Best Margaritas in Flagstaff: 6 Bars Worth the Salt Rim

1. Salsa Brava — Best Classic House Margarita

Salsa Brava on East Route 66 has been making margaritas for Flagstaff for long enough that their house version has become the local benchmark for comparison. It's not a craft cocktail — it's a classic: good silver tequila, house sour mix (better than most), triple sec, salt rim. Made cold, served properly, priced fairly at $10–$12 for a standard and $14–$16 for the jumbo. The frozen version in summer is reliable and doesn't have the syrupy sweetness problem of frozen margaritas at lesser spots.

Happy hour runs weekdays 3–6 PM with $2 off margaritas. The patio facing Route 66 is genuinely pleasant in late afternoon. Salsa Brava also does full Mexican food — the green chile chicken enchiladas are a strong companion to the margarita. Parking in the lot behind the building; the Route 66 street parking fills early on weekends.

Best for: Post-hike afternoon drinks, group dinners, reliable consistency. Not the most adventurous margarita in town but the most dependable.

2. Martanne's Burrito Palace — Best Dive Margarita

Martanne's on Humphreys Street is a Flagstaff institution of the best possible kind — a tiny Mexican restaurant with mismatched chairs, enormous burritos, and margaritas that are made simply with good tequila and fresh lime juice. No elaborate menu. No artisan description. Just: does it taste good? Yes, consistently.

The margarita at Martanne's runs $9–$11 and the pours are not shy. The space is small — maybe 15 tables — and it fills quickly for lunch. We've seen the line out the door on Friday afternoons. Cash preferred (they do take cards). Hours lean toward lunch and early dinner; they close earlier than most downtown spots. If you want Martanne's, don't plan it for 8 PM.

Best for: Budget travelers, anyone who wants the real local experience over the tourist-facing bar scene. Order the super burrito and the house margarita and you've done Flagstaff correctly.

3. Annex Cocktail Lounge — Best Craft Margarita

The Annex is Flagstaff's most serious cocktail bar — a small, low-lit space on San Francisco Street that treats spirits with the same respect that Diablo Burger treats its beef. The margarita here is fresh-squeezed lime juice, quality blanco or reposado depending on which build you order, house-made agave syrup, and Cointreau (not a cheap triple sec substitute). It's $13–$15 and it's worth every dollar.

The Annex doesn't do heavy happy hour discounting — the pricing reflects what it costs to make something properly. They rotate seasonal variations: in April 2026 they were running a prickly pear margarita that used fresh prickly pear syrup made in-house, not the neon-pink bottled version you see everywhere. The bar seats maybe 30; reservations not available but the staff are good at managing the door. Arrives full by 8 PM on weekends.

Best for: Date nights, cocktail enthusiasts, anyone who wants to see what Flagstaff's bar scene can actually do at its best.

4. Tourist Home Kitchen — Best Patio Margarita

Tourist Home Kitchen is one of Flagstaff's most thoughtfully designed restaurant spaces — a converted historic building with a patio that's arguably the most pleasant outdoor dining spot in downtown. The margarita program leans toward house-made ingredients and local sourcing where possible. Their standard house margarita ($11–$13) is consistently well-balanced; the spicy jalapeño version ($13–$15) is the right level of heat without the gimmick overload.

Happy hour runs until 6 PM on weekdays with $3 off cocktails. The patio is the play here: order the margarita and one of their shared plates (the green chile pimento cheese with housemade chips is worth ordering on its own), and you have a very solid Flagstaff afternoon. Tourist Home fills on weekends — walk-in early or expect a wait for patio seating.

Best for: Afternoon happy hour, patio dining, visitors who want a more polished experience without the full commitment of a dinner reservation.

5. Diablo Burger — Best Surprise Margarita

We know — Diablo Burger appears in the burger guide and now here. But their house margarita genuinely earns mention: a simple, well-made version using good silver tequila and fresh lime that pairs exceptionally with their grass-fed beef. The combination of a Diablo burger and a Diablo margarita at lunch on a Flagstaff afternoon is one of those simple things that makes travel feel rewarding. Lunch only, Monday–Saturday, no reservations. The margarita runs $10–$12.

6. Beaver Street Brewery — Best Casual Group Margarita

Beaver Street Brewery is primarily a craft beer destination, but their margarita is better than a brewery's margarita has any right to be. Made with proper proportions and served generously, it's the logical choice when your group has some people who want beer and some who want cocktails — everyone can drink at the same place without compromise. Price: $10–$12. The patio on Beaver Street gets afternoon sun. Open lunch through late evening.