Cooked?
Zalmans
- resultPass w/ Conditions
- critical violations4
- last inspectedFebruary 25, 2026
- address2931 W Touhy Ave, Chicago 60645
Is Zalmans clean?
Zalmans is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on February 25, 2026. 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 Zalmans?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on February 25, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 📋no certified food manager on dutycriticalPerson In Charge Present, Demonstrates Knowledge, And Performs Duties • NO PERSON IN CHARGE PRESENT AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. NO CITATION ISSUED.
- 📋certified manager paperwork missingcriticalCity Of Chicago Food Service Sanitation Certificate • NOTED NO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER ON DUTY WITH THE CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE CERTIFICATE ON SITE WHILE TCS FOODS (RICE, CHICKEN SOUPS ETC.) WERE BEING PREPARED AND SERVED. INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT THAT A CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER WITH THE CITY OF CHICAGO ORIGINAL FOOD SERVICE CERTIFICATE MUST BE PRESENT AT ALL TIMES TCS FOODS ARE PREPARED AND SERVED, AND ALSO THE PERSON IN CHARGE MUST HAVE A CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFICATE BY NEXT INSPECTION (UPON BEING INSPECTED) PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
- 🤒sick-employee policy not followedcriticalManagement, Food Employee And Conditional Employee; Knowledge, Responsibilities And Reporting • NOTED NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION FOLLOWING THE NEW CODE AND GUIDELINES. INSTRUCTED TO HAVE VERIFICATION OF POLICY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE ONE ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION #7-38-010. CITATION ISSUED.
- 🚰handwashing sink blocked or barecriticalAdequate Handwashing Sinks Properly Supplied And Accessible • NOTED NO SOAP AT HAND WASH SINK OF THE KITCHEN PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO HAVE SOAP AND PAPER TOWELS AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-030(C). CITATION ISSUED. • NOTED NO PAPER TOWELS AT 2 HAND WASHING SINKS. INSTRUCTED TO HAVE SOAP AND PAPER TOWELS AT ALL HAND WASHING SINKS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-030(C). CITATION ISSUED. CONSOLIDATED WITH THE ABOVE VIOLATION.
- 🧪toxic chemicals mishandledCompliance With Variance/Specialized Process/Haccp • NOTED A VACUUM PACKAGING MACHINE ON SITE AND ASSORTED FOOD ITEMS INSIDE THE COOLER VACUUM PACKAGED WITH NO PROOF OF HACCP OR VARIANCE PER HEALTH CODE REQUIREMENT. INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT DISCONTINUE THE VACUUM PACKAGING PROCESS UNTIL A VARIANCE AND HACCP ARE APPROVED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.THE FOLLOWING FOOD ITEMS THAT WERE VACUUM PACKAGED WERE ALSO TAGGED AND HELD FOR INSPECTION PASTRAMI AND TURKEY APPROXIMATELY 8LBS OF PRODUCTS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION#7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
- ⚠️Variance Obtained For Specialized Processing Methods • NOTED A VACUUM PACKAGING MACHINE ON SITE AND ASSORTED FOOD ITEMS INSIDE THE COOLER VACUUM PACKAGED WITH NO PROOF OF HACCP OR VARIANCE PER HEALTH CODE REQUIREMENT. INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT DISCONTINUE THE VACUUM PACKAGING PROCESS UNTIL A VARIANCE AND HACCP ARE APPROVED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.THE FOOD ITEMS THAT WAS VACUUM PACKAGED WAS ALSO TAGGED AND HELD FOR INSPECTION PASTRAMI AND TURKEY ABOUT 8LBS PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION#7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED. CONSOLIDATED WITH ABOVE VIOLATION #29.Variance Obtained For Specialized Processing Methods • NOTED A VACUUM PACKAGING MACHINE ON SITE AND ASSORTED FOOD ITEMS INSIDE THE COOLER VACUUM PACKAGED WITH NO PROOF OF HACCP OR VARIANCE PER HEALTH CODE REQUIREMENT. INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT DISCONTINUE THE VACUUM PACKAGING PROCESS UNTIL A VARIANCE AND HACCP ARE APPROVED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.THE FOOD ITEMS THAT WAS VACUUM PACKAGED WAS ALSO TAGGED AND HELD FOR INSPECTION PASTRAMI AND TURKEY ABOUT 8LBS PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION#7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED. CONSOLIDATED WITH ABOVE VIOLATION #29.
- 🚻bathroom / plumbing issuesPlumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices • NOTED HEAVY LEAKAGE AT THE U-JOINT OF THE HAND WASHING SINK. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.
- ⚠️Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • NOTED HEAVY DIRT AND GREASE ACCUMULATION INSIDE, ON PIPES/CONDUITS AND ON EDGES OF THE EXHAUST HOOD AND FILTERS ABOVE COOKING EQUIPMENT. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN HOOD, FILTERS AND PIPES/CONDUITS.Adequate Ventilation & Lighting; Designated Areas Used • NOTED HEAVY DIRT AND GREASE ACCUMULATION INSIDE, ON PIPES/CONDUITS AND ON EDGES OF THE EXHAUST HOOD AND FILTERS ABOVE COOKING EQUIPMENT. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN HOOD, FILTERS AND PIPES/CONDUITS.
- ⚠️Previous Core Violation Corrected • NOTED THE FOLLOWING PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION #58 RULE #PA-100-0367 FROM INSPECTION REPORT #2610976 DATED 1/23/2025 NOT CORRECTED. NOTED CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS ON DUTY WITH NO ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATION. INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT THAT ALL FOOD SERVICE MANAGERS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-42-090. CITATION ISSUED.Previous Core Violation Corrected • NOTED THE FOLLOWING PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION #58 RULE #PA-100-0367 FROM INSPECTION REPORT #2610976 DATED 1/23/2025 NOT CORRECTED. NOTED CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS ON DUTY WITH NO ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATION. INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT THAT ALL FOOD SERVICE MANAGERS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-42-090. CITATION ISSUED.
When was Zalmans last inspected?
Zalmans has 3 inspections on record going back to March 1, 2024.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| February 25, 2026 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| January 23, 2025 | Pass w/ Conditions | |
| March 1, 2024 | Pass |
Zalmans vs West Ridge
West Ridge runs 58% clean across 966 tracked restaurants — 557 clean, 174 mid, 233 cooked.
Against the 966 spots Cooked tracks in West Ridge, this one comes out cleaner than 24% of them.
Other spots in West Ridge
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 25, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.