Cafe Harold's

• resultFail
• critical violations1
• last inspectedJuly 1, 2026
• address2300 S Throop St, Chicago 60608
• cuisineMobile Food Preparer

Is Cafe Harold's clean?

Cafe Harold's is currently Fail from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on July 1, 2026. Inspectors wrote up 1 critical violation — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads cooked 🪳.

What did inspectors find at Cafe Harold's?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on July 1, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecritical
  Adequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • 6-301.12: OBSERVED NO HAND DRYING PROVISION IN AT HANDWASHING SINK IN PREP/DISHWASHING AREA. MUST OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030(C), NO CITATION ISSUED
• ⚠️Water & Ice From Approved Source • 5-102.11: OBSERVED CLEAN AND WASTER WATER VALVES NOT ABLE TO BE UNLOCKED FROM AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. BLUE VALVE NOT LOCKED. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR BOTH CLEAN AND WASTEWATER VALVES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK AND BE ABLE TO UNLOCK AND LOCK AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. PRIORTITY 7-38-030 (C), NO CITATION ISSUED
  Water & Ice From Approved Source • 5-102.11: OBSERVED CLEAN AND WASTER WATER VALVES NOT ABLE TO BE UNLOCKED FROM AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. BLUE VALVE NOT LOCKED. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR BOTH CLEAN AND WASTEWATER VALVES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK AND BE ABLE TO UNLOCK AND LOCK AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. PRIORTITY 7-38-030 (C), NO CITATION ISSUED
• 🧫food prep surfaces dirty
  Proper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment For Temperature Control • 4-301.11: OBSERVED POWER ON VEHICLE BUT FOUND TWO DOOR COOLER AT 99F. INSTRUCTED COLD HOLDING UNITS MUST REACH AND MAINTAIN 41F OR BELOW. PRIORITY 7-38-005, NO CITATION ISSUED
• 🌡️thermometers missing
  Thermometers Provided & Accurate • 4-204.112(B): OBSERVED NO AMBIENT AIR THERMOMETER INSIDE THE COLD HOLDING UNITS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
• 🏷️food improperly labeled
  Food Properly Labeled; Original Container • 3-602.12: OBSERVED NO LICENSE NUMBER ON VEHICLE. INSTURCTED TO PUT LICENSE NUMBER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE AND MAINTAIN.
• 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to code
  Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • 4-201.11: OBSERVED THE DOORS FOR THE COLD HOLDING UNITS WITH NO PROTECTION FOR DOORS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
• 🚿plumbing acting up
  Non-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean • 4-601.11(C): OBSERVED LIQUID SPILLAGE INSIDE THE REFRIGERATOR NEAR THE REAR EXIT DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Hot & Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure • 5-103.12 OBSERVED THREE-COMPARTMENT SINK WATER PRESSURE NOT IN COMPLIANCE. INSTRUCTED MANAGER THAT ADEQUATE WATER PRESSURE SHALL BE PROVIDED TO ALL FIXTURES, EQUIPMENT, AND NONFOOD EQUIPMENT THAT ARE REQUIRED TO USE WATER. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-030(C), NO CITATION ISSUED.
  Hot & Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure • 5-103.12 OBSERVED THREE-COMPARTMENT SINK WATER PRESSURE NOT IN COMPLIANCE. INSTRUCTED MANAGER THAT ADEQUATE WATER PRESSURE SHALL BE PROVIDED TO ALL FIXTURES, EQUIPMENT, AND NONFOOD EQUIPMENT THAT ARE REQUIRED TO USE WATER. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-030(C), NO CITATION ISSUED.
• ⚠️Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained • 5-502.12: OBSERVED NO RECEPTACLE WITH A LID ON THE VEHICLE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
  Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained • 5-502.12: OBSERVED NO RECEPTACLE WITH A LID ON THE VEHICLE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.

When was Cafe Harold's last inspected?

Cafe Harold's has 2 inspections on record going back to June 17, 2026.

Cafe Harold's vs Lower West Side

Lower West Side runs 68% clean across 1,153 tracked restaurants — 775 clean, 162 mid, 205 cooked.

Against the 1,153 spots Cooked tracks in Lower West Side, this one comes out cleaner than 14% of them.

Other spots in Lower West Side

• ✓ Bombon Cake Gallery
  clean · May 6, 2026
• ✓ Lupita's Tacos
  clean · June 2, 2026
• ? Terri's Tastee
  not rated · July 14, 2026
• ✓ Enny's Kitchen
  clean · July 15, 2026
• ✓ Fantasia Cafe
  clean · July 7, 2026
• ✓ La Casa Del Pueblo Inc
  clean · October 24, 2025

See every restaurant inspection in Lower 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 July 1, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.