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Every year, CityBeat publishes the Best Of CincinnatiĀ®, wherein readers and staffers alike pick which bars are the booziest, which people are the coolest and which shops are your best bet for dropping a pretty penny. Sometimes nothing sounds quite as refreshing, especially on a hot summer day, as a cool, crisp margarita. From places that do the classic lime margarita better than anyone else to others that are a little more experimental, here are CityBeat readers’ favorite places for this sweet and delicious bevvy.
Editor’s Note: Our 2023 Best of Cincinnati Best Margarita eighth-place winner Cantina Agave has since closed and has been removed from the list below.
Best Margarita No. 9 (TIE): Mazunte
5207 Madison Road, Suite 100, Madisonville; 6216 Madison Road, Madisonville; 611 Main St., Downtown Photo: Hailey BollingerBest Margarita No. 9 (TIE): Taqueria Mercado
100 E. Eighth St., Downtown Photo: Hailey BollingerBest Margarita No. 7: El Rancho Grande
Multiple locations Photo: Facebook.com/ElRanchoMasonCactus Pear
3215 Jefferson Ave., Clifton
As the 2019 Best of Cincinnati winner for Best Margarita, Cactus Pear is the top reigning community-voted spot to grab a marg in the city. Accentuated by a cute back patio and menu chock full of fajitas, tacos and plenty of additional Mexican specialties, this eatery is just a hop, skip and a jump from the University of Cincinnati is a surefire way to get your tequila fix Taco Tuesday or anytime the mood strikes. From the standard house margarita to peach, cucumber, strawberry and melon, Cactus Pear has a whopping 17 flavors to choose from. Get them frozen, on the rocks or half and half.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey BollingerNo. 10 Best Tacos: Frida 602
602 Main St, Covington Photo: Hailey BollingerBest Margarita No. 4: El Coyote
7404 State Road, Anderson Township Photo: Facebook.com/ElCoyoteCincinnatiMi Cozumel
3100 Vandercar Way, Oakley; 11700 Princeton Pike, Springdale; 8565 Winton Road, Finneytown; 511 N. Broadway St., Lebanon
If you can brave the long wait on the weekends, Mi Cozumel is an amazing place to enjoy a night. Their menu features massive imaginative margaritas (one even comes in a Patron bottle), street tacos and popular flaming fajitas. Photo: facebook.com/Mi Cozumel #3 OakleyCondado Tacos’ happy hour runs 4-7 p.m., Monday- Friday, and offers half-priced margaritas and $1 off tacos Photo: Hailey BollingerBest Margarita No. 1: Bakersfield
1213 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Photo: Hailey Bollinger