On Geary Boulevard in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond, there’s a family Mexican restaurant with a long bar and a list of tequilas that most bars can’t match. Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant opened in 1965. In its bar, Julio Bermejo, son of founders Tomas and Elmy Bermejo, created a margarita without any orange liqueur. Bartenders everywhere now call it the Tommy’s Margarita.
What Tommy’s Serves
The drink is three ingredients: 100% agave tequila, fresh lime and agave. It’s shaken and served on the rocks. Salt is your choice.
The exact date is fuzzy. Most sources say around 1990; others say the late 1980s or early 1990s. Bermejo has said he didn’t name it — bartenders who visited the bar started calling it ‘the Tommy’s.’ By the 2000s it was on cocktail menus worldwide, and the International Bartenders Association now lists it as an official cocktail.
The bar is also known for Bermejo’s tequila advocacy. Tommy’s has long been a gathering place for people who care about 100% agave tequila, and Bermejo has been named an official tequila ambassador in Mexico.
Why Remove the Triple Sec?
A classic margarita is tequila, lime and orange liqueur. Orange liqueur adds sweetness and a citrus perfume, but it also adds flavor that competes with the tequila. Bermejo replaced it with agave nectar, which was a little-known ingredient at the time. It gives sweetness without orange, so the tequila’s peppery, vegetal agave character comes through clearly.
That’s why a Tommy’s tastes ‘more like tequila’ than a standard margarita — and why the quality of the tequila matters even more.
Where Home Versions Go Wrong
- Bottled lime juice. Shelf-stable lime juice tastes cooked and bitter. Squeeze fresh.
- Too much agave. Agave nectar is much sweeter than sugar. Half an ounce of nectar is plenty; if you’re using a 1:1 syrup, use a full ounce.
- Mixto tequila. Tequila that isn’t 100% agave can be up to 49% other sugars, and it shows here. Look for ‘100% agave’ on the label.
- Thick, undiluted agave. Cold, undiluted nectar can stay at the bottom of the shaker. Diluting it 1:1 with warm water fixes that.
The Key Technique: A Hard Shake
With only three ingredients, texture matters. Shake hard with plenty of ice for 10 to 12 seconds. That chills the drink, adds about an ounce of water to soften the tequila, and whips in air for a light froth. Strain over fresh ice rather than the shaker ice.
Pitchers and Parties
This drink is easy to scale. Mix tequila, lime and agave in a pitcher with a little water for dilution and refrigerate it. Lime juice is best within a few hours, so make it the day of. Stir and pour over ice. The ratios are in the FAQ.
The Mocktail: Geary Street Limeade
Remove the tequila from a Tommy’s and you have sweet limeade. To keep it grown-up, use a zero-proof agave spirit, or try cold green tea with a couple of drops of saline solution (a 20% salt-in-water solution). The tea’s slight bitterness and the salt give the lime and agave something to balance against, and a splash of soda makes it lively.
Choosing the Tequila
Since the Tommy’s has no orange liqueur to hide behind, the tequila is the main flavor. Choose a 100% agave blanco. At Tommy’s, Bermejo has long favored tequilas made without additives, and he’s been an outspoken advocate for traditional production.
Good, widely available options include Siete Leguas, Fortaleza, Tequila Ocho, El Tesoro, Cimarrón and Olmeca Altos. Blanco is classic and gives a bright, peppery margarita. Reposado works if you want a rounder drink with a hint of vanilla. Avoid añejo, which is aged longer and makes a heavier, oakier drink that fights the lime.
You’ll taste the difference between brands clearly in this drink, which is part of the fun. Try a couple side by side.
Enjoy responsibly — must be 21+.
