My husband, Cory, is a big fan of margaritas. His go-to drink at a restaurant or bar is always a margarita on the rocks with salt. Over the years, he’s become quite the connoisseur—and he definitely has his favorites.
After reading another margarita reviewer and trying several of their recommendations (he disliked every single one), we decided it was time for Cory to make his own list.
So what makes a top-notch margarita according to Cory?
It should be clean and fresh, never sweet, with the tequila blending seamlessly into the other ingredients rather than overpowering them. It needs plenty of ice—and, importantly, a few minutes to sit. Cory firmly believes a margarita gets better after the ice has melted just enough to make it perfectly cold, crisp and balanced.
He usually upgrades to a top-shelf tequila, preferably Don Julio Reposado or Fortaleza. And premix? Absolutely not. Cory has a discerning palate and claims he can spot a premixed margarita with the first sip.
After years of highly unofficial research, here are Cory’s favorites
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#1 The Mission Margarita — The Mission, Old Town Scottsdale
Tequila, lime, orange juice, agave, egg white
The current champion.
Cory loves the frothiness created by the shaken egg white and the crisp, slightly tart flavor from the hint of orange juice. Let it sit for a couple of minutes so the ice melts just enough, and according to Cory, it becomes pretty much perfect.
#2 Skinny Margarita — Nick’s, Laguna Beach
Blanco tequila, lime, agave
This one earns its spot because of its simplicity. Cory loves the clean, pure flavor. No substitutions, upgrades or tinkering required.
It is perfect exactly as it comes.
#3 Thai Margarita — The Gladly, Phoenix
Silver tequila, lime, galangal, tamarind reduction, Thai chile sea salt
Cory makes one modification: regular salt on the rim instead of the Thai chile sea salt.
This drink is a zinger—sour, tart and strangely addictive. It has more going on than Cory’s usual margarita, but somehow it works.
#4 Javier’s Margarita — Javier’s, Laguna Beach
Javier’s Reserva Reposado Tequila, Grand Marnier
Patience is required with this one.
It tends to arrive at the table pretty tequila-forward, so Cory considers the melting-ice waiting period essential. Give it a few minutes and it settles into itself beautifully.
Also worth noting: this is a two-drink-max margarita. Proceed accordingly.
#5 El Patrón — Villa La Valencia, San José del Cabo
Tequila, agave
It’s been a minute since we were in Cabo, but the margarita from our final night at Villa La Valencia is still one Cory talks about.
Simple, clean and fresh. Apparently memorable enough to earn a spot in the top five from another country.
#6 Classic Margarita — Lost Pier Café, Laguna Beach
Tequila, lime juice, orange juice, agave, salted rim
This was the sleeper hit.
Cory loves the orange-juice-forward flavor, which makes it especially fresh and thirst-quenching. It’s served over plenty of ice in a metal cup, so it stays exceptionally cold—and it’s a generously sized margarita.
His one complaint? The salt. There’s a lot of it.
Pro tip from Cory: Ask for half the rim salted.
He was pleasantly surprised that our casual little beach café could make such a good margarita, and it’s become one of his Laguna favorites.
The Cory Margarita Rules
After compiling this list, I’ve realized Cory essentially has a margarita rulebook.
If a restaurant doesn’t offer a classic margarita—or the margaritas on the menu are filled with fruit, spice or other unnecessary complications—he simply orders a classic: good tequila, fresh lime, a little agave, rocks and salt.
No fruit flavors. No premix. No overly sweet mixers.
The salt matters, too. Fine salt, preferably on one side of the rim, so he can decide when he wants it.
And don’t skimp on the ice. Part of the ritual is allowing the drink to sit for a few minutes while the ice melts and everything gets colder, crisper and more balanced.
You may notice we haven’t ranked these margaritas based on size or price. That’s intentional.
When the margarita is really good, Cory doesn’t care about either.
Now we need more research material.
What’s the best margarita you’ve ever had? Tell us where you had it and what made it so good. Cory is always willing to take one for the team and conduct further research.