My Lemon San Diego Cocktail: Sunny, Salty, Simple

I first had a bright lemon drink by the water in San Diego. Warm air. Taco trucks. That kind of afternoon.
If you ever find yourself craving a professionally mixed version while strolling the coast, swing by Roosterfish Bar for a pour that nails the sunny–salty vibe.
I came home and tried to make my own version—my Lemon San Diego. It’s lemon-forward, a little salty, and super crisp. I’ve now made it for game night, a backyard cookout, and, yes, a random Tuesday when the sink was full of dishes. Worth it.

Here’s the thing: I like tequila. But this also works with gin. Or you can make it zero-proof. I’ll share what I did, what worked, what bugged me, and my best tweaks.

What it tastes like (in plain words)

Bright lemon hits first. Then a soft sweet note from agave. A quick kiss of orange. A tiny touch of sea salt that makes the lemon pop. It’s clean and light. Not heavy. Think beach breeze, but in a glass.

My base recipe (the one I make most)

2 oz blanco tequila (I used Espolòn; I’ve also tried Olmeca Altos)
1 oz fresh lemon juice (fresh really matters)
1/2 oz orange liqueur (I used Cointreau; triple sec works too)
1/2 oz agave syrup (1:1 agave and water)
2 dashes saline (or a small pinch of sea salt)
Ice
Lemon wheel or peel, for garnish

Steps I follow:

Chill the glass (I like a coupe or a rocks glass with one big cube).
Add tequila, lemon, orange liqueur, and agave to a shaker.
Add the saline. If you don’t have saline, add a tiny pinch of sea salt.
Fill with ice. Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Strain into the cold glass. Garnish with a lemon peel. I rub the peel on the rim first.

Note: If you want it extra light, top with a splash of sparkling water. I’ve used Topo Chico for a little bite. If you’d rather go all bubbles, check out the results of my Prosecco cocktail tests for inspiration before you pop a cork.

A quick zero-proof version

2 oz lemonade (not too sweet)
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz orange juice (or a spoon of orange marmalade)
1/2 oz agave syrup
2 dashes saline or a tiny pinch of salt
Ice and sparkling water

Shake without the sparkling water, then strain over ice. Top with bubbles. Tastes sunny, not flat.

Plus, if your stomach’s on the sensitive side, the citrus reminds me of when I tried the GI cocktail—easy on the gut, big on flavor.

Why I like it (and the one thing that bugged me)

What I loved:

Fast to make. No fuss.
Lemon and salt together? So bright. It wakes the drink up.
It works with tacos, chips, even grilled shrimp. I tried all three.
Easy to tweak sweet vs. tart.

What bugged me:

Too much agave turns it syrupy. My first try felt sticky. I had to add more lemon to fix it.

Real-life trials from my tiny kitchen

Game night: I used Costco lemons and Cointreau. Shook four at a time in my old Boston shaker. No one complained. My friend Nora said, “Tastes like summer and good choices.” She’s dramatic, but she wasn’t wrong.
Backyard cookout: I did a salt-sugar rim (half and half, plus lemon zest). Folks crushed these with fish tacos. I had to squeeze more lemons mid-party. My forearms got a workout.
Weeknight version: I made it long with sparkling water and less booze. Two ounces total spirit felt right.

Easy swaps and fun twists

Gin swap: Use 2 oz London dry gin. Same build. Gives it a crisp, piney edge. Very clean—almost like a simplified cousin of the Saturn cocktail. For the full tiki-leaning classic, check out the traditional Saturn cocktail recipe to see where the inspiration began.
Spicy Pier: Muddle 2 thin jalapeño slices in the shaker. Don’t go wild. One time I did three slices and felt it in my ears.
Sunset tweak: Add 1/2 oz blood orange juice. The color looks like, well, a San Diego sunset. Cute and tasty.
Basil deck: Clap a basil leaf in your hands and drop it in the shaker. Light herb note, not grassy.
Rye riff: Swap tequila for rye whiskey if you want a warmer backbone—I borrowed tricks from this hands-on review of rye cocktail recipes that actually work at home.

Little tips I wish someone told me

Make a simple saline: Mix 10 parts water with 1 part fine sea salt. Keep it in a dropper. Two dashes per drink, and you’re set. It’s cleaner than pinches.
Watch your lemons: Old lemons taste dull and a bit bitter. Fresh ones smell bright. Your nose knows.
Shake hard, but not forever: About 10 seconds does it. If you over-shake, you water it down.
Don’t let the peel sit in the glass too long: It can get bitter. I like a quick rub on the rim, then a simple wheel instead.

How it stacks up (my honest rating)

Flavor: 4.5/5 — bright, balanced, snappy
Ease: 5/5 — pantry-friendly, fast
Crowd appeal: 4.5/5 — even “I don’t like tequila” folks finished theirs
Value: 4/5 — lemons and agave are cheap; orange liqueur can be spendy

Pair it with food (because snacks matter)

Fish tacos with lime crema. Yes, please.
Chips, pico, and a little guac. Classic.
Grilled corn with chili-lime butter. Messy but worth it.

Final thoughts from a sunny corner

This drink feels like late light on a long boardwalk. Simple parts. Good balance. Salt that lifts the lemon, not overpowers it. I keep coming back to it when I want a clean, bright sip that doesn’t get in the way of a good chat.

On nights when the playlist leans a little more sultry and the lights are low, you might pair that “good chat” with something more interactive online—take a peek at this roundup of the best sites to watch live sex for a vetted list of live streams that actually work and won’t ruin the mood with sketchy pop-ups.

If you’re ever in Louisiana and want to swap screen time for real-life connection, exploring the sugar daddy scene in Shreveport can clue you in on local etiquette, budget expectations, and discreet meetup spots—handy intel for planning an evening that’s as smooth as any cocktail you shake.

On colder nights, I pivot to a Kentucky Mule I’ve tweaked and actually drink—same quick build, just ginger and bourbon instead of citrus and tequila. Want the standard blueprint? Peek at this straightforward Kentucky Mule recipe before you start riffing.

You know what? Keep a bag of lemons around and this becomes your fast party trick.

If you try it, start with less agave than you think. Then taste. Then nudge it. Small tweaks make it yours. That’s the fun part.