Savannah to LA

[solomonslines]

Within the next two weeks I am traveling from Savannah GA to Los Angeles. While the trip isn't all about tequila, I am planning to hit as many spots as I can and do some treasure hunting. Stops will definitely include New Orleans and San Antonio but the rest is open ended. If anyone has any suggestions for the southern route beyond what is listed on the main page, I'd love to hear them.

I've been a major lurker here for a while now, so I thought this was a good opportunity to come out of the shadows and report on my travels.

I know in LA I will be able to find anything, but I'm really hoping to find many of the tequilas I've heard about on this site(and on Lippy's show) along the way.

[Johnnyboots]

Are you travelling through Atlanta? I can give you some spots here. The liquor store near Best Buy in savannah is a good one iirc

[solomonslines]

nah, not heading that way, going down through Jacksonville and Pensacola.

Savannah is pretty dry tequila wise, with most bars only carrying the usual suspects(Cuervo, Patron, 1800 and maybe Herradura). Since I was last here a year ago, Avion had spread around quite a bit.

Two Mexican restaurant/bars are the best you will find in town. Cilantro is right downtown and has about 10-12 different tequilas including a few worthy sippers. It also has $2.50 margaritas which are not great but with the price and location, I often pop in and take one for the road.

El Mariachi is outside of town but has the best selection I've seen around here. Around 15 tequilas including Partida and Cielo, they always have the same stuff when I've been.

Not much but if you're in the area, it will have to do.

Heading up to Charleston for the day next week. Planning on checking out the bar in West Ashley.

EDIT:
The North Beach Bar has really upgraded their supply since last time I was here. This is my favorite spot in town regardless of tequila, a liitle bar restaurant right on the beach. It's on the opposite end of Tybee Island from the pier, much more secluded and its the only food and drink around. Now features about 15 tequilas which is surprisingly awesome, though a hot day at the beach isn't my ideal time for sipping fine tequila.

EDIT: Found another place, Carlitos, which has an equivalent selection of tequilas. It's a bit rowdier, with big screens showing NBA games while I was there, and closes surprisingly early, but the tequila selection is decent.

[solomonslines]

Checked out the Voodoo Lounge in West Ashley SC two nights ago and while its not exactly a tequila bar, it does have a good supply (around 20) and offers flights. It is more a long the lines of a bar run by a tequila fan, who has given it a prominent place on the menu; it seemed most customers were there for the food. I did a Don Eduardo flight, as their other options were much more familiar to me.

Really cool spot and definitely worth stopping at for those in the area, though it seemed regular bars in town had a more varied supply than those I'm used to.

[solomonslines]

next stop was New Orleans, where Rita's more than fulfilled my tequila needs. I went back a few times and thus wasn't really looking for another spot. It doesn't have quite the selection of Soltoro at Mohegan Sun, but it has about 200 types of varying qualities. To be noted, their menu does not match what they have. It did at one point, but there are several new items, and several that they no longer carry.

Rita's can be found on the bar map on the main page. It is in an excellent location to pop in multiple times if you are in the city.

[solomonslines]

Nashville:
While there are numerous Mexican restaurants outside of the downtown area, I did not really explore that aspect of Nashville.

However,there is a place downtown that is well worth checking out. The country bars on Broadway are tequila dry, but a block away there is a place called El Rey, that has a decent selection and remarkable places. 5.75 for premium shots, which includes El Tesoro and Corralejo. Siete Leguas is on the menu but they did not have any when I was in. Awesome.

If you are doing the honky tonk thing downtown Nashville, it is well worth it to stop in for a tequila break at those prices.

Next stops, Austin and San Antonio..

[solomonslines]

So I'm sure San Antonio has tons of establishments with quality tequila. the one I checked out was Iron Cactus. Definitely recommend it, they serve flights advertised as 1/2 oz of each but the ones I got were almost a full ounce. Pretty awesome, of the new things I tried, my favorite was the Z Tequila Anejo.

[solomonslines]

Stopped over in Tombstone and was surprised to find a decent selection at Big Nose Kates. About 20 tequilas, if you are ever in that strange neck.



I was in San Diego and tried out a few places in the gaslamp district, two of which are listed on the main page.

Lime on 5th street has an awesome selection but is pricey. They have a separate price for a snifter and a shot, but the shot is actually a decent pour.

La Puerto on 4th street has about 150 at a guess and the prices are much better. It was packed the night I was there with people not drinking tequila but I'm not sure if it was a typical night. Very happy with the drink and the price but usually prefer a quieter atmosphere for sipping.

Right next door is another place, La Hadas. Only about 30 tequilas but some good ones and a great atmosphere. They had one I had never tried before, Trago, which I found of middling quality.

posting san diego info here and in san diego post, since it is part of this trip.

[solomonslines]

finally reached LA and checked out a few spots, although everything the city had to offer was beyond my time budget.

Other than the places which are mentioned on the main site, one notable establishment is the Adobe Cantina, in Agoura Hills. Not an overly extensive collection for SOCAL but around 70 varieties and the owner is knowledgeable and will chat tequila if he is in.


Next up is San Fran, then Vegas, Salt Lake, Denver on the way back to Nashville. Not sure how much time I will have in some of those locations.

[blagave]

solomonslines.....that is one heck of a road trip and tequila search. I can understand why the search for tequila, if you reside in Nashville. I was just there for 3 days for business and the only thing I saw was Patron Silver. Have fun in Vegas and good luck in Salt Lake