Save-A-Lot

• resultFail
• critical violations3
• last inspectedFebruary 8, 2022
• address420 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago 60624
• cuisineGrocery Store

Is Save-A-Lot clean?

Save-A-Lot is currently Fail from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on February 8, 2022. Inspectors wrote up 3 critical violations — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads cooked 🪳.

What did inspectors find at Save-A-Lot?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on February 8, 2022, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 📋no certified food manager on dutycritical
  Person In Charge Present, Demonstrates Knowledge, And Performs Duties • PERSON IN CHARGE OBSERVED ON SITE WITHOUT CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGER CERTIFICATION. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND PROVIDE ON SITE.
• 📋certified manager paperwork missingcritical
  City Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • OBSERVED NO CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGER CERTIFICATE ON SITE FOR MANAGER ON DUTY DURING INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED THAT MANAGER ON SITE MUST HAVE AND PROVIDE ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-012 CITATION ISSUED.
• 🤒sick-employee policy not followedcritical
  Management, Food Employee And Conditional Employee; Knowledge, Responsibilities And Reporting • OBSERVED NO WRITTEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO ESTABLISH AN APPROPRIATE EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY AND MAINTAIN WITH VERIFIABLE SIGNED COPIES ON SITE FOR ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF REPORTING AGREEMENT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-010. CITATION ISSUED.
• 🪳pests in the house
  Insects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present • OBSERVED DEAD RODENTS, LOCATED IN THE REAR STORAGE ROOM ALONG REAR WALL UNDER WHITE PLASTIC SHELVING UNIT, ON THE SALES FLOOR UNDER THE SHELVING UNITS. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ALL, CLEAN AND MAINTAIN ALL AREAS. • OBSERVED 700 DROPPINGS AND LIVE RODENT ACTIVITY ON SITE. DROPPINGS WERE LOCATED IN REAR STORAGE AREA ALONG WALLS, UNDER SHELVING UNITS, NEAR REAR EXIT DOOR, INSIDE MEAT COOLER ROOM ALONG WALLS AND UNDER SHELVING UNITS. ON THE SALES FLOOR ALONG THE WALLS, ON SHELVING UNITS AND UNDER SHELVINGS. ON THE SALES FLOOR UNDER AND ON ALL THE SHELVING UNITS AS WELL AS IN THE FRONT AREAS INSIDE AND UNDER THE CANDY BAR RACKS (NAWING ON FOODS), INSIDE THE FRONT CLOSET AREA NEXT TO THE PRODUCE AREA. UNDER AND INSIDE THE CASHIER STATIONS. INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT PEST SERVICE AND HAVE A FULL SERVICE PERFORMED. INSTRUCTED TO CHECK INSIDE ALL HOUSING UNITS OF EQUIPMENT AS WELL WERE DROPPINGS WERE FOUND AS WELL, ALSO OBSERVED SMALL FLIES THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY REAR STORAGE AREA AND IN THE FRONT OF THE STORE AREA AS WELL AS IN THE FRONT MANAGEMENT OFFICE. PROOF OF SERVICE LOG NEEDED UPON REQUESTING INSPECTION RETURN. PRIORTIY VIOLATION 7-38-020(A) CITATION ISSUED.
• 🚿plumbing acting up
  Non-Food/Food Contact Surfaces Clean • OBSERVED THE WALK IN COOLER, FREEZER AND MEAT STORAGE COOLER WITH A BUILD UP OF DIRT, DEBRIS AND FOOD DEBRIS ON FLOORS AND THE FREEZER WITH A BUILD UP OF FROZEN ICE ON THE FLOOR. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN ALL AREAS. • OBSERVED THE FAN VENTS INSIDE THE BUTCHER ROOM AND WALK IN COOLERS AND FREEZER WITH A HEAVY ACCUMULATION OF DUST. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AS A MEASN OF PREVENTING POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION OF FOODS AND FOOD CONTACT SURFACES.
• 🚻bathroom / plumbing issues
  Plumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices • OBSERVED THE HANDWASHING SINK IN THE BUTCHER ROOM WITH A LEAK AT THE DRAIN PIPE. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.
• ⚠️Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained • OBSERVED OUTSIDE TRASH RECEPTACLE AREA NOT WELL MAINTAINED TRASH OVERFLOWING, TRASH ALL AROUND ON THE GROUND NEAR THE RECEPTACLE. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AREA AND KEEP ALL LIDS CLOSED AS A MEANS OF PREVENTING PEST HARBORING. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-020 (B) CITATION ISSUED.
  Garbage & Refuse Properly Disposed; Facilities Maintained • OBSERVED OUTSIDE TRASH RECEPTACLE AREA NOT WELL MAINTAINED TRASH OVERFLOWING, TRASH ALL AROUND ON THE GROUND NEAR THE RECEPTACLE. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AREA AND KEEP ALL LIDS CLOSED AS A MEANS OF PREVENTING PEST HARBORING. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-020 (B) CITATION ISSUED.
• 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimy
  Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • OBSERVED THE DUCKBOARDS THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY DAMAGED OR MISSING ALONG THE WALL NEAR THE PRODUCE SECTION, ALONG THE WALL IN THE FRONT AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE STORE AND THROUGHOUT THE REAR OF THE FACILITY AS WELL. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN ALL AREAS. • OBSERVED HEAVY FOOD DEBRIS, DUST AND GARBAGE UNDER ALL SHELVING UNITS THROUGHOUT FACILITY ON SALES FLOOR.OBSERVED SOILED FLOOR UNDER WHITE PALETS ADJACENT TO WALK IN PRODUCE COOLER. OBSERVED SOILED CANDY SHELVING AT FRONT CHECKOUT COUNTERS. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN EACH AREA CLEAN. • OBSERVED THE LOWER WALLS OF THE WALK IN DAIRY COOLER DAMAGED. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.
• ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • OBSERVED THE LIGHTS IN THE BUTCHER ROOM NEAR THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK BURNED OUT. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AS NEEDED.
  Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • OBSERVED THE LIGHTS IN THE BUTCHER ROOM NEAR THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK BURNED OUT. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AS NEEDED.
• ⚠️All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED NO PROOF OF TRAINING FOR ALL FOOD HANDLERS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN RECORDS AT ALL TIMES.
  All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • OBSERVED NO PROOF OF TRAINING FOR ALL FOOD HANDLERS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN RECORDS AT ALL TIMES.
• ⚠️Miscellaneous / Public Health Orders • OBSERVED UPON ENTERING FACILITY FOR INSPECTION, STORE MANAGER AND SECURITY OFFICER ON THE SALES FLOOR NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FACE MASK MANDATE. INSTRUCTED TO PLEASE PUT ON A MASK AND TO COMPLY WITH MANDATE ANYTIME INSIDE FACILITY. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-28-060 CITATION ISSUED.
  Miscellaneous / Public Health Orders • OBSERVED UPON ENTERING FACILITY FOR INSPECTION, STORE MANAGER AND SECURITY OFFICER ON THE SALES FLOOR NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FACE MASK MANDATE. INSTRUCTED TO PLEASE PUT ON A MASK AND TO COMPLY WITH MANDATE ANYTIME INSIDE FACILITY. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-28-060 CITATION ISSUED.

When was Save-A-Lot last inspected?

Save-A-Lot has 30 inspections on record going back to September 16, 2011. The 12 most recent are shown below.

Save-A-Lot vs West Garfield Park

West Garfield Park runs 69% clean across 620 tracked restaurants — 424 clean, 107 mid, 85 cooked.

Against the 620 spots Cooked tracks in West Garfield Park, this one comes out cleaner than 9% of them.

Other spots in West Garfield Park

• ✓ Church's Chicken # 970
  clean · December 1, 2017
• ✓ Toys Beef& Rice Chinda
  clean · September 24, 2025
• ✓ Uncle Remus
  clean · March 7, 2012
• ? Papa C's
  cooked · December 2, 2011
• ? Safari Food Mart, Inc.
  cooked · July 12, 2012
• ✓! Whale Fish And Chicken
  mid · October 22, 2025

See every restaurant inspection in West Garfield Park →

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 February 8, 2022. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.