Mezquite Pollo Express

August 24, 2026 · Fail

🪳cooked

official resultFail
resultFail
inspection typeCanvass
failed findings11
critical findings0

Failed findings

surfaces not properly sanitized

Official wording: Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized
Inspector note: OBSERVED LOW TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE IMPROPERLY SANITIZING AT A CONCENTRATION OF 0PPM CHLORINE. CORRECTED ON SITE 'HELD FOR INSPECTION' TAG PLACED ON LOW TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE. INSTRUCTED ONCE LOW TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND IS SANITIZING PROPERLY AT A MINIMUM CONCENTRATION OF 50PPM CHLORINE E-MAIL FOOD@CITYOFCHICAGO.ORG TO REQUEST TAG REMOVAL PRIOR TO USING UNIT.( NOTE: LOW TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE NOT IN USE AT TIME OF INSPECTION.) PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-025 NO CITATION ISSUED
code 16
cold food not cold enough

Official wording: Proper Cold Holding Temperatures
Inspector note: OBSERVED COLD TCS FOOD(BEANS), HELD AT IMPROPER TEMPERATURE OF 72.7F. INSTRUCTED ALL COLD TCS FOOD MUST BE HELD AT 41F OR BELOW. CORRECTED ON SITE MANAGER VOLUNTARILY DISCARDED AND DENATURED FOOD VALUED AT $20 WEIGHING 25LBS PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005 CITATION ISSUED
code 22
consumer advisory missing

Official wording: Consumer Advisory Provided For Raw/Undercooked Food
Inspector note: OBSERVED NO DISCLOSURE ON MENU STATING THAT ASTERISKED ANIMAL DERIVED FOOD IS SERVED UNDERCOOKED OR COOKED TO ORDER. INSTRUCTED TO ADD DISCLOSURE TO MENU STATING THAT ASTERISKED ANIMAL DERIVED FOODS ARE SERVED UNDERCOOKED OR COOKED TO ORDER. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005 NO CITATION ISSUED
code 25
food improperly labeled

Official wording: Food Properly Labeled; Original Container
Inspector note: OBSERVED UNLABELED CUSTOMER SELF-SERVICE PREPACKAGED FOODS(COOKIES AND PECAN BARS) ON COUNTER IN DINING ROOM.INSTRUCTED MUST LABEL ITEMS WITH FOOD NAME, INGREDIENTS AND NAME AND PLACE OF BUSINESS OF PACKER.
code 37
pests in the house

Official wording: Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present
Inspector note: OBSERVED OPENINGS AT FIRST FLOOR REAR EXIT DOOR AT BASE AND RIGHT SIDE AND OBSERVED OPENINGS ON RIGHT SIDE OF REAR EXIT BASEMENT DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO SEAL ALL OUTER OPENINGS TO PREVENT PEST ENTRANCE. • OBSERVED OVER 80 MOUSE DROPPINGS IN FACILITY. OBSERVED MOUSE DROPPINGS IN AREAS SUCH AS FIRST FLOOR STORAGE ROOMS, EMPLOYEE WASHROOM AND DINING ROOM NEAR COLD HOLDING UNITS AND UNDERNEATH SHELVING UNIT. INSTRUCTED TO ELIMINATE RODENT ACTIVITY, REMOVE MOUSE DROPPINGS AND CLEAN AFFECTED AREAS. RECOMMENDED LICENSED PEST CONTROL COMPANY SERVICE FACILITY ON OR AFTER 8/24/2026. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-020(A) CITATION ISSUED
code 38
Contamination Prevented During Food Preparation, Storage & Display

Inspector note: OBSERVED BUG LIGHT INSTALLED ABOVE CHEST FREEZER IN REAR STORAGE AREA. INSTRUCTED TO RELOCATE CHEST FREEZER IN REAR STORAGE AREA OR REINSTALL BUG LIGHT TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION.
code 39
surfaces / setup not up to code

Official wording: Food & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used
Inspector note: OBSERVED DAMAGED GASKETS ON BOTH DOORS OF TWO DOOR REFRIGERATOR IN DISHWASHING AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE DAMAGED GASKETS ON BOTH DOORS OF TWO DOOR REFRIGERATOR IN DISHWASHWASHING AREA AND MAINTAIN.
code 47
bathroom / plumbing issues

Official wording: Plumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices
Inspector note: UNABLE TO LOCATE BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE ON UTILITY SINK IN EMPLOYEE WASHROOM. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE ON UTILITY SINK IN EMPLOYEE WASHROOM SO THAT IT SHALL BE LOCATED SO THAT IT MAY BE SERVICED AND MAINTAINED • OBSERVED FAUCET OF TWO COMPARTMENT SINK LEAKING. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR LEAKING FAUCET OF TWO COMPARTMENT SINK AND MAINTAIN.
code 51
Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, & Cleaned

Inspector note: OBSERVED DOOR OF EMPLOYEE ALL GENDER WASHROOM TO NOT BE SELF CLOSING. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL SELF CLOSING DEVICE ON EMPLOYEE ALL GENDER WASHROOM DOOR SO THAT IT SHALL BE TIGHT FITTING AND SELF CLOSING.
code 53
floors, walls, or ceilings grimy

Official wording: Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean
Inspector note: OBSERVED STAINED CEILING TILES IN DISHWASHING AREA ABOVE LARGE TWO DOOR REFRIGERATOR. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE ALL STAINED CEILING TILES IN FACILITY AND MAINTAIN
code 55
Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used

Inspector note: OBSERVED NON WORKING LIGHTS IN BASEMENT. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE ALL NON WORKING LIGHTS IN BASEMENT TO INCREASE LIGHT INTENSITY AND MAINTAIN.
code 56

What changed since the previous inspection?

Compared with Pass on October 16, 2025: 7 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.