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El Buen Valle Restaurant

October 10, 2025 · Fail

🪳cooked

official resultFail
resultFail
inspection typeComplaint
failed findings8
critical findings0

Failed findings

food not cooled down right

Official wording: Proper Date Marking And Disposition
Inspector note: OBSERVED READY-TO-EAT, TIME/TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY (TCS) FOODS (COOKED SHRIMP, COOKED CHICKEN IN GREEN SAUCE, BEANS AND PORK) NOT DATE MARKED TO INDICATE THE PRODUCT'S NAME AND DATE IN WHICH THE FOOD MUST BE SOLD, DISCARDED OR CONSUMED WITHIN 7 DAYS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROPER LABELS FOR DATE MARKING AND DISCARD DATE FOR REFRIGERATED, READY-TO-EAT, TCS FOODS HELD OVER 24HRS PLACED IN ALL COLD-HOLDING UNITS. PERSON IN CHARGE DISCARDED AND DENATURED APPROX. 50 LBS VALUED AT $100 PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED
code 23
Personal Cleanliness

Inspector note: NOTED FOOD HANDLERS WITHOUT PROPER HAIR RESTRAINTS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
code 40
grimy wiping cloths

Official wording: Wiping Cloths: Properly Used & Stored
Inspector note: NOTED ORANGE AND WHITE WHIPING CLOTHS THROUGHOUT KITCHEN/ PREP AREA AND FRONT REGISTER. INSTRUCTED TO HOLD WIPING CLOTHS IN THE PROPER SANITIZING BUCKETS WITH PROPER SANITIZING SOLUTION IN BETWEEN USE
code 41
surfaces / setup not up to code

Official wording: Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used
Inspector note: NOTED CUTTING BOARDS IN KITCHEN WITH DEEP CUTS AND STAINS. INSTRUCTED TO RESTORE TO A SMOOTH AND EASY TO CLEAN SURFACE BY SANDING AND RESEALING OR REPLACE AND MAINTAIN.
code 47
bathroom / plumbing issues

Official wording: Plumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices
Inspector note: OBSERVED BACK UP AT 3 COMPARTMENT SINK IN KITCHEN. WHEN TESTING DRAINAGE FROM SINK, WATER WAS DRAINED FROM MIDDLE SINK AND FLOWED INTO EMPTY SANITIZING SINK. ALSO NOTED A SLOW DRAIN. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR - RESTORING PROPER DRAINAGE. RECOMMENDS HAVING GREASE TRAP CLEANED/ SERVICED. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-030(C). CITATION ISSUED.
code 51
Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained

Inspector note: OBSERVED ENCLOSED AREA TO DUMPSTER NOT CLEAN. NOTED TOOLS, SCRAP WOOD, DEBRIS AND EQUIPMENT SCATTERED IN AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ALL UNNECESSARY ITEMS AND CLEAN THE GROUNDS UNDERNEATH AND BEHIND DUMPSTER.
code 54
floors, walls, or ceilings grimy

Official wording: Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean
Inspector note: OBSERVED BROKEN/UNUSED EQUIPMENT IN FACILITY. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ICE MACHINE AND BROKEN CHEST COOLER.
code 55
Previous Core Violation Corrected

Inspector note: NOTED CONTINUED NON-COMPLIANCE FROM REPORT #2613914 CONDUCTED ON 3/17/2025. PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATIONS NOT CORRECTED:(49) NOTED HEAVY ICE BUILDUP INSIDE THE CHEST FREEZERS IN THE STORAGE AREA. INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO DEFROST, REMOVE ICE, CLEAN, AND MAINTAIN. (55) OBSERVED CARDBOARD BEING USED AS FLOOR MATS IN THE REAR PREP AREA AND WALK-IN COOLER. MUST REMOVE AND PROVIDE FLOOR COVERINGS THAT ARE A NON-ABSORBENT, NON-CORROSIVE, SMOOTH, EASILY CLEANABLE SURFACE (57) OBSERVED NO FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATES ON SITE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES. (58) OBSERVED NO ALLERGEN TRAINING ON SITE AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED ALL EMPLOYEES HOLDING CITY OF CHICAGO FOODSERVICE MANAGER CERTIFICATES MUST COMPLETE ALLERGEN TRAINING AND MAINTAIN RECORDS THEREOF ON-SITE AT ALL TIMES. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN. MUST CORRECT CORE VIOLATIONS BY THE DATE ON THE REPORT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-42-090. CITATION ISSUED.
code 60

What changed since the previous inspection?

Compared with Pass on March 17, 2025: 5 findings appeared for the first time. 3 findings recurred. 4 previous findings did not recur.

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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.