Hugos Restaurant Y Tequila Bar, Austin

Once upon a time, a chameleon named Hugo sat on a balcony watching his owner eat dinner with a glass of Chinaco Anejo. The phone rang, and the owner went inside to answer it. Upon her return, the owner found the glass of Anejo sitting empty next to a satisfied Hugo, a boozy grin on the lizard's face. The next day, the owner again took her dinner on the balcony, but this time she sat down to a savory chameleon steak. This fable is the inspiration for Hugo’s Restaurant Y Tequila Bar—a place where no number of thirsty chameleons could exhaust the stock of more than 75 tequilas.

The chilled tequilas range from familiar to exotic and artisanal, and the menu of Southwestern fare definitely plays to area favorites by using locally grown ingredients. Entrees include duck-confit-stuffed tortillas and chorizo pork rib eye sheathed with a balsamic-blackberry-ancho jam. Though tequila is the star of the drink list at Hugos, diners can also choose from more than 25 beers and a selection of specialty cocktails including a strawberry-basil mojito and a Flamethrower Especial martini, mixed with one part gin and two parts actual flamethrower.