Cooked?
El Jardin Mexican & American Food
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations3
- last inspectedOctober 9, 2019
- address303 E Wacker Dr, Chicago 60601
Is El Jardin Mexican & American Food clean?
El Jardin Mexican & American Food is currently listed as closed by Chicago Department of Public Health, as of its inspection on October 9, 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 El Jardin Mexican & American Food?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on October 9, 2019, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 🤒sick-employee policy not followedcriticalManagement, Food Employee And Conditional Employee; Knowledge, Responsibilities And Reporting • OBSERVED NO WRITTEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO ESTABLISH AN APPROPRIATE EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY AND MAINTAIN WITH VERIFIABLE SIGNED COPIES ON SITE FOR ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-010. NO CITATION ISSUED.
- 🤒staff working while sickcriticalProcedures For Responding To Vomiting And Diarrheal Events • OBSERVED NO WRITTEN PROCEDURES OR SUPPLIES FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING OR DIARRHEAL EVENTS. SUPPLIES MUST INCLUDE ADEQUATE SANITIZER THAT ELIMINATES NOROVIRUS. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO PROVIDE CLEAN UP POLICY AND SUPPLIES TO PROPERLY HANDLE BODILY FLUID SPILLS ON SITE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-005. NO CITATION ISSUED.
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • OBSERVED NO HANDWASHING SIGNAGE IN THE EMPLOYEE WASHROOMS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
- 🚻bathroom / plumbing issuesPlumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices • OBSERVED A LEAKY FAUCET AT THE 3 COMPARTMENT SINK. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR.
- 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimyPhysical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • OBSERVED MOP IN A POSITION THAT DOES NOT ALLOW TO DRY PROPERLY AND PREVENT PEST HARBORAGE. MUST STORE MOP AFTER USE IN A MOUNTED POSITION THAT ALLOWS FOR AIR-DRYING WITHOUT SOILING AND PEST HARBORAGING.
- ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • OBSERVED TWO BURNED OUT CEILING LIGHTS IN THE REAR PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE BULB AND MAINTAIN LIGHTING IN THE UNITS.Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • OBSERVED TWO BURNED OUT CEILING LIGHTS IN THE REAR PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE BULB AND MAINTAIN LIGHTING IN THE UNITS.
- 🥜allergen training missingAllergen Training As Required • 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.
When was El Jardin Mexican & American Food last inspected?
El Jardin Mexican & American Food has 12 inspections on record going back to June 15, 2010.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| June 29, 2021 | closed by the city | |
| October 9, 2019 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| March 20, 2018 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| July 24, 2017 | Pass | |
| July 20, 2017 | Fail | |
| October 5, 2016 | Pass | |
| April 28, 2015 | Pass | |
| August 13, 2014 | Pass | |
| September 18, 2013 | Pass | |
| November 6, 2012 | Pass | |
| July 14, 2011 | Pass | |
| June 15, 2010 | Pass |
El Jardin Mexican & American Food vs Loop
Loop runs 44% clean across 3,616 tracked restaurants — 1,566 clean, 332 mid, 1,687 cooked.
Against the 3,616 spots Cooked tracks in Loop, this one comes out cleaner than 0% of them.
Other spots in Loop
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 October 9, 2019. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.