The Mexican Table in Miami

The Mexican Brickell had 98 bookings in a single day — the highest of any Mexican restaurant in the city. KOKO in Coconut Grove had 93. Miami's Mexican dining scene has a clear split between the upscale and the neighborhood staple, and both tiers are worth knowing.

The Mexican in Brickell is the prestige anchor. Ninety-eight bookings on a given day, a $$$$ price point, a menu that treats Mexican cuisine as fine dining rather than casual food. The booking volume is the proof that the city has decided this is the standard-bearer for upscale Mexican in Miami. It is the choice when the occasion requires a room that takes the cuisine seriously.

KOKO in Coconut Grove is the surprise on this list. Ninety-three bookings on a given day, a $$ price point — the highest booking volume in the Mexican category at the lowest price point. The Coconut Grove location and the accessible price make it the right choice for the group that wants the quality of the upscale tier without the $$$$ commitment.

Mayami in Wynwood bridges the upscale and neighborhood tiers. One thousand, five hundred and twenty-six reviews, 32 bookings on a given day, fire dancers for birthday celebrations, a $$$ price point. The fire dancers are the detail — they make Mayami the most theatrical Mexican restaurant in the city, and the 1,526 reviews suggest the theatrical approach has found its audience.

Bakan in Wynwood is the neighborhood staple anchor. Two thousand and thirteen reviews, 15 bookings on a given day, a $$ price point, a Wynwood location that has made it the most-reviewed Mexican restaurant in the city. It is not the most exciting option on this list, but it is the most reliable — and the review count reflects years of consistent delivery.

Jajaja Mexicana in Wynwood is the plant-based option — 4.9 stars, the highest rating of any Mexican restaurant in the city, a $$ price point, a menu that proves plant-based Mexican food can be as good as the meat-based version. Two timeslots available on a given day suggests it is not yet as discovered as Bakan, which means the window to go before the crowd finds it is still open.

Maíz y Agave Cocina Mexicana in Coral Gables is the Traditional Mexican option — 630 reviews, 21 bookings on a given day, a birthday mariachi serenade that makes it the most festive Mexican restaurant in the city. The Coral Gables location and the traditional format make it the right choice for the group that wants the full Mexican dining experience without the Wynwood or Brickell energy.

Miami's Mexican dining scene is more competitive than the city gives it credit for. The upscale tier — The Mexican, Mayami, Maíz y Agave — treats the cuisine as fine dining. The neighborhood tier — Bakan, Jajaja, KOKO — treats it as the kind of food you come back to every week. Both approaches are right. The question is which kind of night you're trying to have.