After a three-month absence, comedian Frank DeLima is back in Waikiki, performing his idiosyncratic act at Margaritas, a Mexican restaurant and cantina at 412 Lewers St., on the grounds of the Marc Suites Waikiki.

So how does the prince of Portuguese comedy fit in, amid a crowd of Mainland visitors, locals and Hispanic diners?

Quite well — if his opening earlier this month is a barometer.

The tiny restaurant certainly means a bit of downsizing for the singer-comedian, who still has a suitcase of costumes to dress up his classic repertoire of comedic figures. Some, like Imelda Marcos (bewigged and decked out in a dress with flashing lights), continue to surprise and amuse on "Kiss My Shoes Goodbye," the reformatted "What I Did for Love"; one daring soul even rushed up to provide a pair of footsies for the brief caricature.

Others, like SlipperBob PukaPants (with large slippahs as the focal point of the reimagined cartoon figure), are a tad wobbly for a mostly adult crowd, though there were some giggly boys dining with their Latino family when DeLima was rollicking to the tune of "Livin' La Vida Loca," focusing on flattening cockroaches.

Mufi Hannemann, our fair city's lanky mayor, again is part of the charades. DeLima does a worthy vocal, "Honolulu Hale, I'm Comin' Home Again" with his Don Ho wig, standing atop a milk crate to signify the height of Hizzoner.

There are, of course, the expected gags about Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Filipino ethnic groups, targeting folks of the appropriate ethnicity in the audience.

The point is, DeLima — and his trusty sidekicks in Na Kolohe, Bobby Nishida on bass and David Kauahikaua on keyboards — travels reasonably well, no matter what the landscape. Remember his origins at The Noodle Shop at the Waikiki Sand Villa Hotel three decades ago, or his last "big" emporium, the Palace Showroom of the 'Ohana Reef Towers Hotel? Most recently, DeLima did a brief stint at Big D's at the Queen Kapi'olani Hotel.

Margaritas, his new venue, has provided a "dressing room," a cubicled area behind the tiny stage, where DeLima breezes in and out with costume changes.

What the eatery needs to do, however, is provide proper lighting for the stage antics. The prevailing overhead pin lights don't do a suitable job; for part of the time, DeLima sings and kibitzes in shadow, and in darkness when he ventures off the minimal platform for in-your-face interaction with his howling fans.

And though the song roster will change, you can expect replays of "Luceel" and "Filipino Christmas" in DeLima's pitch to sell his 25th-anniversary products ... five years after the anniversary. His showroom days are gone, but not his blessed sense of commerce — which is part of his ongoing lunacy and power of survival.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.