Margarita Mania

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Cinco de Mayo madness will fill bars and nightclubs this weekend in advance of the big day. And although all the Coronas, Pacifico, and Dos Equis beers might be created equal (relatively speaking), all margaritas aren’t.

To help celebrate the Mexican holiday, we sacrificed many nights to sample some of metro Detroit’s most delicious agave-centric drinks. After wiping away the salt and interpreting our notes jotted down on cocktail napkins stained with lime juice, we can now present some of the best margaritas in the city.

Border Cantina
With 18 oz. margaritas on special for $3.99 during happy hour (3-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 3-6 p.m. Friday), the only tough decision to make is whether to order it frozen, on the rocks or flavored. The chain is a hit in Novi. (Other Michigan locations include Allen Park, Auburn Hills, Grandville and Kentwood). In fact, On the Border’s margaritas, regularly priced in the $6 range, dot the tables on a dinner rush like colorful decorations. This season’s most popular flavor is mango passion fruit served frozen. Made with Sauza Gold, triple sec and sweet-and-sour mix, the mango passion fruit margarita is smooth and extremely satisfying.

Loco Bar & Grill
Loco’s is a colorful and lively escape stop inside Detroit’s Greektown. Margaritas, priced in the $6 range, are served frozen, on the rocks, tall with three shots of tequila or short with one. Loco’s offers the usual peach, strawberry, raspberry and pomegranate and also have an impressive variety of flavored tequilas. Their house margarita is served with Jose Cuervo Gold, triple sec, a splash of sour and a splash of orange.

El Zocalo
El Zocalo’s house margarita hides the strong taste of tequila with a deceitful blend of sweet and sour and salt. The tequila is definitely in there. It’s just blended to not be as harsh going down. Not a fan of salt or sweet-and-sour mix? No worries. El Zocalo’s mango margarita hides the taste of tequila with a sweet and fruity flavor that doesn’t have an overly sugary after-taste. El Zocalo also has premium tequila Sauza and sweet-and-sour mix on tap and offers all the usual flavors, plus pineapple and apple — two hard to find margarita flavors. Prices are in the $6 range.

Los Galanes
Los Galanes might be known for its fresh seafood specials, but the restaurant’s margaritas are as strong as a draw as any entrée. They come in three sizes: jumbo for $5.25, half a liter for $10, and 1-liter for $17. Their flavors and margarita-ish drink mixtures vary from the Cadillac (made with Suaza and Grand Marnier) to the 1800 Cuervo Gold (served with the premium Jose Cuervo 1800 and in a multitude of flavors). Los Galanes is serving up a ton of its mango margaritas -- made with Sauza, triple sec and mango syrup. This frozen cocktail is served adorned with a cherry and is as easy to drink as a virgin daiquiri but packs a punch as strong as the house margarita.

Mexican Jones
Wiping the rim of a margarita glass with lime before dipping it in a bath of salt, the bartenders’ movements at Mexican Jones are fluid yet precise. She fills the glass with ice and without looking reaches into a cabinet behind her to grab a pre-mixed container of what appears to be sour mix but turns out to be house-made margarita mix. This drink is deceiving. It’s easy on the eyes and taste buds but hits with a bang. Surprisingly strong at $6.95 a glass, the Mexican Jones margarita is made with Jose Cuervo Gold, triple sec, Daily’s Sweet & Sour Mix and Grand Marnier.

Lazy Lizard
The drink sensations inside the Lazy Lizard was anything but ordinary. The menu is loaded with drool-worthy options like the limona-boya meltdown (a strawberry margarita topped with a unique twist – Bacardi Limon, a lemon-kissed rum). Also worthy of accolades is the Lazy Lizard’s citrus margarita, a refreshing mix of the premium Sauza Conmemorativo Tequila and fresh squeezed citrus juices. Perhaps the best choice for a sweet tooth is the raspberry margarita. This cocktail is so sweet it is easy -- maybe too easy -- to drink down. Before 6 p.m., the house margarita is $3.99; after 6 p.m. it’s $6. Flavored drinks are $6.50.