✕

Mercadito Chicago

July 17, 2025 · Fail

🪳cooked

official resultFail
resultFail
inspection typeCanvass
failed findings9
critical findings0

← Back to the current restaurant page

Failed findings

surfaces not properly sanitized

Official wording: Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized
Inspector note: OBSERVED BLACK SLIMY SUBSTANCES ON INTERIOR WATER COMPONENTS OF THE ICE MACHINE, DRIPPING INTO ICE "ICE IS USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION" LOCATED IN STORAGE ROOM ADJACENT TO THE BASEMENT BAR AREA.INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO TURN OFF MACHINE, REMOVE ICE AND HAVE INTERIOR OF ICE MAKER CLEANED AND SANITIZED AND MAINTAINED.PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005, CITATION ISSUED.
code 16
cold food not cold enough

Official wording: Proper Cold Holding Temperatures
Inspector note: OBSERVED IMPROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES OF (TCS FOODS) HELD INSIDE OF THE 3-DOOR PREP LINE COOLER IN THE BASEMENT KITCHEN FOOD PREP AREA.OBSERVED COOKED LOBSTER AT 51.3F AND MIXED CHEESES AT 45.5F.MANAGEMENT VOLUNTARILY DISCARDED APPROXIMATELY 4#'S OF FOOD WORTH $150.00.INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO MONITOR AND MAINTAIN ALL COLD (TCS FOODS) AT 41F OR COLDER AT ALL TIMES.PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005, CITATION ISSUED.
code 22
food prep surfaces dirty

Official wording: Proper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment For Temperature Control
Inspector note: OBSERVED A 2-DOOR PREP COOLER IN THE BASEMENT KITCHEN PREP AREA NOT MAINTAINING PROPER TEMPERATURE (WITH AN AIR TEMPERATURE OF 50.0F) NO TCS FOODS HELD INSIDE SAID COOLER.INSTRUCTED MANAGER COLD HOLDING UNIT MUST MAINTAIN COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURE OF 41.0F OR COLDER AT ALL TIMES.INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR.THE 2-DOOR PREP COOLER IS TAGGED "HELD FOR INSPECTION" AT THIS TIME.INSTRUCTED NOT TO USE UNTIL REPAIRED.PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005,NO CITATION ISSUED.***SEE COMMENTS BELOW***
code 33
food improperly labeled

Official wording: Food Properly Labeled; Original Container
Inspector note: OBSERVED SOME 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).
code 37
grimy wiping cloths

Official wording: Wiping Cloths: Properly Used & Stored
Inspector note: ALL PREP AREA WIPING CLOTHS MUST BE HELD IN A CONTAINER WITH A SANITIZING SOLUTION BETWEEN USE AND MAINTAIN.
code 41
surfaces / setup not up to code

Official wording: Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used
Inspector note: OBSERVED STAINED CUTTING BOARDS IN THE FOOD PREP AREAS.INSTRUCTED TO RESURFACE OR REPLACE THE CUTTING BOARDS AND MAINTAIN. • OBSERVED A TORN DOOR GASKET INSIDE OF THE 3 DOOR PREP LINE COOLER LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT KITCHEN FOOD PREP AREA.INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE THE TORN DOOR GASKET AND MAINTAIN.
code 47
Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, & Cleaned

Inspector note: OBSERVED NO COVERED WASTE RECEPTACLE PROVIDED IN THE 1ST FLOOR UNISEX WASHROOMS. MUST PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
code 53
Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used

Inspector note: INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN THE KITCHEN EXHAUST HOOD SYSTEMS TO REMOVE EXCESSIVE GREASE BUILD-UP AND MAINTAIN.
code 56
All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training

Inspector note: OBSERVED A FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEE WITH EXPIRED FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO SHOW PROOF OF TRAINING FOR ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES AND MAINTAIN.
code 57

What changed since the previous inspection?

Compared with Pass on October 31, 2024: 9 findings appeared for the first time.

Browse this restaurant's inspections

More restaurants in Near North Side

See every restaurant in Near North Side →

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.