You are lying back in a lounge chair, you wiggle your toes to feel the grains of sand between them. As you look out at the waves crashing ashore and smell sunscreen and a hint of sweet fruitiness, you bring your margarita to your lips to have a sip. Iowa may not be anywhere near the Mexican coastline or beaches, but a good margarita can be found right here in Ames.

An original lime margarita is a simple mixture of three ingredients: tequila, triple sec and lime juice. From this uncomplicated recipe different flavors can be added to make the wide variety of drinks that are offered around town.

How to order a margarita:

1) choose your flavor

2) request the specific type of triple sec and tequila that you would like- a margarita is best with a 100% blue agave tequila, or specify no alcohol

3) request the preparation of your choice: on the rocks, frozen/blended, or shaken with ice

4) Typically a margarita comes with a salt-laced brim.

Mexican restaurants to check out in Ames for a margarita:

Carlos O’ Kelly’s

831 Lincolnway

232-1500

Try their pomegranate

Choose your size: mug-a-rita 12oz. $2.99, Regular 16oz. $4.99, Jumbo 18oz. $5.99, Mucho 64 oz. $17.95

Come during happy hour and enjoy a jumbo margarita for $4.99

Pay for your drink with cash, check or credit card

Open: Sunday -Thursday 11:00 a.m.- 10:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:00 a.m.- 11:00 p.m.

Es Tas

120 Welch Ave.

292-2718

Try their original flavor (lime) or peach

Choose your size: 12oz. $3.50, 48oz. $10.00

On Monday enjoy a 12oz margarita for $3.00 or 48oz for $8.00

Pay for your drink with cash or credit card

Open: everyday 11:00 a.m. -2:00 a.m. (they are open until 3:00 a.m. but stop serving drinks at 2:00 a.m.)

O’Malley & McGee’s Mexican Caf‚

716 S. Duff

232-8807

Try their strawberry margarita

Choose your size: 12 oz. $3.75, _ liter $9.00, Liter $19.00

Monday thru Friday 4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. enjoy happy hour specials: 1/2 off 12oz. margaritas

Pay for your drink with cash, check or credit card

Open: weekdays 4:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m., weekends 4:00 p.m. -12:00 a.m.

La Fuente Mexican Cantina

217 S Duff Ave

233-6696

Try their Mango or their 28 oz. Presidente

Choose your size with house tequila: 12 oz. $3.50, 28oz. $5.50, 46 oz. 9.50

Pay for your drink with cash, check or credit card

Open: everyday 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM

Other Mexican restaurants around Ames to visit for a margarita:

Cazador

605 Lincoln Way

296-1110

El Azteca

1520 S Dayton Ave

232-0116

Guadalajara

327 Lincoln Way

232-0943