Cooked?
El Quetzal
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations1
- last inspectedJuly 18, 2024
- address3445 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago 60625
Is El Quetzal clean?
El Quetzal is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on July 18, 2024. Inspectors wrote up 1 critical violation — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid 😬.
What did inspectors find at El Quetzal?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on July 18, 2024, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN A HANDWASHING SIGNAGE FOR HANDSINK IN KITCHEN PREP AREA.
- 🧊food not cooled down rightProper Date Marking And Disposition • OBSERVED READY-TO-EAT, TCS FOODS HELD FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS (CHICKEN WITH MOLE,TAMALES,SALSAS ETC) NOT DATE MARKED TO INDICATE THE DATE IN WHICH THE FOOD MUST BE CONSUMED OR DISCARDED.INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO DATE MARK ALL READY-TO-EAT,TCS FOODS HELD MORE THAN 24 HOURS.PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005,CITATION ISSUED.
- 🏷️food improperly labeledFood Properly Labeled; Original Container • OBSERVED BULK CONTAINERS IN REAR WITHOUT A LABEL.INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE THE COMMON NAME ON ALL BULK CONTAINERS TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY ITEM (SALT, SUGAR, FLOUR ETC).
- 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to codeFood & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • OBSERVED FROZEN MEATS STORED IN PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS IN THE FREEZER.INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO USE ONLY FOOD GRADE STORAGE BAGS OR CONTAINERS. • OBSERVED A TORN DOOR GASKET INSIDE OF THE 2 DOOR STAND-UP-COOLER DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE FREEZER.INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE THE TORN DOOR GASKET AND MAINTAIN.
- ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN THE KITCHEN EXHAUST HOOD/FILTERS TO REMOVE ACCUMULATION OF GREASE BUILD-UP AND MAINTAIN.Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN THE KITCHEN EXHAUST HOOD/FILTERS TO REMOVE ACCUMULATION OF GREASE BUILD-UP AND MAINTAIN.
- ⚠️All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED NO FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATES PROVIDED ON THE PREMISES.INSTRUCTED TO SHOW PROOF OF TRAINING FOR ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES AND MAINTAIN.All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED NO FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATES PROVIDED ON THE PREMISES.INSTRUCTED TO SHOW PROOF OF TRAINING FOR ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES AND MAINTAIN.
- 🥜allergen training missingAllergen Training As Required • OBSERVED ONE CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER WITH EXPIRED ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN AS REQUIRED.
When was El Quetzal last inspected?
El Quetzal has 8 inspections on record going back to September 24, 2020.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| February 25, 2025 | closed by the city | |
| July 18, 2024 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| September 29, 2023 | Pass | |
| September 21, 2023 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| September 16, 2022 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| August 31, 2021 | Pass | |
| August 23, 2021 | Fail | |
| September 24, 2020 | Pass |
El Quetzal vs Albany Park
Albany Park runs 58% clean across 828 tracked restaurants — 478 clean, 149 mid, 198 cooked.
Against the 828 spots Cooked tracks in Albany Park, this one comes out cleaner than 30% of them.
Other spots in Albany Park
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 July 18, 2024. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.