3 Marion County restaurants perfect on first try; 9 cited for high-priority violations

Staff reports
·11 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 July 31-Aug. 6, 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 July 31-Aug. 6 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?

Akita Sushi

8075 SW Hwy 200, Ocala

Routine Inspection on Aug. 1

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

13 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Observed employee wash pans in hand wash sink and not sanitizer prior to using pans. Manager advised.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed the following items and cold holding temperatures in the reach-in Cooler: shrimp (57F - Cold Holding); beef (56F - Cold Holding); Chicken (51F - Cold Holding). Items had been in the reach in cooler for 3hours. Manager voluntary discarded all three items. Ambient temperature of reach in cooler was 41F. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Antonio's The Depot

22060 N. U.S. 441, Micanopy

Routine Inspection on Aug. 4

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

13 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed raw meat stored over butter in reach in cooler

Cody's Original Roadhouse

8169 SW SR 200, Ocala

Routine Inspection on Aug. 1

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

14 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee touched soiled surface and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed employee pick up knife that had fallen on the floor. Knife was placed in dishwash area and employee returned to prepping food without washing hands and putting on new gloves. Manager instructed employee to wash hands and put on new gloves. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed the following items and cold holding temperatures in the reach-in Cooler: Poultry (57,57,56F - Cold Holding); Beef (57,57F - Cold Holding). All the items had been in this reach in cooler overnight. Ambient temperature of reach in cooler was 58F. Reach in cooler is located on cook line directly across the deep fryers. Observed in reach in cooler drawers under grill beef at 57F, that had been in the drawer overnight. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed the following items and cold holding temperatures in the reach-in Cooler: Poultry (57,57,56F - Cold Holding); Beef (57,57F - Cold Holding). All the items had been in this reach in cooler overnight. Ambient temperature of reach in cooler was 58F. Reach in cooler is located on cook line directly across the deep fryers. Observed in reach in cooler drawers under grill beef at 57F, that had been in the drawer overnight. **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed soap dispensers stored over onions in dry goods storage area. Manager removed soap dispenser. **Corrected On-Site**

Eaton's Beach Sandbar & Grill

15790 SE 134th Ave., Weirsdale

Routine Inspection on Aug. 3

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

23 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Five live flies in kitchen area.

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Stop sale issued for butter at 86F, On counter over four hours. Stop sale issued for tomatoes 60F, unable to determine when removed from temperature control.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter chips 66F in server station. Manager stated they were out for two hours then voluntarily discarded. Tomatoes 60F in ice bath with melted ice on cookline. Manager unable to determine how long tomatoes were there, then discarded. Stop sale issued.**Corrective Action Taken** **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. On table on cookline: pan of butter 86F. Stop sale issued.

Five Star Pizza

4414 SW College Road, Ocala

Routine Inspection on July 31

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

7 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. No time mark on sauce. Manager stated sauce was placed out 2.5 hours ago. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Freddy's Frozen Custard and Burgers

3558 SW College Road, Ocala

Routine Inspection on July 31

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

18 total violations, with 7 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. 0 ppm. Machine was ran again then 0 ppm. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Food-contact surfaces in contact with time/temperature control for safety food not cleaned at least every four hours. Fry scoop cleaned once a day per manager.

  • High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Two live flies in dessert area. Two live flies in warewash area. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Hot dogs 127F-128F in steamer on cookline for three hours, not reheated to 135F within two hours.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In table located in dessert topping area: milk 54F. Employee stated gallon of milk was placed out 30 minutes prior, top portion of container is over flip line of chilling bar.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety, commercially processed food in the process of reheating for hot holding for more than 2 hours has not reached 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot dogs 127F-128F in steamer on cookline for three hours, stop sale issued.

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Two cleaning chemical bottles on shelf next to jugs of oil. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Graffiti Seafood and More

1532 S. Pine Ave., Ocala

Complaint Inspection on Aug. 1

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

13 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. June 1, 2023

  • High Priority - Pesticide/insecticide labeled for household use only present in establishment. Wasp spray bottle above soda bags, manager moved. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with unwashed produce. In walk-in cooler, raw chicken container stored above limes, employee 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 cook line (make table): Cold holding: boiled eggs 50F, sausage 57F and 56F, eggs 51F, mushrooms 48F and 47F, alfredo 50F, cheese 56F, gyro sauce 56F, mussels 56F, noodles 56F **Warning**

Roma Italian Resturant

2775 NW 49th Ave., Ocala

Complaint Inspection on July 31

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

16 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Observed multiple flies in dining area **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. See stop sale. Observed fresh garlic bread kept on time with no time mark, manager advised that it had been prepared two hours earlier. Manager placed time on garlic bread.

Waffle House #2391

4611 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala

Complaint Inspection on Aug. 4

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

18 total violations, with 6 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 placed hands in pockets and continued to refill drink without washing hands. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Two live flies in kitchen area.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In reach in cooler at front counter: raw ground beef on shelf over ready to eat ham steaks. Also, raw animal food not separated based on cooking temperature requirements. In reach in cooler at front counter: ground pork sausage stored on shelf over bacon.

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Butter blend packets 62F, 67F, and 68F on roll cart at front counter

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter blend packets 67F, and 68F on roll cart at front counter. Stop sale issued. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Wiping cloth sanitizer solution exceeds the maximum concentration allowed. Sanitizer chlorine over 200 ppm in sanitizer bucket at front counter. Manager refreshed then 100 ppm.

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 and food truck inspections: July 31-Aug. 6, 2023