What: Margarita PlaceList
Where: Los Angeles
Who: Aaron Melendrez, formerly of Salazar, The Normandie Club, The Walker Inn and Pistola, is a self-taught cocktail rebel who mixed up his first libation at age 13 from ingredients he found scrounging around the kitchen. Now he's one of LA's best bartenders. Here are his top margarita picks in the city.
Salazar
Frogtown, (TBD)
Aaron Melendrez: The easy-like-a-Sunday-morning margarita: The Salazar margarita is special for a number of reasons. 1) It's priced so you can drink five or six of them and not break the bank. 2) It’s on draft, so it’s always consistent. Most importantly, it tastes incredible because it’s the staple of the house.
Salazar. Image courtesy of @salazarfrogtown
Bestia
DTLA, $14
AM: The crafty margarita: Ask for Iluggy—you can't miss this guy, he has silver hair and he’s a legend. The man is a cocktail whisperer. Everything they do at Bestia is always consistent and well thought out. The margarita is no exception.
Iluggy works his magic at Bestia. Image courtesy of @bestiadtla
EightyTwo
DTLA, $12
AM: The fun margarita: Ask for Andrew. This guy makes a great tequila Ocho margarita. Nothing better than a margarita and video games!
DTLA, $12
AM: The ol’ faithful margarita: Ask for Kevin. He is incredibly friendly and he always has a trick up his sleeve. Tell him to make you a variation of a margarita and watch him get creative.
Margaritas at Bar Ama / Baco Mercat. Image courtesy of @bar_ama
Toca Madera
West Hollywood, $12/$8 (Happy Hour)
AM: The sexy margarita: Ask for Juan. He will make you the perfect margarita that comes out on fire (literally). Toca Madera also has the sexiest atmosphere in LA.
Amante Picante margaritas at Toca Madera. Image courtesy of @tocamaderla
Scopa Italian Roots
Venice, $11
AM: The high end margarita: Ask for Javier or Aaron. They will find the perfect tequilas for you in their incredible selection of agave. These guys are no strangers to making incredible drinks. Just sit back and enjoy a margarita with any of their pasta dishes.
Switch up your marg by swapping out the tequila with mezcal at Scopa Italian Roots. Image courtesy of @jaimemateo82 / @mezcallosjavis.
