Cooked?
Ambar
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations1
- last inspectedApril 1, 2026
- address700 N Clark St, Chicago 60654
Is Ambar clean?
Ambar is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on April 1, 2026. Inspectors wrote up 1 critical violation — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid 😬.
What did inspectors find at Ambar?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on April 1, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 📋certified manager paperwork missingcriticalCity Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • OBSERVED NO CERTIFIED MANAGER ON SITE WHILE TCS ITEMS SUCH AS BEEF WERE PREPARED AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN AN EMPLOYEE HOLDING A VALID CITY OF CHICAGO FOODSERVICE MANAGER CERTIFICATE ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
- 🧽surfaces not properly sanitizedFood-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized • OBSERVED HIGH TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE IN REAR DISH AREA MAINTAINING IMPROPER FINAL RINSE TEMPERATURE OF 149.3F. MACHINE TAGGED AND HELD FOR INSPECTION. SEE COMMENTS. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE AND MAINTAIN DISH MACHINE SO THAT IT ACHIEVES A FINAL RINSE BETWEEN 180-192F. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-025. CITATION ISSUED.
- ⚠️Approved Thawing Methods Used • OBSERVED MEAT THAWING ON PREP TABLE IN REAR PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO ONLY THAW UNDER COLD RUNNING WATER OR IN MECHANICAL REFRIGERATION.Approved Thawing Methods Used • OBSERVED MEAT THAWING ON PREP TABLE IN REAR PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO ONLY THAW UNDER COLD RUNNING WATER OR IN MECHANICAL REFRIGERATION.
- 🌡️thermometers missingThermometers Provided & Accurate • OBSERVED NO METAL STEM THERMOMETER ON SITE AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN ON SITE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
- 🏷️food improperly labeledFood Properly Labeled; Original Container • OBSERVED BULK CONTAINER OF SUGAR NOT LABELLED. INSTRUCTED TO LABEL WITH COMMON NAME.
- ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • OBSERVED BUILD UP OF GREASE AND GRIME ON FILTERS IN HOOD OVER REAR COOK LINE. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN IN GOOD CONDITION.Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • OBSERVED BUILD UP OF GREASE AND GRIME ON FILTERS IN HOOD OVER REAR COOK LINE. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN IN GOOD CONDITION.
- ⚠️All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED 8 EMPLOYEES AT TIME OF INSPECTION WITHOUT FOOD HANDLER TRAINING. INSTRUCTED ALL EMPLOYEES MUST COMPLETE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING AND MAINTAIN RECORDS THEREOF ONSITE AT ALL TIMES.All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED 8 EMPLOYEES AT TIME OF INSPECTION WITHOUT FOOD HANDLER TRAINING. INSTRUCTED ALL EMPLOYEES MUST COMPLETE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING AND MAINTAIN RECORDS THEREOF ONSITE AT ALL TIMES.
When was Ambar last inspected?
Ambar has 3 inspections on record going back to March 13, 2025.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2026 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| April 24, 2025 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| March 13, 2025 | Pass |
Ambar vs Near North Side
Near North Side runs 75% clean across 2,889 tracked restaurants — 2,147 clean, 530 mid, 203 cooked.
Against the 2,889 spots Cooked tracks in Near North Side, this one comes out cleaner than 12% of them.
Other spots in Near North Side
How Chicago grades restaurants
Chicago does not use letter grades. Every inspection ends in one of three official results: Pass, Pass with Conditions, or Fail. Pass with Conditions means violations were found but corrected on the spot or under a deadline — the restaurant is open, with homework. A Fail means serious violations went uncorrected, and it usually brings a re-inspection within days. Chicago also flags “priority” violations, the ones most likely to actually make someone sick. Cooked reads Pass as clean, Pass with Conditions as mid, and Fail as cooked, and shows the itemized violations behind each result.
Source: Chicago Department of Public Health via Chicago Data Portal. Cooked refreshes this data daily — this listing's most recent inspection is dated April 1, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.