Cooked?
Mezquite Express # 2
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations2
- last inspectedMay 16, 2019
- address5160 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago 60632
Is Mezquite Express # 2 clean?
Mezquite Express # 2 is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on May 16, 2019. Inspectors wrote up 2 critical violations — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid 😬.
What did inspectors find at Mezquite Express # 2?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on May 16, 2019, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 🤒sick-employee policy not followedcriticalManagement, Food Employee And Conditional Employee; Knowledge, Responsibilities And Reporting • 2-102.14(N): Observed no employee health policy on site. Must provide written employee health policy. Priority foundation violation.
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • OBSERVED NO PAPER TOWELS AT FRONT EXPOSED HAND SINK, OR IN EMPLOYEE RESTROOM. INSTRUCTED MUST PROVIDE A SANITARY MEANS TO DRY HANDS AT ALL WASH BOWL AND EXPOSED HAND SINKS. OPERATOR PROVIDED PAPER TOWELS TO ALL WASH BOWL AND EXPOSED HAND SINKS DURING INSPECTION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030(C). CITATION ISSUED.
- ⚠️Personal Cleanliness • 2-402.11: Observed several food handlers without proper hair restraints in all prep areas. Instructed must provide hair restraints (hats, hair nets, etc.) for all food handlers while in prep areasPersonal Cleanliness • 2-402.11: Observed several food handlers without proper hair restraints in all prep areas. Instructed must provide hair restraints (hats, hair nets, etc.) for all food handlers while in prep areas
- ⚠️Warewashing Facilities: Installed, Maintained & Used; Test Strips • OBSERVED CHICKEN STORED IN LARGE PLASTIC (32 GALLON GARBAGE) CONTAINERS TOO LARGE TO FULLY SUBMERGE IN EXISTING 3 COMPARTMENT SINKS TO PROPERLY WASH, RINSE AND SANITIZE. INSTRUCTED MUST ELIMINATE PLASTIC CONTAINERS TOO LARGE TO FIT IN EXISTING 3 COMPARTMENT SINKS; OR REPLACE EXISTING SINKS WITH BASINS LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE ALL UTENSILS; OR PROVIDE AN APPROVED METHOD (AND DEMONSTRATE) TO PROPERLY WASH, RINSE AND SANITIZE ALL UTENSILS (CONTAINERS).Warewashing Facilities: Installed, Maintained & Used; Test Strips • OBSERVED CHICKEN STORED IN LARGE PLASTIC (32 GALLON GARBAGE) CONTAINERS TOO LARGE TO FULLY SUBMERGE IN EXISTING 3 COMPARTMENT SINKS TO PROPERLY WASH, RINSE AND SANITIZE. INSTRUCTED MUST ELIMINATE PLASTIC CONTAINERS TOO LARGE TO FIT IN EXISTING 3 COMPARTMENT SINKS; OR REPLACE EXISTING SINKS WITH BASINS LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE ALL UTENSILS; OR PROVIDE AN APPROVED METHOD (AND DEMONSTRATE) TO PROPERLY WASH, RINSE AND SANITIZE ALL UTENSILS (CONTAINERS).
- 🚿plumbing acting upNon-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean • OBSERVED SMALL AMOUNT OF BROWN, MOLD-LIKE SUBSTANCE ON CEILING OF LOWER INTERIOR OF ICE MACHINE. MUST DETAIL CLEAN AND SANITIZE. MUST MAINTAIN SAME.
- 🚻bathroom / plumbing issuesPlumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices • OBSERVED EXCESSIVE DEBRIS AND DIRT BUILD UP IN FLOOR DRAIN UNDER 3 COMPARTMENT SINK NEAR SERVICE WINDOW IN REAR OF KITCHEN. MUST DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN SAME. OBSERVED LEAK AT PIPE UNDER RIGHT BASIC OF 3 COMPARTMENT SINK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF KITCHEN. MUST REPAIR AND MAINTAIN SAME.
- 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimyPhysical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • 6-201.11: Observed excessive grease, dirt and debris on floors under racks in dry storage room (used to be a walk in cooler), under bag in the box soda storage rack, and throughout kitchen along walls and under equipment. Must pull all equipment away from walls and must elevate all stock at least 6 inches above the floor.to properly clean. Must maintain same.
- ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • 6-303.11: Observed no lighting in dry storage room (used to be a walk in cooler). Instructed must provide adequate lighting for all areas to allow for proper cleaning. Must maintain same.Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • 6-303.11: Observed no lighting in dry storage room (used to be a walk in cooler). Instructed must provide adequate lighting for all areas to allow for proper cleaning. Must maintain same.
- 🥜allergen training missingAllergen Training As Required • 2-102.13: Observed no proof of allergen training on site. Must provide proof of allergen training for all Chicago certified food sanitation managers.
When was Mezquite Express # 2 last inspected?
Mezquite Express # 2 has 6 inspections on record going back to March 15, 2017.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| August 9, 2019 | closed by the city | |
| May 16, 2019 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| March 15, 2019 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| March 7, 2019 | Fail | |
| November 29, 2017 | Pass | |
| March 15, 2017 | Pass |
Mezquite Express # 2 vs West Elsdon
West Elsdon runs 76% clean across 399 tracked restaurants — 299 clean, 61 mid, 35 cooked.
Against the 399 spots Cooked tracks in West Elsdon, this one comes out cleaner than 10% of them.
Other spots in West Elsdon
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 May 16, 2019. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.