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Mago's Tamales & Taqueria

September 3, 2026 · Fail

🪳cooked

official resultFail
resultFail
inspection typeComplaint
failed findings7
critical findings1

Failed findings

certified manager paperwork missingcritical

Official wording: City Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate
Inspector note: NOTED FACILITY DID NOT PROVIDE A VALID CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE FOR EMPLOYEES WORKING ON SITE. INFORMED A CERTIFIED MANAGER WITH A CURRENT CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFICATE MUST BE ON PREMISES AT ALL TIMES AND A VALID MUST REMAIN POSTED ON SITE WHENEVER TIME AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY(TCS) FOODS ARE BEING PREPARED, HANDLED AND/OR SERVED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
code 2Priority
food improperly labeled

Official wording: Food Properly Labeled; Original Container
Inspector note: OBSERVED FOOD STORED IN CONTAINERS IN ALL THE COOLERS, WALK IN COOLER AND DRY STORAGE WITHOUT PROPER LABELING OF NAME. INSTRUCTED TO PERSON IN CHARGE TO PROVIDE A LABEL REFLECTING THE FOOD ITEM'S NAME WHEN FOOD HAS BEEN REMOVE FROM ITS ORIGINAL PACKAGING.
code 37
pests in the house

Official wording: Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present
Inspector note: 6-202.15 OBSERVED A 1/4" GAP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR EXIT DOOR. MUST PROVIDE A TIGHT-FITTING SEAL AT ALL OUTER OPENINGS TO PREVENT THE ENTRY OF PESTS. • OBSERVED EVIDENCE OF LIVE ROACH ACTIVITY ON PREMISES. OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY 5 ROACHES ON PREMISES ON WALL ABOVE HANDWASHNG SINK, ON FLOOR BEHIND REACH IN COLD HOLD UNIT, UNDER OVEN IN MAIN PREP AREA AND ON BOTTOM SIDE OF PREP TABLE. ADDITIONAL PEST CONTROL SERVICE IS NEEDED TO ELIMINATE THE PEST ACTIVITY. PRIORITY FOUNDATION #7-38-020(A). CITATION ISSUED. • OBSERVED ROACHES ON FLOOR IN REAR NEAR FREEZERS, UNDER DRY STORAGE RACK WITH APRONS, ON FLOOR IN CORNERS NEAR HOT COOKING EQUIPMENT. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE DETAIL CLEAN, SANITIZE, AND MAINTAIN.
code 38
Contamination Prevented During Food Preparation, Storage & Display

Inspector note: OBSERVED FOOD ITEMS STORED IN WALK-IN FREEZER COOLER, ON PREP TABLES, STORAGE RACKS, AND BULK RICE CONTAINERS UNCOVERED. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDED FOOD GRADE LIDS AND/OR COVERINGS WHEN STORING ALL FOOD ITEMS TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION.
code 39
Utensils, Equipment & Linens: Properly Stored, Dried, & Handled

Inspector note: 4-903.11 (A;B;D) OBSERVED POTS AND PANS IN REAR NEXT TO UPRIGHT TWO DOOR COOLER NOT INVERTED. INSTRUCTED TO INVERT PLATES, BOWLS, POTS AND PANS AFTER SANITIZING AND AIR DRYING.
code 44
surfaces / setup not up to code

Official wording: Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used
Inspector note: OBSERVED MILK CRATES BEING USED AS SHELVING THROUGHOUT THE PREP AND STORAGE AREAS. MUST REMOVE AND PROVIDE SHELVING THAT IS 6" OFF THE FLOOR AND PROVIDES FLOOR ACCESSIBILITY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FACILITY CLEANING.
code 47
floors, walls, or ceilings grimy

Official wording: Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean
Inspector note: OBSERVED GREASE BUILDUP, FOOD DEBRIS, AND DIRT ON FLOOR UNDER COOKING EQUIPMENT, ALONG WALLS AND IN ALL CORNERS IN PREP, DISH WASHING, STORAGE AND BASEMENT AREAS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN FLOORS UNDER ALL EQUIPMENT, ALONG WALLS AND IN ALL CORNERS IN ALL AREAS. OBSERVED DUST BUILDUP ON FAN IN WALK-IN COOLER, LIGHT SHIELDS IN COOKING AREA AND CEILING AND WALL VENTS IN PREP AND STORAGE AREAS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN ALL FANS, LIGHT SHIELDS AND CEILING/WALL VENTS.
code 55

What changed since the previous inspection?

Compared with Pass on June 15, 2026: 3 findings appeared for the first time. 4 findings recurred. 2 previous findings did not recur.

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About this record

This record comes from Chicago Department of Public Health. Cooked keeps the official result and wording separate from its plain-English explanation so you can verify what the inspector actually published.

Source: Chicago Data Portal.