What makes a margarita so exquisite, paired with a basket of crisp, salty chips and an assortment of salsas? No doubt it's the bullish grip of lots of good tequila, tart and dusty to complement the earthy tones of our chips and dip. But most important, it's the add-ins that make or break a margarita.

We like a little character with our cocktail, which is why Cabo gets top billing for its oh-so-fine margs. We can build our own from the very best ingredients. First, we've got a choice of almost 20 tequilas. Then, we get a choice of flavors, depending on what's seasonal in fresh fruit. The fruit -- on display in great heaps atop the bar -- is hand-squeezed, including the limes. Best of all, these margs aren't too sweet (although you can get them that way if you want).

The traditional margarita is topnotch, served in a hefty, multicolored glass with a salted rim and a fresh lime wedge. We're partial to the mango, too, puréed like a slushy with a wicked back bite of alcohol. It comes rimmed in sugar, but we get it with salt (trust us, the contrasting flavors are out of this world).

Just two of these strong drinks, and we swear we can hear the waves crashing in our heads.