Bar Comber: best margaritas

Inca Mexican Restaurant

2413 S College Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80525

(970) 484-3400

http://www.incamexican.com

Monday - Thursday 12 am to 9 pm

Friday and Saturday 11 am to 10 pm

On the hunt for some margaritas our first stop was closed so we improvised and ended up at Inca. We have been to Inca before and while the food is not so memorable, the margarita’s are unforgettable. This pleasantly pastel painted restaurant is located in the front of the King Soopers parking lot on College Ave., so it isn’t hard to miss.

Atmosphere: Probably the most amusing part of the décor is the murals of tropical birds and Mexican landscapes painted on every wall. There are turquoise colored booths with floral upholstery patterns, tables and chairs down the center of the restaurant area and a Catina in the back. Most of the place is done in pastel- like- colors and decorated with festive Mexican art. There always seems to be crowds of people enjoying family meals here while the Catina remains scarce. We went straight to the Catina where we watched soccer, airing on the flat screens perched above the bar. Other than the bus boys, manager and servers popping in to get the score, we had the place to ourselves.

Service: The service was good at the bar. The bartender offered to make some custom margaritas for us, in the event we were not pleased with their selection of ten plus flavors. The manager was often wandering around, greeting customers and helping out when needed.

Drinks: There are 4 beers on tap and those are your basic domestics. They do have several domestics in a bottle and a good selection of imports like Dos Equis XX, Modelo and Bonhemia. There is a thorough drink menu offering several flavors of margaritas and pina coladas. They also offer a lengthy tequila selection as well as specialty margaritas in grande or mucho grande. We had the grande strawberry margarita. It was the perfect combination of sweet and strong.

Food: We won’t lie. The food, although good portions, is not so great. We mainly return for the margaritas. The menu is choc full of Mexican classics like burritos, fajitas, tostadas and enchiladas as well as combination plates with beans and rice. They do have a kids menu and as well as an American food section offering cheeseburgers, fish & chips and chicken strips for the gringo’s.

Amenities: HD TV’s in the Catina, patio in front , catering, free chips and salsa.

Parking: Parking available in the parking lot surround Inca Mexican restaurant.

The Buzz: Kids eat free Wednesdays (10 and under), happy hour Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6pm, 20% off appetizers during happy hour, $3.50 Margarita Mondays.

3 Margaritas

3400 S College Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80525
970-225-3811
Sun – Thursday 11:00 am to 10 pm
Friday & Saturday 11:00 am to 11:00 pm

We have no idea why we keep going back to this place. And if that sounds like the start of a negative review, it’s not. Keep in mind that the name is 3 Margarita’s, which explains exactly why we go back to this chain restaurant, especially when we stumble across a buy one get one ½ off coupon for drinks!

Atmosphere: The Fort Collins location is quite large, with several dining areas throughout the restaurant. There is a large bar area, when first entering the restaurant, strewn with beer posters and flags. The decor throughout is authentic Mexican, with bright paper mache birds, star lanterns hanging from the ceiling and the occasional sombrero hung up here and there. There is a mix of green and white tiled/red painted tables with brightly painted wooden chairs as well as intimate booths on the out-skirts of the dining areas. There also appeared to be a small patio area along the side of the building for use during warmer months. Most of the crowd here was family oriented besides the few happy hour goers in the bar.

Service: Service was great to the point of almost being annoying. We were well taken care of, but being interrupted by one of 3 people every couple minutes, just to make sure we had what we needed, seemed to be a little much.

Drinks: We go for the margaritas, which are very good (see picture). They have several varieties and combinations – Strawberry, Blackberry, Melon, Kiwi, Coconut, Peach, Watermelon, Mango, Blueberry, Banana, Strawberry-Banana, and Papaya and so on. Also, there are so many tequilas to choose from that every tequila snob will be satisfied. They carry all the well-known Mexican beers as well as the typical domestics.

Food: Having been here several times, we do not go back for the food (as implied above). The refried beans have little flavor, the taco shells seem like the store- bought- kind and the salsa tastes like tomato sauce. The tortilla chips were actually great and tasted as if they were fresh made in the restaurant. The menu carries all the traditional Mexican dishes like burritos, tacos, enchiladas, chili rellanos, etc. They also have a combination section, salads, soups and a fairly large selection of seafood plates. We had the shredded beef taco plate and the beef taco and enchilada plate during our last visit.