You’ve heard the name, and know they make some (damn) good Tex-Mex. BUUUUT did you know that they also make some pretty delicious drinks? Barkeeps Dex and Bryan came up with a craft cocktail menu to please every palate. From sweet and slushy to strong and smooth, the drinks are all very different, but are equally unique and delicious.
The drinks are made by hand, and are all available served over crushed ice. This isn’t some half-assed crushed ice … it’s nearly snow cone-esque. Also, their margaritas are mostly green. (This seemed like an important point — though I’m not really sure why — so I’ll go along with it … GREEN MARGARITAS?!??!! WHOOOHOO!) Drinks range from $8 to $24 (Ultimat Lemonade Pitcher) and have a decent strength behind them.
We’ll start from the top of some of the drinks I sampled.
- HANDCRAFTED PIÑA COLADA | I haven’t had a piña colada in ages, but this made me wonder why I’ve poo-poo’d the classic poolside drink. It’s not too sweet and is made with crushed ice, making it more a snowcone than a traditional Icee.
- SAZERAC | The CH version of the Sazerac takes away the vicious bite of the classic version by adding a bit of lemon. Being a whiskey fan, I really enjoyed this drink.
- TITO’S TEXAS SIPPER | As some of you may know, I hate me some grapefruit. Even with my aversion to the ruby red, I enjoyed this drink enough to drink half of it (which, given that I tried upwards of 9 drinks that night, is saying something).
- EL PEPPINO | A delightfully refreshing martini with cucumber, elderflower liqueur, and TY KU citrus … so basically, it’s delicious.
- SUMMER BREEZE | I already mentioned my disgust for grapefruit, and this one has some serious grapefruit going on. Crazy thing? I dug this drink. Really. I drank most of it and hardly let my HH guests have a sip…. though when one of them got a hold of it, she ended up finishing it and ordering two more.
- KICKIN’ MULE | Who isn’t a fan of a traditional Moscow Mule? (Seriously … if you don’t like them, raise your hand and I’ll come through my computer and slap you. Moscow Mules are delicious.) Their amped-up version of the MM is a very well-balanced take on it … and I’ll say that I’ve journeyed back in since my review to buy one of these with my owned hard-earned money. That should tell you something!! Bonus? They’re served in copper mugs … if you’re into that sort of thing.
The drinks at Cafe Herrera aren’t the only thing I am going to harp on. The food is pretty damn awesome, too. The food is made fresh daily out of the open kitchen. (I like to see into kitchens … you?) The queso and guac are better than most, and the Herrera’s Appetizer (nachos, flautitas, cheese quesadillas, and some delish garnishes) is excellent. I love a good sampling! But the best food of the night? Definitely the ceviche — it was really fresh and had the perfect balance of citrus and “sea”. It’s my jam.