Baby Acapulco
1628 Barton Springs Rd.
474-8774
Aug 2, 6pm
Low End
“Rita on the Rocks” ($4.50)Way below average. Overly salted. Dominant flavor is the mix. MM Pack: “It’s weird.”
Frozen
“Lime Rita” ($4.50)Way below average. Waiter said customers like it because it has Everclear in it.
High End
“Top Shelf Rita” ($6.50)Average. Mix seems less dominant as a flavor. But too much orange liqueur (they use both Triple Sec and Grand Marnier) and virtually no tequila flavor.
Chuy’s
1728 Barton Springs Rd.
474-4452
Aug 2, 6:30pm
Low End
“Chuy’s Famous Margarita” (Rocks) ($4.75)Below average. This is better straight up than on the rocks.
Frozen
“Chuy’s Famous Margarita” ($4.75)Below average. Reminiscent of lime sweet tarts. Rebecca: “It has an aftertaste of potting soil.”
High End
“Top Shelf Margarita” ($7)
Below average. No tequila flavor. MM Pack: “Reminds me of key lime pie.”
El Arroyo
1624 W. Fifth
474-1222
Jul 26, 9:30pm
Low End
“Especial” ($4.50)Below average. The positive thing about El Arroyo is the wide selection of tequilas.
Frozen
“Especial” ($4.50)See previous.
High End
“Primo” ($5.50)Below average. Mari thinks this drink is “just bland.”
“Muy Macho” ($6.50)
Below average. A large glass with a lot of mix, a shot of tequila and a shot of orange liqueur.
Iron Cactus
606 Trinity
472-9240
Aug 9, 9pm
Low End
“Iron Margarita” ($6.75)Average. Inoffensive. More sugar than lime. Lacks brightness or tequila flavor.
Frozen
“The Original” ($4.50)Average. Flat taste with not enough citrus flavor and too much sugar and Cointreau.
High End
“Top Shelf” ($6.25)Below average. Bland with very little flavor of tequila or lime.
“Iron Martini” ($9.75)
Below average.
Jaime’s Spanish Village
802 Red River
476-5149
Aug 9, 9:30pm
High End
“Top Shelf” ($5)Very good but inconsistent. Wes found that, when ordered with Patrón Silver and finished with their homemade mix, Jaime’s was capable of greatness.
La Feria
2010 S. Lamar
326-8301
Aug 9, 7:30pm
Low End
“Margarita” ($2.50)Below average. We are all guessing the bartender adds pineapple juice to his mix. When we asked, the waitperson said that the bartender “made it yesterday and we don’t know what he put in it.”
Frozen
“Margarita” ($2.50)Below average. Rachel thinks it tastes like a pineapple slurpee.
High End
“Top Shelf” ($4.95)Below average. This drink gets a hit of both Cointreau and Grand Marnier, making the pineapple-ish mix even more cloying. No discernible tequila.
La Jolla
1817 S. Lamar
445-5787
Aug 9, 8pm
Low End
“Horny Margarita” ($5.95)Way below average. This potion has cranberry (!) juice in it. When we asked what else was in it, the waitperson got a horrified look on her face and blurted out, “Why would we tell you!” Paul: “It should have an umbrella.”
Frozen
“Purple People Eater” ($7)Average. La Jolla is very proud of this drink. They blend several types of tequila with their special mix. Rachel felt this was La Jolla’s best drink.
High End
“Top Shelf” ($6.50)Way below average. A perfect example of how not to make a margarita. It is HUGE. But it is filled with sweet and sour mix. Low alcohol. No tequila flavor.
Manuel’s
310 Congress
472-7555
Jul 26, 6:30pm
Low End
“Golden Rita” ($4.50)Below average. All eight tasters feel the Golden Rita tastes “watered-down.”
Frozen
“Golden Rita” ($4.50)Below average. Dudley: “It tastes like a whiskey sour mix with no booze.”
High End
“Silver Rita” ($5.95)Below average. Mari: “Tastes like pure mix.”
“Manuel’s Watermelon Margarita” ($5.50)
Below average. Our waiter confided that the watermelon margarita is “the only one we really make ourselves.”
“310” ($5.95)
Average.
Matt’s El Rancho
2613 S. Lamar
462-9333
Aug 9, 8:30pm
Low End
“Matt’s Gold” ($6)Below average. Too much lime, and the lime tastes like skin as opposed to juice. Lots of sugar. Bitter rather than sour.
Frozen
“House Margarita” ($4.75)Below average. Strong lime flavor. Very sweet.
High End
“Matt’s Knockout Martini” ($7.75)Very good. Abundant tequila flavor. Emily: “This is the first large drink we’ve had that tastes like it has liquor in it.” “Herradura Margarita” ($8)
Below average. Very intense citrus and lots of sugar. Little tequila flavor.
“Janie’s Margarita” ($8.50)
Below average. Concentrated fresh lime juice and tons of sugar. No hint of tequila.
Miguel’s La Bodega
415 Colorado
472-2369
Jul 26, 6pm
Low End
“Miguel’s Special Rocks” ($5)Below average. Inferior mixer tastes like oversweetened limeade.
Frozen
“Miguel’s Special Frozen” ($6)Below average. Flavors not blended. Grand Marnier floats on top, but should be mixed in. Emily: “Nice place to dance.”
High End
“La Bodega” ($5)Below average. Mari: “Tastes like a Luden’s Wild Cherry cough drop.”
Taco X-press
2529-B S. Lamar
444-0261
Aug 2, 9pm
Low End
“Regular” ($3.25)Average. A nice margarita, handmade by the bartender. Rose’s Lime Juice in the mix. Half of us like this and half don’t.
Frozen
“Regular” ($3.25)Below average. MM wonders if they were making piña coladas in the same machine as the margaritas. Distinct coconut and vanilla flavors.
High End
“Top Shelf” ($5.25)Very good. Strong tequila flavor. No sweet and sour. They mix Rose’s Lime with the fresh lime juice, which gives it a distinct flavor. Good value for the money.
This article appears in August 25 • 2000.