For more than 20 years, this Tex-Mex restaurant has attracted patrons because of its indoor Mexican patio setting with water fountains and tortilla makers on display. Often the setting threatens to subsume the food, but of late, it’s been good, if not exactly awe-inspiring.

You can get tableside guacamole, but take a look at the cart beforehand: a few of the ingredients may have wilted waiting for a taker. Start instead with the comforting tortilla soup with plenty of chicken flavor in the stock and crisp tortilla strips, though the avocado can be a little unripe and the cheese on the skimpy side. You could also get tacos filled with fish, chicken fajitas, or sausages, but try, instead, the “Tacos Albanil” with a generous mixture of diced pork, beef fajita, chorizo, and bacon in addition to onions, peppers, and cilantro, all stuffed in a handmade corn tortilla. A spritz of lime carries this combination to another level. The cheese enchilada may be filled with a decent amount of shredded cheese, but the chili con carne has a little too much cumin and grease.

The “Mercedes Margarita” has won plenty of awards, but is not likely to please the purist. The lime isn’t freshly squeezed, and the addition of a maraschino cherry to the garnish adds an overly sweet touch that’s jarring. It’s also overpriced.

Service may seem a bit brusque, yet requests (and we often make many) are met promptly and efficiently.