Best Margaritas In St Martin And St Maarten (SXM)
Updated: November 10, 2024
Keywords: Best Margaritas St Maarten, Best Margaritas St Martin, St Martin Best Bars & Cocktails, St Maarten Nightlife, St Martin Beach Bars, Sunset Bar SXM, Philipsburg Bars, Maho Bars, SXM Cocktails Guide, St Maarten Best Restaurants, SXM Bars
Where To Find The Best Margaritas In St Maarten/Martin
At Bordersology we aim to create helpful travel guides based on our authentic lived experiences.
When we lived on the island of St Maarten/Martin in 2023 we tried cocktails at dozens of restaurants/bars. During our time on the island we decided to create a ranking of our favourite margaritas on the island!
We hope this blog helps you choose where to go for cocktails during your visit!
Criteria We Considered:
(1) Elements of a great margarita (see below)
(2) Consistency - can the bartenders consistently make a great margarita over multiple visits?
(3) Creativity - does the margarita stand out?
What Makes A Great Margarita?
A great margarita is more than just a cocktail; it's an artful balance of flavours that excites the taste buds and leaves you craving more! Several key elements contribute to making a truly exceptional margarita:
Quality Ingredients: Using high-quality ingredients is essential! (1) A good quality tequila (2) Freshly squeezed lime juice is a must, as it adds a vibrant and zesty flavour. (3) Avoid artificial sweeteners and use natural sweeteners like agave syrup or simple syrup.
Proper Proportions: The perfect margarita strikes a balance between sweet, sour, and alcoholic components. A classic margarita recipe typically calls for a 2:1:1 ratio of tequila, orange liqueur (such as triple sec or Cointreau), and freshly squeezed lime juice.
Salt Rim: A salt rim is a signature feature of a margarita that elevates the taste. The salt enhances the flavours of the drink and provides a pleasant contrast to the sweetness.
Fresh Garnishes: A great margarita usually features enticing garnishes. A slice of fresh lime or a twist of lime peel on the rim adds a burst of citrus aroma to every sip.
Ice: The right amount of ice is crucial to achieving the perfect balance of flavour while avoiding dilution. Shake the margarita with ice until chilled, then strain it into a glass filled with fresh ice.
Presentation: A visually appealing margarita presentation can enhance the overall drinking experience.
Personalization: While the classic margarita recipe is a tried-and-true favourite, the best bartenders love to experiment and personalize margaritas.
#1 Pepe Margarita - Rainbow Cafe
Rainbow Cafe’s take on a spicy margarita, the Pepe Margarita consistently impressed us each time we visited Rainbow Cafe in Grand Case!
A margarita with just enough habanero pepper infusion to give your taste buds a lingering spicy sensation between each sip.
We ranked Rainbow Cafe #2 in our >30 Best Restaurants In St Martin & St Maarten Blog<!
They offer a one-of-a-kind beachfront dining experience with food, cocktails, and entertainment. Rainbow Cafe also hosts some of the best parties on the island! Check out their website for more information.
#2 Fragrant Margarita - Mimosa Sky Lounge
The Fragrant Margarita is an elevated margarita at Sint Maarten’s best cocktail lounge.
Ingredients: Avion Silver Tequila, Cointreau, fresh basil, pink peppercorn, yuzu juice, lime & agave nectar. The Fragrant Marg is an exceptionally unique margarita you must try for yourself!
Mimosa Skylounge is a rooftop cocktail bar in Maho with the most extensive and creative signature cocktail list on the island.
Maho is one of the best locations to stay on the island for access to restaurants, bars, and entertainment! >Compare Maho Resort and Hotel Options Here<
Need Help Planning Your Trip? Try The Bordersology Map of SXM! Activities, Restaurants, Bars, Beaches, etc.
#3 Smoked Margarita - Bamboo House
Smoked Margarita - Bamboo House - Cole Bay
The Smoked Margarita combines a spicy margarita with a smokey flavour that leaves your taste buds watering for more after each sip. Ingredients: jalapeño infused mezcal, blue agave nectar, lime juice.
We ranked Bamboo House #1 in our >30 Best Restaurants In St Maarten/Martin Blog<. Bamboo House could win almost every category; best sushi, best cocktails, best happy hour, best location/ambiance, best customer service, and most creative dishes!
Bamboo House sits in the hills of Cole Bay, overlooking SXM Airport, Simpson Bay, and Maho. This location is truly the best restaurant with a view on the island!
St Maarten Alcohol Tours
#4 Spicy Margarita - Bikini Beach Bar
Orient Bay Parasailing - French Saint Martin
We stopped by Bikini Beach Bar in Orient Bay on Cinco De Mayo 2023 and they happened to have festive cocktails for the day. Spicy margaritas are typically hit or miss, but Bikini Beach Bar HIT!
This cocktail of the day was the perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and salty + so noteworthy we decided to put it on this list!
The Best Thing To Do In Orient Bay is >Parasailing<! Parasailing offers breathtaking views over Orient Bay, Oyster Pond, Pinel Island, and French Saint Martin!
#5 Passion Margarita - Lagoonies Bistro & Bar
Lagoonies Cocktail Menu - Cole Bay
The Passion Margarita tastes like a tropical paradise, the perfect combination of fruity and sour: the best drink for a sunny St Maarten day!
Lagoonies is a harbourfront bar and restaurant in Cole Bay, Dutch Sint Maarten. They are also our pick for the most sustainable restaurant on the island, as one of the most transparent and eco-friendly businesses.
Lagoonies is a great spot to end your day after completing the nearby >Toppers Rhum Distillery Tour and Tasting< or >Simpson Bay Self-Drive Boat Tour & Snorkel<
#6 Spicy Margarita - Roma Cucina
Roma Cucina consistently makes an excellent Spicy Margarita! Just ask the bartender to make your classic margarita spicy and you can expect a well-balanced blend of sweet, sour, and spicy.
Roma Cucina and Mr Chow Asian Fusion share a restaurant space in Maho. Two different restaurant kitchens, but they share the same bar. If you sit at the bar or the tables near the bar, you can order from each restaurant’s food + drink menu. You get access to two menus under one roof.
#7 Salu Margarita- Salt Restaurant + Bar
The Salu Margarita combines a classic margarita taste with refreshing hints of cucumber.
Ingredients: Tequila reposado, fresh cucumber & lime juice, grand marnier
Salt is located in the newly built Morgan Resort near Maho Beach in Dutch St Maarten. Walk-ins are welcome, simply ask to sit at the bar. Visitors can expect bougie ambiance; fireplaces around the bar and an infinity waterfall coming from the pool.
#8 Classic Margarita - 3 Amigos
3 Amigos makes a quality Classic Margarita! We have them on this list for two reasons
(1) $3 Happy Hour Margaritas from 3-6 pm
(2) The bartender usually asks if you prefer salt or sugar rim (sometimes it is just nice to be asked).
3 Amigos is our recommendation for Best Mexican Restaurant On The Island!
3 AMIGOS IS A MUST-VISIT ON TUESDAYS. $2 hard-shelled corn tacos (beef, pork, chicken, vegetable) and cocktail specials!
#9 Margarita 82 - Ocean 82
Margarita 82 - Ocean 82 - Grand Case
Margarita 82, a signature take on a margarita ft lavender!
Ocean 82 is a popular indoor restaurant along Grand Case Beach. Visitors can expect local and international seafood options, an extensive cocktail menu, great service, and picturesque views of Grand Case Beach.
Ocean 82 released a new menu for 2024-25. We believe it is the most allergen-friendly menu on the island! For this, we have ranked them at the top of our >Gluten-Free and Celiac Guide To St Maarten & St Martin<!
Ocean 82 was featured on an episode of the popular reality TV show Below Deck. The show filmed two seasons in St Martin with their yacht docking in Marigot Harbour to pick up guests and supplies!
#10 Classic Margarita - Mezza Luna
The bartenders at Mezza Luna consistently crafted an excellent Classic Margarita each time we visited!
We ranked Mezza Luna #6 on our >30 Best Restaurants In St Maarten/Martin Blog<! Very high compared to other rankings, but we truly love this lesser-known gem in Nettle Bay!
We recommend watching the sunset on the lagoon side of Nettle Bay and then walking across the street to Mezza Luna for dinner. Try the escargot, pizzas, pasta, or seafood dishes! If you go to Mezza Luna on a clear evening, you can expect to see the stars and moon from their beach-front tables overlooking the Marigot Harbour.
#11 Special Flavours Margarita - La Patrona
La Patrona is a great Mexican restaurant located in Simpson Bay Resort. Visitors can expect a variety of fruity-flavoured margaritas to choose from. Best of all, these are all on-the-rocks instead of watered-down frozen margaritas!
Our first experience of La Patrona was Cinco-de-Mayo 2023 where they hosted an epic Mexican-themed, all-you-can-eat event with a taco bar, dessert table, and all-you-can-drink margaritas!
#12 Dinghy Dock Classic Margarita - Community Pick
Thank you to Ken for his recommendation of the Dinghy Dock Classic Margarita!
He provided the following reasons in our comment section:
Real lime and not a catering mix. And they're potent. The Happy Hour takes 50% off the $11 price. Three margaritas and two Coronas came to 20 bucks. Fantastic value.
We also liked the place because it doesn't blast out music - just something discreet and chilled in the background.
A great place for sundowners and a cigar. We tried many bars on our trip and this was the standout location by some distance for quality of margaritas and chilled atmosphere.
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