The eponymous Arturo may actually greet you at the reception stand of this popular Northside restaurant. This is encouraging, though we might prefer to imagine him attending to the food in the kitchen—at least occasionally. The restaurant, for all its exuberant, night-clubby décor, would benefit from a little attention, too. So could the table salsa which is too tomatoey by far.

But while we can’t vouch for the tarted-up margaritas—and are usually suspicious of them anyway—we can say that “Arturo’s Margarita,” with Patrón Silver, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice, is one of the best in town and can go a long way toward soothing persnickety palates. It’s also great as a kind of laser to zap through an extremely creamy roasted-corn-and-poblano soup. The soup’s lethal but irresistible.

It’s easier to resist a dish such as the lavishly sauced pork tenderloin; it’s dry (as this cut often is), and the generous application of a one-note cascabel sauce does nothing to restore moisture. The rice promises much but doesn’t deliver, the corn tortillas are chalky and chewy…but a simple chicken enchilada with a tart tomatillo sauce does much to restore faith. Which is probably why one knowledgeable contributor says “This is my favorite all-purpose Mexican restaurant in San Antonio.”