Strawberry Daiquiris Ranked

Okay so, my all time favourite cocktail EVER is the highly famed Strawberry Daiquiri usually made with white rum, strawberries, strawberry purée, lime and favourably frozen. They are truly a staple of all cocktail menus (in my opinion) and are just absolutely class.

I have therefore decided to create... wait for it...

The Strawberry Daiquiri Rankings. There will be a home and away edition so you can see the Glasgow based rankings for home lovers and then all the class ones I’ve had abroad too!

The rankings will be added to and rearranged as new ones are tried so keep an eye open!

Jam Jar - Paisley

*UPDATE*

Jam Jar is as well known in Paisley as Paolo Nutini himself with its classic ‘half pizza half pasta’ combo and incredible array of cocktails.

Their signature daiquiris are to die for and in particular their Strawberry Daiquiri is one of the best I’ve ever had! Currently at the top of the leaderboard, it’s definitely going to be a tough one to beat!

Update: ...it's even bigger now!

Rose Street Gardens - Edinburgh

This one was absolutely incredible! Would you look at the glass - absolute tiki vibes. I will definitely need to try out this one again as I feel it may top the list, that’s how good it was! Priced at £7 it was definitely worth the money, smooth, tasty with a hint of lime - very impressed!

Angels - Uddingston

What can I say! Just the right amount of alcohol, smooth slushiness and a hint of lime, it was absolutely perfect! Previously when I had the takeaway version it was 3rd place on the rankings and since being able to try it out in the restaurant it has moved up in the rankings!

Priced at £7.50 and given the size of the glass, I’d say it’s definitely worth the money. Well done Angels!

Tiki Bar - Bath Street

Would you look at that, absolute gorgeousness. Given that they’re allowed now to serve alcohol inside they’ve went back to serving in proper glassware and I’m here for it and their ranking place has increased!

Couldn’t get it any more perfect; hurricane glass, frozen, delicious and a 10/10 from me. The only reason it doesn’t rank any higher is consistency, as the last time I was here we weren’t able to get one due to the machine not working!

Previous post:

This one was super hard to rank because it was really good but I couldn’t decide if it was better than others I’d had so it’s ended up here.

First of all, it took me ages to drink because it was really thick and it was so hard to get up a paper straw but at the same time, it didn’t melt really fast either so that was good! Cup size was decent, half a pint glass I think it was and priced at £8.

I think it might’ve been out of a slush machine but it was actually really good. Reminded me of October’s and was 100 times better than Bar Milano’s both of which are from slush machines. Due to covid and being in their beer garden, they’re only doing plastic cups hence no fancy glass. I will be back though to try again!

October - Prince’s Square

Wow. Just wow. I had high expectations of October’s take as the rest of their cocktail menu is amazing (especially the frozen pornstar martini which if you’ve never tried, I’d definitely recommend!). They totally met the expectations! Not only was this an amazing strawb daq, it was now also included in their £3.95 cocktails Sunday to Wednesday alongside Mojitos, Raspberry Fizz and Frozen Pornstar Martinis. I could definitely order this again and again - 10/10.

Wunderbar - Buchanan Street

A pretty decent daq, priced at £7.50 however it is in a very small glass which is disappointing. Coming out of a slush machine too means you're not waiting ages either so I'd say that was a bonus.

Make it bigger and it'll reach further up the list please @wunderbar x

The Butchers Steak and Grill - Elderslie

I feel this one is quite an anomaly when looking at the rankings, as usually the ones made with real strawberries are nowhere near as good as the ones with purée or syrup.

You could tell this had been made with real strawberries but also mixed with a purée and then lime and white rum (and possibly sugar syrup) but that’s what made it so good!! You could taste all the flavours well along with the alcohol and would you look at how cool the glass is!

It was also absolutely massive and took ages to drink but at the same time didn't melt as fast as some of the others. The only negative really is the price at £8 but in a steak restaurant, that’s to be expected.

Honestly I was really impressed and would definitely need to order again on our next visit!

The Lane - Paisley

Wow would you look at the size of that! A mammoth sized frozen strawberry daiquiri with such a good flavour, sweet yet slightly strong it was really good.

Wee bit hard to drink without it melting really fast as it was quite thick in comparison to others tried but was still really good. The brain freeze is worth it for this one.

EDIT: they also offer their frozen daqs for takeaway and they come in a massive 500ml slushy bottle! We ordered a few over the phone during lockdown and got 30% off making them £4.20 each - BARGAIN!

Badabing - Edinburgh *now closed*

Fairly new to the scene, as soon as I saw “strawberry daiquiri” it had to be ordered.

Sunday to Thursday selected cocktails are £5 including a passion fruit martini and strawberry daiquiri! The Strawberry Daiquiri was absolutely amazing and was unlike any one I’d ever had before but in a good way. It also came with strawberry candyfloss so really what more are you wanting.

La Vita Spuntini - Gordon Street

What an improvement! The first time I had a strawb daq here I really wasn’t impressed and it was placed pretty far down on the list. However, Spuntini have had a strawb daq glow up and are now placed a lot higher up! (higher up than their sister La Vita at George Square!) See below for the original daq photo and review.

Previous post:

Extra point for fancy glass, deduction of a point for the ice getting stuck in the straw!!

It was good but a bit too creamy/frothy for a Strawberry Daiquiri but it was in a massive and pretty glass that I definitely would’ve done a Caroline and tried to *acquire* had the bartender not been so close.

Not sure it was worth the £7.95 and I’ve definitely had better.

Steelworks - Motherwell

This one was huge! It tasted exactly like an alcoholic slush version of a haribo strawb just like the one in the glass! It was reasonably priced too given the size of the glass. The only issue I had was when I ordered a second one it was farrrr too strong and really hard to drink so there wasn’t a consistency between drinks but still awesome!

Metropolitan - Merchant Square

We headed to Metropolitan to try out their take on the classic Strawberry Daiquiri and it was really good! Priced at £8.95 it was slightly dearer than others on the list but it was frozen and it came in a huge goblet!

Could definitely tell it was made with fresh strawberries but also a purée as it was just the right amount of sweet. If there was anything to be changed, maybe the amount of lime as it was a wee bit sour.

Santa Lucia - Ingram Street

Gorgeous wee Italian in the Merchant City And they certainly know how to put a daiquiri together! Hurricane glass, strawb garnish, frozen to perfection - this one was a winner.

This was my second one of the night and the first was a bit too liquidy for my liking hence it’s ranking. Priced at £7.50 though it’s definitely a decent amount of drink for your money too. Would definitely recommend.

Topolabamba - St Vincent Street

This was the first one I’d had this visit and I know the glass isn’t exactly full however, my 2nd one was full! I just forgot to take a pic of that one instead.

It was strong but not too strong, it wasn’t frozen either and I know I’ve ranked ones in the past down for this but it was really good. You could tell it was well made and was absolutely delicious! Priced average around £7-8 but I’d definitely order again.

De Beers - Paisley

De Beers in Paisley will only make this if you ask for it specifically as they don’t tend to advertise they do it, it’s a bit of a faff in a small almost old man’s pub.

It was really good but just didn’t have as nice a flavour as some of the ones above hence it’s ranking. It was however smooth and easy to drink but could still taste the alcohol which is what you’re wanting.

On the downside, we were nearly not getting one as the first bartender told us no!

Saint Jude's - Bath Street

What a comeback!

Ranked pretty low down due to their not so great prior attempt, Saint Jude's have most definitely redeemed themselves with this belter.

It wasn't a one hit wonder either, its been consistently good my last few visits.

Previous post:

Made the proper way with white rum, real strawberries (rather than strawberry puree), lime and sugar, this daiquiri was just okay. Priced at £7.45 it was nothing special in the way of taste but came in a relatively big glass which was good for the price.

Overall, it was just okay. I probably wouldn’t order it again.

La Vita George Square

When this one was first ranked, Spuntini’s version really wasn’t great and La Vita George Square had well and truly topper it’s sister’s attempt! However, Spuntini have upped their game and have since overtaken George Square’s efforts. You could taste the fresh strawberries with a wee bit of a kick off the rum but it tasted awesome!

Was slightly too watery for my liking and the glass definitely could’ve been filled more especially for £8!

Thundercat

Would you look at the size of that! Served in the biggest goblet and priced at £8 it was definitely worth the money in my eyes. Sweet with a touch of lime it was the perfect mix of strawberry and rum. They also do lime, mango, passionfruit and cherry - so many flavours to chose! They also do 40% off Sunday to Thursday, absolute bargain! The only reason it didn’t rank higher was due to the choice of crushed ice over frozen but overall a 10/10 attempt!

Bar Home - Merchant City

Good choice of glass for sure and I’d say it was semi-frozen which could have been better as you ended up with a wee pile of ice at the end which was annoying. However, it tasted really good and it’s part of their 2 for 1 cocktail deal that runs 7 days a week so this was £5.25 - a bargain!

Dalmeny Park - Barrhead

A decent strawb daq in a good sized glass I’d definitely order again. A wee bit too icy towards the end but still a decent size for the price around £8.

Chaakoo - St Vincent Street

It wasn't frozen and it didn‘t come in a hurricane glass but it was fantastic. They also offer Passionfruit and banana daiquiris here too which is a bonus and this strawberry one tasted great! I would recommend for sure.

Maggie May’s - Trongate

This was surprisingly tasty! However served in a martini glass is unacceptable! Priced at £7 they also do a passionfruit version too (wee bit too sour for my liking) but that one came in a big goblet instead. Overall, I’d definitely have again but lacks bonus points for glass!

Nonna Said -Merchant City

This is a hard one as one visit they were great, the next not so much as you'll see below...

They don't always do them either, they're not on the menu and tend to be part of a weekly special which is disappointing however they were £5, but I would expect that given how small the glasses are.

Frozen was definitely better not only in taste but also glass fill-ability!

Revolucion de Cuba - Glasgow

Revolucion de Cuba’s comes out of a slush machine and is really good! Definitely your traditional white rum, sugar syrup, lime, strawberry mix which is great and is £7.75 however during the week is a fantastic £4.50. Only thing is as it’s out of a slush machine, it’s not as smooth as other blender made ones and can feel a bit cheap when you’re paying a premium for the cocktail in the first place.

NYC Bar & Grill - Hope Street

Technicality here: this cocktail is a Strawberry Daiquiri but also has raspberry and passion-fruit as added ingredients so while it still is added to the rankings, it’s not a true Strawberry Daiquiri.

However, it was awesome. Massive glass, cheap price, tasted class what more could you possibly want??

Slug and Lettuce - Glasgow

Unfortunately this one came in a really small glass with some crushed ice? Strange but it tasted nice. During the week their cocktails are half price so it’s relatively cheap Sun-Thurs however out with this you’re looking at £10.95 a drink! Kinda steep given the small glass.

Mikaku - Queen Street

Don’t get me wrong it was nice, but it was rather small and really strong too. Also, it came in a martini glass which to me is unacceptable for a strawb daq. It was priced at £7 and frankly I’ve had better strawb daqs at this price, sorry Mikaku :(

Hillhead Bookclub - West End

So hillhead’s menu just said daiquiri so I asked if it was possible to make a strawberry version and they did! It was quite expensive this one and the glass wasn’t filled to the rim but it was nice.

As the rankings say, frozen is best so unfortunately it couldn’t be ranked any higher but it was good and extra points for adapting it to be strawberry!

NY American Grill - Princes Square

An American themed restaurant situated on the top floor of Princes Square, NY American Grill didn’t explicitly have a Strawberry Daiquiri on their menu but daquiri was mentioned so I asked and here we are!

Priced at £8, this daiquiri was very similar to Darcy’s downstairs and was only placed above really due to the size of the glass.

It was a good consistency, possible a little too icy but had a really good flavour not too sweet and not too bitter! It could’ve been ranked higher if it was a little smoother and more worth the price.

Darcy’s - Princes Square *now closed*

Usually being mainly a restaurant rather than a cocktail bar tend to not score as highly on the list however, this was good!

A proper slush with white rum, served in a relatively large glass (in comparison to The Dome and Amarone) you could hardly taste the alcohol and I could drink it so easily. Definitely would order again also but the question remains, why is it in a wine glass?

Boteco do Brasil - Trongate

Coming in at £4.99 (special Sun-Thurs deal they had going on at this point) and it also definitely looked the part so I was super optimistic about this one!

However, after a few sips wow it was definitely strong! Possibly a wee bit too strong for my liking hence its placement on the list. We had a few other drinks this night too and the general consensus was that all the drinks were super strong so maybe thats just their vibe.

It tasted like a strawberry daiquiri slush that they'd added an extra shot into so if you like your daiquiri’s strong, this is the place for you!

Panang - St Vincent Street

Owned by the same people as Topolabamba and Chaakoo, given how fantastic both of these did at the famous strawb daq, Panang just didn’t live up to the standard unfortunately. Posted on the menu as a San-sung Sling and you could order either frozen or on the rocks which was a good wee addition and it was only £5 but I feel the size of the glass reflected the price.

It was quite creamy and I’m not a fan when they’re served like that but that’s personal preference. The 4 of us which were here on this visit all agreed the on the rocks version actually tasted better than the frozen one so if you’re visiting I’d keep that in mind.

Bonus: they also offer mango, banana and coconut as well as strawberry - pictured below is the mango frozen and strawberry on the rocks.

Las Iguanas - West Nile Street

First of all, what is that glass all about? Second of all it isn’t frozen either. However, it did taste good and it was only £5.25 so alas Iguanas have pulled it back on there hence it’s ranking.

I could easily have 3 or 4 of these which could be dangerous.

Turkiye - Merchant City

First of all the glass was really small and my friends ordered some in the next round after I’d had this and their glasses were more like a bigger champagne flute so they definitely got more daq than I did. It was £6.95 and I wouldn’t say it was worth it either, tasted alright just a bit annoying about the size/quantity and discrepancy between orders.

Toni Macaroni's - Motherwell

Look at the state of that glass! It's half empty!

Nothing more to say really.

Bunker - Bath Street

Coming in at £7.95, it fit the description of frozen and I really like the glass it came in. However, it was unbelievably sour! There was so much lime in it, it made my tongue tingle which made it really hard to drink.

I wondered if it had just been mine but my two friends who also had one said the same. I had high hopes for Bunker as they have one of the best cocktail lists in Glasgow but their strawb daq wasn‘t doing them justice.

Steak, Cattle and Roll- Merchant Square

When this arrived, I was heartbroken to discover it wasn’t frozen, but really just in a glass with crushed ice. However, it was good! Easy to drink, could hardly taste the alcohol and was a big glass too - just the way I like it.

Had it been frozen, I imagine it would’ve been closer to the top of this list but as the rules state, frozen is preferred. Still awesome but I wouldn’t make the trip for it again.

Moskito - Bath Street

Funky presentation but still a martini glass!

Tasted really good and used premium spirits but unfortunately can't go any higher.

Would probably order again though - a really decent daq.

Vega - Hope Street

The first visit I was given this one, just okay nothing special to report.

My second visit I was asked "frozen or non-frozen?"

So definitely check when you go as you might not be asked every time!

For the same price, definitely worth getting the frozen instead for the glass size.

Bread and Butter - Glasgow *now closed*

Unfortunately on the menu it stated “frozen” when in reality, it was just filled with crushed ice...

Disappointing. It tasted alright to be honest but was hard to drink because all the crushed ice kept getting stuck in the straw. It was also quite strong and was made with spiced rum which may have caused the strange taste.

Overall, it was alright. I’m not sure whether it was really worth £7.95 and not sure if I’d bother to order it again.

Bar Soba - Merchant Square

Known here as a ‘Strawberry Sail’, this Strawberry Daiquiri took a more abstract approach through the use of Sailor Jerry spiced rum rather than the traditional white rum. This gave it a different yet still pleasant taste.

Due to the price tag of £8 and the size of the glass, it couldn’t rank any higher on the list unfortunately. However, visit Sunday to Thursday to get 25% off this bad boy if you’re a student!

The Dome - Edinburgh

This cocktail from The Dome was the coolest looking bar I’ve ever been. As well as the venue being cool, the cocktail wasn’t even on the menu but I thought I’d chance it and ask the bartender if he could make us one and he did! It was really good however expensive at £8.50 for a really small glass, hence it’s ranking on the list.

Amarone - Edinburgh

For a start it’s not frozen... and secondly was £9! To be fair though it was an upmarket Italian restaurant in Edinburgh City Centre so I should’ve known what to expect. It was a good enough daiquiri but rather on the small side for the price.

The Social - Royal Exchange Square

Now originally The Social ranked last place on the leaderboard. With the original ranking:

“The Social in Glasgow is a bar come nightclub located in Royal Exchange Square. With a brilliant list of cocktails, it was only wise to try out their take on the famous Strawberry Daiquiri.

It was really bitter and just had a really weird consistency, it was more like a smoothie than a blended cocktail which just didn’t work plus they overfilled the glass so it went everywhere and I ended up with super sticky hands.”

*UPDATE*

I’ve returned for a re-rank! They’ve definitely improved since the first time but it’s still a bit too bitter (there’s a lotta lime in it!) and out of their whole list of cocktails there’s definitely better ones.

Priced just under £8, it’s a decent sized glass for the price given it‘s in the city centre too however definitely not the best I’ve had!

*UPDATE*

It is definitely better than it was!

But still far too much ice and lime, there's only so much day a paper straw can suck up.

Super sticky hands as well.

Hummingbird

This Strawberry Daiquiri followed to standard template and was even frozen however, what made this one different was the addition of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum instead of the traditional white rum as in most versions. It was alright, a lot creamier than most I’ve had and was in a rather small glass but still not the worst, earning itself it’s current place on the leaderboard.

Candy Bar - Edinburgh

Sorry but look at the size of this! £6! I was absolute shook when it arrived and think I managed to drink it in 3 gulps. Super disappointed with this one, wasn’t a great taste either wouldn‘t recommend.

TGI Friday’s

*UPDATE*

It was just alright. Given that TGI Friday’s is known for its cocktails, it’s really quite disappointing on the rankings.

There was too much ice and not enough flavour which just made it taste like watery strawberries with a hint of rum. As well as this, it’s not particularly cheap here for cocktails and was around about the £8 which was super disappointing.

TGI Fridays, get your act together!

Edit: I returned after multiple people informed me TGI Friday’s was their favourite and that the recipe had changed so I went back to reevaluate! And the verdict unfortunately remains the same. This time I went for the ultimate at £13.25!! Which for a start is ridiculous and when it came it was already half melted so you could see the drink had started to separate. It also didn’t taste that great, just as if someone had blended strawberries with ice, no flavour of syrup or purée or even a hint of rum - really disappointing.

Bar Milano - Hamilton

First of all, wrong glass! Daiquiris in my mind should be in a hurricane glass or cocktail glass at least. Secondly, it tasted like a strawberry slush you’d get at a carnival and I wasn’t convinced it was actually alcoholic, it was really liquidy too which was odd as if maybe the slush came out a machine and they’d added in rum on top? Also, it was £7.50 when a strawberry slush on its own is £3.50 so an extra £4 for the addition of rum seems a bit crazy to me.

Wouldn‘t have again and wouldn’t recommend either.

The Lynnhurst - Johnstone

This daiquiri was just okay. Priced at £7 it came in a huge glass which meant it took ages to drink however, IT TOOK AGES TO DRINK.

It was far too lumpy and could’ve done with a bit longer in the blender as it was almost impossible to get up the straw which meant I had to wait for it to melt a bit before I could drink it.

It was alright tasting but definitely nowhere near the best I had had. Sorry Lynnhurst but your daiquiri wasn’t as top tier as your food.

*UPDATE*

The Lynnhurst I think have a new chef or have revamped their menus as many of the dishes and drinks we love and order time and time again have changed. The strawberry daiquiri has also changed and I can’t decide whether it’s worse now or worse before. It was really frothy? Which shouldn’t be so it didn’t taste particularly good at all, wouldn’t order again.

Revolution - Mitchell Street

I was super disappointed with Revolution's daiquiri as not only did it not taste that good (I suspect spiced rum), it was also £8.50... on a Wednesday! I didn't realise it wasn't included in the half price during the week cocktail deal so was gutted to discover it had been so expensive.

Would not order again. :(

Lane 7 - Edinburgh

First of all, it wasn't on the menu I'd to ask the waiter what was in the slush machine.

It's in the wrong glass, no garnish.

No Straw!

And it was so so bitter, almost sour tasting like a fizzy strawb.

Really not a fan.