Chili's Launched 3 New Patrón Margaritas—And 1 Is an Unexpected Must-Try

I had the chance to try all three, and the one I thought would be my least favorite wound up being a tell-your-friends breakout hit. Here's the rundown of all three drinks, which start at $10 apiece (though prices may vary, depending on your location), as well as my completely subjective ranking.

Chili's restaurants across the country have been equipped with new frozen drink machines in preparation for this launch, but that doesn't mean the bartenders are just pulling a lever and calling it a day. Especially when it comes to this two-toned drink. The Flamingo Freeze combines a Patrón frozen margarita with a blend of Owen's Prickly Pear mixer and Tito's vodka. It gives it a lime-to-pinkish-purple, layered look that's more sweet than tart.

While the fruity flavor was fun, as someone who prefers a fresh lime marg on the rocks with a salt rim, I wanted more tartness to come through. A frozen marg already veers on the sweeter side, so this one was a bit too much for me.

When I saw the lineup, I immediately assumed this would be my favorite. And, to be fair, it's fantastic. Patrón silver tequila, lime juice, triple sec and agave combine in a way that's slightly sweeter than Chili's classic Presidente marg, but never cloyingly so. It still packs a punch, and the fresh lime comes through—this doesn't taste like a mix, as many frozen margs do.

As Instagrammable as a blue drink is, it's a red flag for me: Normally, they signal something that's much too sweet for my tastes. (I prefer my wine dry and my go-to cocktail, when it isn't a fresh marg on the rocks, is an old-fashioned.) But this drink made me realize I shouldn't judge a cocktail by its mixer.

The Arctic Drift takes a blend of Blue Curaçao, Malibu Coconut Rum and pineapple juice and combines it with the Patrón frozen marg. Then, the whole thing's garnished with a lime wedge and a cherry. Essentially, it's a piña colada swirled with a margarita—and it turns out, the two are made for each other. The pineapple was a bit subtle, though the coconut and lime really came through, making me feel like I should be sipping this poolside (while getting a massage, ideally). It cut through the heat of the Nashville Hot-coated tenders I was eating, offering a lingering sweetness that was delightfully refreshing. I'll definitely be ordering it again, and you should give it a shot, too.