RESTAURANT-INSPECTIONS

14 Alachua County restaurants cited for high-priority violations

Staff reports
The Gainesville Sun

You can use the database to search by county or by restaurant name.

Florida's restaurant owners are not required to post restaurant inspection results where guests can see them. So every week, we provide that information for you.

For a complete list of local restaurant inspections, including violations not requiring warnings or administrative action, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Alachua County for the week of Jan. 8-14, 2024. Please note that some more recent, follow-up inspections may not be included here.

Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a 'snapshot' of conditions present at the time of the inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment.

For full restaurant inspection details, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspection site.

Which Alachua County restaurants got perfect scores on their health inspections?

These restaurants met all standards during their Jan. 8-14 inspections and no violations were found.

** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week

Which Alachua County restaurants had high priority violations?

Ac Hotel By Marriott Gainesville

151 NW 14th St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 9

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

8 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: cream cheese on the buffet line, 67F, no time mark. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed: sterno stored over straws on dry good shelving in the kitchen.

Alley Gatorz

2606 NE Waldo Road, Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 8

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

8 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired on 6/1/2022. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items stored in reach-in cooler next to cook line grill: hamburger (45F - Cold Holding); hot dog (45F - Cold Holding); mozzarella cheese (48F - Cold Holding); pizza sauce (47F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items placed in cooler two hours prior to temperature being taken. Manager moved items to reach-in freezer to reduce temperature to 41F. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Bite Of Power

1412 W. University Ave., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 10

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

7 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed: paint thinner stored on the unused reach-in cooler in the corner of the dining room. This was moved to the floor. **Corrected On-Site**

China Bowl

5200 NW 43rd St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 11

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

15 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee entered kitchen from outside and placed prepped bags of pork in walk-in cooler. Manager had employee wash hands. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Employee placed cooked pork in bags with bare hands. Manager had employee wash hands and put on gloves to handle remaining pork. **Corrective Action Taken**
  • High Priority - Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. Chicken in walk-in freezer stored in to go bags.
  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw chicken stored over wonton wraps in walk-in freezer. Manager moved chicken to bottom shelf. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

China Garden

1216 N. Main St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 11

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

14 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw egg in same container at bean sprouts in cooler on cooks line. Raw chicken over raw shrimp in walk in cooler. Raw beef over sauces in walk in cooler. Operator moved raw items below and placed correctly per proper cooking temperatures. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Bibb is located at the end of cooks line under cooking equipment.

China One Yu

3720 NW 13th St. Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 8

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

6 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee entered kitchen from outside and handled bag of carrots without washing hands. Manager had employee wash hands. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Eat at Tinker

502 S. Main St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 10

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

19 total violations, with 6 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Bottle of medicine pills on shelf next to microwave in prep area, employee moved medicine. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Heat strip failed to turn black to indicate the sanitization temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit was achieved on the dish surface and/or high temperature holding thermometer did not reach 160F. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired. Dish machine temped at 153F. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shell eggs over container of yuca sticks. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Spray hose at dish sink lower than flood rim of sink.
  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. chimichuri sauce (58F - Cold Holding) homemade sauce containing fresh garlic and oil sitting on counter next to cooler, employee placed item in cooler. **Corrective Action Taken**
  • High Priority - Warewashing sanitizing solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed. Quaternary ammonia Three compartment sink over 500ppm. Operator added water retested 200ppm. **Corrected On-Site**

Humble Wood Fire

307 SW Fourth Ave., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 10

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

14 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Non-food grade paper/paper towel used as liner for food container. Used on dill and cilantro in walk in cooler.
  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Sanitizer bucket on shelf above seeds at prep area, employee moved bucket away from food.
  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. At the end of splitter outside back door.

Munecas Downtown Taco Garden

317 SW Fourth Ave., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 9

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

15 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Container of medicines on top of ice machine.
  • High Priority - Non-food grade paper/paper towel used as liner for food container. White paper towels lining tempeh container and cilantro in walk in cooler.
  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. cooked sauces (63-64F - Cold Holding) item on front counter for 1 hour, operator placed item back in reach in cooler to rapidly drop to below 41F. **Corrective Action Taken**
  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. At the end of splitter attached to bibb outside of back door.

New Hot Wok House

3006 NW 13th St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 10

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

18 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Non-food grade paper/paper towel used as liner for food container. Cooked egg rolls placed on paper towel in pan on prep table next to cook line fryer.
  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw chicken stored over cooked pork in walk-in cooler. Manager placed chicken on bottom shelf. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items in reach-in cooler across from cook line stove: chicken (45F - Cold Holding); pork (46F - Cold Holding); shrimp (45F - Cold Holding); beef (45F - Cold Holding); shrimp (45F - Cold Holding); pork (45F - Cold Holding); chicken (45F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items were at the proper temperature at opening. Manager moved items to walk-in freezer to reduce temperature to 41F. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. Cabbage and noodles stored on prep table in back of kitchen. Manager stated items placed on table at 1:00 pm, manager placed proper time marks on items. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Sonny's BBQ

2700 N. Waldo Rd, Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 8

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

9 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Dish machine across from three compartment sink, 0 ppm. Manager changed sanitizer bucket and primed machine, 50 ppm.**Repeat Violation** **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Sublime Tacos

1818 NE Waldo Rd, Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 10

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

14 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Shell eggs stored above sliced tomatoes in prep area reach-in cooler. Manager moved Shell eggs to shelf above beef. **Corrected On-Site**
  • High Priority - Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. Employee handled raw beef and proceeded to handle take out container without washing hands and changing gloves. Manager had employee wash hands and change gloves. **Corrective Action Taken**
  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items in prep area reach-in cooler: pork (46F - Cold Holding); cheese sauce (45F - Cold Holding); tempeh (45F - Cold Holding); cheese (46F - Cold Holding). Manager stated door was opened and closed often and that items were at proper temperature at 11 am. Manager moved items to reach-in freezer to reduce temperature to 41F. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

Taste

4860 NW 39th Ave., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 11

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

18 total violations, with 6 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Cooked poultry not reaching a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Item cooked in cook line fryer: chicken (89F,91F - Cooking). Employee placed item back in fryer to finish cooking, chicken (187F,193F - Cooking). **Corrected On-Site**
  • High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee entered kitchen from outside and began to handle clean pans without washing hands. Manager had employee wash hands. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee handled dirty dishes then proceeded to handle clean dishes without washing hands. Manager had employee wash hands and rewash dishes. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Employee with sore/cut/burn/wound on hand, finger or wrist without a single-use glove over an impermeable cover such as a bandage, finger cot or stall covering the wound is handling food, clean equipment or utensils, or unwrapped single-service items. Uncovered burn on employees hand working on cook line. Employee put on band aid and plastic gloves to cover burn. **Corrected On-Site**
  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with unwashed produce. Shell eggs stored over peppers in walk-in cooler. Manager moved eggs to bottom shelf. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Bottle of sanitizer tablets stored over pork on prep table across from dish machine. Manager moved sanitizer to area where dish soap is stored. **Corrected On-Site**

Zaxby's

1 NW 10th Ave., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Jan. 11

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

9 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Sanitizer bucket stored on reach in cooler directly next to sauce bottles on cooks line. Operator moved to correct place away from food. **Corrected On-Site**
  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. At the end of splitter at mop sink. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

What agency inspects restaurants in Florida?

Routine regulation and inspection of restaurants is conducted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The Department of Health is responsible for investigation and control of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with all food establishments.

How do I report a dirty restaurant in Florida?

If you see abuses of state standards, report them and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will send inspectors. Call the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or report a restaurant for health violations online.

Get the whole story at our restaurant inspection database.

What does all that terminology in Florida restaurant inspections mean?

Basic violations are those considered against best practices.

A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report.

An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division. Insufficient compliance after a warning, a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment. Says the division website: "Correcting the violations is important, but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over."

An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public. Here, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health, safety or welfare of the public.

A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license.