Located less than 20 feet from Clark/Lake (Transit for the Blue Line, Brown Line, Green Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, and the Purple Line), on 203 N LaSalle, Midtown is the home to quality bar bites and wondrous drink specials. The cozy, casual and adult venue is perfect for dinners with friends, meet-ups with coworkers and post-theatre gatherings. The staff is attentive and friendly, and food/beverages are delivered with sizzling swiftness.
The list of gourmet cocktails include thirteen types of martinis, three types of margaritas, five signature mixed drinks, and four types of mojitos. The brewery of the month (currently Samuel Adams –Winter Lager) is available for $3 all day, every day.
El Parador is one of the oldest names on the block...but that's no reason to write it off, it's stuck around for a reason! This joint opened up in 1959 and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Owner Jose "Alex" Alejandro took the reins from his father, who acquired the restaurant in 1990. Blockheads loyals will start singing a different tune once they step into this quaint and cozy Mexican hub. They have all your favorite dishes and some more unique selections, including Jalapenos Rellenos (jalapenos stuffed with anejo cheese or chunky peanut butter) and Mexican Fried Ice Cream. The staff is friendly and the customers are always enjoying themselves and coming back for more. It's best to make a reservation because even in the middle of the week, this place is hopping.
'Tis the season for margaritas! Mexican food is rarely boring, especially in our great city of New York. Check out our list below of the best places to have fun while getting your fajita fix.
With a name like Señorita Margarita’s Maracas, you know you’re in for a wild night out. This Greenwich Avenue hot spot is a great place for loud music and authentic Mexican fare. The restaurant offers daily specials like Margarita Madness on Mondays, Gringo Bingo on Tuesdays, Karaoke Wednesdays, Free Birthday Celebrations on Thursdays, College Night on Fridays, and All You Can Drink Brunches on Saturdays and Sundays. Maracas is known for being an ideal place to hold all types of celebrations without breaking the bank. See for yourself, the pictures on their website are definitely worth 1000 words.
Cinco de Mayo may still be a few weeks away, but it's never too early to start preparing for a perfect fiesta. Even if you're planning to "crawl" (we're hoping not literally...") from bar to bar, consider throwing a mini pre-party solely to show off your "bartending" skills. No need to be a pro - these recipes are simple, festive, and practically scream, "Drink me!"
Even for those who swear they never take shots, these are too attractive to resist.
- 12 limes, ends trimmed, cut crosswise in half
- 2 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
- 5 tablespoons grenadine syrup
- 1 teaspoon (generous) salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Premium tequila
Grab a couple of coworkers after work and head to Teqa to relax with margaritas by master mixologists beneath a chandelier of tequila bottles. The menu consists of various flavored margaritas and tequila cocktails concocted by John Laymeyer and Naren Young to start you off, then you can follow with modern Mexican appetizers and entreés by regular Food Network cronie, Lisa Schoen. She's also NY Yankees Derek Jeter's personal chef, so you know the food won't disappoint. The taqueria officially opens to the public tonight, but we're sure you'll be in good company - last week's private opening saw Jersey Shore's Snooki canoodling with model Jessica White, Teqa owner Derek Axelrod, and Real Housewives of New York star Kelly Bensimon. Who knows, maybe you'll end up with a tour of the J-Shore house if Snooks gets enough in her. Kidding, sort of.
443 3rd Ave btw. 30th & 31st Sts., (212) 213.3223
Just when returning to work after the (hopefully) eventful 3-day weekend (that you probably haven't fully recovered from yet) seems unbearable, National Margarita Day comes to ease your pain. If you can't make a mid-day escape (hey, it's 5 o'clock somewhere right?) you can head straight from the office to unwind with something tall and strong at one of the following spots, reknown for their delicious 'ritas. It won't matter if you're normally not a tequila fan - you won't even taste it.
Along with three varieties each of the well-known bar staples, Cuervo, Sauza, and Patrón, the West Village's Caliente Cab Co. also serves up lesser-known-but-equally-scrumptious tequilas like Mezcal (named for the Mezcal worm in the bottom), the handmade El Tesoro, Cabo Wabo, and others. Their specialty 24-ounce margarita may seem steep (at $14 blended, $16 on the rocks), but they're entirely worth it. The bartenders somehow manage to mix a considerable amount of tequila with a couple splashes of juice to concoct the perfect balance of sweet and sour - and you get to keep the glass as a souvenir.