where to drink on margarita day

7 Houston bars and restaurants shaking up National Margarita Day deals

Mexican Sugar Cocina is inviting patrons to mix a margarita tableside for National Margarita Day.

Courtesy of FB Social

Not every special food or drink day needs to be celebrated. While National Quiche Lorraine Day (May 20) might be easily skipped, National Margarita Day (Saturday, February 22) is a must — especially here in Houston. Restaurants and bars across the city are raising a glass to this beloved cocktail with specials, and we’ve gathered a few of the most interesting options. Take a look and then take a shot of Mexican candy before washing it down with a marg on the rocks.

Best Regards
The stylish patio bar in the Heights is elevating the day’s festivities with a $100 margarita flight crafted with Don Julio 1942. The upscale flight features a mezcal margarita with cucumber, a reposado margarita with spicy blood orange, and an añejo margarita with honey and saffron, each finished with a unique rim of gold salt, black salt, or Tajín. Those looking for a less expensive option may opt for Best Regards’ original and spicy margaritas that are available for $10.

Jethro's Cocktail Lounge
The retro-inspired Montrose bar will celebrate with $12 margaritas, including a cilantro-cucumber Margarita, the plum margarita, and the guava margarita. Even better, it's open from 1 pm to 1:30 am.

Photo by Becca Wright

Monkey's Tail will have a live mariachi band and a DJ for National Margarita Day.

Kazzan Ramen and Bar
Located near the Heights, the restaurant is offering two Japanese-style margaritas for $8 each on National Margarita Day. Their matcha margarita combines silver tequila, lime juice, Domaine de Canton, coconut cream, and matcha powder to create a cocktail that is creamy, bright, and spicy. For those looking for a more complex flavor profile, the ume margarita blends tequila, Brandy Umeshu, lemon, yuzu, umeboshi, agave, and Shichimi Togarashi into a drink that is simultaneously citrusy, earthy, sweet, and salty.

Local Table
Get a spicy pineapple margarita for $12 all day at each of the restaurant's five locations. The Cypress and Katy locations will offer $5 margaritas on the rocks for $5, $5 Mexican candy shots, $7 frozen mango and strawberry margaritas, and $8 coconut and spicy pineapple margaritas.

Mexican Sugar
Patrons can choose their own margarita adventure on Friday, February 21, and Saturday, February 22, from 4 pm to close. Here, custom margaritas will be mixed tableside, allowing diners to select their preferred premium tequila, fruit infusions, specialty salts, and rim garnish. If that’s too many decisions to make under the influence, opt for a $22 flight that offers three of the restaurant’s specialty margaritas.

Monkey’s Tail
The bar will celebrate the day with a mariachi band entertaining from 5-6 pm and a DJ spinning tunes from 9 pm to midnight. The bar’s drink specials include Tommy’s margarita made with Hornitos tequila, priced at $5 for the first order and $7 thereafter, along with happy hour prices on other cocktails and $5 Mexican candy shots.

Trattoria Sofia
Ben Berg's restaurant in the Heights puts an Italian twist on Texas’ favorite beverage with its bergamot margarita — a drink that combines Italicus Bergamot Liqueur with Patrón Silver Tequila and fresh lime juice to deliver a citrus-focused drink that is both sweet and bitter.

cocktails where to drink

say hey to Hypsi

Houston chef's hip new Italian restaurant now open in Heights hotel

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

A new Italian restaurant is now open in the Heights. Located within the newly opened Hotel Daphne, Hypsi marks chef Terrence Gallivan’s return to professional cooking in Houston.

Known for his time as the co-execuive chef of The Pass and Provisions and owner of ElRo Pizza and Crudo, Gallivan brings strong culinary credentials to Hypsi. Although he isn’t known explicitly for Italian fare, he has significant experience making pizza, pasts, and other Italian-inspired dishes. After closing ElRo last year, the chef says that working for Bunkhouse Hotels, the Austin-based company that operates the Daphne, had a lot of appeal.

“My wife and I always made it a point to stop at their places whenever we’re in Austin. They know how to make cool stuff,” Gallivan says.

Hypsi’s menu includes updated takes on Italian fare begins with starters such as lamb meatballs, black truffle arancini, and Caesar salad. A selection of house-made pastas include squid ink radiatori with rock shrimp, butternut squash tortellini, and lumache with vodka sauce that gets a little heat from nduja. Entree choices include a roast chicken, pork Milanese, and roasted snapper with salsa verde.

The restaurant is also open for breakfast during the week and brunch on the weekends with items such as a panatone waffle, frittata, and breakfast sandwich. Lunch will follow in January.

“We took inspiration from tradition without being traditional,” Gallivan says. Later, he adds, “For me, it’s about balance. You try to please everybody. I want my mom to enjoy herself as much as a 25-year-old foodie. It’s important to hit as many marks as you can.”

One of the restaurant’s signatures will be the mozzarella cart that rolls through its dining room. Gallivan says he’s sourcing a mix of both American and imported Italian cheeses that will rotate every week or two. The cheese is served with a range of pickled fruit and vegetables, olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, focaccia, and more. Of course, seeing a cart immediately grabs diners’ attention, making them want whatever is on offer.

“That’s the beauty of carts,” Gallivan says. “It’s a fun thing to do. I think sometimes we get a little too serious in restaurants. It’s supposed to be fun. People are here to enjoy themselves.”

All that eating and drinking takes place in a dining room that’s inspired by Prohibition-era speakeasies, according to press materials. Details include blueberry lava stone on the bar, vintage velvet chairs, and custom Carimate dining chairs by Vico Magistretti. An outdoor patio features brick pavers, mosaic tables, and sculptures.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

news-you-can-eat openings the-heights hotels