The shtick: A Mexican brunch buffet made cool.

The vibe: In spite of its chic, plush booths and exposed brick walls, modern-Mex spot Dos Urban Cantina is pretty chill by day, catering mostly to families and larger parties ready to go to town on one of the few brunch buffets in this area. Even still, the noise level is relatively low, the mood is relaxed, and there’s never a line at the buffet table. 9 out of 10

The drinks: For once, don’t sleep on the mimosas ($10). Made with fresh-squeezed juice or, even better, one of the daily aguas frescas (prickly pear–lime when we stopped by), they’re refreshing and far from boring. Also great: the light yet potent Golden Maria ($12), made with yellow tomatoes. 9 out of 10

The food: Brunch buffets tend to make promises they can’t keep–they fill your mind with visions of bountiful, delicious foods, but in reality you end up mindlessly eating five plates of just-okay eggs and chewy pancakes.

But Dos’s buffet manages to rise above. There are a few keys to its success: a smaller number of dishes, all of which are refreshed regularly by the kitchen so they never approach a congealed chill; excellent side items, including magnificent sliced mango and tender, just-made tortillas to swaddle the intricate chicken mole; bountiful trays of chilaquiles; and, unsurprisingly given our recent adulation of their chocolate cake, the most impressive dessert array we’ve ever seen. (Go for seconds on the dense cinnamon rolls and intensely moist Texas sheet cake.) At $24 a person and unlimited fill-ups on your plate, it seems like a steal. 9 out of 10

The service: Even though a buffet meal means less in the way of server interaction, ours was still delightful, cheering us on through a third plate of tamales and adeptly guiding our cocktail selection. 9 out of 10

Overall: For when you want really good food, and specifically a lot of it, there’s no better option. 9 out of 10