Texas Roadhouse Margaritas, Ranked Worst To Best

The fast-growing steakhouse chain Texas Roadhouse didn't just throw a few afterthought margaritas onto its menu of legendary food. Oh no. The steakhouse took great care in curating a diverse selection, blending, swirling, and layering flavors into a lineup of larger-than-life creations that practically demand a second round. These aren't your average tequila-lime concoctions; they're personality-packed beverages that dare to push the boundaries of what a margarita can be. From classic citrus simplicity to tropical twists and fruity specialties, each drink comes served in the chain's signature oversized glasses, ready to pair with your Texas-approved meal of hand-cut steak and sweet buttered rolls.

But not all these mixed-up margaritas are created equal. Some gleam with balanced flavors and creative flair, while others fall flat or venture too far from classic margarita territory. That's why I've taken on the tough job of sipping, slurping, and savoring every margarita Texas Roadhouse has to offer, then ranking them from least impressive to absolute must-try.

Whether you prefer frozen or on-the-rocks, a time-honored and pure margarita makeup, or something a little more daring, this ranking will help guide you to the cocktails bound to make your happy hour even happier while steering you away from those ain't worth a lick.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

The Hurricane is a cyclone of flavors all mixed into one Texas-size schooner glass. It combines the chain's simple lime house margarita with the ingredients of a classic Hurricane cocktail. This means Captain Morgan makes a guest appearance, in addition to orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine. Don't forget the orange slice, maraschino cherry, and flaky salt on the rim to top off the coral-colored concoction.

I suppose the double-booze beverage is meant to taste sweet and tropical with a hint of citrusy tequila. But to me, it just tastes like cherry syrup and a hangover. Thick saccharine grenadine comes on strong — possibly because it was poured a bit too heavily at the bar. It eclipses the other fruit flavors, like the sweet pineapple and tangy orange, even after a few good stirs with the straw. The Captain also doesn't go unnoticed, as it makes any and all possible hints of tequila walk the plank. The rum's strong spice is present in every swig and certainly warms you up as it makes its way down your gullet.

While its overall taste could certainly use some work, what turned me off most about the Hurricane is that it completely does away with that true margarita essence. Lime and tequila are unrecognizable under a flurry of fruit flavors and rum, thus rendering it more of a generic, uncategorized cocktail.

If you're browsing Texas Roadhouse's website, you won't find the Jamaican Cowboy mixed up with the likes of other margarita beverages. Instead, it's filed under cocktails, alongside Texas Roadhouse favorites like the Porch Rocker or the Island Cooler. However, it's allowed entry into this taste test — and onto the margarita page of the in-restaurant menu — thanks to the small splash of house margarita mix tacked onto the end of its recipe.

The other piece of the boozy equation involves orange and pineapple juices. I know what you're thinking. This sounds rather familiar (cough, cough the Hurricane margarita that's still fresh on my mind and palate). But, it's made different by swapping Captain Morgan for Malibu and adding in DeKuyper Peachtree schnapps rather than grenadine — they're small changes that make a world of difference. The coconut from the rum and the pineapple combined with the influence of the tree fruits gives the drink the tropical status the Hurricane couldn't dream of. It's dangerously smooth with no large bites of liquor, and even if there were, the sugar on the rim would help to soften the blow.

Is it really a margarita? Unfortunately, my answer once again is "not really" — which is the reason why it's ranked so low. But, I would drink this sweet on-the-rocks treat again in a heartbeat, margarita or no margarita, beach or no beach.

The house margarita is to the chain's cocktails what the hand-cut sirloin is to its steaks. It's a classic always-there-for-you, never-let-you-down choice. Made up of premium lime juice, cane sugar, organic agave syrup, and Dorado Gold tequila, it's not only the restaurant's main squeeze but also the backbone of all its other margs. In the fine print of all the other libation options, you'll see that it's made with various components that have been blended or swirled with the signature mix.

I respect the house margarita for its straightforward nature and the work it does for its fellow cocktails. However, all by itself, the on the rocks iteration unfortunately falls a bit flat (there's also a frozen version available, but I'll get to that later). Somehow the basic recipe tastes both watery and a touch syrupy at the same time, even though there are consistent flavors of light tequila. There isn't much sweetness to speak of. Instead, lime steals the majority of the limelight, giving off strong bursts of tartness that dissipate into a bitter aftertaste.

Nitpicking aside, this is still a margarita I would gladly employ to wash down a meal of steak and buttered rolls. I appreciate the thick salt used to cut and elevate some of the other flavors. Even though the taste is on the mild side, I still think you're getting your money's worth tequila-wise. And, this house marg would without a doubt rival the options shaken up by other chain restaurants.

Every bar menu needs a fruity margarita on its books for those of us who can't shoot whiskey, or who just enjoy a touch of sweetness and variety. Texas Roadhouse offers a few legendary drinks that fit into this category, including a fruity strawberry and a fruity raspberry margarita. I tried out only the raspberry rendition during my visit. However, the taste was synonymous with any berry, or really any generic red fruit, if I'm being honest. I assume the sister strawberry would have followed the same pattern, so I don't think I missed much by skipping it.

Flavor identity crisis aside, this is your run-of-the-mill frozen margarita. The slush-like texture is inviting — but at the same time, it promises a brain freeze if you sip too fast. It's certainly sweet with the tiniest hint of artificiality, but it's never cloying. I didn't feel like a cavity was forming on impact — let's put it that way. Earthy, agave tangs of tequila arrive on the back-end, reminding you of its presence. However, as was the case with the Jamaican Cowboy, I think the spirit is once again sneaky and stronger than the beverage may lead you to believe.

If you're a big fan of fruity, easy-to-drink margaritas that are more like a dessert Slurpee than an alcoholic beverage, then this is the one for you. Otherwise, I think there are a few other options on the menu you may like just a bit more.

Slipping into the sipping world of the frozen house margarita felt natural and smooth. In theory, this drink should just taste like the icy, blended twin of the earlier on the rocks flagship margarita. However, it comes off more balanced without any one ingredient trampling over the next.

The frozen form consists of the same simple makeup. This includes lime, agave, and orange, if you need a refresher (anyone would after four giant chalice-sized margaritas). This amalgamation comes pre-blended with ice — that means no blenders whirring at the bar — so all that's left to do is pour in the Dorado Gold tequila. Starting from the salted lip, everything just felt right about this frosty glass. It's imbued with a subtle sweetness throughout offset by pangs of the citrus fruit, which kick off steadily before the tequila kicks in. Starkly flavored as it may be, the spirit still doesn't offend, perhaps a result of frigidly numb taste buds or just the sign of an expertly homogenized beverage.

Some may criticize that this cool imbibe accomplishes the bare minimum. But, I say it's a margarita for the masses. It's neutral, fresh, and bound to leave you buzzing.

In my opinion, the mango margarita wins the beauty contest. It's a work of art that belongs in a mixologist magazine. Not only does it dazzle with its golden hue, but it also tantalizes the palate, thanks to a brim of smoky, salty Tajín and a trio of real mango chunks hovering in its center. Luckily, all that glitters is sometimes gold, because this fruit-blasted bevvy also happens to be quite easy on the ol' palate.

Like the raspberry margarita, it's sweet but not too sweet; it manages not to overwhelm your senses with a sugary surge. What's more is that the mango infusion is impressively authentic. It's dissimilar to dried mangos or the diced mangos swimming in liquid inside of a Dole can. Rather, it tastes like the purest, juiciest form of the stone fruit, like fleshy meat just pulled from the outer skin. This rich flavor complements the natural citrus of the margarita mix and, saddled with the tequila, it elevates a succulent slush to a cocktail splashed with complexity. The Tajín is the chef's kiss that polishes everything off; it cuts the sweetness and gentle acidity with a flame of chile and moderate spice. Alternatively, if you're not on board the Tajín train, don't fret. Sugar or even salt would make for just as good a match for the versatile mango margarita.

The old saying goes "wine before liquor," but what about if you drink the two simultaneously? Texas Roadhouse's sangria margarita allows you to take a walk on this boozy wild side. It fuses its frozen house margarita (ah, we meet again) with its classic red sangria. The combination of the two makes for a festive yet slightly menacing swirl of deep maroon and pale green that greets you as the great goblet is brought round to your table. Meanwhile, three different garnishes — including an orange slice, lime wedge, and maraschino cherry — hint at the beverage's diversity of ingredients.

This was love at first sip — or more of a slurp, as I'm talking about frozen libations. The vino's full-bodied fruit flavors permeate each taste, turning the entire drink into something that resembles a more suave and sophisticated frosé. The margarita fixins meld beautifully with this steady base, delivering citrus zest and giving it an obligatory Texas-like flair. In the midst of all these strong personalities, the Dorado Gold does tend to take a back seat. But, I know it's working in the shadows to supplement the wine's efforts.

I honestly didn't know what to make of this dual-alcohol cocktail as I stared it down for the first time. But, it turns out it's the best of both worlds, as you can have your wine and your margarita too without compromising on taste.

Texas Roadhouse knew what it was doing when it named this masterpiece of a margarita. The Legend is not your average tequila, salt, and throw-some-lime-on-it concoction. It stands out from the steakhouse's sea of other margs thanks to its not one, not two, but three different kinds of tequila, all mixed together to create a drink of epic proportions — both in size and taste. The spirits trio of choice includes Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, and Patrón Añejo with Grand Marnier. The three are married to the chain's signature margarita sour, and on the rim lies a unique dusting of black lava salt.

With this one-of-a-kind makeup, the Legend is miles ahead of the house on the rocks variation, though the two share essentially the same look and color. It's everything that you would want in a classic margarita. The citrus sourness really pops, and reaching for the top-shelf liquor paid off; the smoothness exuded from each sip is unmatched. It's uncertain if even Patrón ever imagined someone would whirl together three of its most prized tequilas into one glass, nonetheless do just that and wind up with a wonderfully full-flavored yet stabilized beverage — you would never guess the marg was inundated with a trilogy of tequilas. Texas Roadhouse takes this road less traveled though, and I can't thank the restaurant and its clever mixologists enough.

​​Margaritas aren't just another drink at Texas Roadhouse — they're the drink. With an entire page on the in-house menu dedicated to their variations, these margaritas are as integral to the experience as the warm rolls and steak. Each has its own panache but is built from a foundation of the chain's signature margarita sour mix, a reliable crux that holds the entire bar menu together. Every boozy choice satisfies a different preference and taste bud need, but some inevitably display higher palatability than others.

As I sipped my way through the imposing chalices, I first looked for a clear margarita quintessence — a bright, unmistakable marriage of tequila, lime, and citrus. Drinks like the Hurricane and Jamaican Cowboy fell short here, veering too far into the realm of generic tropical cocktails. Once that classic identity was established, I evaluated the balance of flavors: sweetness, citrus, spirits, and any additional components. A great margarita lets tequila shine without making you feel like you just took a straight shot of the agave-based liquor — I like to refer to this as "smoothness," which the last few options clearly exhibited.

Garnishes and rim adornments were the icing on the cake for many of the margaritas, but what really won me over was a well-built and sophisticated drink that you would have a hard time finding anywhere else due to its unique recipe. That particular drink happened to be the three-tequila blend: the margarita, the myth, the Legend.