Cafe El Tapatio

• resultPass w/ Conditions
• critical violations1
• last inspectedMay 14, 2025
• address3400-3402 N Ashland Ave, Chicago 60657

Is Cafe El Tapatio clean?

Cafe El Tapatio is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on May 14, 2025. 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 Cafe El Tapatio?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on May 14, 2025, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecritical
  Adequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • OBSERVED NO HAND WASHING SIGNS OR POSTERS NEAR EXPOSED HAND WASHING SINKS IN FOOD PREP AREAS/DISHWASHING AREA, INSIDE CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEE WASHROOMS. MUST PROVIDE HAND WASHING SIGNS AND MAINTAIN.
• 🧽surfaces not properly sanitized
  Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized • OBSERVED FOOD ICE NOT PROTECTED FROM CONTAMINATION DURIND STORAGE. OBSERVED ACCUMULATION OF BLACK AND PINK SUBSTANCE BUILD UP INSIDE ICE MACHINE DRIPPING INTO ICE. ICE IS BEING USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND SANITIZE INTERIOR SURFACES OF ICE MACHINE AND MAINTAIN. MACHINE WAS CLEAN AND SANITIZE DUSRING INSPECTION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005 CITATION ISSUED.
• 🌡️thermometers missing
  Thermometers Provided & Accurate • VISIBLE AND WORKING THERMOMETER NEEDED IN THE UPRIGHT REFRIGERATOR WHERE RED SAUCE IS STORED. MUST PROVIDE A THERMOMETER AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Contamination Prevented During Food Preparation, Storage & Display • OBSERVED CONTAINERS OF FOOD STORED ON THE FLOOR INSIDE WALK-IN COOLER LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT. MUST ELEVATE CONTAINERS 6 INCHES OFF THE FLOOR.
  Contamination Prevented During Food Preparation, Storage & Display • OBSERVED CONTAINERS OF FOOD STORED ON THE FLOOR INSIDE WALK-IN COOLER LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT. MUST ELEVATE CONTAINERS 6 INCHES OFF THE FLOOR.
• ⚠️In-Use Utensils: Properly Stored • OBSERVED ICE SCOOPS STORED ON TOP OF ICE MACHINE LOCATED IN BASEMENT FOOD STORAGE AREA.
  In-Use Utensils: Properly Stored • OBSERVED ICE SCOOPS STORED ON TOP OF ICE MACHINE LOCATED IN BASEMENT FOOD STORAGE AREA.
• 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to code
  Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • OBSERVED 1-DOOR PREP COOLER DOOR RUBBER GASKETS RIPPED IN FRONT COFFEE STATION AREA. MUST REPAIR AND MAINTAIN COOLER DOOR GASKETS. MUST NOT USE CARDBOARD OR TIN FLOIL AS A LINER FOR SHELVING OR COOKING EQUIPMENT ALL MUST BE SMOOTHAND CLEANABLE. • MUST NOT USE PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS AS A FOOD CONTAINERS INSIDE CHEST FREEZERS. MUST USE WASHABLE CONTAINERS OR FOOD GRADE DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BAGS. MUST REPLACE AND MAINTAIN.
• 🚿plumbing acting up
  Non-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean • MUST NOT USE TINT FOIL AS A LINER FOR COOKING EQUIPMENT IN FRONT PREPARATION AREA. MUST BE SMOOTH AND CLEANABLE. • OBSERVED EXCESSIVE OF ICE BUILD UP INSIDE MEAT CHEST FREEZER LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT. MUST REMOVE ICE AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, & Cleaned • OBSERVED NO COVERED WASTE RECEPTACLE PROVIDED IN THE UNISEX EMPLOYEE WASHROOM. MUST PROVIDE COVERED WASTE RECEPTACLE AND MAINTAIN.
  Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, & Cleaned • OBSERVED NO COVERED WASTE RECEPTACLE PROVIDED IN THE UNISEX EMPLOYEE WASHROOM. MUST PROVIDE COVERED WASTE RECEPTACLE AND MAINTAIN.
• 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimy
  Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • OBSERVED CLUTTER AND UNNECESSARY ITEMS IN REAR OF BASEMENT. MUST REMOVE CLEAN AND ORGANIZE AREA TO PREVENT RODENT HARBOAGE. • OBSERVED DIRT AND FOOD DEBRIS ON FLOOR UNDER AROUND AND BEHIND ALL COOKING EQUIPMENT AND UNDERNEATH 3-COMPARTMENT SINKS LOCATED IN FOOD PREP/DISHWASHING AREA. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN. OBSERVED WATER DAMAGED CEILING ABOVE ICE MACHINE AND ABOVE CHEST FREEZERS. MUST REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • EMPLOYEES MUST NOT STORE PERSONAL BELONGIND IN FOOD STORAGE AREA. MUST PROVIDE A DESIGNATED EMPLOYEE AREA FOR PERSONAL BELONGINGS.
  Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • EMPLOYEES MUST NOT STORE PERSONAL BELONGIND IN FOOD STORAGE AREA. MUST PROVIDE A DESIGNATED EMPLOYEE AREA FOR PERSONAL BELONGINGS.

When was Cafe El Tapatio last inspected?

Cafe El Tapatio has 15 inspections on record going back to April 14, 2016. The 12 most recent are shown below.

Cafe El Tapatio vs North Center

North Center runs 68% clean across 976 tracked restaurants — 657 clean, 151 mid, 163 cooked.

Against the 976 spots Cooked tracks in North Center, this one comes out cleaner than 23% of them.

Other spots in North Center

• ✓ Cafe El Tapatio
  clean · April 14, 2016
• ✓ Marcy's Mart
  clean · January 8, 2016
• ✓ Laugh Out Loud
  clean · December 8, 2015
• ✓ The Privatebank Pitch
  clean · December 9, 2015
• ✓ Bien Me Sabe Venezuelan Cafe & Restaurant
  clean · April 17, 2026
• ✓! Loba Pastry + Coffee
  mid · December 23, 2019

See every restaurant inspection in North Center →

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 May 14, 2025. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.