Pho Cafe

• resultFail
• critical violations2
• last inspectedMarch 27, 2024
• address232 W Cermak Rd, Chicago 60616

Is Pho Cafe clean?

Pho Cafe is currently Fail from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on March 27, 2024. Inspectors wrote up 2 critical violations — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads cooked 🪳.

What did inspectors find at Pho Cafe?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on March 27, 2024, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecritical
  Adequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • OBSERVED HANDWASHING SINKS ON SITE MISSING HANDWASHING SIGNAGE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Food In Good Condition, Safe, & Unadulterated • OBSERVED ADULTERATED FOODS AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. OBSERVED A DEAD ROACH INSIDE A METAL CONTAINER WITH LETTUCE, STORED INSIDE A SINGLE PREP COOLER ACROSS FROM THE HANDWASHING SINK IN THE REAR FOOD PREP AREA. ALSO, OBSERVED A LIVE ROACH CRAWLING INSIDE OF A TWO DOOR PREP COOLER, AT THE TOP PART WITH UNCOVERED FOOD ITEMS SUCH AS TOFU, RAW BEEF, COOKED BEEF, SLICED ONIONS, AND SLICED TOMATOES. THE TWO DOOR PREP COOLER WAS LOCATED TO THE RIGHT OF THE COOKING LINE ACROSS FROM THE VENTILATION HOOD. APPROXIMATELY 10 LBS AT $80 WAS DISCARDED AT THIS TIME. INSTRUCTED FOOD SHALL BE SAFE AND UNADULERATED AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005, CITATION ISSUEDcritical
  Food In Good Condition, Safe, & Unadulterated • OBSERVED ADULTERATED FOODS AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. OBSERVED A DEAD ROACH INSIDE A METAL CONTAINER WITH LETTUCE, STORED INSIDE A SINGLE PREP COOLER ACROSS FROM THE HANDWASHING SINK IN THE REAR FOOD PREP AREA. ALSO, OBSERVED A LIVE ROACH CRAWLING INSIDE OF A TWO DOOR PREP COOLER, AT THE TOP PART WITH UNCOVERED FOOD ITEMS SUCH AS TOFU, RAW BEEF, COOKED BEEF, SLICED ONIONS, AND SLICED TOMATOES. THE TWO DOOR PREP COOLER WAS LOCATED TO THE RIGHT OF THE COOKING LINE ACROSS FROM THE VENTILATION HOOD. APPROXIMATELY 10 LBS AT $80 WAS DISCARDED AT THIS TIME. INSTRUCTED FOOD SHALL BE SAFE AND UNADULERATED AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005, CITATION ISSUED
• 🧽surfaces not properly sanitized
  Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned & Sanitized • OBSERVED BLACK, BROWN AND PINK SUBSTANCE BUILD UP ON THE INTERIOR PANEL ABOVE THE ICE INSIDE OF THE ICE MACHINE. ICE USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. INSTRUCTED MUST REMOVE BUILD UP, CLEAN, AND SANITIZE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005, CITATION ISSUED
• 🧊cold food not cold enough
  Proper Cold Holding Temperatures • OBSERVED IMPROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES OF TCS FOODS INSIDE THE WALK-IN COOLER AND A PREP COOLER ON THE LEFT OF THE COOKING LINE ACROSS FROM THE VENTILATION HOOD. FOODS FOUND OUT OF COMPLIANCE WERE: SLICED TOMATOES (46.7F), EGGS (46.0-53.9F), AND CHICKEN (47.6F). MANAGER DISCARDED APPROXIMATELY 10LBS AT $60 WORTH OF PRODUCT. MUST HAVE COLD HOLDING FOODS AT 41.0F OR BELOW AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY 7-38-005, CITATION ISSUED
• 🪳pests in the house
  Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present • OBSERVED 3 LIVE ROACHES IN THE REAR FOOD PREP AREA, AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. THE LIVE ROACHES WERE OBSERVED IN THE REAR FOOD PREP AREA IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE METAL SHELVING UNIT WITH BOXES OF SANDWICH BAGS STORED, ON THE PIPE UNDER THE TWO COMPARTMENT SINK NEAR THE VENTILATION HOOD, INSIDE THE PREP COOLER WITH UNCOVERED FOOD ITEMS, PREP COOLER LOCATED TO THE RIGHT OF THE COOKING LINE ACROSS FROM VENTILATION HOOD. INSTRUCTED TO ELIMINATE LIVE ROACH ACTIVITY, CLEAN AND SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS AND RECOMMENDED CONTACTING PEST CONTROL FOR A SERVICE. ALL AFFECTED FOOD ITEMS WERE DISCARDED AT THIS TIME, MENTIONED IN VIOLATION #13. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-020(A), CITATION ISSUED • OBSERVED DEAD ROACHES ON THE FLOORS AND SURFACES THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY. OBSERVED DEAD ROACHES ON THE FLOORS UNDER ALL COOKING, WASHING, AND SHELVING UNITS EQUIPMENT IN THE REAR FOOD PREP AREA AND THE FRONT SERVER STATION. OBSERVED DEAD ROACHES INSIDE OF THE SINGLE PREP COOLER ACROSS FROM THE HANDWASHING SINK IN THE REAR FOOD PREP AREA AND INSIDE A CABINET WITH A PLASTIC DOOR IN THE BEVERAGE PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ALL DEAD ROACHES, CLEAN AND SANITIZE ALL AFFECTED AREAS AND MAINTAIN. • OBSERVED THE REAR EXIT DOOR LEADING TO THE OUTDOOR DUMPSTER NOT RODENT PROOF AT THE BOTTOM. INSTRUCTED TO RODENT PROOF SAID DOOR AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Contamination Prevented During Food Preparation, Storage & Display • OBSERVED A TRAY WITH 4-5 WHOLE PINEAPPLES STORED ON THE FLOOR UNDER A SHELVING UNIT IN THE REAR FOOD PREP/DISHWASHING AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REFRAIN FROM STORING FOOD ON THE FLOOR AND ATLEAST 6 INCHES FROM THE FLOOR AND MAINTAIN. • OBSERVED TWO BIG BOWLS OF COOKED NOODLES STORED ON THE DRAINBOARD RIGHT NEXT THE TO LOW TEMEPERATURE DISHWASHING MACHINE DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO RELOCATED TO PREVENT CONTAMINATING FOOD AND MAINTAIN.
  Contamination Prevented During Food Preparation, Storage & Display • OBSERVED A TRAY WITH 4-5 WHOLE PINEAPPLES STORED ON THE FLOOR UNDER A SHELVING UNIT IN THE REAR FOOD PREP/DISHWASHING AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REFRAIN FROM STORING FOOD ON THE FLOOR AND ATLEAST 6 INCHES FROM THE FLOOR AND MAINTAIN. • OBSERVED TWO BIG BOWLS OF COOKED NOODLES STORED ON THE DRAINBOARD RIGHT NEXT THE TO LOW TEMEPERATURE DISHWASHING MACHINE DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO RELOCATED TO PREVENT CONTAMINATING FOOD AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Warewashing Facilities: Installed, Maintained & Used; Test Strips • OBSERVED ONE OF THE WALLS OF THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK MISSING, MAKING THE SINK LOOK LIKE A TWO COMPARTMENT SINK. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE THE MISSING WALL AND MAINTAIN.
  Warewashing Facilities: Installed, Maintained & Used; Test Strips • OBSERVED ONE OF THE WALLS OF THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK MISSING, MAKING THE SINK LOOK LIKE A TWO COMPARTMENT SINK. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE THE MISSING WALL AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Previous Core Violation Corrected • OBSERVED PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATIONS NOT CORRECTED FROM 06/06/2023, REPORT # 2576857 #49: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN THE BOTTOM INTERIOR AREA OF THE FRYER AND THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE FRYER TO REMOVE GREASE OBSERVED. #55: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN THE FLOOR UNDER THE FRYER IN THE KITCHEN, CLEAN WALL NEXT TO FRYER IN THE KITCHEN, CLEAN WALL ABOVE THE SINK IN THE KITCHEN AND CLEAN THE CEILING VENT AND LIGHT SHIELD IN KITCHEN ABOVE PREP COOLER TO REMOVE DUST OBSERVED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-42-090, CITATION ISSUED
  Previous Core Violation Corrected • OBSERVED PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATIONS NOT CORRECTED FROM 06/06/2023, REPORT # 2576857 #49: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN THE BOTTOM INTERIOR AREA OF THE FRYER AND THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE FRYER TO REMOVE GREASE OBSERVED. #55: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN THE FLOOR UNDER THE FRYER IN THE KITCHEN, CLEAN WALL NEXT TO FRYER IN THE KITCHEN, CLEAN WALL ABOVE THE SINK IN THE KITCHEN AND CLEAN THE CEILING VENT AND LIGHT SHIELD IN KITCHEN ABOVE PREP COOLER TO REMOVE DUST OBSERVED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-42-090, CITATION ISSUED

When was Pho Cafe last inspected?

Pho Cafe has 4 inspections on record going back to March 29, 2022.

Pho Cafe vs Armour Square

Armour Square runs 75% clean across 644 tracked restaurants — 481 clean, 114 mid, 46 cooked.

Against the 644 spots Cooked tracks in Armour Square, this one comes out cleaner than 4% of them.

Other spots in Armour Square

• ✓ Spring Hill Suites
  clean · July 29, 2021
• ✓ Spring Hill Suites
  clean · July 29, 2021
• ✓ Lemen Sun Corp.
  clean · January 24, 2012
• ✓ The Tea Spot
  clean · September 9, 2021
• ✕ Tai Wah Grocery
  cooked · June 10, 2024
• ✓ Lowcountry
  clean · October 20, 2025

See every restaurant inspection in Armour Square →

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 March 27, 2024. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.