Salt or Sugar?: Memorable Margaritas in Long Beach

February 22 marks not only the birthday of the Father of Our Country, but the national day designated to honor the Queen of Cocktails, the mighty margarita! The sweet, sour and sometimes spicy concoction is so popular, so ubiquitous, chances are you think of it as a necessary part of every lounge and restaurant, like napkins ??? In Long Beach, the margarita comes in all sizes and interpretations, here’s some of the most interesting, innovative, distinct and delicious. Happy Margarita Day … oh, and Happy 291st, George!

SOLITA TACOS & MARGARITAS

Located at the busy downtown corner of Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue (just a short walk from the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center) Solita (1 Pine Ave.) specializes in margaritas, focusing on a carefully curated collection of more than 60 of Mexico’s finest small-batch tequilas and mezcals, including cristalino and signature single-barrel varieties. Using only fresh squeezed juices and hand-muddled ingredients in their signature cocktails which are shaken table-side to order. For National Margarita Day, Solita is partnering with Guide Dogs of America: for every purchase of Solita’s El Hombre margarita, $1 will be donated to Guide Dogs of America.

FUEGO

If you like your margarita with a view, there’s few places in Long Beach better positioned to do it than Fuego (700 Queensway Dr.). Located in the Hotel Maya, its north-facing patio, located next to the Queen Mary, looks out over the harbor onto Downtown Long Beach. It’s a unique view, morning or night, and one likely to be enhanced by one of Fuego’s margaritas, known for their balance of tequila, house-made sweet and sour, fresh lime juice and agave nectar.

AGAVES KITCHEN & TEQUILA

When your restaurant is named after the very plant that gives birth to tequila–which, of course, gives birth to margaritas–and then throws tequila into the restaurant’s name just to drive the point home, well, that’s commitment. Agaves Kitchen & Tequila (200 Pine Ave.) is also committed to creating margarita combinations not often seen. The Cucumber 15 has citrus, watermelon and cucumber, the Matador comes with pineapple, mint and jalapeno, while the Agaves Rita has strawberry, mango and jamaica.

TEQUILA JACK’S

Located on Rainbow Harbor, Tequila Jack’s (407 Shoreline Village Dr.) features a full menu of delicious, traditional Mexican cooking as well as jaw-dropping views of the harbor and Long Beach skyline. Just as eye-catching are Tequila Jack’s margaritas, which seem to hold to the philosophy of “Go big or go BIGGER.” They come in 20-ounce schooners and range from the House Margarita on the Rocks to blended fruit margaritas featuring banana, strawberry, peach, mango, lemon-lime and watermelon.

OLA MEXICAN KITCHEN

Located upstairs on the Marina side of the retail center, 2ND & PCH (6400 E. Pacific Coast Hwy), Ola Mexican Kitchen not only offers some of the most creative and delicious Mexican cuisine in the city – and absolutely addictive chips and salsa – pairing it with handcrafted margaritas ranging from such popular options as The Cadillac and the Abreojos, made with cucumber juice and agave nectar. All that and seriously beautiful views of the Long Beach Marina has made Ola an absolute go-to location for great drinks at sunset.

THE STAVE

One of the city’s most respected whiskey bars, you may not think this is the place to head to in search of a ripping good margarita. Think again! More than a few people have been pleasantly surprised to find The Stave’s (170 The Promenade N.) Cadillac Margarita a delicious blend of sweet and tangy, a smooth balance with an orangey finish that seems to go especially well when sipped on The Stave’s outdoor patio somewhere in the company of a fire pit.

LOLA’S MEXICAN CUISINE

The margarita menu at one of Long Beach’s most loved restaurants is voluminous – nine distinct margaritas, at last count – and in constant evolution. Some are sweet, some spicy. Sure, Lola’s Mexican Cuisine’s (2030 Fourth St./4140 Atlantic Ave.) standard house version is popular, but so is the Spicy Watermelon, finished with jalapeňo watermelon puree. There are Blood Orange, Chile Mango and Pink Guava Margaritas along with the Tamarind Mezcal Margarita that comes complete with Tamarind and Angostura Bitters.

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About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.