Recipes & Cooking Drinks Cocktails 4 Must-Haves for a Self-Serve Margarita Bar Guests Will Love Impress your guests with this party-ready margarita bar—complete with a variety of garnishes, rimmers, and boozy stir-ins. By Andrea Beck Andrea Beck Andrea Beck served as garden editor at BHG and her work has appeared on Food & Wine, Martha Stewart, MyRecipes, and more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 11, 2023 Spring, summer, or winter—it doesn't matter what time of the year it is, you can't go wrong with a margarita bar to kick off any party. Whether you're a fan of classic or frozen margaritas, we've got a full lineup of margarita party ideas, including fantastic homemade mixes in different flavors, tasty rim options (there's more than just salt!), and garnishes to take drinks to the next level. And with endless combinations, this margarita bar will be the center of the action at your next fiesta. 14 Easy Cinco de Mayo Party Ideas for an Outdoor Fiesta Blaine Moats How to Make a Margarita Bar It's no secret our Test Kitchen loves making margaritas. If you want a fun drink station for a barbecue or taco night with friends, grab your glasses and pitchers to set up a margarita bar using the following items for a truly impressive spread. Low-Sugar Margarita or Daiquiri Mix 1. Provide a Variety of Fruit Mango margaritas, anyone? While classic lime is delicious, you can give your margarita a fruity twist by trying one of these blends: Strawberry-Banana: Blend one 16-oz. package of frozen unsweetened whole strawberries and one medium banana until smooth; if desired, strain to remove seeds. Mango: Blend 3 cups of sliced mangoes until smooth. Blackberry: Blend one 16-oz. package of frozen unsweetened blackberries until smooth; if desired, strain to remove seeds. Watermelon: Blend 5 cups of seedless watermelon until smooth. The 9 Best Blenders of 2024 for Making Smoothies, Soups, and More 2. Add Some Margarita Mix-Ins Make your margarita bar even more special by trying one of these boozy mix-ins in addition to tequila: Blackberry-flavor brandy Coconut-flavor rum Sparkling wine or water (for a non-alcoholic option) Andy Lyons 3. Margarita Rim Ideas You don't have to stick to just salt for the rim. Give your margarita some heat by using chili powder, or satisfy your sweet tooth by using sugar. Impress your guests by providing these rimmers as options: Superfine granulated sugar or powdered sugar (try colored sugars to match the occasion) Coarse salt or cocktail salt Lime, lemon, or orange zest Tajin The 7 Best Drinking Glasses of 2024, According to Our Testing Andy Lyons 4. Margarita Garnishes No margarita is complete without a pretty fruit garnish. But you don't have to stick to classic lime. Instead, give some of these fruits a try: Strawberries Blackberries Sliced peaches Lime, lemon, and/or orange wedges or wheels Try mixing up your margaritas even more by trying our favorite recipe variations. If you like, whip up a few margarita-inspired treats in the form of cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, and even shrimp nachos. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit