Big Boy Deli

• resultFail
• critical violations3
• last inspectedSeptember 25, 2024
• address343 E 79Th St, Chicago 60619
• cuisineGrocery Store

Is Big Boy Deli clean?

Big Boy Deli is currently Fail from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on September 25, 2024. Inspectors wrote up 3 critical violations — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads cooked 🪳.

What did inspectors find at Big Boy Deli?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on September 25, 2024, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 📋no certified food manager on dutycritical
  Person In Charge Present, Demonstrates Knowledge, And Performs Duties • PERSON IN CHARGE HAS NO CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER (CFM) CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN.
• 📋certified manager paperwork missingcritical
  City Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • NO CFM CERTIFICATE NOR MANAGER ON SITE WHILE PREPARING/SERVING TCS FOODS (I.E. NACHO CHEESE, DELI SANDWICHES, BURGERS, ETC.). INSTRUCTED TO HAVE A CFM AND VALID CERTIFICATE ON SITE AT ALL TIMES WHEN PREPARING/SERVING TCS FOODS. MAINTAIN SAME. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-012 CITATION ISSUED.
• 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecritical
  Adequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • NO SOAP AT THE FRONT HAND WASHING SINK NOR AT THE WASHBOWL IN THE TOILET ROOM. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN SOAP AT ALL HAND WASHING SINKS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-030(C) VIOLATION CITATION ISSUED • NO HAND DRYING DEVICE AT THE FRONT/REAR HAND WASHING SINKS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-030(C) CITATION ISSUED ON ABOVE VIOLATION
• 🧫food prep surfaces dirty
  Proper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment For Temperature Control • TCS FOODS ARE COOLED AND REHEATED, FOUND NO ADEQUATE COOLING METHODS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE COOLING METHOD FOR PROPER COOLING OF TCS FOODS.
• 🌡️thermometers missing
  Thermometers Provided & Accurate • NO METAL STEM THERMOMETER(S) FOR INTERNAL TEMPERATURE TAKING OF TCS FOODS. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN A METAL STEM THERMOMETER ON SITE.
• 🪳pests in the house
  Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present • FOUND MICE ACTIVITY ON THE PREMISES. 80 UNDER THE FRONT HAND WASHING SINK, BEHIND THE REACH IN FREEZER, PREP TABLE AND UNDER THE FRONT COUNTER. 100 IN THE REAR UNDER/AROUND THE SINKS, STORAGE RACKS IN THE CORNERS AND AROUND THE GREASE TRAP. INSTRUCTED TO ELIMINATE MICE ACTIVITY, CLEAN/SANITIZE THE AFFECTED AREAS AND CALL PEST CONTROL FOR SERVICE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-020(A) VIOLATION CITATION ISSUED • NO PEST CONTROL LOG BOOK AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A PEST CONTROL LOG BOOK FOR REVIEW. MAINTAIN SAME. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-020(C) VIOLATION CITATION ISSUED
• 🚿plumbing acting up
  Non-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean • INTERIOR OF COOLERS/FREEZERS AND THE DISPLAY COOLER THAT'S USED FOR STORAGE WITH FOOD, DIRT AND DEBRIS. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN ALL.
• ⚠️Hot & Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure • FOUND NO HOT WATER AT NONE OF THE SINKS. TEMPERATURES RANGED FROM 72.4F TO 73.0F. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE HOT WATER AND MAINTAIN THROUGHOUT PER CITY CODE. PRIORITY 7-38-030(C) CITATION ISSUED
  Hot & Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure • FOUND NO HOT WATER AT NONE OF THE SINKS. TEMPERATURES RANGED FROM 72.4F TO 73.0F. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE HOT WATER AND MAINTAIN THROUGHOUT PER CITY CODE. PRIORITY 7-38-030(C) CITATION ISSUED
• 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimy
  Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • THE INTERIOR OF THE FLOOR DRAIN UNDER THE 3-COMPARTMENT SINK AND FLOORS IN THE CORNERS, UNDER/AROUND THE STORAGE RACKS, SINKS, COOKING EQUIPMENT AND PREP TABLES WITH STAINS, FOOD, DIRT AND DEBRIS. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN FLOOR DRAINS AND FLOORS THROUGHOUT.
• ⚠️All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • FOOD HANDLERS MUST MEET THE FOOD HANDLER'S REQUIREMENTS AND PROVIDE PROOF. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN FOOD HANDLERS CERTIFICATES.
  All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • FOOD HANDLERS MUST MEET THE FOOD HANDLER'S REQUIREMENTS AND PROVIDE PROOF. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN FOOD HANDLERS CERTIFICATES.
• 🥜allergen training missing
  Allergen Training As Required • ALL CFMs MUST TAKE AN ALLERGEN TRAINING COURSE AND PROVIDE PROOF. MAINTAIN SAME.
• ⚠️Previous Core Violation Corrected • PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION FROM REPORT #2574129, DATED 04/12/2024 NOT CORRECTED AND/OR MAINTAINED. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN: #47- OBSERVED THE USE OF RAW WOOD AT THE REAR DISWASHING AREA BEING USED AS A PLATFORM FOR THE THREE-COMPARTMENT SINK AND ON THE FLOORS AND COUNTER AT THE FRONT SERVICE AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PAINT THE SURFACES WITH FOOD GRADE PAINT, IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM SMOOTH AND EASILY CLEANABLE. #55- OBSERVED OPENINGS ALONG THE WALL IN THE OFFICE AND THE WALL BASES IN THE OFFICE AND THE DISHWASHING AREA. INSTRUCTED TO SEAL ALL OPENINGS AND REPAIR ALL DAMAGED WALL BASES AND MAINTAIN. #55- OBSERVED UNNECESSARY ITEMS STORED IN THE DISHWASHING AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ALL UNNECESSARY ITEMS FROM THE FACILITY AND MAINTAIN. #55- OBSERVED NO HOOKING DEVICE FOR PROPERLY STORING WET MOPS. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL A HOOKING SYSTEM AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-42-090 VIOLATION CITATION ISSUED
  Previous Core Violation Corrected • PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION FROM REPORT #2574129, DATED 04/12/2024 NOT CORRECTED AND/OR MAINTAINED. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN: #47- OBSERVED THE USE OF RAW WOOD AT THE REAR DISWASHING AREA BEING USED AS A PLATFORM FOR THE THREE-COMPARTMENT SINK AND ON THE FLOORS AND COUNTER AT THE FRONT SERVICE AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PAINT THE SURFACES WITH FOOD GRADE PAINT, IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM SMOOTH AND EASILY CLEANABLE. #55- OBSERVED OPENINGS ALONG THE WALL IN THE OFFICE AND THE WALL BASES IN THE OFFICE AND THE DISHWASHING AREA. INSTRUCTED TO SEAL ALL OPENINGS AND REPAIR ALL DAMAGED WALL BASES AND MAINTAIN. #55- OBSERVED UNNECESSARY ITEMS STORED IN THE DISHWASHING AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ALL UNNECESSARY ITEMS FROM THE FACILITY AND MAINTAIN. #55- OBSERVED NO HOOKING DEVICE FOR PROPERLY STORING WET MOPS. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL A HOOKING SYSTEM AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-42-090 VIOLATION CITATION ISSUED

When was Big Boy Deli last inspected?

Big Boy Deli has 4 inspections on record going back to April 7, 2023.

Big Boy Deli vs Chatham

Chatham runs 62% clean across 443 tracked restaurants — 275 clean, 85 mid, 81 cooked.

Against the 443 spots Cooked tracks in Chatham, this one comes out cleaner than 11% of them.

Other spots in Chatham

• ✓ The Original Uncle Johns Barbecue
  clean · March 16, 2026
• ✓ Dat Donut
  clean · December 11, 2024
• ✓! The San-Wich
  mid · May 5, 2023
• ✓! L.Y.N2 Llc
  mid · May 4, 2023
• ✓ Ace Food Mart
  clean · February 5, 2024
• ✓ Reemy's Food Market & Tobacco
  clean · February 6, 2026

See every restaurant inspection in Chatham →

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 September 25, 2024. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.