8 Restaurant Chains With The Best Margaritas, According To Customers

Margaritas are one of the most popular cocktails out there. Part of their appeal is how simple they are. Typically made with only a few ingredients, including tequila, lime juice, and an agave or simple syrup, the combination of tart citrus with the sweet sugar and earthy alcohol makes for a beautifully balanced drink.

Many restaurant customers look for a good margarita when they dine out or want one to-go. In fact, a 2023 survey by the National Restaurant Association shows that around 54% of Gen-Z and Millennials will visit eateries that offer to-go cocktails and alcohol over those that don't. That's a significant portion of the population, and chain restaurants have taken notice.

Chili's, for instance, is already known for a large margarita selection, but the company has expanded its offerings even further with a rotating margarita of the month flavor. Applebee's brought back its incredibly popular $1 margarita special for July 2026, and TGI Fridays had $5 margaritas for National Margarita day in February 2026. So those who enjoy an icy sweet-and-sour tequila concoction can easily find one, and according to numerous customer reviews, these chain restaurants make the best.

With over 300 locations, P.F. Chang's is one of the largest Chinese-American restaurant chains in the country. It's been serving up a variety of dishes since the early 1990s and has a wide range of cocktail selections, including several well-reviewed margaritas. Many locations offer the Zen margarita for $8.99 during the weekday happy hour.

The jade margarita is a tasty concoction that has guests asking for another round. The Rising Dragon is a lovely red color from the pomegranate juice, and reviewers enjoy the unexpected taste. It's a strong drink that's visually striking, thanks to a smoking rosemary sprig. The agave margarita has been called exceptional by fans, while the Zen version is well-balanced and refreshing. It even took the top spot in The Daily Meal's ranking of chain restaurant margaritas. The Zen is available on the happy hour menu, making it an even more economical way to imbibe.

Founded in 1993, Texas Roadhouse is well known for its made-from-scratch rolls with cinnamon butter and oversized margaritas. There are seven different kinds, and in recent years, the chain has experimented with $5 drinks and other beverage upgrades. They come frozen and on-the-rocks, as well as in a variety of flavors. The fruity version can be made with strawberry or raspberry, while the Legend margarita has three kinds of tequila and Grand Marnier. The sangria margarita is a combination of two popular selections swirled together into what's become a fan favorite drink.

Guests enjoy the taste and value the drinks offer, with many people saying they're strong and consistent. Thanks to its triple hit of tequila, the Legend margarita is one of the most potent beverages on the menu, but is still well-balanced between sweet and sour flavors. The fruity version has a sugar rim and sought-after flavor. But the sangria margarita just might be the most talked about drink, with some reviewers calling it "dangerously good." It's praised for having a great balance of citrus from the margarita half and fruitiness from the sangria.

Chili's has been serving Tex-Mex-inspired fare since 1975. In that time, Chili's has become known for numerous items, like its triple dipper appetizer, Southwestern egg rolls, and the iconic baby back ribs. On the beverage side of things, the chain has earned legions of loyal margarita fans. There are around a dozen kinds on the menu, many of which can be modified with different flavors, such as mango, blackberry, and dragon fruit. Some location offer the drinks to-go, and there's a rotating monthly margarita many locations sell for $6.

The Presidente is probably the most famous of the chain's alcoholic drinks, and fans know it as a reliable option that's saved from being too sweet by the addition of brandy to the tequila. Another popular choice are the frozen margaritas. From the Flamingo Freeze to the Arctic Drift, reviewers are pleased with the drink's value and taste. One guest even compared the experience to summer-in-a-glass.

Whether you call it Buffalo Wild Wings or the shortened nickname of B-Dubs, this chain has a variety of margaritas to help wash down your choice of sandwiches, wings, or chicken dippers. The business was started in the early 1980s and currently has around 1,000 locations, making it easy for many people to try a meal and a margarita (or two) without traveling very far. If you happen to get there during a weekday happy hour, you can even try the strawberry version for a cool $6 at many locations.

There are several margaritas on the menu, such as the tropical, black cherry, Patrón, and, of course, strawberry. The Patrón, sometimes called the platinum, is a solid option that fans describe as smooth and tasty. The tropical version lives up to its name and is fruity and sweet. The black cherry margarita has mezcal for a bit of smoky flavor, and one person declared it their drink for the summer. Others note the deeply red color and call it another solid drink option. But it's the strawberry flavor that customers can't get enough of. At $6 per drink, the value is undeniable, and many guests say it's incredibly tasty, as well. You can try any of them to cool down your mouth after a few of the brand's famous beef-tallow-fried wings.

Known for endless shrimp and cheddar biscuits, Red Lobster also has a tasty selection of margaritas at many of its locations. Founded in Florida in the late 1960s, the chain introduced the world to popcorn shrimp a few years later in 1974. It's still innovating, more than 50 years later, with events like lobster- and crabfest becoming annual traditions. The latter even has special cocktails, with one being the lava flow margarita. Of course, the restaurant has a selection of the tequila-based drinks year-round, too, including the Grand Patrón, Guava Chili, and Main Deck margarita flight. There's also a classic margarita on the weekday happy hour menu for $5 at participating locations.

Fans say the Patrón option is smooth with just the right kick from the tequila. The flight comes with three full-size margaritas — passion fruit, watermelon, and Caribbean blue. Reviewers tend to enjoy all three flavors, with the watermelon and passion fruit being standouts.

While this popular chain is not remotely Australian, it can still take a theme and run with it. A case in point is the Boomarita special, which was introduced in 2019. Served on a boomerang-shaped wooden board, the flight of drinks includes four margaritas — a house blend, mango, watermelon, and blackberry. Many locations have the drinks for $9.99 or less. What a steal. There's naur messing about with the drink prices here.

Customers are also fans of the drinks' taste in addition to their prices, with some reviewers calling them amazing. Others note that the margaritas are refreshing and are a good mix of sweet and tart flavors. Guests also say the drinks are a good value for the price. Another favorite is the strawberry kiwi 'rita. Reviewers say it is not watered down and is quite tasty, with one adding it was a great way to end the not-quite-but-kind-of-Australian meal.

Yard House opened its doors in 1996 and now has nearly 100 locations across the country. While it's best known for having one of the largest draft beer selections among chain restaurants, it also has an equally-respected cocktail menu. In addition to martinis, mules, and mocktails, there are a half-dozen margaritas to choose from, too. On top of that, many locations have a weekday happy hour with $2 off cocktails and discounted appetizers and pizzas.

All of the margaritas at Yard House are praised by fans, but the Grand Patrón, Salted Watermelon, Pink Dragon, and Picante versions are the most frequently reviewed. The Patrón is described as just right by even picky drinkers, and some find it hard to resist ordering a second. Reviewers call the salted watermelon option delicious and say it's light enough to not make them feel heavy, even after a big meal. The pink dragon margarita is a social media favorite thanks to its bright pink color contrasting with the white and black-flecked slice of dragon fruit floating on top. But people also love the taste, citing that it's refreshing, versatile, and tasty. Finally, the picante margarita is, as advertised, a spicy concoction that's balanced by sweet and salty notes.

Founded in 1982, Olive Garden has grown into one of the largest fast-casual Italian restaurants in the world. There are over 900 locations in the U.S., turning out hundreds of breadsticks and plates of pasta each day. While it might not be the first thought on everyone's mind, almost all of them serve cocktails, in addition to wine and beer.

One of the most famous Olive Garden drinks is the Italian margarita. It went viral in 2025 despite having been on the menu for years beforehand. But fans of the drink already knew what everyone else was discovering — the shot of amaretto the restaurant adds gives the normally tart margarita a nice splash of sweetness.

But that's not the only margarita the chain makes – although the others are sweeter, something purists are sure to point out. But for those who don't care for the sometimes harsh taste of tequila and lime juice, drinks like the strawberry limoncello and coconut pineapple margarita hit the spot. The coconut pineapple version has large coconut flakes on top to give it texture, and one reviewer compared it to a vacation in a glass. The strawberry limoncello can be ordered on the rocks or frozen, and customers suggest getting the frozen version. Whichever kind you want to try, just don't forget to dip the breadsticks in Italian dressing and cheese to top off the experience (and soak up some booze).

Deciding which restaurants were good enough to make the list was a hard task, so narrowing down the initial pool of eateries that are known for making a mean margarita came down to several factors. I looked at the overall customer experience, the value and taste of the drinks, price points, and more. I consulted social media posts, comment threads, and local user review sites and selected the chains with the best reviews across several platforms.

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