El Paiza Restaurant

• resultPass w/ Conditions
• critical violations0
• last inspectedDecember 5, 2025
• address4781 S Archer Ave, Chicago 60632

Is El Paiza Restaurant clean?

El Paiza Restaurant is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on December 5, 2025. No critical violations were recorded at that visit. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid 😬.

What did inspectors find at El Paiza Restaurant?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on December 5, 2025, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 🧽surfaces not properly sanitized
  Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized • OBSERVED ICE MACHINE LOCATED IN FOOD PREP AREA WITH A BUILD-UP OF BLACK SUBSTANCE ALONG THE CHUTE AND AT THE INTERIOR PLATE ABOVE THE ICE INSIDE OF ICE BIN. ICE IS USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN, SANITIZE AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED
• 🏷️food improperly labeled
  Food Properly Labeled; Original Container • OBSERVED FOOD CONTAINERS WITHOUT LABELS CONTAINING THE COMMON NAME OF FOODS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
• 🪳pests in the house
  Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present • OBSERVED A 1/4" GAP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR EXIT DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A TIGHT-FITTING SEAL AT ALL OUTER OPENINGS TO PREVENT THE ENTRY OF PESTS.
• 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to code
  Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • OBSERVED DRY FOOD ITEMS IN THE KITCHEN AREA NEAR THE GRILL COVERED/STORED USING ALUMINUM FOIL. INSTRUCTED TO USE PROPER FOOD GRADE STORAGE BAGS AND/OR CONTAINERS.
• 🚻bathroom / plumbing issues
  Plumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices • OBSERVED A DRAIN LINE/HOSE FROM ICE MACHINE IMPROPERLY DRAINING INTO HAND WASH SINK IN PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PROPERLY ROUTE DRAIN LINE INTO CITY PLUMBING AND MAINTAIN.
• 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimy
  Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • OBSERVED MOP STORED/DRYING IMPROPERLY IN KITCHEN AREA. INSTRUCTED TO STORE/DRY MOP WITH MOPHEAD IN MOUNTED POSITION THAT ALLOWS FOR AIR-DRYING WITHOUT SOILING AND PEST HARBORAGING.

When was El Paiza Restaurant last inspected?

El Paiza Restaurant has 6 inspections on record going back to May 16, 2023.

El Paiza Restaurant vs Archer Heights

Archer Heights runs 69% clean across 291 tracked restaurants — 199 clean, 56 mid, 33 cooked.

Against the 291 spots Cooked tracks in Archer Heights, this one comes out cleaner than 25% of them.

Other spots in Archer Heights

• ✓ El Paiza Restaurant
  clean · May 23, 2023
• ✓ Mr Chilaquil
  clean · May 27, 2026
• ✓ Langosta Nayarita Of Chicago, Llc
  clean · June 29, 2023
• ✓ Peke's Pozole
  clean · June 5, 2026
• ✓! Ekiosa Market
  mid · November 30, 2023
• ✓ Peke's Pozole
  clean · November 14, 2023

See every restaurant inspection in Archer Heights →

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 December 5, 2025. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.