Dave & Buster's Best Cocktail Tastes Like A Jolly Rancher

Dave & Buster's is primarily known for being an "adult arcade," where you can grab a boozy beverage while you play games like Hot Wheels Victory Lap, Cyberpunk, Pacman Rollers, or even take a swing at the human crane. A trip to Dave & Buster's can make for a truly memorable night, and a great night needs great drinks to go with it. That's why on your next visit, you should try the best Dave & Buster's cocktail: the strawberry watermelon margarita.

Tasting Table tried and ranked every cocktail that Dave & Buster's offers and found the strawberry watermelon margarita was a step above the rest. We described it as "a gaudy, candy-like confection of a drink" and "like an imbibeable Jolly Rancher." According to the Dave & Buster's menu, the strawberry watermelon margarita consists of Espolón Blanco tequila, triple sec, citrus mix, watermelon, and strawberry. The drink was bright pink and brought us back to our childhood, despite the boozy punch. It was very sweet, but the salt and acid prevented it from being cloying.

If you don't feel like going out to an arcade (or simply don't feel like paying arcade prices), you can easily whip up a strawberry watermelon margarita at home. To make it taste the most similar to Dave & Buster's, of course, you'll want to use Espolón Blanco tequila. We don't know exactly what kind of triple sec is used, however, so simply pick your favorite brand here. Many people use Cointreau or Grand Mariner in margaritas, but there are plenty of other great triple sec brands. Shake these liquid ingredients with a citrus mix and the namesake fruits before straining and serving them over ice. To truly recreate the Dave & Buster's cocktail, garnish with a lime wedge and a sliced strawberry, and rim the glass with both salt and sugar.

From here, you're free to customize the cocktail as you wish. The drink is already plenty sweet and flavorful, so you may not want to add anything too strong. However, you can play around with garnishes, adding a few sprigs of mint leaves or a small slice of fresh watermelon on top to make the cocktail your own. The jazzed-up cocktail would be wonderful to serve at a summery get-together, or simply to enjoy while playing some video games at home, just as you would enjoy one at Dave & Buster's.