The story of 3 Margaritas is more than just the story of a restaurant. It is a story of family, sacrifice, opportunity, and the immigrant dream—one that began on a small ranch in Jalisco, Mexico.
The Morales family grew up in Cuautla, Jalisco, where nine siblings—six girls and three boys—shared a modest two-bedroom home. There were no separate bedrooms or comfortable beds. They slept on mats on the floor, and after school, they worked alongside their family in the fields.
At only 17, Nicolas Morales left Mexico for the United States, eventually arriving in Seattle, where his brother Manuel lived. Together, they worked and saved everything they could with one dream in mind: opening a restaurant of their own. Nicolas learned how to cook, and the brothers invested all their savings into Las Margaritas, a tiny six-table restaurant. The beginning was difficult. For six months, they struggled to pay rent and relied on loans from friends just to keep going.
Then, everything changed. A food critic from The Seattle Times visited Las Margaritas and published a review calling it the best Mexican restaurant in the state. The next day, they sold out of food within an hour. What began with six tables eventually grew into 15 restaurants across Washington. Years later, after selling those restaurants to former employees, Nicolas and Manuel joined their brother Gustavo to begin a new chapter in Colorado: 3 Margaritas. The values they had carried from Jalisco — family, hard work, hospitality, and tradition — traveled with them. Eventually, every one of the nine Morales siblings would own at least one restaurant.
But success never meant forgetting home. After 27 years in the United States and helping build two restaurant chains, Nicolas returned to Cuautla, the hometown he had left at 17 searching for opportunity. He returned as mayor, determined to help change the same conditions that had once pushed him to leave: the lack of jobs, education, and opportunity. From the fields of Jalisco to restaurants across the United States, the story of 3 Margaritas has always been about more than food. It is about remembering where you come from, sharing it with others, and creating opportunities for those who come after you.
We build this dream as a family,
but it cecame our story because of you.
Every guest who has shared our table has become.
part of our family.
-3 MARGARITAS
