Cooked?
Byrd's Hot Chicken
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations3
- last inspectedJanuary 22, 2026
- address319 S Jefferson St, Chicago 60661
Is Byrd's Hot Chicken clean?
Byrd's Hot Chicken is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on January 22, 2026. 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 Byrd's Hot Chicken?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on January 22, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 📋no certified food manager on dutycriticalPerson In Charge Present, Demonstrates Knowledge, And Performs Duties • OBSERVED NO PERSON-IN-CHARGE PRESENT WITH CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER TRAINING OR CERTIFICATE AT START TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST ONE PERSON-IN-CHARGE WITH CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER TRAINING AND CERTIFICATE ON-SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION.
- 📋certified manager paperwork missingcriticalCity Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • OBSERVED NO FOOD EMPLOYEE PRESENT ON-SITE WITH CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER TRAINING OR ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE AT START TIME OF INSPECTION WHILE TCS FOOD ITEMS ARE BEING PREPARED AND SERVED (CHICKEN, PASTA). INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL FOOD EMPLOYEE WITH CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER TRAINING AND MAINTAIN ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE ON-SITE AT ALL TIMES. PERSON-IN-CHARGE EJAZ HUSSAIN KHAN ARRIVED ON-SITE WITH VALID CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER CERTIFICATE AFTER START TIME OF INSPECTION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-012 CITATION ISSUED.
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • OBSERVED DISPOSABLE PAPER TOWELS NOT PROVIDED AT THE FRONT AND REAR PREPARATION AREA HANDWASHING SINKS AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO PRODIVE DISPOSABLE PAPER TOWELS AT ALL HANDWASHING SINKS AND MAINTAIN AVAILABLE FOR USE IN HANDWASHING AT ALL TIMES. PERSON-IN-CHARGE PROVIDED DISPOSABLE PAPER TOWELS TO ALL HANDWASHING SINKS ON-SITE AT TIME OF INSPECTION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-030(C) CITATION ISSUED.
- 🧫food prep surfaces dirtyProper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment For Temperature Control • OBSERVED TCS FOOD ITEM (COOKED PASTA) IN THE WALK-IN COOLER STORED COVERED BY FOOD CONTAINER LID WHILE COOLING. INSTRUCTED TO STORE TCS FOOD ITEMS LOOSELY-COVERED OR UNCOVERED (IF PROTECTED FROM OVERHEAD CONTAMINATION) WHILE COOLING TO FACILITATE HEAT TRANSFER AND MAINTAIN.
- 🚿plumbing acting upNon-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean • OBSERVED NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES OF PREPARATION TABLE BENEATH GRIDDLE IN THE MAIN COOK LINE AREA TO BE HEAVILY-SOILED WITH DRIED FOOD DEBRIS AND GREASE. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES OF COOKING AND PREPARATION EQUIPMENT AT ADEQUATE FREQUENCY TO PREVENT BUILD UP OF DRIED FOOD DEBRIS, GREASE, AND OTHER SOILS AND MAINTAIN.
- 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimyPhysical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • OBSERVED FLOORS, WALLS, AND GAS LINES BENEATH AND BEHIND DEEP FRYERS IN THE MAIN COOK LINE AREA TO BE HEAVILY-SOILED WITH DRIED FOOD DEBRIS, GREASE, AND OTHER SOILS. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND PIPING FIXTURES AT ADEQUATE FREQUENCY TO PREVENT BUILD UP OF DRIED FOOD DEBRIS, GREASE, AND OTHER SOILS AND MAINTAIN.
- ⚠️All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • SEE VIOLATION #60.All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • SEE VIOLATION #60.
- ⚠️Previous Core Violation Corrected • OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING VIOLATION(S) FROM PREVIOUS CANVASS INSPECTION (INSPECTION NO. 2611890) ON 2/6/2025 NOT CORRECTED AT TIME OF CURRENT CANVASS INSPECTION: #57 2-102.13 MISSING FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATE FOR COOKS. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT ALL CORE VIOLATIONS BY THEIR ASSIGNED DUE DATE, AND OBTAIN FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATES FOR ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES AND MAINTAIN CERTIFICATE(S) ON-SITE FOR INSPECTOR REVIEW AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-42-090 CITATION ISSUED.Previous Core Violation Corrected • OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING VIOLATION(S) FROM PREVIOUS CANVASS INSPECTION (INSPECTION NO. 2611890) ON 2/6/2025 NOT CORRECTED AT TIME OF CURRENT CANVASS INSPECTION: #57 2-102.13 MISSING FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATE FOR COOKS. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT ALL CORE VIOLATIONS BY THEIR ASSIGNED DUE DATE, AND OBTAIN FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATES FOR ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES AND MAINTAIN CERTIFICATE(S) ON-SITE FOR INSPECTOR REVIEW AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-42-090 CITATION ISSUED.
When was Byrd's Hot Chicken last inspected?
Byrd's Hot Chicken has 3 inspections on record going back to July 30, 2024.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| January 22, 2026 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| February 6, 2025 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| July 30, 2024 | Pass |
Byrd's Hot Chicken vs Near West Side
Near West Side runs 72% clean across 2,033 tracked restaurants — 1,463 clean, 406 mid, 151 cooked.
Against the 2,033 spots Cooked tracks in Near West Side, this one comes out cleaner than 38% of them.
Other spots in Near West 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 January 22, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.