A & W
931 Upper James St, Hamilton ON L9C 3A6 · Restaurant
Inspection summary
A & W has been inspected 12 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since January 10, 2022. The most recent inspection, on May 8, 2026, found no infractions.
6 of 12 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 0 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Protecting food from contamination and Food temperature control.
The last 3 inspections in a row found no infractions. The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.
What these findings mean
Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.
Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk
Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.
Recorded 5 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on January 15, 2025. For example:
Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk
This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 12, 2022. For example:
Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
Food temperature controlHigher risk
Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.
Recorded once on January 29, 2024. For example:
Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk
Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.
Recorded once on August 12, 2022. For example:
Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
Building, plumbing and upkeepLower risk
Floors, walls and ceilings must be smooth and clean, with working lighting, ventilation, plumbing, hot and cold water, and washrooms. These are rarely an immediate food-safety risk on their own, but persistent problems can lead to pest or sanitation issues.
Recorded once on August 14, 2024. For example:
Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
About this data
These results come from City of Hamilton Public Health Services, which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.
12 inspections
- Complaint
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Complaint
4 infractions
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles in good repair
- Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
- Collect and remove garbage and waste as necessary to maintain sanitary conditions
- Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
- Ensure manual dishwashing includes the three steps: wash, rinse, and sanitize
- Maintenance of sanitary facilities
- Maintain sanitary facility clean and in good repair
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles in good repair
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Re-inspection
1 infraction
- Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
- Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
- Maintenance of sanitary facilities
- Maintain sanitary facility clean and in good repair
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Routine Inspection
2 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Ensure ceilings are kept clean and in good repair
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
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