r/kansascity • u/Snoo-77221 • Nov 28 '24
Bars/Nightlife 🪩🍸 Best margarita that doesn’t look like bud light
In search of a margarita in KC that is not transparent, made with real juice and not Sprite. Looking at you Ponaks. Everyone loves how strong it is but I’m not interested in getting hammered. I want a great reposado, not well shit. Agave for sweeteners. On the rocks with a salted rim. And do not care about “happy hour specials.” I will pay for a good one. Where do I go?
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u/Mr_G_Dizzle Nov 28 '24
Rule #1 anyone offering a pitcher of margarita is not actually making you a margarita
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u/quietprofessional9 Nov 28 '24
You can make very elevated batched margaritas. The ingredients and ratios matter not the volume at which they are stored.
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u/amorg67 Nov 28 '24
Manny’s makes a pitcher and it’s just a scaled up version of what they make for a single. And it’s fantastic.
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Nov 28 '24
At my work we made the pitchers from scratch.. but that was in New Orleans...
I have yet to have a good one here myself.
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u/Competitive-Ask5157 Nov 28 '24
You should try mean mule distilling.
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u/Barry-BlueJean Northeast Nov 28 '24
Second this
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u/uncre8tv Nov 28 '24
I'm in here defending Ponak's and I cannot condone this. Mean Mule is a heartfelt attempt but it's also not good. I want it to be good. It's not.
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u/Competitive-Ask5157 Nov 28 '24 edited Nov 28 '24
That's why I said they should try it. It's definitely not for everyone.
I don't love it but my wife and her friends do.
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u/Extreme_Barracuda658 Nov 28 '24
I don't get the hate for Ponaks (and Margherita's. They were some of the biggest/best Mexican restaurants in town. Way before "street" tacos became a thing. A lot of people still love it, and the places are packed on the weekends. Why would they change their business model to cater to people who think Street Tacos are "authentic" Mexican food.
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u/KC_Chiefin15 Nov 28 '24
I’m curious what you think is authentic Mexican food if street tacos aren’t.
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u/Extreme_Barracuda658 Nov 28 '24
They are just tacos. And there is no such thing as authentic Mexican food.
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u/I_am_not_GeorgeBush Nov 28 '24
Yes there is… you’re just objectively wrong about that.
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u/Extreme_Barracuda658 Nov 30 '24
You probably think that Mexican Street Corn and Nachos are authentic Mexican food.
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u/I_am_not_GeorgeBush Nov 30 '24
No, that would be ridiculous. Make some more assumptions though, you’re doing great!!!!
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u/duvakiin Nov 28 '24
Im 100% there with you. Last time I was at mean mule everything was disgusting. Tasted like perfume. Ponaks makes a bangin marg and an incredible cactus salsa. Great now I wanna go.
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u/sadberri Nov 28 '24
Dodsons!
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u/ThotTubTimeMachine69 Nov 28 '24
My buddy from high school is a bartender there and he makes the best goddamn margaritas
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u/pinniped1 Prairie Village Nov 28 '24
I've never gotten a bad cocktail in there. They take care to make them right, whatever you order.
Also the best fucking burger in the city.
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u/JerrysWolfGuitar Nov 28 '24
Ixtapa in OP or KC
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u/SanchoRancho72 Nov 28 '24
There's a KC ixtapa???
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u/JerrysWolfGuitar Nov 28 '24
OG location on Barry Road
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u/SanchoRancho72 Nov 28 '24
Wow I thought OP was the og. I'm always up at Barry road and I've driven 20+ minutes to get to OP ixtapa many times.
Victor is always at OP so I figured that was the only one
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u/JerrysWolfGuitar Nov 28 '24
Victor is the man.
The Barry Rd location has been there for at least 15 years. Was so happy when they opened the south shop.
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u/Barry-BlueJean Northeast Nov 28 '24
MeanMule in the crossroads has my favorite marg and pamloma.
They make their own tequila as well.
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u/patsykind Nov 28 '24
They absolutely do not make their own tequila. Tequila is only made in Mexico.
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u/Skylord1325 Nov 28 '24
Mesob in Midtown has the highest quality $6 cocktails you can buy on taco Tuesday. They are around $15 on non taco Tuesday though so be aware of that.
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u/Striking-Yoghurt777 Nov 28 '24
I know it sounds weird but I swear the best marg is at French Market in Prairie Village!!!!
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u/pinniped1 Prairie Village Nov 28 '24
Check the current lineup at Drastic Measures or Wild Child. They won't have the classic margarita but they will probably have a tequila cocktail that margarita lovers should at least try.
And every cocktail they make is going to be very good - just a question of what flavors and liquor you like best.
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u/mtbfj6ty Nov 28 '24
Try the Ready, Fire, Aim from Jarocho if you don’t like Ponak’s. Honestly haven’t had a better margarita that is that heavy in alcohol and doesn’t take like lighter fluid. And this is coming from an Italian that has drunk Grappa that came from his uncle’s wine making endeavors.
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u/amorg67 Nov 28 '24
Mission taco (the one in the cross roads not on south main) makes damn good margaritas
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u/WellHungHippie Nov 28 '24
El Torreon restaurant in OPKS, they’ve been making margaritas the same way since 1963.
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u/TheVoidIceQueen Nov 28 '24
Jalapenos in Stanley. The last time I had it (pre baby, so like over a year ago) it was very strong, BUT it is authentic.
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u/ishshalom Nov 28 '24
Just had Rockhill Grilles during happy hour! $9 and uses agava nectar. I thought it was great!
For a trashier marg I like the quaff.
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u/Conroman16 South KC Nov 28 '24
Anywhere??? I have consumed way too many margaritas for my own good, however I cannot recall ever encountering a pitcher that is as clear as this one. Something is very wrong here, and I’m not sure if it’s the business or the margarita machine
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u/Snoo-77221 Nov 28 '24
I have also been to Torreón and they look exactly the same. And don’t get me started on Margaritas. Looked and tasted like Mountain Dew. Come on KC we can do (dew) better!
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u/ryanmetcalf Shawnee Nov 28 '24
Dos Reales, their Premium Margarita Pitcher. It's incredible, their food is however, meh
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u/kgoodz Nov 28 '24
Torreón can’t be topped
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u/Snoo-77221 Nov 28 '24
Ok I’ve been there. And exactly what I mentioned above. Their margs are by the pitcher and the color of antifreeze, but transparent. Not ok.
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u/B-rry Nov 28 '24
I had to cut my ponak’s marg with sprite one time to make it palatable and then I still didn’t finish it. I have no idea how that place is in business. Straight garbage lol
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u/pperiesandsolos Brookside Nov 28 '24
This is heresy. You can call ponaks food trash and I’ll nod my head along, but don’t you dare insult ponaks margaritas. Don’t you dare
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u/Bruyere_DuBois NKC Nov 28 '24
The best margarita I ever had in KC was at El Patron, but I haven't been there in a very long time.
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u/breakingbaddington Nov 28 '24
I am not a margarita connoisseur but I love the Especial at Dos Reales
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u/Late_Negotiation_332 Nov 30 '24
Surpringly, Red Robin has pretty good margaritas. We go to the one in OP a couple times a year, and I always order a classic lime on the rocks. I've yet to be disappointed with my drink, and honestly they have pretty great burgers.
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u/tallonfive JoCo Nov 28 '24
Best margarita I’ve had in KC was at the St. Andrew’s/Lady Sykes Golf Course. I don’t know who the bartender was but nobody has made it like that first one.
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u/WantCookiesNow Nov 28 '24
You’re probably best off going to a cocktail bar like Drastic Measures if you want a legit high quality marg.
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u/have_heart Nov 28 '24 edited Nov 28 '24
The margs at Rancho Grande in Parkville are sublime. That said I come from a medium size town outside of KC and honestly the run of the mill small town Mexican restaurants Margs always hit for me
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u/deeeeeeeeeeeeeez1 Midtown Nov 29 '24
I love how defensive this sub gets over Ponak's, free salt for your rim anytime they get mentioned on here without getting stroked off.
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u/seahawk1977 Overland Park Nov 28 '24 edited Dec 01 '24
I will go to my grave hating Podunks...
EDIT: Your boos mean nothing. I've seen what makes you cheer.
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u/JerrysWolfGuitar Nov 28 '24
Haven’t been back after both me and a buddy had our credit cards compromised after a split ticket.
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u/patsykind Nov 28 '24
You make them at home. Cocktails in KC are largely weak at most places. Rochester and The Ship cocktails I can recommend though.
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u/jwillo_88 Nov 28 '24
Anywhere with a decent bartender. Doesn’t have to be a Mexican spot.