One recent Sunday we thought it would be fun to round up some margaritas in the Mission and find out which one had the best well Marg. Our rules were simple, it had to be well or the basic no frills style and we rated on decor, taste and over all awesome-ticity. Our search goals were simple as well - just places we could casually stumble into, regardless of what type of food they served which meant we stayed mostly around 16th street. Every review is in chronological order, if we start to slurr or wax poetic please forgive us because this all takes place in one day between 11am and 6pm.

Puerto Alegre (546 Valencia St)
This place reminds me of a really Authentic Chevy's, which is usually good. The margaritas, however decent did nothing to woo my wow factor. I'm pretty sure they use sweet and sour mix in their drinks, because it was a weird chartreuse yellow color. Selling by the pitcher helped but the roughly $30 price tag hurt morale.
3/5

Blondies (540 Valencia)
We crashed in after our dismaying pitchers over at the Puerto and the bar did us straight. No frills Valencia bar that has imposing pools of inky black shadows in the corners with purple painted walls that reflect back in stark contrast the sunny liveliness of the mission just outside. Bowie's song about Andy Warhol playing on the juke box gave into a spooky Horatio Algers-esque drinking experience. The $9 margarita was good, definitely not fresh squeezed lime juice but some sort of home made lime sugar mix which made it a little pricey.
4/5

Casanova (527 Valencia St)
If Blondies was like drinking out of an Horatio Algers book then Casanova is what it would be like throw 'em back with Burroughs. It was dingy and dark and perfect. The bartender was just setting up when we showed our faces but they served us quickly and with a smile. There were about four regulars in there as well as a drunk who creatively insulted one of our entourage. He was promptly removed by the honor defending locals. Another spot on the street that used something pre-made but we didn't detect the tell-tale signs of that dreaded store bought sweet and sour mix. At $6 it definitely doesn't hurt the wallet.
4/5

Elixir (3200 16th St)
This is a GQ reviewed, single letter named owner, hot spot that is a haven for 'mixologists' (cleverly titled alkies) and 'cocktail dorks' (unfortunately titled alkies) who take pride in their vast knowledge of spirits and amazing build your own bloody mary thing on the weekends. As a professional bartender on days off I want someone else to be making the bloodies for me, but that's just an aside. This is the first place that took pride in their well margaritas and their aforementioned pedigree shows a clear love and understanding of the craft. They use 100% blue agave tequila and pridefully made recipe of lime juice, Rufinol and sugar. Just joking about the roofies - or are we?
At $8 this well margarita most deservedly sits at the top of our list but just barely misses the top score but not for lack of trying.
4/5

Double Dutch (3192 16th St)
At this point in the afternoon the notes we had been diligently keeping on our ipod Touch we're almost completely in poorly formed iambic pentameter and heroic rhyming couplets which only sounded good if you're in a hunt for the perfect well Margarita. It was fresh squeezed lime and quality tequila which meant that the margarita was fantastico. Like a Michael Blaine trick we have no idea how they did it but it was incredible and blew our minds right out of our runny noses. It was one of those margaritas where you could close your eyes and imagine yourself in Cabo on the jet ski before things like the recession and swine flu put those booze soaked dreams out of reach. For $6 we found a winner.
5/5

This place that we stumbled into next to El Faro in the mission (2399 Folsom)
It was like a scene in a Robert Rodriguez movie, we opened the door and the music stopped and everyone stared as we ate our burritos under the gaze of furtive mustachioed glances. Then as ambassadors of both alcohol and metrowize the crowd let out a cheer as we bought a round for the house. Big screen soccer and everything in Spanish made it muy authentico. Sweet and Sour for sure in the margaritas but at a staggering $5.00 for a large portion was certainly worth its price. Super strong drinks led to further slurred Spanish and a finer appreciation of both water and calcio. Even though it wasn't the best margarita it was the most authentic.
4/5

500 club (500 Guerrero)
Tattoos and booze left me feeling like we were in Mötley Crüe's living room watching wrestlemania on pay per view. The margarita was made with sweet and sour mix and served by a pretty fair doppelganger of Siouxie Sioux (from Siouxie and the Banshees fame). It was a typical NorCal mission type "anything can happen" feeling that made the $5 pints of margarita just a little easier to swallow.
3/5

Moroc (3122 16th)
Great vibe for the new spot next to Pork Store with a cool little outdoor lounge and a sweet Moroccan vibe. Since it's brand new we'll understand that it has some growing pains. However the margarita was up there with the greats. If we were sober we'd tell you the price but you'll have to find out for yourself.
4/5

There you have it, the truth according to us. We did the best we could in the time that our bodies allowed us to. Look for more of these neighborhood guides to drinking in the weeks to follow - cheers.