo, to share my three favorite margaritas in San Diego. And let me preface this by saying... I know my way around a margarita. I was a fan of Mexican food and drink before moving to San Diego, but after living just miles away from the Mexican border for almost four years, I'd like to consider myself a classically trained margarita-taster.

So whether you're local or planning to visit San Diego in the near future, here are the spots you should know:

1. Jake's Del Mar


I know I've mentioned Jake's probably five times thus far on my blog, but honestly... it deserves it. And this spicy margarita alone is my favorite drink period in San Diego. Jake's is owned by the Duke's Waikiki franchise, so you know they know their way around a good cocktail. Their spicy cucumber margarita is a thing of beauty: it's artfully crafted with Hornitos tequila, muddled cucumber, fresh lemon and a house-made spicy syrup, so you get all of the natural taste with none of that fake, syrupy taste that many margaritas often fall victim to.

Make reservations (a must for dinner-time, trust me), and get to Jake's just in time for sunset, and you'll get to take in one of the best view's in San Diego while sipping one of the best drinks. It doesn't get much better than that.

2. Blind Burro

Nestled in between some of the most popular bars and venues (Moonshine Flats and Petco Park, namely) in downtown San Diego/East Village, Blind Burro is a top-of-the-line Mexican bar and restaurant. They offer an incredible variety of delicious street tacos as well as other traditional Mexican dishes, but c'mon; we're not here to talk about food.

I may or may not be partial to spicy margaritas, but nevertheless, Blind Burro makes a great one. It's as easy as adding muddled jalapeño (for just 50 cents extra) or candied jalapeño syrup (for $1 extra, if you're feeling fancy) to their house margarita, which is superb on its own as well. Check out their full margarita menu here. I guarantee you'll find something you like.

3. Fat Fish Cantina

Fat Fish is a local favorite of mine (and I say local since I can bike there in about ten minutes if I feel so inclined). Located a block from the waves in the heart of Pacific Beach, Fat Fish Cantina is a cross between taco-shop dining and sit-down-Mexican restaurant, with the best of both worlds in food and drink, respectively. Naturally, I'm a big fan of the "Dangerously Spicy Margarita" (I may or may not have a problem...), but the Blood Orange marg is great too. So is the prickly pear. Even the skinny one! Basically they're all great.

Regardless of what kind of margarita you're looking for, these three spots have something for everyone. Do you have a favorite margarita joint (or home recipe?!) Please share in the comments below.

Oh yeah and... Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I found this image by Googling "dogs in sombreros." I highly suggest you do the same.

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