Lalo's Mexican And Tequila Bar

• resultPass w/ Conditions
• critical violations2
• last inspectedJuly 5, 2019
• address600 E Grand Ave, Chicago 60611

Is Lalo's Mexican And Tequila Bar clean?

Lalo's Mexican And Tequila Bar is currently listed as closed by Chicago Department of Public Health, as of its inspection on July 5, 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 Lalo's Mexican And Tequila Bar?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on July 5, 2019, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 🤒sick-employee policy not followedcritical
  Management, Food Employee And Conditional Employee; Knowledge, Responsibilities And Reporting • Violation Codes: 2-102.14(O). Inspector Comments: - NO VERIFIABLE EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. MUST PROVIDE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION#: 7-38-010. NO CITATION ISSUED.
• 🤒staff working while sickcritical
  Procedures For Responding To Vomiting And Diarrheal Events • Violation Codes: 2-501.11. Inspector Comments: - NO VOMITOUS AND DIARRHEAL INCIDENT CLEAN UP WRITTEN PROCEDURE AND PHYSICAL KIT, EFFECTIVE FOR ELIMINATING NOROVIRUS, ON SITE. MUST PROVIDE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION#: 7-38-005. NO CITATION ISSUED.
• 🧊food not cooled down right
  Proper Date Marking And Disposition • Violation Codes: 3-501.17. Inspector Comments: - MUST PROVIDE PROPER LABELS FOR DATE MARKING THE PREPARATION AND CONSUME BY/DISCARD DATE OF ALL REFRIGERATED, READY-TO-EAT, TCS FOODS PREPARED ON SITE AND HELD OVER 24HRS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION#: 7-38-005. NO CITATION ISSUED.
• 🌡️thermometers missing
  Thermometers Provided & Accurate • Violation Codes: 4-204.112(B). Inspector Comments: - MUST PROVIDE THERMOMETERS THAT ARE EASILY READABLE AND CONSPICUOUSLY PLACED INSIDE ALL COOLERS, AND MAINTAIN.
• 🪳pests in the house
  Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present • Violation Codes: 6-501.112. Inspector Comments: - OBSERVED APPROX 50 DEAD FRUIT FLIES INSIDE THE CABINETS OF THE FRONT PREP AREA. MUST REMOVE ALL DEAD INSECTS, DETAIL CLEAN, SANITIZE, AND MAINTAIN AREAS AT ALL TIMES.
• ⚠️Utensils, Equipment & Linens: Properly Stored, Dried, & Handled • Violation Codes: 4-903.12. Inspector Comments: - OBSERVED THE BUCKET USED TO TRANSPORT ICE FROM THE ICE MACHINE IN THE REAR PREP AREA TO THE ICE BIN IN THE FRONT PREP AREA LAYING DIRECTLY ON THE ICE INSIDE THE ICE MACHINE. MUST REMOVE AND STORE IN A WAY TO PREVENT EXPOSURE TO POTENTIAL SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION, AND MAINTAIN.
  Utensils, Equipment & Linens: Properly Stored, Dried, & Handled • Violation Codes: 4-903.12. Inspector Comments: - OBSERVED THE BUCKET USED TO TRANSPORT ICE FROM THE ICE MACHINE IN THE REAR PREP AREA TO THE ICE BIN IN THE FRONT PREP AREA LAYING DIRECTLY ON THE ICE INSIDE THE ICE MACHINE. MUST REMOVE AND STORE IN A WAY TO PREVENT EXPOSURE TO POTENTIAL SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION, AND MAINTAIN.
• 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to code
  Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • Violation Codes: 4-202.16. Inspector Comments: - OBSERVED MILK CRATES BEING USED AS SHELVING IN THE REAR PREP AREA. MUST REMOVE AND PROVIDE SHELVING TO BE 6" OFF THE FLOOR AND PROVIDE FLOOR ACCESSIBILITY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FACILITY CLEANING.
• 🚿plumbing acting up
  Non-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean • Violation Codes: 4-602.13. Inspector Comments: - OBSERVED AN EXCESSIVE ACCUMULATION OF ENCRUSTED FOOD DEBRIS ON THE GRILL TABLE AND ON THE SIDES OF THE GRILLS AND FRYERS. OBSERVED DIRT AND STANDING WATER INSIDE THE CABINETS OF THE FRONT PREP AREA AND ON THE MARGARITA MACHINE TABLES. MUST DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
• 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimy
  Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • Violation Codes: 6-501.12. Inspector Comments: - OBSERVED AN EXCESSIVE ACCUMULATION OF DIRT AND FOOD DEBRIS ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE FRYERS, GRILL, AND PREP TABLES OF THE FRONT PREP AREA. OBSERVED AN EXCESSIVE ACCUMULATION OF DIRT AND FOOD DEBRIS IN ALL FLOOR DRAINS. OBSERVED AN EXCESSIVE ACCUMULATION OF DIRT AND FOOD DEBRIS ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE SHELVING IN THE REAR PREP AREA. OBSERVED DUST AND DIRT BUILDUP ON THE CEILING TILES IN THE FRONT PREP, REAR PREP, DRY STORAGE AREAS. OBSERVED AN ACCUMULATION OF DUST AND DIRT BY THE SODA MACHINE AND THE "BAR" SIGN IN THE FRONT PREP AREA. MUST DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AREAS AT ALL TIMES. • Violation Codes: 6-501.11. Inspector Comments: - MUST REPLACE MISSING CEILING TILES.
• ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • Violation Codes: 6-501.14. Inspector Comments: - OBSERVED AN ACCUMULATION OF DIRT/DEBRIS BUILDUP ON EXHAUST VENTILATION IN THE REAR PREP AREA AND BY THE HOOD IN THE FRONT PREP AREA. MUST DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
  Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • Violation Codes: 6-501.14. Inspector Comments: - OBSERVED AN ACCUMULATION OF DIRT/DEBRIS BUILDUP ON EXHAUST VENTILATION IN THE REAR PREP AREA AND BY THE HOOD IN THE FRONT PREP AREA. MUST DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
• 🥜allergen training missing
  Allergen Training As Required • Violation Codes: 2-102.13. Inspector Comments: - MUST PROVIDE ALLERGEN AWARENESS TRAINING FOR ALL CERTIFIED MANAGERS AND MAINTAIN CERTIFICATES ON SITE.

When was Lalo's Mexican And Tequila Bar last inspected?

Lalo's Mexican And Tequila Bar has 10 inspections on record going back to June 28, 2016.

Lalo's Mexican And Tequila Bar vs Near North Side

Near North Side runs 53% clean across 2,889 tracked restaurants — 1,514 clean, 253 mid, 1,113 cooked.

Against the 2,889 spots Cooked tracks in Near North Side, this one comes out cleaner than 0% of them.

Other spots in Near North Side

• ✓ Lalo's Mexican And Tequila Bar
  clean · June 28, 2016
• ✓ Kikisnack Inc.
  clean · August 10, 2016
• ✓ America's Dog
  clean · June 9, 2016
• ✓! Midwestern Moonshiners, Llc
  cooked · November 15, 2017
• ✓ Catering
  clean · February 17, 2026
• ✓ Catering
  clean · September 13, 2016

See every restaurant inspection in Near North Side →

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 5, 2019. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.