Cooked?
Tierra Mexicana
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations4
- last inspectedAugust 15, 2019
- address5423 W Belmont Ave, Chicago 60641
Is Tierra Mexicana clean?
Tierra Mexicana is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on August 15, 2019. Inspectors wrote up 4 critical violations — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid 😬.
What did inspectors find at Tierra Mexicana?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on August 15, 2019, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 📋certified manager paperwork missingcriticalCity Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • FOUND NO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER ON DUTY.INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT A CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER MUST BE ON SITE WITH A VALID CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE WHILE (TCS FOODS) ARE PREPARED/SERVED TO CUSTOMERS AND POST ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE AS REQUIRED.PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-012,CITATION ISSUED. -
- 🤒sick-employee policy not followedcriticalManagement, Food Employee And Conditional Employee; Knowledge, Responsibilities And Reporting • FOUND NO WRITTEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A SIGNED EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-010,NO CITATION ISSUED.
- 🤒staff working while sickcriticalProcedures For Responding To Vomiting And Diarrheal Events • FOUND PROCEDURE/PLAN FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS ON SITE BUT IN-COMPLETE CLEAN-UP ITEMS.MUST PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE SUPPLIES OR KIT. (NECESSARY ITEMS AT A MINIMUM: GLOVES, FACE MASKS, DISPOSABLE MOPS AND APPROPRIATE SANITIZER THAT KILLS NOROVIRUS).PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005,NO CITATION ISSUED. - -
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • ADDITIONAL HAND WASHING SINK IS NEEDED AT SIDE COFFEE PREPARATION AREA MUST BE LOCATED TO ALLOW CONVENIENT USE BY FOOD EMPLOYEES IN MENTIONED AREA. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO INSTALL HAND WASHING SINK WITH HOT AND COLD RUNNING WATER UNDER CITY PRESSURE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030(C),NO CITATION ISSUED. -
- 🧊food not cooled down rightProper Date Marking And Disposition • FOUND READY-TO-EAT, TCS FOODS HELD FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS (PASTAS,SALSAS,POTATOES ETC) NOT DATE MARKED TO INDICATE THE DATE IN WHICH THE FOOD MUST BE CONSUMED OR DISCARDED. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO DATE MARK ALL READY-TO-EAT, TCS FOODS HELD MORE THAN 24 HOURS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005,NO CITATION ISSUED. - - -
- 📄consumer advisory missingConsumer Advisory Provided For Raw/Undercooked Food • FOUND NO CONSUMER ADVISORY DISCLOSURE AND REMINDER STATEMENT ON THE MENU. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO DISCLOSE WHICH FOODS CAN BE ORDERED "RAW" OR UNDER COOKED AND LINK THOSE FOODS WITH AN ASTERISK (*) TO A REMINDER STATEMENT THAT STATES THAT EATING RAW OR UNDER COOKED FOODS CAN INCREASE YOUR RISK OF FOOD BORNE ILLNESS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005,NO CITATION ISSUED.
- 🧫food prep surfaces dirtyProper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment For Temperature Control • EQUIPMENT NOT MAINTAINING PROPER TEMPERATURE.FOUND INTERNAL AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE OF ONE FOOD PREP COOLER AT IMPROPER TEMPERATURE AT 58.1 F. NO (TCS FOODS) STORED INSIDE COOLER AT THIS TIME.THE COOLER IS TAGGED HELD FOR INSPECTION MUST NOT USE.ONCE COOLER IS REPAIRED YOU CAN FAX A LETTER TO 312-746-4240 OR E-MAIL: [email protected] TO REQUEST A TAG REMOVAL. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005,NO CITATION ISSUED. - COS.
- 🌡️thermometers missingThermometers Provided & Accurate • INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN A METAL STEM THERMOMETER FOR TAKING FOOD TEMPERATURES.PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005,NO CITATION ISSUED.
- 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to codeFood & Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed & Used • FOUND BROKEN SINK STOPPERS AT THE 3 COMPARTMENT SINK.MUST PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN 3 ADEQUATE WORKING SINK STOPPERS FOR THE 3 COMPARTMENT SINK.
- 🚻bathroom / plumbing issuesPlumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices • FOUND SMALL WATER LEAK AT DRAIN PIPE UNDERNEATH THE HAND SINK REAR FOOD PREP AREA.MUST REPAIR PLUMBING LEAK AND TO MAINTAIN.
- 🧹floors, walls, or ceilings grimyPhysical Facilities Installed, Maintained & Clean • INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE UNNECESSARY ARTICLES AT REAR STORAGE CLOSET AND HOT WATER TANK CLOSET DUE TO POTENTIAL PEST HARBORAGE AND TO MAINTAIN.
- ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN EXHAUST HOOD/FILTERS AT FRONT PREP AREA TO REMOVE ACCUMULATION OF GREASE BUILD-UP AND MAINTAIN. • FOUND MISSING LIGHT SHIELD FOR LIGHT FIXTURE AT REAR PREP AREA.MUST INSTALL OR PROVIDE SHATTER-PROOF LIGHT BULBS AND MAINTAIN.Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN EXHAUST HOOD/FILTERS AT FRONT PREP AREA TO REMOVE ACCUMULATION OF GREASE BUILD-UP AND MAINTAIN. • FOUND MISSING LIGHT SHIELD FOR LIGHT FIXTURE AT REAR PREP AREA.MUST INSTALL OR PROVIDE SHATTER-PROOF LIGHT BULBS AND MAINTAIN.
- ⚠️All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING AND MAINTAIN CERTIFICATES ON SITE.All Food Employees Have Food Handler Training • ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING AND MAINTAIN CERTIFICATES ON SITE.
- 🥜allergen training missingAllergen Training As Required • ALLERGEN TRAINING IS REQUIRED FOR ALL EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE A CITY FOR CHICAGO FOOD SANITATION LICENCE. INSTRUCTED TO COMPLETE TRAINING AND MAINTAIN CERTIFICATE ON SITE.
When was Tierra Mexicana last inspected?
Tierra Mexicana has 5 inspections on record going back to November 17, 2017.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| January 14, 2021 | closed by the city | |
| January 11, 2021 | — | |
| August 15, 2019 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| January 10, 2018 | Pass | |
| November 17, 2017 | Pass |
Tierra Mexicana vs Belmont Cragin
Belmont Cragin runs 60% clean across 787 tracked restaurants — 470 clean, 175 mid, 137 cooked.
Against the 787 spots Cooked tracks in Belmont Cragin, this one comes out cleaner than 18% of them.
Other spots in Belmont Cragin
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 August 15, 2019. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.