The Red Fox

• resultFail
• critical violations1
• last inspectedJuly 7, 2026
• address326 Commercial St, Boston 02109

Is The Red Fox clean?

The Red Fox is currently Fail from Boston Inspectional Services, Health Division, from an inspection on July 7, 2026. Inspectors wrote up 1 critical violation — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads cooked 🪳.

What did inspectors find at The Red Fox?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on July 7, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• ⚠️Ice Used as Exterior Coolant Prohibited as Ingredient (P) • At the main large bar observed a bottle of alcohol stored in ice that per the person in charge would be used for drinks; the person in charge had staff remove the ice clean and sanitize the bin; ice used in drinks should not be used as a coolant.critical
  Ice Used as Exterior Coolant Prohibited as Ingredient (P) • At the main large bar observed a bottle of alcohol stored in ice that per the person in charge would be used for drinks; the person in charge had staff remove the ice clean and sanitize the bin; ice used in drinks should not be used as a coolant.
• ⚠️In-Use Utensils Between-Use Storage (C) • At multiple locations in the kitchen observed in-use utensils stored in 70F water; in-use utensils should be stored on a clean and sanitized surface in water 135F and above or in coold running water.
  In-Use Utensils Between-Use Storage (C) • At multiple locations in the kitchen observed in-use utensils stored in 70F water; in-use utensils should be stored on a clean and sanitized surface in water 135F and above or in coold running water.
• ⚠️Records Creation & Retention (Pf) • Observed shellstock tags in the records container missing last used dates; retrain staff to fill out every shellstock tag with the last used date.
  Records Creation & Retention (Pf) • Observed shellstock tags in the records container missing last used dates; retrain staff to fill out every shellstock tag with the last used date.
• ⚠️Temperature Measuring Devices-Functionality (C) • Cold holding units lack internal thermometers; provide internal thermometers inside all cold holding units.
  Temperature Measuring Devices-Functionality (C) • Cold holding units lack internal thermometers; provide internal thermometers inside all cold holding units.
• ⚠️Temperature Measuring Devices Manual and Mechanical Warewashing (Pf) • At the main kitchen warewashing machine that uses temperature to sanitize an irreversible thermomter could no be presented; provide an irriversible thermometer.
  Temperature Measuring Devices Manual and Mechanical Warewashing (Pf) • At the main kitchen warewashing machine that uses temperature to sanitize an irreversible thermomter could no be presented; provide an irriversible thermometer.
• ⚠️Sanitizing Solutions Testing Devices (Pf) • The establishment uses chlorine at two of their warewashing machines and quats at the three comparment sink but could not provide the testing devices for either chemical solution; provide testing devices for quats and chlorine.
  Sanitizing Solutions Testing Devices (Pf) • The establishment uses chlorine at two of their warewashing machines and quats at the three comparment sink but could not provide the testing devices for either chemical solution; provide testing devices for quats and chlorine.
• ⚠️Using a Handwashing Sink-Operation and Maintenance (Pf) • At the large bar observed the only handwashing sink blocked with canned goods and hotel pan covers; handwashing sinks should be accessible at all times and only used for hand washing.
  Using a Handwashing Sink-Operation and Maintenance (Pf) • At the large bar observed the only handwashing sink blocked with canned goods and hotel pan covers; handwashing sinks should be accessible at all times and only used for hand washing.
• ⚠️Backflow Prevention (P) • 7-7-2026 upon reinspection work has been done by a licensed plumber but no City Plumbing Inspector has been out yet. Have your plumber pull proper permits and schedule a City Plumbing Inspector to inspect the work completed.critical
  Backflow Prevention (P) • 7-7-2026 upon reinspection work has been done by a licensed plumber but no City Plumbing Inspector has been out yet. Have your plumber pull proper permits and schedule a City Plumbing Inspector to inspect the work completed.
• ⚠️Outer Openings Protected (C) • Observed the rear exit of the establishment propped open during service; out doors should be closed to prevent pest entry; the person in charge closed and secured the door after the observation.
  Outer Openings Protected (C) • Observed the rear exit of the establishment propped open during service; out doors should be closed to prevent pest entry; the person in charge closed and secured the door after the observation.
• ⚠️Handwashing Signage (C) • At the restrooms observed that the handwashing sinks lack hand washing signage; provide proper signage at the handwashing sinks in the restrooms.
  Handwashing Signage (C) • At the restrooms observed that the handwashing sinks lack hand washing signage; provide proper signage at the handwashing sinks in the restrooms.
• ⚠️Repairing-Premises Structures Attachments and Fixtures-Methods (C) • The emergency exit signs at the rear of the kitchen are detached from their mounts and hanging by wires; repair or replace the emergency exit signs.
  Repairing-Premises Structures Attachments and Fixtures-Methods (C) • The emergency exit signs at the rear of the kitchen are detached from their mounts and hanging by wires; repair or replace the emergency exit signs.

When was The Red Fox last inspected?

The Red Fox has 7 inspections on record going back to June 28, 2024.

The Red Fox vs North End

North End runs 88% clean across 717 tracked restaurants — 579 clean, 37 mid, 40 cooked.

Against the 717 spots Cooked tracks in North End, this one comes out cleaner than 7% of them.

Other spots in North End

• ✓ Pepper Palace Inc.
  clean · May 12, 2026
• ✓ Al's State Street Cafe
  clean · March 11, 2026
• ✓ Sunny Girl
  clean · June 25, 2026
• ✓ Pappare Ristorante
  clean · September 24, 2025
• ✓ Dalmoros Fresh Pasta To Go
  clean · February 12, 2026
• ✓ Sweet Cravings
  clean · September 5, 2025

See every restaurant inspection in North End →

How Boston grades restaurants

Boston reports inspections as a pass or a fail, with no score and no letter. What separates a bad fail from a trivial one is the violation severity ladder: a single star is a minor issue, two stars is more serious, and three stars marks a critical foodborne-illness risk factor — temperature abuse, bad handwashing, cross-contamination. A restaurant can fail on paperwork alone, which is not the same as failing on food safety. Cooked splits Boston fails accordingly: a fail with a three-star violation reads cooked, a fail on minor items only reads mid.

Source: Boston Inspectional Services, Health Division via Analyze Boston. Cooked refreshes this data daily — this listing's most recent inspection is dated July 7, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.