Cooked?
Big Star
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations3
- last inspectedAugust 14, 2025
- address1531 N Damen Ave, Chicago 60622
Is Big Star clean?
Big Star is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on August 14, 2025. Inspectors wrote up 3 critical violations — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid 😬.
What did inspectors find at Big Star?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on August 14, 2025, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 🚰handwashing sink issuescriticalHands Clean & Properly Washed • OBSERVED POOR HYGIENIC PRACTICES BY MALE FOOD HANDLERS WHILE HANDLING DIRTY TO CLEAN DISHES, ALSO A MALE FOOD HANDLER HANDLING A SOILED TOWEL AND A COOKED TORTILLA SHELL IN HIS HAND WHILE HE WIPED THE COUNTER. MUST WASH HANDS AFTER EVERY POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION. (PRIORITY 7-38-010)(CITATION ISSUED)(COS)
- 🚿water/temperature at the sink offcriticalNo Bare Hand Contact With Rte Food Or A Pre-Approved Alternative Procedure Properly Allowed • OBSERVED BARE HAND CONTACT WITH READY-TO-EAT TORTILLA BEING REMOVED FROM GRILL BY FEMALE FOOD HANDLER. PRODUCT WAS DISCARDED APPX. 2.8LBS. TORTILLA. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO USE UTENSILS OR DISPOSABLE GLOVES TO HANDLE TCS FOODS.APPX.2.8LBS.$3.(PRIORITY 7-38-010)(CITATION ISSUED)(COS)
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • OBSERVED HAND WASHING SINK NOT ACCESSIBLE IN FRONT OF THE MAIN PREP AREA.OBSERVED A PREP TABLE STORED IN FRONT OF SAID SINK. TABLE WAS REMOVED DURING INSPECTION. MUST KEEP HAND WASHING SINK ACCESSIBLE AT ALL TIMES.(PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-030(C)(CITATION ISSUED)(COS) • OBSERVED NO SOAP AT MAIN PREP AREA HAND WASHING SINK SOAP WAS PROVIDED DURING INSPECTION.MUST PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.(PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-030(C)(COS)(CONSOLIDATED VIOLATION ) • OBSERVED NO HAND DRYING DEVICES AT MAIN PREP AREA. HAND WASHING SINK, PAPER TOWEL WERE PROVIDED DURING INSPECTION. MUST PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.(PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-030(C)(COS)(CONSOLIDATED VIOLATION )
- 🧽surfaces not properly sanitizedFood-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized • OBSERVED A HIGH TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE IN USE. FINAL RINSE IS AT 147.0°F. MUST BE AT 180.0°F OR MORE.MUST REPAIR AND MAINTAIN. (PRIORITY 7-38-025)(CITATION ISSUED)(COS) REPAIR PERSON ON SITE IS CHANGING FROM A HIGH TEMPERATURE TO A CHEMICAL DISH MACHINE AT THIS TIME OF INSPECTION.
- 🧊cold food not cold enoughProper Cold Holding Temperatures • OBSERVED IMPROPER TEMPERATURES OF TCS FOODS, SUCH AS .5LBS. SLAW-47.3F.2.5LBS. COOKED ONIONS-46.0F-48.6F.12OZ. SALSA PICO-52.1F.12OZ. COOKED CHIROZO-47.1F.3LBS. PICO DE GALLO-46.9F.2LBS. SLICED AVACADO-48.1F. THE PRODUCT WAS DISCARDED BY THE MANAGER. MUST HAVE COLD HOLDING FOODS AT 41.0°F OR BELOW.APPX.9LBS. $55.(PRIORITY 7-38-005)(COS)(CITATION ISSUED)
- 🧫food prep surfaces dirtyProper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment For Temperature Control • OBSERVED IMPROPER TEMPERATURE OF TACO PREP COOLER AT 46.8°F WITH TCS FOODS STORED INSIDE.MUST HAVE COLD HOLDING UNIT AT 41.0°F OR BELOW.AIR TEMPERATURE IS NOW 38.9F(PRIORITY 7-38-005)(COS)(CITATION ISSUED)
- 🏷️food improperly labeledFood Properly Labeled; Original Container • 3-302.12 : MUST LABEL FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS WHEN FOOD IS NOT IN ORIGINAL PACKAGE.
- 🪳pests in the houseInsects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present • 6-202.15: MUST REPAIR OR REPLACE GAP ALONG BOTTOM OF FRONT DOOR AND FRAME OF OUTDOOR PATIO AND LIQUOR STORAGE ROOM DOOR.
- 🧻grimy wiping clothsWiping Cloths: Properly Used & Stored • MUST STORE WIPING CLOTHS IN A SANITIZING SOLUTION WHEN NOT IN USE ON PREP TABLES.
- ⚠️Utensils, Equipment & Linens: Properly Stored, Dried, & Handled • MUST INVERT MULTI-USE UTENSILS ON DISH STORAGE SHELVES.Utensils, Equipment & Linens: Properly Stored, Dried, & Handled • MUST INVERT MULTI-USE UTENSILS ON DISH STORAGE SHELVES.
- ⚠️Gloves Used Properly • OBSERVED IMPROPER USAGE OF GLOVES BY FOOD HANDLERS.Gloves Used Properly • OBSERVED IMPROPER USAGE OF GLOVES BY FOOD HANDLERS.
- 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to codeFood & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • 4-501.11 : MUST REPAIR OR REPLACE MISSING DOOR HANDLE ON SALAD PREP COOLER.
- 🚿plumbing acting upNon-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean • 4-601.11(C) : MUST CLEAN FRYER CABINETS & WHEEL BASES ,GRILL TABLE,GARBAGE CANS IN BAR AREA.
- 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimyPhysical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • 6-501.13 Inspector Comments: MUST CLEAN DEBRIS BUILD UP FROM FLOOR & DRAINS UNDER,AROUND,ALONG WALL BASES IN DRY FOOD & PAPER STORAGE AREA,BAR.
When was Big Star last inspected?
Big Star has 5 inspections on record going back to April 30, 2024.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| August 14, 2025 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| May 29, 2025 | Pass | |
| May 20, 2025 | Fail | |
| May 3, 2024 | Pass | |
| April 30, 2024 | — |
Big Star vs West Town
West Town runs 72% clean across 2,068 tracked restaurants — 1,475 clean, 422 mid, 160 cooked.
Against the 2,068 spots Cooked tracks in West Town, this one comes out cleaner than 41% of them.
Other spots in West Town
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 August 14, 2025. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.