How grading works in Miami-Dade County.

Start with the local scale

Florida inspects restaurants statewide. Its public data lists how many high-priority, intermediate, and basic violations were found at each inspection, but not the written description of each one. High-priority violations are the most serious. Results like "Warning Issued" or "Administrative complaint recommended" mean follow-up action was required, and an Emergency Order means the business was ordered closed until the problems were fixed.

A score is not universal

Never compare results between cities. Some departments add points for violations, others use pass/fail, and a lower score can mean a better result.

Read beyond the latest result

Check the inspection date, each recorded violation, and any follow-up inspection. Closures and re-inspections are labeled in each restaurant’s history.