The margarita is a cocktail traditionally made with tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur.
It is one of the drinks most closely associated with Tex-Mex restaurants in the United States. A classic margarita is often served in a glass with a salt rim, either over ice or blended with ice. Recipes vary, but tequila remains its defining spirit.
The drink’s origin is disputed. Stories place its creation in Mexico in the 1930s or 1940s and attribute it to bartenders, restaurant owners, or social hosts. No single origin story has been conclusively established.
A margarita is not the same as a paloma, which traditionally combines tequila with grapefruit soda. The orange liqueur in a margarita is commonly triple sec or a related liqueur.