Cesar's Tacos

• resultPass w/ Conditions
• critical violations5
• last inspectedNovember 22, 2019
• address3162-3166 N Clark St, Chicago 60657

Is Cesar's Tacos clean?

Cesar's Tacos is currently listed as closed by Chicago Department of Public Health, as of its inspection on November 22, 2019. A closure means inspectors found conditions serious enough to stop service — it is not the same as a restaurant choosing to shut down, and the listing can change once the problems are fixed and re-inspected.

What did inspectors find at Cesar's Tacos?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on November 22, 2019, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 📋no certified food manager on dutycritical
  Person In Charge Present, Demonstrates Knowledge, And Performs Duties • PERSON IN CHARGE AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION DOES NOT HAVE A CITY OF CHICAGO SANITATION CERTIFICATE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. NO CITATION ISSUED -
• 📋certified manager paperwork missingcritical
  City Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • NO ORIGINAL AND VALID CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE POSTED NOR PROVIDED ON SITE FOR PRESENT MANAGER ON DUTY. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE. A LEAST ONE CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER MUST BE ON SITE WHEN FOOD IS HANDLED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION: 7-38-012, CITATION ISSUED.
• 🤒sick-employee policy not followedcritical
  Management, Food Employee And Conditional Employee; Knowledge, Responsibilities And Reporting • FOUND NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY/TRAINING ON SITE. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO ESTABLISH AN APPROPRIATE EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY/TRAINING SYSTEM AND MAINTAIN WITH VERIFIABLE DOCUMENTS ON SITE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-010. CITATION ISSUED.
• 🚰handwashing sink issuescritical
  Hands Clean & Properly Washed • OBSERVED EMPLOYEE/COOKS WITH GLOVED HANDS HANDLING NON-FOOD ITEMS: WIPING CUTTING BOARD,MOVING BOXES,IN AND OUT THE KITCHEN,THAN RETURNING TO WORK STATION AND HANDLE FOOD WITH GLOVED HANDS. WHEN GLOVES WERE CHANGED NO HAND WASHING PRIOR TO GLOVE HANDS. INFORMATION GIVEN ON HANDWASHING AND GLOVE PROCEDURE. MANAGER ON DUTY CORRECTED ISSUES. PRIORITY VIOLATION:7-38-010,CITATION ISSUED
• 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecritical
  Adequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • NO SOAP PROVIDED AT HANDWASHING SINK AT BARS,AND DISHROOM. UPON MY REQUEST SOAP WAS PROVIDED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION:7-38-030(C),CITATION ISSUED • NO HANDWASHING SINK INSTALLED AT FOLLOWING AREAS: COOK LINE, AT SOUTH THREE COMPARTMENT SINK (IN THE KITCHEN), AND AT REAR DISHROOM/LOW TEMP DISH MACHINE AREA. MUST INSTALL SAID SINKS WITH HOT/COLD RUNNING WATER, PROVIDE SOAP AND PAPER TOWELS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION: 7-38-030(C), NO CITATION ISSUED. • SOME HAND WASHING SINKS WITHOUT SIGNAGE INSTRUCTING EMPLOYEES TO WASH HANDS. MUST PROVIDE AT ALL HAND SINKS.
• 🧽surfaces not properly sanitized
  Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized • WE OBSERVED SLIGHT BLACK SUBSTANCE AT INTERIOR CHUTE OF ICE BIN OF THE ICE MACHINE IN BASEMENT AREA. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN INTERIOR SURFACES OF ICE MACHINE.
• 🧊cold food not cold enough
  Proper Cold Holding Temperatures • FOUND TCS FOOD STORED INSIDE THE TWO DOOR REACH-IN COOLER AT IMPROPER TEMPERATURE:COOKED RICE AT TEMP OF 46.6F TO 48F; FOUND SHREDDER CHEESE AT TEMP OF 45.5F STORED INSIDE THE PREP COOLER AT TRAYLINE; FOUND COOKED BEANS STORED INSIDE THE WALK-IN COOLER AT TEMP OF 44.4F TO 45.4F; COLD TCS FOODS MUST MAINTAIN TEMP OF 41F AND BELOW.FOOD DISCARDED AND DENATURED PONDS 8,VALUE 20 PRIORITY VIOLATION:7-38-005,CITATION ISSUED
• 📄consumer advisory missing
  Consumer Advisory Provided For Raw/Undercooked Food • OBSERVED THE ESTABLISHMENT SERVING UNDER COOKED MEAT (CARNE ASADA) WITH NO CONSUMER ADVISORY, DISCLOSURE OR REMINDERS TO THE CUSTOMERS. INSTRUCTED TO HAVE A CONSUMER ADVISORY ON THE MENU WITH A DISCLOSURE NOTICE AND REMINDER STATEMENT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005 NO CITATION ISSUED
• 🪳pests in the house
  Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present • REAR DOOR (SOUTH DINING ROOM) IS NOT RODENT PROOF, 1/4 INCH OPENING TO OUTSIDE AT BOTTOM OF DOOR. MUST REPAIR TO BE RODENT PROOF.
• 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to code
  Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • DEEP, OPEN SEAMS ON RED CUTTING BOARD (STORED). CUTTING SURFACES MUST BE MAINTAINED.
• 🚻bathroom / plumbing issues
  Plumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices • FAUCET AT REAR DISHWASHING AREA 3 COMPARTMENT SINK RUNS CONTINUOUSLY AND CANNOT BE TURNED OFF. MUST REPAIR FAUCET. PIPE UNDER SAME SINK LEAKS. MUST REPAIR AND MAINTAIN SINK.
• ⚠️Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained • WASTE RECEPTACLES IN WOMEN'S/UNISEX WASHROOMS WITHOUT COVERS/LIDS. MUST PROVIDE SAME.
  Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained • WASTE RECEPTACLES IN WOMEN'S/UNISEX WASHROOMS WITHOUT COVERS/LIDS. MUST PROVIDE SAME.
• 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimy
  Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • CEILING IN REAR 3 COMPARTMENT SINK/DISHMACHINE AREA IS IN POOR REPAIR. DAMAGED CEILING TILES, PEELING PAINT AND UNEVEN SURFACES. MUST REPAIR AND MAINTAIN CEILING TO BE SMOOTH AND EASILY CLEANABLE. ROUGH, UNEVEN AND PITTED BRICK WALL BEHIND NORTH SIDE BAR. SOME PITTED BRICK BEHIND SOUTH BAR. FLAKING FINISH AND ROUGH SURFACES IN BASEMENT BEVERAGE/LIQUOR STORAGE ROOM. WALLS MUST BE FINISHED TO BE SMOOTH AND EASILY CLEANABLE. UNFINISHED WOOD SLATS ATTACHED TO WALL ACROSS FROM REAR DISHWASHING AREA 3 COMPARTMENT SINK. MUST FINISH TO BE NON-ABSORBENT AND EASILY CLEANABLE. • ACCUMULATED DUST ON CEILING VENT COVERS THROUGH-OUT. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Previous Core Violation Corrected • PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION NOT CORRECTED FROM 11-7-18, REPORT#2232909 #57-FOODHANDLERS AT PREMISES WITH NO FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATES. MUST PROVIDE. #58- ONE OF TWO FOOD SANITATION ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE POSTED ON SITE. EACH CITY CERTIFIED MANAGER CERTIFICATE MUST HAVE ALLERGEN CERTIFICATE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION:7-42-090, CITATION ISSUED.
  Previous Core Violation Corrected • PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION NOT CORRECTED FROM 11-7-18, REPORT#2232909 #57-FOODHANDLERS AT PREMISES WITH NO FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATES. MUST PROVIDE. #58- ONE OF TWO FOOD SANITATION ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE POSTED ON SITE. EACH CITY CERTIFIED MANAGER CERTIFICATE MUST HAVE ALLERGEN CERTIFICATE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION:7-42-090, CITATION ISSUED.

When was Cesar's Tacos last inspected?

Cesar's Tacos has 17 inspections on record going back to May 17, 2012. The 12 most recent are shown below.

Cesar's Tacos vs Lake View

Lake View runs 68% clean across 2,211 tracked restaurants — 1,492 clean, 440 mid, 272 cooked.

Against the 2,211 spots Cooked tracks in Lake View, this one comes out cleaner than 0% of them.

Other spots in Lake View

• ✓ Cesar's Tacos
  clean · May 17, 2012
• ✓ Cafe Tola
  cooked · June 14, 2018
• ✓ Beer Run
  clean · August 21, 2012
• ✓ Indie Burger
  cooked · February 4, 2013
• ✓ Indie Burger
  clean · April 3, 2012
• ✓! Wood
  cooked · October 31, 2017

See every restaurant inspection in Lake View →

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 November 22, 2019. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.