This Chain Restaurant Serves A Margarita With A Fancy Rim Of Black Lava Salt

Whether it's nostalgic kitsch, affordability, or the oddly comforting feeling of knowing exactly what you're going to order, there's always a reason to hit up a chain restaurant. But alongside the classic burgers and sizzling fajitas, these chains are stepping up the cocktail menus, so we decided to dive in and find the 14 best chain restaurant cocktails to sip on. 

In our chain restaurant cocktail roundup, we looked for drinks that actually go beyond the usual well tequila and sugar bomb mixers, and were pleasantly surprised by what we found, especially at Texas Roadhouse. Its cocktail menu is more ambitious than we expected, with frozen sangria drinks, top-shelf liquors, and creative margaritas. What really stood out to us was the restaurant's signature cocktail: the aptly named Legend Margarita. This marg was so impressive that it even earned the number one spot on our ranking of Texas Roadhouse margaritas. The Legend is made with not one but three kinds of Patrón tequila (one of the best types of tequila for a margarita), mixed with a house sour blend, and served over ice with a bold black lava salt rim.

For around $13 depending on the location, this classic marg is served in a hefty goblet and packs a punch that you may not have expected to find at a casual steakhouse. But how much of that margarita goodness can be attributed to the iconic black salt rim?

What even is black lava salt, and does it taste like ... black lava? Not exactly. This striking, unique option for a margarita rim is actually a blend of sea salt and activated charcoal, which is what gives it that inky, black color. Taste-wise, it's, of course, salty, but with some smoky, earthy undertones. This balances really well with the tart, tangy sweetness of a classic margarita, giving you a satisfying punch of sour-salty in each sip. It's also a popular garnish on spicy bloody marys, where the bold black rim and vivid red liquid make a visual spectacle.

Texas Roadhouse actually gets creative with the garnishes on their other margaritas, too. The chain does a mango margarita up with a Tajín chili-lime salt for a spicy kick, and will gladly give you a classic sugar rim on any drink. Our inner mixologist can't help but wonder what combos would be tasty to mix and match. A fruity mango margarita with a smoky black lava salt rim? A sugar rim on the rum-spiced Hurricane Margarita? Or, should you swap the black lava salt for Tajín chili-lime on the Legend for an ultra tart, spicy sip? 

What we love about the Texas Roadhouse cocktail menu is that it doesn't take itself too seriously, but still leaves room to play. Whether you want to sip something with new, fun flavors, or just a pretty picture for the Gram, Texas Roadhouse surprisingly has you covered!