Cafe Tola

May 8, 2026 · Fail
🪳cooked
  • official resultFail
  • resultFail
  • inspection typeCanvass
  • failed findings12
  • critical findings4

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Failed findings

  • handwashing sink blocked or barecritical
    Official wording: Adequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible
    Inspector note: OBSERVED NO HAND CLEANSER AVAILABLE AT HANDSINK LOCATED IN (IN USE) PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN FOR PROPER HANDWASHING AS REQUIRED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. #7-38-030 (C). CITATION ISSUED.
    code 10Priority
  • certified manager paperwork missingcritical
    Official wording: City Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate
    Inspector note: OBSERVED NO CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER ON SITE DURING TIME OF INSPECTION WHILE PREPARING EMPANADAS, PORK, BEANS, EGGS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE CERTIFICATE HOLDER ON SITE AT ALL TIMES WHILE OPEN AND OPERATING. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
    code 2Priority
  • staff working while sickcritical
    Official wording: Procedures For Responding To Vomiting And Diarrheal Events
    Inspector note: OBSERVED NO CLEAN UP PROCEDURE OR ITEMS OUTLINED IN POLICY ON SITE DURING TIME OF INSPECTION FOR RESPONDING TO VOMIT AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS THAT CAN OCCUR IN THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
    code 5Priority
  • hand hygiene slippingcritical
    Official wording: Proper Eating, Tasting, Drinking, Or Tobacco Use
    Inspector note: OBSERVED FOOD EMPLOYEE EATING IN PREP AREA NEAR TABLE WHERE FOOD WAS BEING PREPARED. INSTRUCTED TO DESIGNATE A SEPERATE AREA FOR EATING AND DRINKING IN ORDER TO PREVENT POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION.
    code 6Priority
  • surfaces not properly sanitized
    Official wording: Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized
    Inspector note: OBSERVED SLIGHT ACUMMULATION OF DEBRIS ON ICE BIN SURROUNDING GASKETS. INSTURCTED TO CLEAN EQUIPMENT.
    code 16
  • hot/cold holding temps off
    Official wording: Proper Hot Holding Temperatures
    Inspector note: OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY 8 LBS VARIETY EMPENADAS (NUTELLA BANANA, HAM EGG CHEESE, CHORIZO AND EGG, GUAVA AND CHEESE, ETC) STORED IN DISPLAY CASING LOCATED IN FRONT PREP AREA AT IMPROPER HOT HOLDING TEMPERATURES. NOTED TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 118F-125F. PERSON IN CHARGE VOLUNTARILY DISCARDED AT THIS TIME.INSTRUCTED TO HOLD ALL HOT TCS AT 135F OR HIGHER AND MAINTAIN AS REQUIRED. PRIORITY VIOLATION. #7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
    code 21
  • cold food not cold enough
    Official wording: Proper Cold Holding Temperatures
    Inspector note: OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY 1 QUART DAIRY CREAMER LOCATED IN METAL BIN ON TOP OF ICE CUBES AT IMPROPER TEMPERATURE DURING TIME OF INSPECTION. NOTED TEMPERATURE @53F. INSTRUCTED TO HOLD ALL COLD TCS PROPERLY UNDER REFRIGERATION AT 41F AND BELOW. MUST MAINTAIN. #7-38-005. PLEASE SEE ABOVE VIOLATION FOR CITATION INFORMATION.
    code 22
  • Approved Thawing Methods Used
    Inspector note: OBSERVED BEYOND BEEF THAWING IMPROPERLY ON TOP OF PREP TABLE. INSTRUCTED TO THAW FOOD PROPERLY UNDER REFRIGERATION OR CONTIUNOUS RUNNING WATER.
    code 35
  • pests in the house
    Official wording: Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present
    Inspector note: OBSERVED APPROXIMTELY 30 SMALL BLACK LIVE FLIES ON SITE DURING TIME OF INSPECTION IN COFFEE PREP, DISHWASHING AREA, UTILITY SINK BASIN, STORAGE HALLWAY AND TOILET ROOM. NOTED FLIES ON EQUIPMENT, BOXES, AND ON WALLS. RECOMMENDDED TO CONTACT PEST CONTROL FOR SERVICE. MUST ELIMINATE FLY ACTIVITY ON SITE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. #7-38-020 (A). CITATON ISSUED.
    code 38
  • Personal Cleanliness
    Inspector note: OBSERVED FOOD HANDLER WITHOUT HAIR RESTRAINT. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN
    code 40
  • Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained
    Inspector note: OBSERVED OUTSIDE RECEPTACLE NOT MAINTAINED DURING TIME OF INSPECTION. NOTED TRASH BAGS, BUCKETS CRATES CONTAINING OPENED CANS OVERLOWING. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A TIGHT FITTED LID TO PREVENT PEST HARBORAGE AS REQUIRED. MUST MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. #7-38-020 (B). CITATION ISSUED.
    code 54
  • Previous Core Violation Corrected
    Inspector note: OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATIONS NOT CORRECTED FROM REPORT #2628361 ON 12/11/25. THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS... 37)3-302.12: **C** Food Storage Containers Identified with Common Name of Food OBSERVED FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS WITHOUT LABELS CONTAINING THE COMMON NAME OF FOODS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE. 39)3-307.11: **C** Miscellaneous Sources of Contamination OBSERVED FOOD CONTAINERS STORED ON THE FLOOR IN PREP AND STORAGE AREAS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROPERLY STORE AND PROTECT FOOD ITEMS FROM CONTAMINATION WHILE STORED BY ELEVATING AT LEAST SIX INCHES FROM THE FLOOR ON RAISED SHELVING UNITS. 3-307.11: **C** Miscellaneous Sources of Contamination OBSERVED NO SPLASHGUARD BETWEEN FRONT EXPOSED HAND SINKAND COFFEE AREA MUST INSTALL A WASHABLE SPLASHGUARD. 55)6-501.12: **C** Cleaning, Frequency and Restrictions OBSERVED GREASE BUILDUP, FOOD DEBRIS, AND DIRT ON FLOOR UNDER COOKING EQUIPMENT, ALONG WALLS AND IN ALL CORNERS IN PREP, DISH WASHING, STORAGE AND BASEMENT AREAS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN FLOORS UNDER ALL EQUIPMENT, ALONG WALLS AND IN ALL CORNERS IN ALL AREAS. OBSERVED DUST BUILDUP ON FAN IN WALK-IN COOLER, LIGHT SHIELDS IN COOKING AREA AND CEILING AND WALL VENTS IN PREP AND STORAGE AREAS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN ALL FANS, LIGHT SHIELDS, CEILING/WALL VENTS AND CLEAN DEBRIS BUILD UP FROM FLOOR DRAINS. 6-501.11: **C** Maintained in Good Repair, Facilities (FACILITIES NOT IN GOOD REPAIR) OBSERVED ENTRENCE THRESHOLD OF WALK IN COOLER BROKEN INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN 58)2-102.13: **C** Allergen Training - All certified food service sanitation managers employed by a restaurant must receive or obtain training in basic allergen awareness principles within 30 days after employment and every 3 years thereafter. Training programs must be accredited by the American National Standards Institute or another reputable accreditation agency under the ASTM International E2659-09 (Standard Practice for Certificate Programs). OBSERVED NO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER WITH ALLERGEN TRAINING. INSTRUCTED ANY PERSONS WITH THE CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SANITATION CERTIFICATE TO COMPLY WITH COMPLETION OF TRAINING. MUST PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT ALL SAID VOIOLATIONS AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. #7-42-090. CITATION ISSUED
    code 60

What changed since the previous inspection?

Compared with Pass on December 11, 2025: 12 findings appeared for the first time. 7 previous findings did not recur.

Browse this restaurant's inspections

About this record

This record comes from Chicago Department of Public Health. Cooked keeps the official result and wording separate from its plain-English explanation so you can verify what the inspector actually published.

Source: Chicago Data Portal.

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