BARAJO RESTAURANT
672 BLEECKER STREET, UTICA, NY 13501 · Restaurant (Food Service Establishment)
Inspection summary
BARAJO RESTAURANT has been inspected 29 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since November 1, 2000. The most recent inspection, on January 20, 2026, recorded 3 infractions.
12 of 29 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 3 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Protecting food from contamination and Cleaning and sanitizing.
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.
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 14 times across 10 separate inspections, most recently on January 20, 2026. For example:
Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
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 6 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on January 20, 2026. For example:
Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
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 2 times on February 20, 2013. For example:
Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
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 February 19, 2016. For example:
Hair is improperly restrained
Equipment and utensilsLower risk
Equipment has to be built from cleanable materials, kept in good repair and stored properly. These findings are mostly about upkeep, like a cracked shelf, a worn gasket or utensils stored the wrong way. They are generally lower risk but show how well the kitchen is maintained.
Recorded 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on January 23, 2024. For example:
Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
About this data
These results come from New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), 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.
29 inspections
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 13B: Garbage storage areas not properly constructed or maintained, creating a nuisance
- Not Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Inspection
4 infractions
- 2E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate potentially hazardous food temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
- Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 2E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate potentially hazardous food temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Not Critical Violation
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
- Not Critical Violation
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Not Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Not Critical Violation
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 9C: Hair is improperly restrained
- Not Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 13B: Garbage storage areas not properly constructed or maintained, creating a nuisance
- Not Critical Violation
- 13B: Garbage storage areas not properly constructed or maintained, creating a nuisance
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Not Critical Violation
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 10A: Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
- Not Critical Violation
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Not Critical Violation
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
- Not Critical Violation
- 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 5A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or below 45�F during cold holding, except smoked fish not kept at or below 38�F during cold holding.
- Critical Violation
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 15B: Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
- Not Critical Violation
- 15B: Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
- Critical Violation
- 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
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