It’s time celebrate another made-up food holiday: National Margarita Day (not that we’re complaining about drink discounts). While you sip happy hour specials, take a moment to learn about the drink’s mysterious history. Spoiler: It involves a 1940’s Dallas socialite named Margarita Sames.
108 Rhode Island Ave., NW
Bloomingdale’s Cal-Mex eatery offers an array of special $8 margaritas, including blueberry, pear, and the “Cadillac” margarita with tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and orange bitters. Pad the stomach with snacks like tequila-marinated shrimp cocktail.
400 First St., SE; 1460 P St., NW
It’s National Margarita Week at both Tortilla Coast locations, which pour 32-ounce specials until February 28. Frozen lime, strawberry, or swirl “Texas-sized” margaritas are $12; on-the-rocks drinks are $15. Since Wednesday, February 24 is National Tortilla Chip Day, the first 100 guests of the day get free chips and queso.
3313 11th St., NW
El Chucho’s $4,000 lime juicer will be working extra hard for the margarita holiday, commemorated by an all-day happy hour. Specials include $4.50 margaritas on tap, and $5.50 lime, strawberry-habanero, and frozen swirl margaritas. Since it’s also unseasonably warm outside, take your marg up to the rooftop deck and pretend it’s summer.
4000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (enter on N. Quincy Street)
Drink $7 margs all day at Mike Isabella’s Ballston cantina. Flavors change seasonally, but lookout for the chef’s favorite: a mezcal-spiked watermelon margarita.
801 Ninth St., NW
If you’re in the mood for something extra-fruity, head to Penn Quarter for a speciality mango marg ($11.50) made with tequila, mango liqueur, and mango puree.
777 I St., NW
Chef Victor Albisu’s Latin steakhouse mixes a special $11 margarita, which gets its spicy kick from rocoto chile peppers. If you’re not into spice, try their caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail, that falls between a mojito and a margarita.
1926 14th St., NW
Every Monday is Margarita Monday at Tico DC, which serves all of their draft cocktails—the hibiscus margarita, pisco sour, and rosé sangria—in $30 pitchers. They’re also debuting a spicy orange marg for $6 in honor of the holiday.
1819 14th St., NW; 1218 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Try a specialty margarita with infused tequila flavors like strawberry-basil or grilled pineapple at El Centro D.F.’s Georgetown and 14th Street locations. The classic El Centro margarita goes for $5 (it’s normally $9) from 5 pm to close.
1724 Connecticut Ave., NW; 1301 U St., NW
Both the Dupont and U Street branches of this Tex-Mex spot host a happy hour from 3 to 7 pm, where house margs are $6 by the glass, $17 for a half pitcher, and $28 for the full pitcher.
1835 18th St NW, Washington
This bustling Adams Morgan spot mixes classic or frozen margs, which are half-price during an extended happy hour from 3 to 11 pm. Settle in on the heated outdoor patio with a pitcher of swirl.
600 14th St., NW
Celebrity chef Todd English’s Mexican restaurant is serving $6 margaritas all day. And if those don’t quench your thirst, they have over 100 kinds tequilas and mezcals to choose from.
For other great places to celebrate, check out our list of best margarita bars.