We almost didn't stop.
Blairstown, NJ isn't exactly on the margarita map — it's on the Friday the 13th map — the original 1980 slasher film was shot here, and if you've ever seen it, you know the town. We were just passing through a quaint little historic downtown that looked like 19th-century America forgot to leave, when we somehow ended up at a bar called Post Time Pub.
Then the bartender told us she loves margaritas.
Bourbon and I exchanged a look. You learn things after more than 150 margaritas across multiple states and countries. When the person making your drink actually loves the drink they're making, something different happens behind the bar.
We watched. Pretty margarita glass. Fresh ice. Three ingredients — tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Not fresh squeezed, but balanced and clean in a way that earned every point it got. Salt on the outside of the rim only, so your last sip tastes like a margarita, not a salt lick.
Bourbon took one sip and said two words: "Unexpected Pleasure."
That's high praise from a man who doesn't give it easily.
This is a house margarita in a pub in a small NJ town that Jason Voorhees would recognize, and it scored a 23 out of 25. Clean, balanced, honest — just like the three ingredients it was made with.
We didn't know much about Blairstown when we pulled in. Now we can't stop thinking about coming back — this time when the town really leans into its legacy. If you know, you know.
If you're ever driving through Warren County and you see the racehorse on the sign, pull over. Trust us.