15 St. Johns County restaurants fail inspection

Staff reports
·18 min read

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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 St. Johns County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in St. Johns County, Florida, for the week of April 1-7, 2024. 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 St. Johns County restaurant inspection site.

Which St. Johns County restaurants got perfect scores on their health inspections?

These restaurants met all standards during their April 1-7 inspections and no violations were found.

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

Which St. Johns County restaurants had high priority violations?

Arby's #7513

708 E Geoffrey St, Saint Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 2

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

12 total violations, with 3 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. Dishwasher (Chlorine 0ppm); operator was able to prime pump retested;Dishwasher (Chlorine 100ppm) **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. On make line, roast beef (126F - Hot Holding). Operator moved to steamer to bring up to proper temperature **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. On secondary make line, bottle of sanitizer spray on counter of cold well. Operator moved to proper storage location. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Bono's Bar B Q

100 Bartram Oaks Walk, Jacksonville

Routine Inspection on April 3

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

13 total violations, with 6 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. pork roast (101F - Cooling after approximately 2 hours, 91F-84F after another hour); beef brisket (91F - Cooling after approximately 2 hours, 88F-76F) large chucks of meat and brisket wrapped in paper in walk in cooler, per employee all items where removed from smoker and left to cool at room temperature for several hours before placing in walk in cooler. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours and from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within six hours. See stop sale. pork roast (101F - Cooling after approximately 2 hours, 91F-84F after another hour); beef brisket (91F - Cooling after approximately 2 hours, 88F-76F) large chucks of meat and brisket wrapped in paper in walk in cooler, per employee all items where removed from smoker and left to cool at room temperature for several hours before placing in walk in cooler.

  • 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. In use dish machine ran multiple reading 0ppm chlorine every time. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Multiple pans ran through dish machine reading 0ppm chlorine.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw fish stored over cooked chicken wings in reach in cooler in kitchen, fish moved. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. shredded cheese (46F - Cold Holding); potato salad (45F - Cold Holding); chicken wings (47F - Cold Holding); sliced cheese (46F - Cold Holding); ribs (46F - Cold Holding) in walk in cooler, per manager door was consistently open for approximately 1 hour prior and multiple hot food items cooling in walk in cooler, interior door to walk in freezer propped open. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

Bull & Crown Publick House

53 St George St, Saint Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 2

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

6 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed main flip-top cooler: salmon (50F - Cold Holding). Ambient air temperature of cooler is 50F. Person in charge placed product on emergency time control for lunch rush. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Charleys Philly Steaks

2355 US Hwy 1 S, Saint Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 3

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

15 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with unwashed produce. In walk in cooler, raw bacon stored above unwashed produce.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. In warming drawer at wing station, chicken (126F - Hot Holding). Operator stated chicken in drawer for 2.5/hours, operator reheated chicken to 168F. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. At mop sink, missing back flow preventer on non-chemical dispenser side of splitter.

Courtyard By Marriott St Augustine Beach

605 A1a Beach Blvd, Saint Augustine Beac

Routine Inspection on April 2

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

10 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Quaternary ammonium sanitizer not at proper minimum strength for manual warewashing. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Quat sanitizer tests at 0ppm. Person in charge made a bleach sink and it tested at 50ppm. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. All dressings and blue cheese is dated 3.6 today 4.2. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Eggs 72F cold holding. Eggs were discarded. Front cooler; guacamole 57F, fruit 58F, sandwiches 57F, butter, cream cheese 58F; ( - Cold Holding) **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Eggs 72F cold holding. Eggs were discarded. Front cooler; guacamole 57F, fruit 58F, sandwiches 57F, butter, cream cheese 58F; ( - Cold Holding) **Warning**

Kekes Breakfast Cafe

135 Jenkins St, St Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 3

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

22 total violations, with 5 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. In dish area, observed employee handling dirty plate ware, then handled clean plate ware without washing hands. He also used apron to wipe hands.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In walk in cooler, back shelf at bottom, ready to eat sausage stored in containers directly next to containers of raw hamburgers.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In top section of Reach in cooler of cook line. cream cheese (55F - Cold Holding). Individual cream cheese containers stored above chill line, operator moved to walk in cooler to rapidly cool **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. On cook line, French toast batter on counter had no time marked, employee stated sticker fell off, she placed new sticker on container. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. In dish area at mop sink, hose Bibb with green hose attached no back flow preventer. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Maple Street Biscuit Company

39 Cordova St, Saint Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 3

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

13 total violations, with 5 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Evidence of mop/cleaning wastewater dumped onto ground. Observed wastewater pooling on ground outside back door of kitchen next to grease trap access covers. Employees dump waste water on ground per person in charge. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed at 1100 eggs came off time at 1050 not discarded.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food held using time as a public health control not discarded at the end of the 4-hour/6-hour period. See stop sale. Observed at 1100 eggs came off time at 1050 not discarded.

  • 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. Observed all time controlled food renewed without making new time markings. Person in charge made new time labels. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed sausage patties (100F - Hot Holding) on steam table. Person in charge voluntarily through away.

Moes Southwest Grill #198

445 N Sr 13 Ste 1, Jacksonville

Complaint Inspection on April 3

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 - Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee touched ear with bare hand then out on gloves and made food orders for customers without washing hands between tasks.

Rendezvous Wine & Food Bar

106 St George St, St Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 3

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

8 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Sewage/wastewater backing up through grease trap under triple sink at bar. Observed waste water coming out of bar grease trap when triple sink is drained. Person in charge ceased using triple sink at bar and is diverting all dish washing into kitchen. Person in charge is calling for service for grease trap. **Admin Complaint**

Taps Bar & Grill

2220 Cr 210 W #314, St. Johns

Complaint Inspection on April 1

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

8 total violations, with 5 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Server touching face with bare hands then continued to handle plated food and to go containers at service window without washing hands between tasks.

  • 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. Server touching cut lemons with bare hands for drinks at server station near bar.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw pork stored over cooked gyro meat in walk in cooler in back of kitchen, gyro meat removed. Also raw fish stored over mushrooms in reach in cooler in corner of kitchen near fryers, all items rearranged. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. chili (44F - Cold Holding); jerk chicken soup (44F - Cold Holding) in back corner of walk in cooler, per employee both items have been in the walk in cooler overnight without any additional preparation.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. chili (44F - Cold Holding); jerk chicken soup (44F - Cold Holding) in back corner of walk in cooler, per employee both items have been in the walk in cooler overnight without any additional preparation.

Taste Of India

155 Hampton Point Dr Ste 5-8, Saint Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 1

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 - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. curry (45F,46F,47F - Cold Holding); cooked cauliflower (45F - Cold Holding); peas and ground beef (46F - Cold Holding) all items in walk in cooler, per manager door was consistently open for a delivery and food preparation no more then 2 hour prior. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2024-03-29: In walk in cooler: 2 pans Curry beef (45F,47F - Cold Holding); 1 pan cooked chicken(46F - Cold Holding); 2 pans of cooked cauliflower(46F - Cold Holding) cooked jalapeno(48F - Cold Holding); cooked chicken (48F - Cold Holding); meatballs 46F - Cold Holding; 7 cs heavy Cream (45F,46F,47F - Cold Holding); various curry sauces 10 ea (45F, 46F - Cold Holding); 1 pan of carrot pudding 46F - Cold Holding; 1 pan Garbanzo beans 45F- cold holding; 5 ea pans of curry sauce 44F-46F cold holding ; 1 pan of cooked fish 46F-cold holding; 12 ea milk 45F-cold holding. Per manager all items have been in walk in cooler since last night with no additional prep, with no one entering/exiting cooler. Inspector instructed operator to stop selling all items. **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2024-03-30: curry (45F,46F,47F, 44F, - Cold Holding); cooked cauliflower (45F - Cold Holding); cooked chicken (46F - Cold Holding); raw chicken (46F - Cold Holding) all items in walk in cooler, per operator they have not been in the cooler since the previous day and no additional preparation for any items in walk in cooler have been done today. **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2024-04-01: No change in temperatures for any time/temperature controlled for safety foods in walk in cooler, per operator they have a technician coming out today to service the walk in cooler. **Admin Complaint**

Taste Of India

155 Hampton Point Dr Ste 5-8, Saint Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 2

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 - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. curry (45F,46F,47F - Cold Holding); cooked cauliflower (45F - Cold Holding); peas and ground beef (46F - Cold Holding) all items in walk in cooler, per manager door was consistently open for a delivery and food preparation no more then 2 hour prior. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2024-03-29: In walk in cooler: 2 pans Curry beef (45F,47F - Cold Holding); 1 pan cooked chicken(46F - Cold Holding); 2 pans of cooked cauliflower(46F - Cold Holding) cooked jalapeno(48F - Cold Holding); cooked chicken (48F - Cold Holding); meatballs 46F - Cold Holding; 7 cs heavy Cream (45F,46F,47F - Cold Holding); various curry sauces 10 ea (45F, 46F - Cold Holding); 1 pan of carrot pudding 46F - Cold Holding; 1 pan Garbanzo beans 45F- cold holding; 5 ea pans of curry sauce 44F-46F cold holding ; 1 pan of cooked fish 46F-cold holding; 12 ea milk 45F-cold holding. Per manager all items have been in walk in cooler since last night with no additional prep, with no one entering/exiting cooler. Inspector instructed operator to stop selling all items. **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2024-03-30: curry (45F,46F,47F, 44F, - Cold Holding); cooked cauliflower (45F - Cold Holding); cooked chicken (46F - Cold Holding); raw chicken (46F - Cold Holding) all items in walk in cooler, per operator they have not been in the cooler since the previous day and no additional preparation for any items in walk in cooler have been done today. **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2024-04-01: No change in temperatures for any time/temperature controlled for safety foods in walk in cooler, per operator they have a technician coming out today to service the walk in cooler. **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2024-04-02: Per operator the maintenance personnel keep rescheduling and they have someone coming out today. **Time Extended**

The Spot Cafe

4508 Us 1 N, Saint Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 1

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

6 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. 2 dented cans of sausage gravy in back dry food storage area.

  • 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. Employee on cook line touching toast and omelette with bare hands without any additional preparation before placing on plate, employee put on gloves. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Container of banana pudding in standing reach in cooler on prep area in kitchen dated 3/20.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. shredded cheese (46F - Cold Holding); sausage (46F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (47F - Cold Holding); diced ham (47F - Cold Holding) in reach in cooler make table on on cook line, per employee lid and doors consistently open and closed for less then 2 hours, temperature of cooler turned down. cut watermelon (47F - Cold Holding); shredded cheese (47F - Cold Holding); butter (48F - Cold Holding); rice (46F - Cold Holding) in standing reach in cooler in back prep area, per employees door has been consistently open for no more then 30 minutes, all items moved to different cooler. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Woodpeckers Backyard BBQ

4930 State Road 13, Saint Augustine

Routine Inspection on April 3

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

6 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. cheese sauce (121F - Hot Holding) in turned off steam well next to service window, per manager sauce has been in well less then 1 hour, steam well turned on and cheese reheated to 168F **Corrected On-Site** **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 St. Augustine Record: St. Augustine area restaurant and food truck inspections April 1-7