Interior faux palm trees, heavy chandeliers and splashy wall art set the stage for Hillcrest’s latest Mexican sit-down restaurant, which also serves as a Mecca for nearly 100 different varieties of fine tequilas dispensed from an inviting palapa-style bar.

Margarita’s, which started out recently under the name Margarita Mary’s (the sibling of Hamburger Mary’s), sprung to life just in time for the neighborhood’s summer spectacle of GLBT carousing along University Avenue. A double storefront patio in front plus a quaint courtyard in the back create the perfect setting for soaking up the gaiety and slugging down the restaurant’s namesake drink.

Particularly noteworthy is the fact that diners can enjoy a well-rounded menu of Mexican victuals without resorting to the madness of Old Town or the indignity of slipshod taco shacks. Margarita’s concept, though not necessarily profound, seems long overdue in a town so richly famous for its beans and guacamole.

Arriving with eager appetites, a friend and I slipped in on a quiet Monday afternoon to avoid bringing attention to the shameful amount of food we intended to sample. Two meals alone can look like a mini buffet on your table as most of them come piled with the usual trimmings of guacamole, black beans and sour cream. Add about four more plates to the mix and you end up with a festive spread fit for a Cinco de Mayo mob.

Warm chips served with three terrific homemade salsas sparked our showdown, which gave way to a wonderfully rich quesadilla filled with buttery Oaxaca cheese and sweet sautéed shrimp laced in white sauce. Wear your stretchy pants for this one because the sauce, used also in the fish tacos, is made with a decadent combination of cream, butter and clam juice.

The soups we tried, Black Bean and Chicken Tortilla, are served in fried tortilla shells that hold up for the duration “provided you keep your spoon moving,” advised our waitress. Homey and appetizing, both tasted as though they came straight from the kitchen of a Mexican matriarch who never shares her recipes.

A trio of Grilled Fish Tacos aligned more with standard north-of-the-border fare, although the above-mentioned white sauce added extra appeal. And the accompanying rice and beans, which graced most of our plates, could have used a heavier dose of garlic or cumin, we felt.

After hearing raves on the street about the carnitas here – used in burritos, quesadillas and voluminous meal plates – we chose the latter and went nutty over the meat’s tender texture and slow-roasted pork flavor. Chunks, ropes and coveted end pieces pulled from these daily-made roasts amounted to pure bliss, whether eaten plain or with the accompanying homespun tortillas.

Much can also be said about the restaurant’s Chili Rellenos, constructed with pleasantly bitter pasilla peppers that are stuffed with Oaxaca cheese and coated in a nice spongy batter that didn’t turn soggy. And then came the Authentic Taco Platter, which featured tangy shredded chicken folded into three mini corn tortillas and sprinkled with plenty of fresh cilantro. Had we not been gorging ourselves in the middle of a workday, we would have killed our burrito breath with some of the bar’s long list of fancy tequilas, many of which are designed for sipping straight up sans the sour mix and salt.

Other unique libations include Black Lemonade (made with black raspberry and blue Curacao), plus Bloody Marias (made with Sauza Silver Tequila), Appletinis and a Power Blaster Shot described as a Jagermeister float with Red Bull. Several Mexican beers round out the drink menu for those who prefer cold ale with their Homemade Tamales, Chicken Chipotle or a host of other Mexican items that will appease every type of craving.

And for those wondering where “Mary” went, her 15 minutes of fame was lost over franchising issues, although she still appears in the sign perched above the front door. But it’s likely that nobody will notice when the name is finally removed because Margarita’s has already made an indelible mark for itself among GLBT patrons and their friends with its upbeat staff, hearty food and seriously punchy drinks.