Cooked?
Flamingo Tea
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations3
- last inspectedJune 20, 2025
- address843 1/2 W Belmont Ave, Chicago 60657
Is Flamingo Tea clean?
Flamingo Tea is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on June 20, 2025. Inspectors wrote up 3 critical violations — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid 😬.
What did inspectors find at Flamingo Tea?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on June 20, 2025, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 📋no certified food manager on dutycriticalPerson In Charge Present, Demonstrates Knowledge, And Performs Duties • NO PERSON IN CHARGE PRESENT AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. NO CITATION ISSUED.
- 📋certified manager paperwork missingcriticalCity Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • FOUND NO INDIVIDUAL WITH A CITY OF CHICAGO SANITATION CERTIFICATE ON PREMISES WHILE HANDLING TCS FOODS. (HANDLES CHICKEN, DAIRY, ETC.) PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION, 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED. MUST PROVIDE CERTIFIED MANAGER ON SITE DURING HOURS OF OPERATION. MANAGER ARRIVED ON SITE AT 1:00PM AT END OF INSPECTION.
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • OBSERVED THE ONLY HAND SINK IN THE REAR PREPARATION AREA IN THE MAIN KITCHEN AND DISH AREA TO BE BLOCKED WITH A LARGE WHITE PLASTIC BIN, NOT ALLOWING FOR USE OF THE HAND SINK. OBSERVED THE ONLY HAND SINK IN THE BASEMENT PREPARATION AREA TO BE BLOCKED WITH VARIOUS METAL TRAYS, UTENSILS, AND PLASTIC LIDS, STACKED HIGH AND NOT ALLOWING FOR USE OF THE HAND SINK. INSTRUCTED MANAGER THAT HAND SINK MAY ONLY BE USED FOR HAND WASHING, AND MUST BE MAINTAINED ACCESSIBLE FOR USE BY EMPLOYEES AT ALL TIMES. EMPLOYEE REMOVED UTENSILS AND UNBLOCKED BOTH HAND SINKS BY END OF INSPECTION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION, 7-38-030(c). CITATION ISSUED.
- ⚠️Single-Use/Single-Service Articles: Properly Stored & Used • OBSERED VARIOUS BOXES OF SINGLE SERVICE ITEMS, CUPS, AND CONTAINERS STORED ON THE FLOOR IN THE DRY STORAGE AREA IN THE BASEMENT NEXT TO THE STAIRS AND ON THE SIDE OF THE WALK IN COOLER. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO ELEVATE ALL SINGLE SERVICE ITEMS AT LEAST 6 INCHES OFF THE FLOOR.Single-Use/Single-Service Articles: Properly Stored & Used • OBSERED VARIOUS BOXES OF SINGLE SERVICE ITEMS, CUPS, AND CONTAINERS STORED ON THE FLOOR IN THE DRY STORAGE AREA IN THE BASEMENT NEXT TO THE STAIRS AND ON THE SIDE OF THE WALK IN COOLER. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO ELEVATE ALL SINGLE SERVICE ITEMS AT LEAST 6 INCHES OFF THE FLOOR.
- 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to codeFood & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • OBSERVED THE SIDE OF THE OVERHEAD EXHAUST AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE OVERHEAD EXHAUST SYSTEM TO HAVE A PROTECTIVE PLASTIC LAYER THAT IS TEARING AND DISCOLORED DUE TO GREASE BUILD UP AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO REMOVE AND PROVIDE A SMOOTH AND EASILY CLEANABLE SURFACE ON THE OVERHEAD EXHAUST SYSTEM.
- ⚠️Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, & Cleaned • OBSERVED THE BATHROOM DOOR OF THE FIRST BATHROOM/UNISEX BATHROOM TO NOT BE SELF CLOSING. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR SELF CLOSING MECHANISM/PROVIDE A SELF CLOSING BATHROOM DOOR.Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, & Cleaned • OBSERVED THE BATHROOM DOOR OF THE FIRST BATHROOM/UNISEX BATHROOM TO NOT BE SELF CLOSING. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR SELF CLOSING MECHANISM/PROVIDE A SELF CLOSING BATHROOM DOOR.
- 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimyPhysical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • OBSERVED THE TOP OF THE DOOR FRAME OF THE FIRST BATHROOM TO BE TORN OFF THE FRAME AND SITTING ON THE FLOOR IN THE CORNER. INSTRUCTED TO SERVICE AND MAINTAIN IN GOOD REPAIR. • OBSERVED A SOILED MOP STORED IN THE FIRST FLOOR MOP SINK ON TOP OF MATS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO STORE ALL MOPS TO ALLOW FOR DRYING IN BETWEEN USE. • OBSERVED THE AREA/COVE IN WALL CONTAINING THE WATER METER IN THE BASEMENT ENTRANCE/HALL TO THE DRY STORAGE TO BE EXPOSED, WITH VARIOUS STUDS AND PIECES OF WOOD EXPOSED, CREATING A LARGE WALL CAVITIY. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATE COVER/ENCLOSE ALL WALLS.
- ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • OBSERVED TWO (2) LIGHTS IN THE BASEMENT DRY STORAGE AREA BEHIND THE STAIRS AND IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE TO NOT BE SHIELDED/HAVE A PROTECTIVE SHIELDING OVER LIGHT. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE PROTECTIVE SHIELDING FOR LIGHTS IN ALL STORAGE AREAS AND PREP AREAS.Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • OBSERVED TWO (2) LIGHTS IN THE BASEMENT DRY STORAGE AREA BEHIND THE STAIRS AND IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE TO NOT BE SHIELDED/HAVE A PROTECTIVE SHIELDING OVER LIGHT. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE PROTECTIVE SHIELDING FOR LIGHTS IN ALL STORAGE AREAS AND PREP AREAS.
- ⚠️All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED MISSING FOOD HANDLER TRAINING FOR ONE OF TWO EMPLOYEES WORKING IN KITCHEN AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO ENSURE ALL EMPLOYEES COMPLETE AND MAINTIAN FOOD HANDLER TRAINING, AND ALL NEW EMPLOYEES COMPLETE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF HIRE.All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED MISSING FOOD HANDLER TRAINING FOR ONE OF TWO EMPLOYEES WORKING IN KITCHEN AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO ENSURE ALL EMPLOYEES COMPLETE AND MAINTIAN FOOD HANDLER TRAINING, AND ALL NEW EMPLOYEES COMPLETE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF HIRE.
- 🥜allergen training missingAllergen Training As Required • OBSERVED NO ALLERGEN TRAINING FOR CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTURCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT EACH CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER MUST MAINTAIN ALLERGEN TRAINING.
When was Flamingo Tea last inspected?
Flamingo Tea has 2 inspections on record going back to July 5, 2024.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| June 20, 2025 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| July 5, 2024 | Pass |
Flamingo Tea vs Lake View
Lake View runs 68% clean across 2,211 tracked restaurants — 1,492 clean, 440 mid, 272 cooked.
Against the 2,211 spots Cooked tracks in Lake View, this one comes out cleaner than 13% of them.
Other spots in Lake View
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 June 20, 2025. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.