Cooked?
Papa John's Pizza
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations2
- last inspectedDecember 17, 2025
- address80 E Cermak Rd, Chicago 60616
Is Papa John's Pizza clean?
Papa John's Pizza is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on December 17, 2025. 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 Papa John's Pizza?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on December 17, 2025, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 📋no certified food manager on dutycriticalPerson In Charge Present, Demonstrates Knowledge, And Performs Duties • OBSERVED NO PERSON IN CHARGE WITH VALID CHICAGO FOOD SANITATION CERTIFICATE.
- 📋certified manager paperwork missingcriticalCity Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • OBSERVED NO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER ON DUTY WHILE FOODS ARE BEING PREPARED, HANDLED AND SERVED SUCH AS (CHICKEN AND PIZZA,) MUST BE ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
- ⚠️Personal Cleanliness • OBSERVED FOOD HANDLER PREPPING FOOD WITHOUT HAIR RESTRAINT. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST WEAR A HAIR RESTRAINT.Personal Cleanliness • OBSERVED FOOD HANDLER PREPPING FOOD WITHOUT HAIR RESTRAINT. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST WEAR A HAIR RESTRAINT.
- ⚠️Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, & Cleaned • OBSERVED NO COVERED RECEPTACLE FOR PROPER DISPOSAL OF SANITARY NAPKINS IN EMPLOYEE WASHROOM. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE COVERED WASTE RECEPTACLE.Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, & Cleaned • OBSERVED NO COVERED RECEPTACLE FOR PROPER DISPOSAL OF SANITARY NAPKINS IN EMPLOYEE WASHROOM. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE COVERED WASTE RECEPTACLE.
- ⚠️All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED NO FOOD HANDLERS' CERTIFICATES ON SITE. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO COMPLY WITH THE IDPH FOOD HANDLER REQUIREMENT.All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED NO FOOD HANDLERS' CERTIFICATES ON SITE. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO COMPLY WITH THE IDPH FOOD HANDLER REQUIREMENT.
When was Papa John's Pizza last inspected?
Papa John's Pizza has 11 inspections on record going back to July 28, 2014.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| December 17, 2025 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| September 11, 2024 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| February 27, 2023 | Pass | |
| February 1, 2022 | Pass | |
| December 4, 2020 | Pass | |
| December 20, 2019 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| October 11, 2016 | Pass | |
| October 5, 2016 | Fail | |
| October 4, 2016 | Fail | |
| May 20, 2015 | Pass | |
| July 28, 2014 | Pass |
Papa John's Pizza vs Near South Side
Near South Side runs 73% clean across 470 tracked restaurants — 338 clean, 92 mid, 36 cooked.
Against the 470 spots Cooked tracks in Near South Side, this one comes out cleaner than 10% of them.
Other spots in Near South Side
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 December 17, 2025. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.