The Chattanooga Margarita Festival  is a community event where 20 restaurants entered the contest to win the best margarita in Chattanooga and the festival attendees are the judges. The restaurants entered  in the competition were Alimentari, Bar Moxy, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, The Chattanooga Hotel, Dave & Buster’s, Edwin Hotel,  El Meson, Flora De Mel, Kinley Southside, Mexiville, Mezcla Cocina Y Cantina, Miller’s Ale House, Nic & Norman’s, The Reed House, Southside Social, State of Confusion,  Syrup & Eggs, Tupelo Honey, The Wanderer, and 423 Taco. Each of the margaritas needed to be made with Don Julio but it seemed the restaurant was able to do their own spin on a margarita as long as they met the tequila requirements.


The festival was held at The First Horizon pavilion, home to a lot of exciting events held in Chattanooga. Most notably the Chattanooga Market held every Sunday from May – November. Your $44 entry ticket gave you the ability to try 12 sample sized margaritas and vote for the best margarita in Chattanooga. The event was 21+ only and even if your dog is 21 they aren’t allowed either. I asked. El Taco Boss, Nonnis Empanadas, Dave & Busters, and High Rail were the food vendors for the festival this year.


Previous winners of the margarita festival were Taco Mamacita in 2019, and El Meson in 2021. The third annual Chattanooga Margarita Festival winner was Southside Social. They had a lavender based margarita and it was good enough to get my vote.


I will be honest with you, I slacked and didn’t write down the margaritas that each restaurant entered because I thought I would be able to find them online later, but I haven’t been able to find them anywhere at the time of writing this. If I find them I will update the post.