Creative Mexican cantina with inventive margaritas and seafood























"Charmed by the festive, irreverent holiday drink specials at this award-winning margarita bar in Sherman Oaks, I loved Daisy’s Merry-rita Bar running through December, which adds seasonal cocktails like a Christmas Tree margarita infused with pine flavor, a Partridge and Pear rendition with poached pear and a duck fat wash, a cannot-be-missed Gingerbread House milk punch, a Yule paloma, and champurrado eggnog. Even if you’re not hungry, be sure to order the excellent trio of salsas and chips, as well as the pepita-studded pumpkin flan with whipped creme fraiche; Christmascore decorations only heighten the experience." - Eater Staff

"Sherman Oaks’ award-winning Daisy Margarita Bar has flipped into Daisy Merry-Rita Bar through January 4 with a menu of holiday cocktails that include a pine needle-tinged carbonated margarita (served out of a can and over ice) and a gingerbread house margarita milk punch. The festive menu also includes a duck fat-washed Partridge and Pear margarita and champurrado eggnog." - Rebecca Roland

"With more than a dozen inventive Margaritas on offer in Sherman Oaks, Daisy Margarita Bar showcases agave creativity—Max Reis’s Salsa Verde Margarita (charred tomatillo, green chile, and cilantro) is a subtly savory, perfectly balanced standout, while the Dirty Shirley reimagines a Margarita with tart cherry notes (made sustainably by turning leftover Sprite into a syrup) and is served in a stirred format that’s dangerously drinkable." - Esther Tseng

"A spin-off of Los Feliz’s Mirate and one of Sherman Oaks’ latest dynamic openings, this margarita-obsessed bar leans on a comprehensive tequila and mezcal list and a cocktail program that’s both precise and playful. Beverage director Max Reis masters the classic while delivering standout riffs: the frozen guacamole margarita is lush, creamy, and tangy, evading the cloying reputation of slushie drinks; the savory salsa verde margarita layers charred tomatillo, green chile, and cilantro into a complex, vegetal, highly drinkable profile; and the clarified, served-up creamsicle margarita is a fragrant, mole- and coconut-kissed homage to the familiar frozen dessert, reimagined with finesse. Robust cantina fare turns it into a gratifying sit-down dinner that orbits the drinks but can stand alone thanks to a few star entrees and better-than-they-need-to-be botanas: the fideo seco breathes new life into the classic by swapping in squid ink vermicelli and combining shrimp, chicharron, and avocado mousse for a result akin to a decadent paella, while the queso fundido is volcanically loud, bubbling with chorizo and crowned with pico de gallo and fresh herbs—the molten cheese bomb a compelling contrast to the bright tequila drinks. Best for a lively date night or a leisurely catch-up with tequila-loving friends; with Anajak Thai right across the street, a quick pad-Thai-to-salsa-verde-marg bang-bang makes for the coolest crawl in the Valley right now." - Hilary Pollack
"Margaritas are made for summer, and right now no one in LA is making them like Daisy, a high-energy Sherman Oaks cantina that gets wild with lime, salt, and top-shelf reposado. Out-there riffs include a guacamole-inspired slushie garnished with corn chips, a boozy mangonada covered in mini boba, and a Oaxacan chile cocktail spiced with salsa macha. But don’t sweat it, traditionalists—their classic marg is phenomenal too." - brant cox, cathy park, sylvio martins, jess basser sanders