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BOAR'S HEAD CAFE

125 S WACKER DR, CHICAGO, IL 60606 · Restaurant

Inspection summary

BOAR'S HEAD CAFE has been inspected 9 times by Chicago Department of Public Health since July 29, 2020. The most recent inspection, on October 31, 2025, found no infractions.

3 of 9 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 2 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Handwashing and staff hygiene, Pests and Food source, labelling and allergens.

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.

  • 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 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on July 31, 2024. For example: ADEQUATE HANDWASHING SINKS PROPERLY SUPPLIED AND ACCESSIBLE

  • PestsHigher risk

    Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.

    Recorded once on October 24, 2025. For example: INSECTS, RODENTS, & ANIMALS NOT PRESENT

  • Food source, labelling and allergensHigher risk

    Food must come from approved suppliers, stay in labelled containers and be thrown out when it is spoiled or damaged, such as dented or swollen cans. Labelling matters for allergies: an unlabelled container can hide an allergen.

    Recorded once on December 14, 2022. For example: FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER

  • 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 once on August 9, 2021. For example: CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY

  • Food safety training and certificationLower risk

    Most jurisdictions require a certified food handler or manager on site, and some require allergen or food-worker training. These findings mean the paperwork or the trained person was missing at the time. They do not by themselves mean food was handled unsafely.

    Recorded 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 9, 2021. For example: MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING

About this data

These results come from Chicago Department of Public Health, 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.

9 inspections

  1. Canvass Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  2. Canvass

    2 infractions

    • 38. INSECTS, RODENTS, & ANIMALS NOT PRESENT
      • FOUND FRUIT FLY ACTIVITY AT PREMISES.OBSERVED 30 FRUIT FLIES ON WALLS AT STORAGE AREAS.PRIORITY FOUNDATION. CITATION ISSUED.7-38-020A. MUST NOTIFY PEST CONTROL OPERATOR AND ELIMINATE FRUIT FLIES.
    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • FOUND FLOORS NOT CLEAN AT FRONT OF PREMISES UNDER EQUIPMENT/COFFEE STATION AREAS.MUST CLEAN.
  3. Canvass

    1 infraction

    • 10. ADEQUATE HANDWASHING SINKS PROPERLY SUPPLIED AND ACCESSIBLE
      • Obstructed hand wash sink at front prep station, found a bussing tub placed in hand wash sink, instructed to keep all hand wash sinks free from any obstruction. Priority foundation violation 7-38-030(c)
  4. Complaint

    2 infractions

    • 40. PERSONAL CLEANLINESS
      • OBSERVED FOOD HANDLERS PREPPING FOOD WITHOUT HAIR RESTRAINTS. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST WEAR A HAIR RESTRAINT.
    • 47. FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED
      • OBSERVED MILK CRATES BEING USED AS SHELVING THROUGHOUT THE WALK-IN COOLER. MUST REMOVE AND PROVIDE SHELVING 6" OFF THE FLOOR AND PROVIDES FLOOR ACCESSIBILITY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FACILITY CLEANING.
  5. Canvass

    3 infractions

    • 10. ADEQUATE HANDWASHING SINKS PROPERLY SUPPLIED AND ACCESSIBLE
      • FOUND HANDWASHING SINK WATER TEMPERATURE RANGE BETWEEN AT 91.3F - 92F LOCATED AT TWO FRONT FOOD PREPARATION AREA HANDWASHING SINKS. ALSO NOTED HANDWASHING SINK WATER TEMPERATURE AT 83F LOCATED IN REAR PREP/ DISHWASHING AREA. MUST PROVIDE A MINIMUM HOT WATER TEMPERATURE OF 100F AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY VIOLATION.7-38-030(C). CITATION ISSUED. CFM SERVICED SAID HANDWASHING SINKS AT TIME OF INSPECTION.
    • 37. FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER
      • 3-602.11(A; B:1-4,6,7; C; D) FOUND SANDWICHES AND SALADS PREPACKAGED FOR SELF SERVICE.MUST PROVIDE THE COMMON NAME OF THE FOOD, A LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND SUB-INGREDIENTS, THE NAME AND PLACE OF BUSINESS (CITY AND ZIPCODE) OF THE MANUFACTURER, PACKER, OR DISTRIBUTOR; AND THE NAME OF THE FOOD SOURCE FOR EACH MAJOR FOOD ALLERGEN CONTAINED IN THE FOOD. ( EX. CONTAINS MILK). INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE.
    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • FOUND FOOD DEBRIS AND SPILLAGE UNDER COFFEE STATION INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN SANITIZE AND MAINTAIN.
  6. Canvass

    5 infractions

    • 3. MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING
      • OBSERVED NO WRITTEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO ESTABLISH AN APPROPRIATE EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY AND MAINTAIN WITH VERIFIABLE SIGNED COPIES ON SITE FOR ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF REPORTING AGREEMENT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-010.
    • 5. PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS
      • OBSERVED NO WRITTEN PROCEDURES AND INAQEDUATE SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING OR DIARRHEAL EVENTS. SUPPLIES MUST INCLUDE ADEQUATE SANITIZER THAT ELIMINATES NOROVIRUS. INSTRUCTED FACILITY TO PROVIDE CLEAN UP POLICY AND SUPPLIES TO PROPERLY HANDLE BODILY FLUID SPILLS ON SITE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-005.
    • 39. CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY
      • OBSERVED NO SPLASHGUARD BETWEEN FRONT EXPOSED HANDSINK IN SANDWICH PREP AREA AND SURROUNDING PREP TABLE WHERE EQUIPMENT IS STORED. MUST INSTALL A WASHABLE SPLASHGUARD.
    • 57. ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING
      • OBSERVED NO PROOF OF TRAINING FOR ALL FOOD HANDLERS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN RECORDS AT ALL TIMES.
    • 60. PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION CORRECTED
      • NOTED PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION #58 NOT CORRECTED FROM REPORT #2386953 CONDUCTED ON 9/9/2020: (#58) 2-102.13: OBSERVED THE CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER WITHOUT AN ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO HAVE ALL CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS OBTAIN THIS CERTIFICATE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-42-090.
  7. Non-Inspection

    0 infractions

  8. License

    1 infraction

    • 58. ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED
      • OBSERVED THE CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER WITHOUT AN ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO HAVE ALL CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS OBTAIN THIS CERTIFICATE.
  9. License

    0 infractions

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