Cooked?
The Tamale Lady
- resultPass
- critical violations1
- last inspectedJanuary 8, 2026
- address1932 W Cermak Rd, Chicago 60608
Is The Tamale Lady clean?
The Tamale Lady is currently Pass from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on January 8, 2026. Inspectors wrote up 1 critical violation — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads clean 😇.
What did inspectors find at The Tamale Lady?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on January 8, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • HANDWASHING SIGNS IN NEED OF REPLACING. WET/DRY CURLED UP INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE AND MAINTAIN
- ⚠️Approved Thawing Methods Used • OBSERVED A BAG OF FROZEN CHILIES (NON TCS) THAWING ON COUNTER. INSTRUCTED TO THAW ALL TCS FOOD ITEMS UNDER COLD RUNNING WATER OR UNDER REFRIGERATION.Approved Thawing Methods Used • OBSERVED A BAG OF FROZEN CHILIES (NON TCS) THAWING ON COUNTER. INSTRUCTED TO THAW ALL TCS FOOD ITEMS UNDER COLD RUNNING WATER OR UNDER REFRIGERATION.
- 🏷️food improperly labeledFood Properly Labeled; Original Container • ALL BULF ITEMS SHOULD BE STORED IN A CLEAN CONTAINER WITH IDENTIFIYING MARKERS. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN
- 🪳pests in the houseInsects, Rodents, & Animals Not Present • REAR EXIT DOOR NOT RODENT PROOFED. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN
- 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimyPhysical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • FLOORS AT BASEMENT PREP AREA IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE ALL STANDING WATER. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN DRY. CORRECT AND MAINTAIN
- ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • HOOD VENT AT 1ST FLOOR PREP IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE GREASE AND HOOD AT BASEMENT PREP AREA IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE DUST BUILD UP. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAINAdequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • HOOD VENT AT 1ST FLOOR PREP IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE GREASE AND HOOD AT BASEMENT PREP AREA IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE DUST BUILD UP. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN
- 🥜allergen training missingAllergen Training As Required • ALLERGEN CERTIFICATE NEEDED FOR MANAGER ON SITE. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN
When was The Tamale Lady last inspected?
The Tamale Lady has 4 inspections on record going back to February 21, 2025.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| January 8, 2026 | Pass | |
| March 11, 2025 | Pass | |
| March 6, 2025 | Fail | |
| February 21, 2025 | — |
The Tamale Lady vs Lower West Side
Lower West Side runs 68% clean across 1,153 tracked restaurants — 775 clean, 162 mid, 205 cooked.
Against the 1,153 spots Cooked tracks in Lower West Side, this one comes out cleaner than 32% of them.
Other spots in Lower West 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 January 8, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.