Cleo's Southern Cuisine

November 17, 2025 · Fail

🪳cooked

official resultFail
resultFail
inspection typeCanvass
failed findings11
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 SOAP AVAILABLE AT HANDSINK IN PREP/DISWASHING AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE HANDSOAP AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030 (C) CITATION ISSUED • OBSERVED NO PAPER TOWELS AT EXPOSED HAND WASHING SINK IN IN FRONT PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN PAPER TOWELS AT ALL EXPOSED HAND WASHING SINKS AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030(C). CITATION COMBINED WITH ABOVE VIOLATION. • OBSERVED EXPOSED HAND WASHING SINK IN FRONT PREAP AREA RENDERED INACCESSIBLE BY BOX BEING PLACED INSIDE IT. INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN ALL EXPOSED HAND WASHING SINKS OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE FOR HAND WASHING. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030(C). CITATION COMBINED WITH ABOVE.
code 10Priority
certified manager paperwork missingcritical

Official wording: City Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate
Inspector note: OBSERVED NO CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SANITATION MANAGER ON SITE WHILE TCS FOODS ARE BEING PREPPED (SUCH AS FISH,CHICKEN). INSTRUCTED MUST HAVE A CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SANITATION MANAGER ON SITE AT ALL TIMES WHEN TCS FOODS ARE BEING PREPPED/SERVED. INSTRUCTED MUST POST A VALID CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SANITATION MANAGER CERTIFICATION IN PLAIN VIEW OF CUSTOMERS AT ALL TIMES.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 KIT ON SITE FOR RESPONDING TO VOMIT AND DIARRHEA AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN KIT CONTAINING ALL NECESSARY SUPPLIES INCLUDING A SANITIZER RATED AS EFFECTIVE AGAINST NOROVIRUS ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
code 5Priority
handwashing sink issuescritical

Official wording: Hands Clean & Properly Washed
Inspector note: OBSERVED POOR HYGIENIC PRACTICIES BY MALE FOOD HANDLER OBSERVED HIM WITH CELL PHONE IN HAND FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND THEN PUT PHONE IN POCKET AND PLACED ON PLASTIC GLOVES TO PREPARE A FOOD ORDER WITHOUT WASHING HIS HANDS. AND SAME EMPLOYEE KEPT BEEN ON THE PHONE AND PUTTING ON GLOVES WITHOUT WASHING HIS HANDS. INSTRUCTED TO WASH HANDS AFTER EVERY POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION(PRIORITY 7-38-010)(CITATION ISSUED)
code 8Priority
cold food not cold enough

Official wording: Proper Cold Holding Temperatures
Inspector note: OBSERVED TCS FOODS HELD AT IMPROPER INTERNAL TEMPERATURES IN THE FRONT PREP COLD HOLDING UNIT, SUCH AS 90LBS OF FISH AT 45.2-48.9FF, 20LBS OF CHICKEN AT 47.8F AND 24LBS OF CRAB AT 45-47.4F. MANAGER DISCARDED AND DENATURED A TOTAL 134LBS AT $1300. ALL COLD TCS FOOD MUST MAINTAIN 41F OR BELOW . PRIORITY VIOLATION. CITATION ISSUED 7-38-005.
code 22
food improperly labeled

Official wording: Food Properly Labeled; Original Container
Inspector note: OBSERVED FOOD ITEMS OUT OF THE ORIGINAL CONTAINERS WITHOUT LABELS CONTAINING THE PRODUCT NAME. INSTRUCTED TO LABEL ALL FOODS AND SPICES WITH COMMON NAME THAT ARE OUT OF THE ORIGINAL CONTAINERS.
code 37
surfaces / setup not up to code

Official wording: Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used
Inspector note: OBSERVED CARDBOARD USED AS LINER ON SFLOOR UNDER THE HOT COOKING EQUIPMENTS IN PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO REMOVE ALL CARDBOARD FROM SHELVING UNITS. ALL FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES MUST BE SMOOTH AND EASILY CLEANABLE.
code 47
Warewashing Facilities: Installed, Maintained & Used; Test Strips

Inspector note: OBSERVED NO CHLORINE OR QUATS SANITIZER TESTING DEVICES ON SITE AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED
code 48
plumbing acting up

Official wording: Non-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean
Inspector note: OBSERVED ACCUMULATED GREASE AND FOOD DEBRIS ON INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES OF COOKING EQUIPMENT, PREP TABLES, COOLERS, FREEZERS, SHELVING UNITS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
code 49
Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained

Inspector note: OBSERVED DEBRIS AROUND DUMPSTER. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN
code 54
floors, walls, or ceilings grimy

Official wording: Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean
Inspector note: OBSERVED DEBRIS ON FLOORS ALONG WALLS AND CORNERS IN UTILITY AND STORAGE AREAS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
code 55

What changed since the previous inspection?

Compared with Pass w/ Conditions on May 14, 2024: 9 findings appeared for the first time. 2 findings recurred.

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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.