Merkle's Bar & Grill

May 27, 2016 · Fail

🪳cooked

official resultFail
resultFail
inspection typeCanvass
failed findings15
critical findings3

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Failed findings

certified manager paperwork missingcritical

Official wording: Facilities To Maintain Proper Temperature
Inspector note: FACILITIES UNABLE TO MAINTAIN PROPER TEMPERATURES. TWO KITCHEN COOLERS FOUND AT IMPROPER TEMPERATURES OF 53.4F AND 49.9F WITH FOODS SUCH AS CHICKEN AT 50.7 AND BEEF AT 53.1F. BOTH COOLERS TAGGED HELD FOR INSPECTION AND MUST NOT USE UNTIL REPAIRED AND MAINTAINS A TEMPERATURE OF 40F OR BELOW. CRITICAL VIOLATION 7-38-005(A).
code 2Priority
sick-employee policy not followedcritical

Official wording: Potentially Hazardous Food Meets Temperature Requirement During Storage, Preparation Display And Service
Inspector note: THE FOLLOWING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOODS FOUND HELD IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED COOLER AT IMPROPER TEMPERATURES. CHICKEN AT 50.7F AND 50.3F, BEEF AT 50.2F AND CHEESE AT 49.7F IN THE TALL REACH IN COOLER. BEEF AT 53.1F AND CHICKEN AT 49.7F IN THE SMALL TWO DOOR COOLER. ALL FOODS DISCARDED MANAGEMENT STATES ESTIMATED VALUE TO BE $150.00 AND TOTAL POUNDS TO BE 47 LBS. CRITICAL VIOLATION 7-38-16.
code 3Priority
water/temperature at the sink offcritical

Official wording: Water Source: Safe, Hot & Cold Under City Pressure
Inspector note: NO HOT WATER AT THE KITCHEN THREE COMPARTMENT SINK AND EXPOSED HAND SINK. WATER TEMPERATURE FOUND AT 91.1 AND 91.2 AT BOTH SINKS. FOUND HOT WATER TANK NOT ON. MANAGEMENT RESTORED HOT WATER DURING THE INSPECTION. CRITICAL VIOLATION 7-38-030.
code 9Priority
surfaces not properly sanitized

Official wording: Food Protected During Storage, Preparation, Display, Service And Transportation
Inspector note: FOODS NOT PROTECTED. OBSERVED CUT, READY TO EAT FRUIT FOR CUSTOMER CONSUMPTION IN OPEN, UNCOVERED CONTAINERS ON TOP OF THE BAR. MANAGEMENT DISCARDED. OBSERVED BOTTLES OF CHAMPAIGN BEING STORED INSIDE ICE USED FOR CONSUMPTION AT THE BAR. ICE DISCARDED.OBSERVED WALK-IN COOLER COMPRESSOR DRIPPING DOWN ONTO FOODS INSIDE THE COOLER. FOODS DISCARDED.COMPRESSOR ALSO DRIPPING INTO A PAN IN THE KITCHEN TALL REACH-IN COOLER. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR DRIPPING COMPRESSORS. OBSERVED BASEMENT ICE MACHINE STORED UNDER A WASTE WATER PIPING FOUND DRIPPING ONTO THE FLOOR NEXT TO MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE THE ICE MACHINE TO AN AREA WITH PROPER PROTECTION, CEILING, NO WASTE WATER PIPING. SERIOUS VIOLATION 7-38-005(A).
code 16
toxic items stored near food

Official wording: No Evidence Of Rodent Or Insect Outer Openings Protected/Rodent Proofed, A Written Log Shall Be Maintained Available To The Inspectors
Inspector note: FRONT EXIT DOOR TO OUTDOORS FOUND NOT RODENT PROOFED WITH RUBBER DOOR SWEEP ON BOTTOM OF DOOR TORN AND OPEN 1/4 INCH GAP ON THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE STRIP AND MAKE EXIT/ENTRANCE DOOR TIGHT FITTING ON THE BOTTOM.SERIOUS VIOLATION 7-38-020.
code 18
Dish Washing Facilities: Properly Designed, Constructed, Maintained, Installed, Located And Operated

Inspector note: THREE EXCESSIVE LEAKS UNDER THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK REPAIRED WITH DUCT TAPE. TAPE ON THE GREASE TRAP CONNECTION TO SINK. NO STOPPERS FOR SINK. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR ALL LEAKS ON THE SINK AND GREASE TRAP, PROVIDE STOPPERS. CHEMICAL DISH MACHINE NOT MAINTAINED AND FOUND EXTREMELY DIRTY INSIDE AND OUT WITH ENCRUSTED FOOD DEBRIS AND BROWN SLIME SUBSTANCE INSIDE MACHINE. MUST CLEAN, REMOVE FOOD AND SLIME. SERIOUS VIOLATION 7-38-030.
code 24
toxic chemicals mishandled

Official wording: Previous Minor Violation(S) Corrected 7-42-090
Inspector note: PREVIOUS MINOR VIOLATIONS FROM 10-2-15 NOT CORRECTED. #32-INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO REPLACE THE TORN OR MISSING GASKETS ON THE KITCHEN REFRIGERATION UNITS AND TO MAINTAIN. OBSERVED THE KITCHEN CHEST FREEZER WITH A DAMAGED LID. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO REPAIR/REPLACE AND MAINTAIN. #34- INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN THE FLOORS BEHIND THE BAR, UNDER AND AROUND THE KITCHEN EQUIPMENT, AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BASEMENT AND TO MAINTAIN. #38- OBSERVED THE MEN'S WASHROOM WASHBOWL SINK WITH A DAMAGED, BUT STILL OPERATIONAL, HOT HANDLE. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN. SERIOUS VIOLATION 7-42-090.
code 29
Food And Non-Food Contact Surfaces Properly Designed, Constructed And Maintained

Inspector note: MUST NOT USE DUCT TAPE AS A MEANS OF REPAIR ON THE BAR COOLERS AND COOLER DOORS ALSO ON THE SHELVING INSIDE THE WALK-IN COOLER. RUSTY SHELVING INSIDE THE KITCHEN TWO DOOR TALL REACH-IN COOLER. MUST REMOVE RUST OR REPLACE. TIN FOIL BEING USED AS LINER ON HOOD FILTERS. MUST REMOVE. DIRTY FAN GUARDS INSIDE THE WALK-IN COOLER. MUST CLEAN.
code 32
food prep surfaces dirty

Official wording: Food And Non-Food Contact Equipment Utensils Clean, Free Of Abrasive Detergents
Inspector note: THE FOLLOWING NEED CLEANING: KITCHEN EXPOSED HAND SINK, ALL COOKS LINE COOLERS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
code 33
Floors: Constructed Per Code, Cleaned, Good Repair, Coving Installed, Dust-Less Cleaning Methods Used

Inspector note: MISSING FLOOR TILES AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE BAR. MUST REPLACE.
code 34
Walls, Ceilings, Attached Equipment Constructed Per Code: Good Repair, Surfaces Clean And Dust-Less Cleaning Methods

Inspector note: EXCESSIVE DUST ON CEILING VENTS INSIDE BOTH WASHROOMS AND FOOD SPLATTER ON THE CEILING OF THE MENS ROOM. MUST CLEAN.
code 35
pests in the house

Official wording: Ventilation: Rooms And Equipment Vented As Required: Plumbing: Installed And Maintained
Inspector note: EXTREMELY SLOW DRAIN AT THE WOMANS WASHROOM. MUST REPAIR.
code 38
Linen: Clean And Soiled Properly Stored

Inspector note: USED DIRTY LINENS MUST NOT BE STORED HANGING FROM OVEN HANDLES.
code 39
Refrigeration And Metal Stem Thermometers Provided And Conspicuous

Inspector note: MUST PROVIDE INTERNAL THERMOMETERS FOR ALL COOLERS.
code 40
grimy wiping cloths

Official wording: Premises Maintained Free Of Litter, Unnecessary Articles, Cleaning Equipment Properly Stored
Inspector note: ALL UNNECESSARY ARTICLES STORED THROUGHOUT THE BASEMENT AND THROUGHOUT THE REAR GARAGE STORAGE MUST BE REMOVED FROM PREMISES TO PREVENT RODENT HARBORING AND ALL OTHER STORED ITEMS ELEVATED AND ORGANIZED.
code 41

What changed since the previous inspection?

Compared with Pass on October 2, 2015: 11 findings appeared for the first time. 4 findings recurred.

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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.