If a frozen or on-the-rocks margarita is your go-to cocktail, Jacksonville will not disappoint. While many Mexican spots in the city serve the salted (or not) tequila cocktail, there are five restaurants in particular that will truly whet your whistle.
One of Jacksonville’s best is La Nopalera, a citywide Mexican chain that does the classic drink justice. Frozen batches are made fresh with a hint of lime and lots of tequila, and arrive in large stemmed margarita glasses. If you prefer your margaritas on the rocks, the bartender will whip up the refreshing drink to taste, including your favorite brand of tequila. Both styles of margarita are also available by the pitcher.
Beachside eatery Campeche Bay Cantina also serves up a locally renowned margarita. Here, it’s best to upgrade to the Top Shelf, where a high end tequila and splash of Grand Marnier make a subtly sweet difference. The margarita menu also includes The Legendary, made with Patron Citrone and sweet and sour mix; The Skinny with agave nectar and a splash of soda; and the aptly-named The Double-Fisted, when one simply isn’t enough.
Relative newcomer TacoLu Baja Mexicana on Beach Boulevard sits at the site of the old Homestead Restaurant, right before crossing the bridge into Jacksonville. The popular drink spot offers one of the largest tequila selections around, with over 120 bottles on hand. The Lu, as locals refer to it, crafts its homemade Lu Brew margaritas daily, made from fresh lime juice and simple syrup. On-the-rocks margaritas are served with the tequila of your choice, or you can keep things simple with the TacoLu house blend.
On the south side of town, Cantina Laredo crafts freshly made margaritas in large blue-rimmed margarita glasses. Dubbed ‘Casa ‘Ritas’, these Mexican restaurant favorites are among the strongest in town. Generous pours of Sauza Blanco and a smooth, frosty texture make the frozen version at Cantina Laredo sublime.
Casa Maria, another beachside authentic Mexican restaurant, serves up an equally fantastic margarita. Here, drinks can be served salted or unsalted, by the glass or by the pitcher, and are available frozen or on the rocks. Casa Maria’s margaritas are beautiful in their simplicity, with little more than a hint of fresh lime, agave nectar and a few thimblefuls of smooth tequila. But truly, connoisseurs of the classic Mexican cocktail will have no trouble finding satisfaction with any of the margaritas on this list.
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Restaurants in Alabama
Naji's Pita Gourmet
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Casual Middle Eastern dishes such as falafel, shawarma, greek salad, and gyros
Homewood
Half Off Pizza, Salads, and Subs at Ashland Midtown Pub
Ashland Midtown Pub
Mobile
$20 $10
Upscale pub and Italian eatery with traditional pizzas, seafood pastas, and Southern-tinged po’ boy feasts
50% Off Comfort Food at Rolo's Cafe in Huntsville
Rolo's Cafe
Huntsville
$12 $6
Locomotive-concept restaurant with working model train serves fried seafood, grilled steaks, and homestyle biscuits with chocolate gravy
Up to 42% Off American Food at The Boot at Preserve Village
The Boot at Preserve Village
Hoover
$26 $15
Fast-casual American cuisine, such as char-grilled sandwiches, in a pub warmed by a pecan-wood fire
Lenny's Sub Shop – 50% Off Sandwiches and Drinks
Lenny's Sub Shop
Madison
$30 $15
Grilled onions, crunchy raw ones, swiss cheese, and american cheese fall in melted ribbons across a philly cheesesteak's chopped beef
Up to 47% Off Comfort Food at Old 27 Grill
Old 27 Grill
Fairhope
$15 $8
Menu includes homemade soups, dressings, and sauces, as well as burgers, hot dogs, and steaks with a choice of 27 toppings
50% Off Café Cuisine and Drinks at The Cozy Cow
The Cozy Cow
Downtown Huntsville
$10 $5
Eatery offers full coffee shop, smoothies, ice cream, burgers, sandwiches, and salads for breakfast and lunch
Up to 45% Off Burgers at Itzzy's Delicatessen
Itzzy's Delicatessen
Hoover
$21.98 $12
Two burgers topped with varied toppings, food for carry-out service, or a Ridiculous double-patty burger topped with pastrami and Swiss
50% Off at Cheeburger Cheeburger
Cheeburger Cheeburger
Cheeburger Cheeburger
$16 $8
1950s-style menu with customizable burgers made from all-natural Angus beef and milkshakes in more than 1 million flavor combinations
Schlotzsky's Deli — 40% Off
Schlotzsky's Deli
Auburn
$10 $6
Deli slinging eats since 1971 offers up a menu replete with soups, pizza, beverages, and the sandwiches that made it famous
Up to 50% Off at PT's Grille and Deli
PT's Grille and Deli
Alabaster
$12 $6
Each fresh deli sandwich is made to order and may be accompanied by house-made coleslaw or chicken or potato salad
50% Off at Momma Goldberg's Deli
Momma Goldberg's Deli
Multiple Locations
$16 $8
Soups, salads, and made-to-order sandwiches layered with meats such as roast beef and smoked turkey, served with spicy brown mustard
Up to 50% Off at Lenny's Sub Shop
Lenny's Sub Shop
Daphne
$15 $8
Cheesesteaks with thinly-sliced rib eye steak, caramelized onions, and melty american-swiss cheese, and stacked deli sandwiches
Up to 50% Off Pub Cuisine at LeVi'an Grill & Bar
LeVi'an Grill & Bar
Southside
$15 $8
Hearty pub standards such as bacon cheeseburgers with fries, barbecue chicken wings, and grilled tilapia with wild rice
50% Off Japanese Cuisine at Hibachi Express – Huntsville
Hibachi Express- Huntsville
Huntsville
$12 $6
Hibachi-grilled steak and seafood served alongside classic Japanese dishes such as udon noodles with chicken and 15+ creative maki rolls
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Trio's Train Stop
Birmingham
$15 $8
After ordering their meals from a train car, customers enjoy pizza, ice cream, and sandwiches such as the chicken cordon bleu on a hoagie
Up to 50% Off American Food at West End Grill
West End Grill
Huntsville
$20 $10
Dig into classic American dishes such as bacon-wrapped meatloaf and salmon for dinner
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The Seafood Bistro
Montgomery
$20 $11
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50% Off Mediterranean Food at Piesanos
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Hamilton
$30 $15
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Up to 50% Off at Suzanne's Bakery & Eatery
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$25 $12.50
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Select Local Merchants
When The Melting Pot originally opened in 1975 just outside Orlando, the location was cozy and quaint, but diners had only three options: swiss-cheese fondue, beef fondue, or chocolate fondue. However, as the locally owned and operated restaurant grew in popularity, so did its menu selection and atmosphere. Patrons can now expect six varieties of hot dipping cheese paired with salads, meats, and molten chocolate.
On a given night, guests can nosh on signature four-course meals, from cheese-fondue appetizers and various salads to steaks and seafood cooked in a choice of healthy broth or oil. Birthday revelers and couples can share decadent evenings at private tables, capping off meals with chocolate desserts that have defined The Melting Pot for decades.
611 Doug Baker Blvd
Birmingham,
AL
US
To craft the Momma's Love sandwich, the chefs at Momma Goldberg's Deli begin with a freshly steamed hoagie bun. They layer on slices of roast beef, ham, hickory-smoked turkey, and muenster cheese before topping the tower off with spicy brown mustard and Momma's sauce. In addition to offering a variety of other hearty hot and cold sandwiches, which can be served beside soup or salad, the chefs extend their culinary expertise toward the deli's specialty nachos—crispy Doritos showered in creamy pepper jack cheese.
4800 Whitesburg Dr
Huntsville,
AL
US
Royal Waffle King's chefs crank out comfort-food staples such as belgium waffles, biscuits, and burgers 24 hours a day. Breakfast platters team waffles up with eggs, sausage, and hash browns, while Royal burger platters pile juicy beef patties with cheese, bacon, and onions. Omelets, country fried steaks, and grilled-chicken clubs are served at all hours at Royal Waffle King's more than a dozen locations in four states. Each restaurant is conveniently situated near major highways, ideal for a rest stop on a long road trip or a vacation beneath diner booths.
8644 Madison Blvd
Madison,
AL
US
Past Times sates grumbling hunger tubs of all dispositions with a menu of home-style diner edibles. Early-rising incisors can mosey over on Friday and Saturday mornings to bask in orders of homemade biscuits, breakfast bowls, and eggs cooked to order, while midday maws can rest molars on the bi-paddied pillows of the double cheeseburger or the steak and gravy sandwich, which dons a figure-hugging sheath of breading and complexion-complementing draping of gravy. Past Times also offers buffalo wings awash in a variety of homemade dippables, including mild, hot, and socially awkward.
17A Ashwood Dr
Phenix City,
AL
US
The chefs at Daniel George rethink American cuisine with local ingredients and an epicurean sensibility. They leverage produce sourced from local farms to create dishes such as grilled-alabama-tomato salad, which comes with a complement of blue-crab relish and avocado crema, and they take Gulf Coast seafood to delectable heights with an oyster duo using Apalachicola oysters. Daniel George also serves pappardelle bolognese, filet of beef, and an array of other entrees, all of which can be paired with a selection from a wine list with more than three dozen labels. The gustatory experience plays out in Daniel George's elegant dining room, which features floor-to-ceiling paintings of wildflowers.
2837 Culver Rd
Mountain Brk,
AL
US
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7651 Highway 72
Madison,
AL
US