I don’t trust margaritas. There, I said it. Too many heartbreaks served in salted rims, too many gut-punches of cheap sweet neon green mix, too much tequila of questionable origins. But thanks to the margaritas at Maestro, I’m coming around.
From the minds that blessed Tulsa with the seductive speakeasy vibes of Valkyrie and the midnight mischief of St. Vitus, Maestro is the latest from Aaron Post, founder of Relentless Hospitality Group, and director of operations Tanner Scarborough. Cocktail aficionados revere Valkyrie's nationally recognized bar program, and the cool kids know that St. Vitus revived Tulsa’s dance club culture. Where Valkyrie leaned into the dark art of mixology, and St. Vitus gave us the irreverent, coffee-fueled chaos of bump shots and laser beams, Maestro is a light-drenched love letter to Latin American spirits and cuisine.
Knowing that Maestro is entirely devoted to agave—not just tequila, but mezcal, raicilla, and other wild, smoky cousins—I rang up my go-to agave guy who can wax poetic about tequila terroir and always orders the good stuff. We met for an early happy hour at Maestro, ostensibly to talk shop, but really to gossip and drink.
Maestro is nestled inside Santa Fe Square—Elliot Nelson’s new downtown multi-use development—with an outdoor patio that’s begging for a golden hour happy hour or a mezcal moon bath under the Tulsa skyline. Long before his Valkyrie put Tulsa on the national cocktail map, Aaron Post managed The Continental, a swanky, short-lived, ahead-of-its-time cocktail club next to McNellie’s, which Nelson owns. In a full-circle moment, Post is back as the anchor tenant for Nelson’s largest project to date.
Once inside, it’s hard to choose among the cozy corners for quiet conversation, long tables for communal chaos, or one of the plush, private booths perfect for spilling the tea (or the tequila). The energy here is warm, airy, and textural: a little bit Palm Springs, a little bit Puebla. Native artist Yatika Fields’ murals of lush landscapes splash across high-back booths like a visual toast, colorful and expressive. With bold flamingo pink accents, the overall space remains restrained, minimalist, and gorgeously composed. While natural wood and tiled tabletops nod to cantina culture, the woven textures of the lighting and bar seating evoke coastal craft. Every square inch is designed for group get-togethers, date-night flirting, or luxuriating solo at the bar.