The 10 Tastiest Dishes on the Margarita Mile
Pair your cocktail with something truly delicious for the full experience
We’ve all heard the command to “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!” and the Margarita Mile ensures the drink and be merry part are covered. But each venue along the tequila-soaked journey features some of the city’s most coveted dishes, allowing you the blissful trifecta of fantastic food, creative cocktails, and endless enjoyment. We’ve rounded up 10 can’t-miss dishes at restaurants along the route, from iconic classics to new creations worth seeking out no matter where you find yourself in Dallas.
Pancho Villa at Mariano’s Hacienda
East Dallas
Internationally famous and revered for inventing the frozen margarita machine, Mariano Martinez has served generations of Dallasites in his family’s restaurants for over 50 years. While enjoying an Original Frozen during your visit is a rite of passage, the Mariano is the designated Margarita Mile beverage. The smooth, on-the-rocks margarita features Don Julio Reposado and pairs perfectly with the Pancho Villa platter. Satisfy every craving with this “little bit of everything” extravaganza: a cheese enchilada topped with State Fair of Texas blue-ribbon-award-winning chili, a soft cheese taco, crispy beef taco, guacamole tostada, beans, and rice.
Chef's "Favorite 4" at Haywire (Uptown)
Uptown
Get the full Texas dining experience at Haywire, a destination where ranch-to-table fare shines. Tempt your palate with a taste of great things to come by starting your order with the Chef’s “Favorite 4” appetizer. Featuring queso blanco, branding iron onion rings, fried green tomatoes, and mini elk tacos, the platter’s flavors match Haywire’s signature Margarita Mile selection, Midnight in Marfa. The blueberry/pomegranate-infused concoction provides a sweet foil to the savory creations of the appetizer platter, making your taste buds do a little dance with every sip.
Desperados Tacos at Desperados Mexican Restaurant
Northeast Dallas
Since 1976, Desperados has made thousands of its namesake tacos, and for good reason—they’re wildly delicious and crave-worthy. Instead of the usual corn tortilla, these tacos start with fried flour tortillas before being packed with melted jack cheese and beef or chicken fajitas. They’re then topped with fresh, sliced avocado and a gentle kick from pico de gallo. Pro tip: They’re available at a discount every Thursday after 4:00 p.m. Pro tip 2: They go great with La Margarita, a five-time Best Margarita winner with a secret recipe that requires you to have at least two in an attempt to solve the mystery.
Bone-in Pork Chop at Billy Can Can
Victory Park
When the chef loves a cocktail, take notice. And that’s precisely the case with Billy Can Can’s Margarita Mile entry, the Sonora Showdown. Made with a potent combo of tequila, mezcal, and tepache (fermented pineapple juice), it’s a beautifully golden-hued cocktail with a touch of spice from the Tajín rim. The sour notes complement the hefty bone-in pork chop, which is whiskey-brined before cooking, then topped with a tangy mustard jus and served with a loaded potato pave and charred broccolini.
Mountain Bulgogi at JOA Grill
Asian Trade District
Gather the gang and head north to JOA Grill for an authentic Korean barbecue experience where you cook your own meats right at the table. Not confident in your culinary skills? Order up the Margarita Mile favorite Songdo Breeze as a Margarita Tower, and you and your group will be ready to conquer any grilling task set before you. The Mountain Bulgogi features Black Angus ribeye slices with glass noodles and beef broth. The dish serves two people, but you can get several things to share with the table and have a little tour of Korea in a single meal—that you helped create!
Langostino Enchiladas at José
Bluffview
If you’ve never tried langostino, think “tiny lobster.” But don’t worry; it’s far from demure in flavor. The succulent shellfish brings a beautiful richness to the plate when layered with spinach, poblano peppers, queso fresco, and poblano cream sauce for deliciously decadent enchiladas. José’s Margarita Mile selection, the Squozen Margarita, offers the brilliant combo of fresh-squeezed lime juice and Cointreau to create the ultimate frozen marg, made even more ultimate with a floater of Grand Marnier. Your langostino will thank you.
Pizza Vaquero at Las Palmas Tex-Mex
Uptown
Everybody’s favorite fast-food Mexican pizza gets seriously upgraded at this swanky Uptown Tex-Mex joint. The Pizza Vaquero starts with a crispy tortilla embellished with refried beans, Akaushi beef picadillo, queso blanco, jalapeño, crema, and queso fresco. It’s a fun appetizer to share with friends or big enough as an entrée. In either case, you’ll want to accompany it with the official selection of Margarita Mile for the restaurant, the eponymous Las Palmas Margarita. This classic frozen marg has everything you expect (lime, tequila, agave) and one thing you probably don’t: a hint of Mexican vanilla. Get one on the patio, at the bar, or order up some cocktails to-go so the Margarita Mile can exist wherever you want it, whenever you want it.
Hangover Enchildas at Joe Leo Fine Tex Mex
East Dallas
Patio + brunch = an exceptional weekend in Dallas. Joe Leo has one of the best patios in the neighborhood, so heading here for a little light day-drinking just makes sense. Order the Hangover Enchiladas, a tasty platter featuring one bacon and egg enchilada and one jalapeño sausage and egg enchilada, topped with sour cream and Baba’s sauce, pico de gallo, and accompanied by Mexican rice and refried beans. Add to your order a Rosarita Margarita, the restaurant’s official Margarita Mile selection, which brings three popular brunch drinks into the equation. That’s right, in one drink you’ll find layers of frozen margarita, frozen mimosa, and sangria for rainbow of colors and flavors.
Gochujang Chicken Karaage at SER Steak + Spirits
Design District
Take the elevator to the 27th floor for some of the most dramatic views of downtown Dallas at this stunner high atop the Hilton Anatole. You’d be wise to order steak here, of course, but before you get to all the beefy goodness, pair your Margarita Mile cocktail with a somewhat surprising dish for a Dallas steakhouse. The Black Cadillac Margarita wows with its color—it is indeed black—thanks to charcoal shaken along with Avion Reposado Tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and agave. It’s an inspired contrast to the spicy Gochujang fried chicken karaage appetizer that liberally uses the Korean spice and honey butter to create a piquant creation that’s crispy and truly addictive.
Queso Laredo at Cantina Laredo Love Field
Love Field
Wherever you go in Dallas, the Margarita Mile’s there for you. Even the airport. Whether you want to make it your first stop upon arriving or your last taste of Dallas, the Cantina Laredo location near Gate 6 aims to satisfy your Tex-Mex needs. Even if you’re running short on time, there’s always enough to squeeze in a bowl of Queso Laredo, a creamy cheese dip topped with seasoned ground sirloin and pico de gallo. Slather it on warm tortillas or dip into it with crispy tortilla chips. The only thing missing is a Casa Rita, in which silver tequila, Cointreau, and freshly squeezed lemon and lime juices merge in the glass so happily that you may wish for a longer layover.
