RESTAURANT-INSPECTIONS

Roach/rodent activity: Three Gainesville restaurants temporarily closed by the state

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 Dec. 18-24, 2023. 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 Dec. 18-24 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 were temporarily closed by inspectors?

These restaurants failed their Dec. 18-24 inspections and were temporarily closed. Follow-upinspections are required.

Ritters Of Gainesville Inc.

6815 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Dec. 18

Facility Temporarily Closed: Operations ordered stopped until violations are corrected.

1 total violation, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed approximately 20 live roaches in front counter area near single service Togo silverware on the bottom shelf of prep table holding fudge warmer and milkshake mixing machine. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-12-18: Observed one live roach on wall behind wall behind prep table next to hand washing sink behind front counter. **Admin Complaint**

Wahoos Seafood Grill

3833 NW 97th Blvd., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Dec. 19

Facility Temporarily Closed: Operations ordered stopped until violations are corrected.

19 total violations, with 6 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. Item stored in walk-in cooler: rice (45F - Cooling). Manager stated the item was prepared the previous day.
  • High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours and from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within six hours. See stop sale. Item stored in walk-in cooler: rice (45F - Cooling). Manager stated the item was prepared the previous day.
  • 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 in dish area without washing hands. Manager had employee wash hands and rewash dishes. **Corrective Action Taken**
  • High Priority - Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Observed 12 rodent droppings on floor underneath ice bin in bar area. **Repeat Violation** **Warning**
  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Fish being thawed in reach-in cooler across from cook line. No tag on/for original container of raw, in-shell clams/mussels/oysters. See stop sale. Oysters stored in walk-in cooler next to dry storage room.
  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Bottle of all purpose cleaner stored on top of ice machine. Manager removed bottle of cleaner. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Zaxby's

2424 NW 43rd St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Dec. 19

Facility Temporarily Closed: Operations ordered stopped until violations are corrected.

11 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed 6 live roaches in soap dispenser for hand washing sink between three compartment sink and ice machine in dry storage room off the kitchen. Observed 3 live roaches in hand towel dispenser for hand washing sink between three compartment sink and ice machine in dry storage room off the kitchen. Observed 20 live roaches behind hand towel dispenser for hand washing sink between three compartment sink and ice machine in dry storage room off the kitchen. **Warning**
  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Item in reach-in cooler on make line: cheese (45F - Cold Holding). Manager stated item placed in cooler thirty minutes prior to temperature being taken. Managed moved item to walk-in freezer. **Corrective Action Taken**

Which Alachua County restaurants had high priority violations?

Mojo Hogtown BBQ

12 SE Second Ave., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Dec. 19

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 - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. sausage (54F - Cold Holding) manager stated item had been out of cooler for no more than 20 minutes, he had pulled out of cooler to place some in warmer and others back in cooler, but had not done so yet and item was out of cooler on table. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Sanitizer spray bottle on shelf above battering station, manager moved chemical. **Corrected On-Site**

Tikka Express

1011 W. University Ave., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Dec. 21

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 - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shell eggs over butter in walk in cooler. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. butter (66F - Cold Holding) item out of cooler 2 hours, operator chose to heat item. potatoes (49F - Cold Holding) item sitting on reach in cooler cutting board, operator placed item in cooler. **Corrective Action Taken**
  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray sanitizer bottle next to herbs on prep table. Operator moved bottle. **Corrected On-Site**
  • High Priority - Wiping cloth solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed stored in a location that could result in the cross contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Quaternary ammonia spray bottle over 500ppm. Operator diluted mixture with water, 400ppm. **Corrected On-Site**

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.