Travel two miles east of downtown West Chester on Route three and there you’ll find a restaurant with an entertaining atmosphere and some great food. Margarita’s Southwest Grille and Cantina was started in 1981 as the first Mexican style restaurant in the area and has been serving up great local talent and hot southwestern entrees ever since.
The set-up includes plenty of tables to reduce waiting time, an upstairs and downstairs bar area, a center stage and a dance floor. Once inside, the restaurant is dim but inviting with both lower and upper areas in which to dine.
Live bands take center stage every Wednesday through Saturday night. Interested in a bootin’-scootin’ good time? Thursday night is for country line dancing with lessons starting at 7:30 and dancing until 11. If country is not your thing, Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for Top 40 classic rock cover bands.
The menu serves up a wide variety of Tex-Mex cuisine for every taste bud. The majority of meals range in price from around $10.95 to $12.95. You can find all your favorites such as burritos, enchiladas and tacos. If you are looking for steak, seafood or pasta, Margarita’s also offers a decent selection of less traditional Southwestern style cooking. These meals are slightly higher in price though. For those weight-conscious diners, a light fare section is also provided, along with a few salad choices as well. If you still just cannot make up your mind or are on more of a budget, you can always opt for a true classic: a Margarita’s burger.
The Seafood Ensalada Grande is a salad platter served in a tortilla shell with a generous portion of shrimp and crabmeat mixed throughout. The seafood makes the salad anything but boring and is a hit. The chicken fajitas, which come with the traditional sides of cheese, lettuce, sour cream and guacamole, are tasty and the portion size is rather hearty.
If you are able to save room though, there is a wide assortment of southwestern desserts available, such as the rather unusual fried ice cream. A big appetite is much appreciated at this restaurant.
If the food and drink do not make you want to check out this place, then maybe the legend will. Before this building was home to Margarita’s, it was called Newt’s Evergreen Inn. It was a local hangout and bar for bikers around the area. Legend goes that one night back in 1972 there was a scuffle between a few of the bikers and an undercover cop. The police officer was killed in the upstairs area of the restaurant. Ever since, people have witnessed rather strange occurrences that are often attributed to the wandering soul that was killed decades ago. During the remodeling of the building, a picture was taken that captured a strange shadow that could not be identified standing on the porch of the restaurant. The photo is posted on Margarita’s Web page at www.margaritasonline.com.
For a great night of music and delicious southwestern food, Margarita’s is the place to go. Its location is so close to West Chester that there is no excuse for missing out on this unique dining experience. To find out more, visit the Web site, which includes full lunch and dinner menus, or call directly at (610) 696-9720. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. -11 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-2 a.m. and Saturday 4 p.m.-2 a.m.