8 Marion County restaurants cited for high-priority violations

Staff reports
·12 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 Marion County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Marion County for the week of April 8-14, 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 Marion County restaurant inspection site.

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

These restaurants met all standards during their April 8-14 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?

China Lee Buffet

3933 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala

Routine Inspection on April 11

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

34 total violations, with 10 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee switched from working with raw food to ready-to-eat food without washing hands. Male employee at hibachi grill cracked raw shell eggs then touched handles of cooking utensils without washing hands. **Warning**

  • 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. Male employee touched face then continued to cook without washing hands. **Warning**

  • 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. Male employee at hibachi grill touched soiled apron then clean utensils and continued to cook without washing hands. Male employee on cook line picked up item off floor then continued to prepare fish without changing gloves and washing hands. **Warning**

  • 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 preparing cooked chicken with bare hands. Employee stopped and put on gloves. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Food contaminated by employees. See stop sale. Coffee creamer stored inside ice bin used to ice foods

  • High Priority - Food stored in ice used for food. See stop sale. Coffee creamer stored inside ice bin used to ice foods.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In reach in sushi cooler: raw fish stored over krab. Moved. On cook line: pan of raw shell eggs in pan of cut cabbage, pan of raw chicken on shelf over cooked chicken, and pan of raw fish on shelf over biscuit dough. Moved all. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In reach in cooler at kitchen entrance: mussels 53F. Eggs 52F. Both items were moved to different unit. Ambient air of unit is 50F. Condensation on drinks in unit.

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. WD40 on clean dish side of hand sink. Rubbing alcohol over prep table. All were moved. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Outside back door. Under table in warehouse wash area with hose attached.

Chipotle Mexican Grill 1971

2645 College Rd Ste 103, Ocala

Complaint Partial Inspection on April 10

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 - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. At the prep area, observed one live roach on wall, Manager killed and cleaned. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

Dugout Family Sports Bar and Grill

6833 SE Maricamp Rd, Ocala

Routine Inspection on April 9

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 - 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 placed garnish on top of spinach dip.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler at the cook line ham and roast beef stored above filling line at 40 and 51F, employee moved top portions to freezer n **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. At the cook line, chicken 78F, Manager will placed on time. Chicken cooked at 1:45pm and will be discarded at 5:45. **Corrective Action Taken**

El Mezcal Mexican Restaurant

8441 SW Hwy 200 Ste 147/149, Ocala

Complaint Inspection on April 9

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

36 total violations, with 11 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Male employee changed gloves without washing hands.

  • 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. Female employee scooped ice with blue cup rather than using scoop.

  • High Priority - Evidence of mop/cleaning wastewater dumped onto ground. Grey water on ground over rocks next to back door.

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

  • High Priority - Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. Thank you bag in direct contact with cheese in reach in cooler.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In walk in cooler: pan of raw beef on shelf over pan of rice. Tubes of raw ground beef stored on top of cases of tomatoes.

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Three pans of rice and pan of beans on shelf under steam table: rice 109F. 91F. 116F. Beans 91F. In pan on top of steam table: queso 89F. On top of reach in make table: tomatoes 54F. Cabbage 60F. Manager stated items out more than four hours. In reach in cooler at server station: milk 46F. Unable to determine how long milk was in cooler. In reach in cooler with an ambient temperature of 67F on cookline: beef 65F. Beef 67F. Beef 64F. Scallops 60F. All items in unit more than four hours. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. On top of reach in make table: tomatoes 54F. Cabbage 60F. Manager stated items out more than four hours. Stop sale issued. In reach in cooler at server station: milk 46F. Unable to determine how long milk was in cooler. Stop sale issued. In reach in cooler with an ambient temperature of 67F on cookline: beef 65F. Beef 67F. Beef 64F. Scallops 60F. All items in unit more than four hours. Stop sale issued. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Three pans of rice and pan of beans on shelf under steam table: rice 109F. 91F. 116F. Beans 91F. In pan on top of steam table: queso 89F. Stop sale issued for all. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Case of raid pest traps on shelf over rice in dry storage room. Degreaser on top of case of wine at bar. Raid was moved during this inspection. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Splitter added at mop sink with no device located on two hose connection sides. Bibb under triple sink with no device. Bibb next to back door with no device.

Hibachi Express

7578 SE Maricamp Rd #111, Ocala

Routine Inspection on April 9

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

17 total violations, with 6 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. At the front counter area, next to handwash sink, observed four containers of medicines next to single use paper, Manager moved all medicines. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Male employee at the cook line working before at the triple sink with dirty utensils started cooking vegetables and chicken without washing his hands.

  • High Priority - Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Male employee washed strainers with soap, rinsed and immediately after placed strainer on shelf above triple sink with already cleaned containers, Inspector instructed to sanitize i using the dish machine. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. In walk-in cooler, observed multiple thank you bags with food in direct contact with the bags.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. At the sushi bar area, raw bacon stored above ready to eat fish, Manager moved. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. At the cook line on stove, observed vegetables at 92F, per Manager vegetables were cooked around 12:30. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Hooters Of Ocala

2711 SW 27th Ave, Ocala

Routine Inspection on April 10

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

9 total violations, with 2 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. Dish machine at the bar area, chlorine 0ppm, Manager replaced sanitizer bucket, 50ppm. **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, raw chicken 52F, 53F, 49F and 46F, Manager voluntarily discarded. Cooler was not plug in. **Warning**

Tabby's Restaurant

10863 E. State Road 40 Unit 1, Silver Springs

Routine Inspection on April 9

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

9 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • 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 on cook line: tray of beef patties on shelf over portion bags of fries. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. In reach in cooler: boiled eggs from 3/28, discard date 4/2. In walk in cooler: cooked carrots 3/29, discard date 4/3. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Approximately 30 rodent droppings on floor in dry storage room near back door. **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. At front counter in pan with large chunk of ice underneath: butter packets 60F. Half and half creamer 54F. Discussed the need for ice around product. Manager placed in new ice bath with water. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Tacos Y Mas

Mobile food dispensing vehicle

Complaint Inspection on April 8

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

4 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Nonfood-grade containers used for food storage - direct contact with food. Grey grocery bag in direct contact with chicken in reach in cooler. Manager removed. **Corrected On-Site**

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: April 8-14, 2024