Leo's Mexican Restaurant

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Leo’s: Best margarita in Tucson

Tucson is a Mexican food town. Just an hour or so north of the border, it’s no surprise that the tantalizing tastes of our neighbor to the south have made their way into the Old Pueblo. Lucky for us Tucsonans, we get to experience some of the most authentic and delicious Mexican cuisine in the country, practically right in our own backyard.

While some Mexican restaurants have trouble differentiating themselves from the hundreds of others in town, one in particular stands out for two genuinely addictive menu items: Carne seca and margaritas.

Step into Leo’s Mexican Restaurant (5114 E. Speedway) – which is quite literally hidden in a small strip mall on the southeast corner of Speedway and Rosemont – and a friendly wait staff (usually including Leo’s own wife) will quickly seat you in the main dining area. Though the restaurant seems a bit out-of-the-way, it has ample devoted followers, and is bustling most any night.

The first order of business is to order a house margarita – on the rocks, with salt. (Leo himself is the master mixer behind the marg.) While just about every Mexican restaurant in Tucson offers margaritas, the strong-yet-tasty house concoction at Leo’s leaves most others in the dust. Speaking from experience, these margaritas are good enough to convert marg-haters into Leo’s devotees. (Imbibers be cautious, though: These lime-spiked drinks pack a punch!)

To accompany the mouth-watering house marg, try anything on the menu with carne seca – especially the cheese crisp with everything. A meal in itself, the crisp is heaped with mounds of moist, smoky, lime-infused, authentic carne seca, along with fresh onions, green chilies, tomatoes, cheese and guacamole. The carne seca burro, chicken topopo salad and Leo’s Enchiladas are also noteworthy company for Leo’s margaritas.

Keywords: Dress casual, Bar, Restaurant, Everyone, No smoking, Cheap (US$ 5 - US$ 10), Dinner, Lunch, Mexican / Tex Mex / Central American