13 Marion County restaurants cited for high-priority violations

Staff reports
·13 min read

You can use the database to search by county or by restaurant name.

Florida's restaurant owners are not required to post restaurant inspection results where guests can see them. So every week, we provide that information for you.

For a complete list of local restaurant inspections, including violations not requiring warnings or administrative action, visit our Marion County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Marion County for the week of Oct. 16-22, 2023. Please note that some more recent, follow-up inspections may not be included here.

Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a 'snapshot' of conditions present at the time of the inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment.

For full restaurant inspection details, visit our Marion County restaurant inspection site.

Which Marion County restaurants got perfect scores on their health inspections?

These restaurants met all standards during their Oct. 16-22 inspections and no violations were found.

** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week

Which Marion County restaurants had high priority violations?

Arianna's Pizza

2496 SE 58th Ave., Ocala

Routine Inspection on Oct. 20

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

12 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee touched soiled apron/clothes and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands.FemLe employee touched apron and continued to cook without washing hands.

  • High Priority - Food-contact surfaces in contact with time/temperature control for safety food not cleaned at least every four hours. Pizza cutter not washed every four hours, employee stated it is washed daily.

  • High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Mozzerella cheese with a discard date of 10/19.

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. 3 in 1 oil on top of paper towel dispenser.

Bank Street Patio Bar and Grill

120 E. Fort King St., Ocala

Routine Inspection on Oct. 19

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

21 total violations, with 6 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. At the dry storage area, observed one can of beans dented.

  • High Priority - Employee switched from working with raw food to ready-to-eat food without washing hands. Observed Male employee at the cook line breading raw chicken strips removing gloves and wearing cleaned gloves and handle cooked fish, inspector addressed situation, employee stopped and washed his hands. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Food with mold-like growth. See stop sale. In walk-in cooler, observed strawberries with mold.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. At the cook line, observed raw shell eggs stored on top of dressing container, also observed raw chicken stored above raw fish, Manager stored food properly. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler at the cook line cheese 48F, manager moved to freezer, temperature dropped below 41F. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Cleaners stored above in use prep tables, also observed bins of flour stored underneath chemical shelves in front of pizza ovens, manager moved all. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

China King

15924 E. Hwy 40, Silver Springs

Routine Inspection on Oct. 17

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

1 total violation, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Female employee rinsed white container with no soap and no sanitization and placed container with the cleaned ready to be use containers above triple sink, Inspector instructed to set up triple sink and properly sanitized all the containers. Also same female employee used prep sink at the end of the cook line to washed rice cooker, o sanitization occurred. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-17: Male employee rinsed dirty pot in prep sink and place it in the cook line, inspector instructed to properly wash, rinse, sanitize and air dry. **Admin Complaint**

International House Of Pancakes

1124 SW Pine Ave., Ocala

Routine Inspection on Oct. 20

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

8 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. At the cook line, observed raw shell stored above liquid eggs, manager moved. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler at the server station, milk 48F, sour cream 52F, honeydew 47F, Manager moved all items to freezer. At the cook line, cut tomatoes 56F, 49F, 46F, ham 46, manager moved to freezer. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

McDonald's #10449

3223 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala

Complaint Inspection on Oct. 16

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

14 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Male employee at the cook line cleaned table with hands and touched multiple surfaces and started wearing gloves without washing his hands first, Manager addressed situation, employee washed his hands and continued working. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Splitter added, no vacuum breaker on the non chemical side of the splitter, Manager installed one. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Miller's Ocala Ale House

305 SE 17th St., Ocala

Routine Inspection on Oct. 16

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

13 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. At the cook line, queso placed between 11:30-12:00 to be reheated to 135F at 2:15 queso was 72F-108F.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler at the cook line Buttermilk 50F, Manager voluntarily discarded. At the server station, sour cream portion cups 51F, per manager portions were place at the server station at 11:00am, Manager will discarded at 3:00pm. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety, commercially processed food reheating for hot holding not heated to a minimum temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit in all parts. At the cook line, queso placed between 11:30-12:00 at 72F-108F.

Mobile Springside Cafe

Mobile food dispensing vehicle

Routine Inspection on Oct. 18

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

5 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Inside ice cooler, lettuce 56F, per employee lettuce was moved from walk-in cooler 2 hrs prior, manager moved to another cooler. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Hand sanitizer stored above cooler, manager moved. **Corrected On-Site**

Plaza Lodge

25250 E. County Road 316, Salt Springs

Routine Inspection on Oct. 16

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

2 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired 6.1.22. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Pops Southern Buffet

25011 NE County Road 314, Salt Springs

Routine Inspection on Oct. 16

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

17 total violations, with 8 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Dishmachine testing at 0ppm. Sanitizer is empty during inspection. Person in charge will utilize chlorine in triple sink to sanitize until unit is operating properly. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Food/ice received from unapproved source/no invoice provided to verify source. See Stop Sale. Establishment is utilizing pepper vinegar purchased from someone who is making product at home. **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. In reach in freezer raw chicken no longer commercially packaged stored over ready to eat items.

  • High Priority - Self-service salad bar/buffet lacking adequate sneezeguards or other proper protection from contamination. Missing hinged lids or sneeze guard at hot buffet station. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food originating from an unapproved source. Establishment is utilizing pepper vinegar purchased from someone who is making product at home.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter on table at 68F. Person in charge states has been out less than 4 hours, returned to cooler. Shell eggs in kitchen at 70F ambient. Recommend holding items on time.

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Missing vacuum breaker from hose bibb with splitter behind ice machine. Needed on each side of splitter.

  • High Priority - Wiping cloth sanitizer solution exceeds the maximum concentration allowed. Wiping cloth solution at 500+ppm. Person in charge discarded. **Corrective Action Taken**

Silver Springs Diner

5300 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs

Routine Inspection on Oct. 17

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

10 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Male employee at the cook line, washed his hands and immediately after touched and plated toast, Inspector explained the correct way to work with ready to eat food.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. At the prep room, raw beef stored above opened bag of ice cream and fruits.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler at the cook line, potato salad 45F manager moved to freezer, temperature dropped to 40F, also observed raw shell eggs 47F, pooled eggs 49F and liquid eggs 46F, all eggs will be added to time, items pulled out of refrigeration at 6:45am. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Storming Crab

3500 SW College Road, Ocala

Routine Inspection on Oct. 19

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

20 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In walk in freezer: package of raw beef in same bin with opened bags of crab legs. In reach in cooler: pan of raw chicken stored over buckets of seafood dip. In reach in make table on cookline: pack of raw clams on top of smoked sausage. All were moved during this inspection. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Garlic and margarine mixture 72F on cookline. Mixture was placed in cooler during this inspection. **Corrective Action Taken**

Subway #2100

5516 SE Abshier Blvd., Belleview

Routine Inspection on Oct. 18

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

10 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee touched soiled apron/clothes and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Female employee pulled up sleeve of jacket with gloved hands and continued to touch sandwich paper without washing hands and changing gloves.

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Bibb next to back door has no device.

The Black Sheep on Broadway

128 SW Broadway St., Ocala

Routine Inspection on Oct. 19

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

2 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed covered container of Chicken wings cooked 10/05/23 Pm at 49F, stop sale. - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-19: Boiled eggs 46F (7 units). **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler next to flat top grill, sour cream 48F, boiled eggs 46F. Ambient temperature of 48F, no other time temperature control for safety (TCS) food stored overnight **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-19: Reach-in cooler at the cook line (double door cooler), boiled eggs 46F. **Admin Complaint**

What agency inspects restaurants in Florida?

Routine regulation and inspection of restaurants is conducted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The Department of Health is responsible for investigation and control of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with all food establishments.

How do I report a dirty restaurant in Florida?

If you see abuses of state standards, report them and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will send inspectors. Call the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or report a restaurant for health violations online.

Get the whole story at our restaurant inspection database.

What does all that terminology in Florida restaurant inspections mean?

Basic violations are those considered against best practices.

A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report.

An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division. Insufficient compliance after a warning, a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment. Says the division website: "Correcting the violations is important, but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over."

An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public. Here, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health, safety or welfare of the public.

A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala area restaurant/food truck inspections: Oct. 16-22, 2023