9 Alachua County restaurants fail inspections, 2 score perfect
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 Alachua County restaurant inspections site. You can use the database to search by county or by restaurant name.
Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Alachua County, Florida, for the week of Oct. 9-15, 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 its 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 Alachua County restaurant inspection site.
Which Alachua County restaurants got perfect scores on their health inspections?
These restaurants met all standards during their Oct. 9-15 inspections and no violations were found.
B'Z Gelati, Mobile food dispensing vehicle**
China Wok, 2308 SE Hawthorne Rd Ste E, Gainesville**
Court Of Hero's LLC, 2028 SW 34th St, Gainesville
Darrell's Diner #17, 3117 SW 34 St Ste 1, Gainesville**
Frenchmen Street Food, 439 S Main St, Gainesville
Grill Express, 808 W University Ave, Gainesville**
** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week
Which Alachua County restaurants were temporarily closed by inspectors?
These restaurants failed their Oct. 9-15 inspections and were temporarily closed. Follow-up inspections are required.
Wahoos Seafood Grill
3833 NW 97th Blvd., Gainesville
Routine inspection on Oct. 11
Facility temporarily closed: Operations ordered stopped until violations are corrected.
12 total violations, with five high-priority violations
High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee entered kitchen from outside and began handling ingredients for jambalaya without washing hands and changing gloves. Manager had employee wash hands and change gloves. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken stored over uncooked crab legs in reach-in cooler at end of cook line. Shell eggs stored over cream in walk-in cooler in front of walk-in freezer. Manager moved items to bottom shelf of respective coolers. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Observed three rodent droppings on top of cans in dry storage room behind main kitchen. Observed five rodent droppings on shelf in dry storage room behind main kitchen. Observed seven rodent droppings on floor beneath shelf in dry storage room behind main kitchen. **Warning**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items in grill line drawers: hamburger (45F - Cold Holding); fish (46F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items placed in drawers two hours prior to temperature being taken. Manager moved items to reach-in freezer to reduce temperature to 41F. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Hand sanitizer stored on shelf above reach-in cooler across from grill. Manager removed sanitizer from shelf. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
Which Alachua County restaurants had high-priority violations?
Bj's Restaurant & Brewhouse 486
6611 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville
Complaint inspection on Oct. 11
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
12 total violations, with two 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. Employee on cooks line pulled shirt down then grabbed food out of oven to start cutting/serving pizza.
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. chicken (65F - Cold Holding) item in reach in cooler by fryers, operator stated that chicken was hawed in standing water and had been prepped 30minutes to a 1 hour ago. Operator placed in walk in freezer. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
Cdmx Taqueria
Mobile food dispensing vehicle
Routine inspection on Oct. 11
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
Seven total violations, with one high-priority violation
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray bottle of sanitizing solution next to salt and oil by Handwash sink.
Darrell's Diner #17
3117 SW 34th St., Ste 1, Gainesville
Routine inspection on Oct. 11
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
Five total violations, with two high-priority violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: in the cook line flip top reach-in cooler in the corner: pork 49,50,54, potato 44, shred cheese 54, slice cheese 54. The slice cheese was above the other food pans. There was an open section missing a food pan. Items were brought/stocked at opening. Items being ice bagged or moved to the walk-in freezer. Time as a public health control was emailed along with cooler tips. **Warning**
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed a sanitizer spray stored next to bulk sugar on the front line. The spray was moved to cleaning. **Corrected On-Site**
Mcdonald's 12870
5110 NW 43rd St., Gainesville
Complaint inspection on Oct. 12
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
12 total violations, with six high-priority violations
High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee entered kitchen from dining room and began preparing to go orders without washing hands. Manager had employee wash hands. **Corrective Action Taken**
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. Employee rubbed hands on pants and continued to cook eggs without washing hands. Manager had employee wash hands. **Corrective Action Taken**
High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Observed two flies in drive thru area.
High Priority - Shell eggs not stored at an ambient air temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Eggs stored on shelf above egg cooker next to fryers. Manager returned eggs to reach-in cooler, ambient temperature 38F. **Corrected On-Site**
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. Cheese stored on make line, rehydrated onions in prep area no time marks. Manager stated items were in use for one hour. Manager had employee place proper time mark on items. **Corrected On-Site**
High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Faucet behind dumpsters. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
Prime and Pearl
4949 Celebration Pointe Ave., Ste70, Gainesville
Routine Inspection on Oct. 13
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
Four total violations, with two high-priority violations
High Priority - Quaternary ammonium sanitizer not at proper minimum strength for manual warewashing. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Observed the 3 compartment sink quaternary amonia test strip did not indicate in the approved zone. A new bucket had been added, priming is under way. **Corrective Action Taken**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: in the pantry flip top make table: cut tomato 47, lobster 47, lobster 47, shred cheese 47. Milk wash/dip 49F. Items iced above and below, milk wash packed in ice. Prep/stocking started at 3:00. Items dropped 2F in 12 minutes. Lobster was moved to the walk-in cooler then the walk-in freezer for quicker cooling. **Corrective Action Taken**
Scuola Pizza
5240 NW 34th Blvd., Ste A, Gainesville
Routine inspection on Oct. 11
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
One total violation, with one high-priority violation
High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. pizza slices (107-112F - Hot Holding) item in hot box operator stated they only serve pizza slices 11-3 for lunch, spoke to operator about adding slices to time as a public health control application. sauce (127F - Hot Holding) in steam table no more than 4 hours, operator stirred item. fries (93-100F - Hot Holding) item sitting on top of steam table, operator had made too many for previous orders, he discarded item. **Corrective Action Taken** - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-11: Sauce 156, rice 160, potatoes 112, fries 86, pizza slices on time as public health control. **Admin Complaint**
Suki's Vegan
5141 SW 91st Way, I-101, Gainesville
Routine inspection on Oct. 11
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
One total violation, with one high-priority violation
High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Observed the license expired on 6-1-23. **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-11: No change, Administrative complaint pending **Admin Complaint**
Sweetwater Branch Inn
617 E. University Ave., Gainesville
Routine inspection on Oct. 9
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
Eight total violations, with four high-priority violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Observed raw Chicken in the reach in cooler stored over Ready-To-Eat cheese and chimichurri container in the the reach in cooler located between the air conditioning unit and hand wash sink in the Mc Kenzie House kitchen. Observed raw repackaged Chicken stored offer repackaged roast beef and diced apples in the reach in freezer by the back door.
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed raw Chicken at 50F, cooked Chicken at 50F, butter at 51F in the reach in cooler located between the air conditioning unit and hand wash sink in the McKenzie House . All the items had been stored over night in the reach in cooler. Reach in cooler ambient temperature was at 53F **Warning**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed raw Chicken at 50F, cooked Chicken at 50F, butter at 51F in the reach in cooler located between the air conditioning unit and hand wash sink in the McKenzie House . All the items had been stored over night in the reach in cooler. Reach in cooler ambient temperature was at 53F **Warning**
High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Observed vacuum breaker not attached to the hose Bibb on the right side of the back steps to the kitchen that is next to the outside walk-in-cooler of the McKenzie house **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
Routine inspection on Oct. 9
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
Three total violations, with two high-priority violations
High Priority - Dishmachine not sanitizing properly. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Observed high temperature dishmachine in Cushman-Coleman kitchen at 148F **Warning**
High Priority - Self-service salad bar/buffet lacking adequate sneezeguards or other proper protection from contamination. Observed in Cushman-Coleman Buffet, danish, breakfast breads and cake placed on the open counter with no sneeze guard or other protection.
Tosh Kitchen
12 W. University Ave., Gainesville
Routine inspection on Oct. 12
Follow-up inspection required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
10 total violations, with three high-priority violations
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Cream at 50F.
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. cream (50F - Cold Holding) item in reach in cooler on cooks line, standing water at bottom of cooler and the flip top was closed but the top part of cooler was not covered, cold air was sealing out of cooler. See stop sale.
High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. At the end of cooks line with red hose attached. **Repeat Violation** **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 The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville area restaurant and food truck inspections Oct. 9-15
