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BUFFET LOS AMIGOS RESTAURANT INC

5823 W FULLERTON AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60639 · Restaurant

Inspection summary

BUFFET LOS AMIGOS RESTAURANT INC has been inspected 5 times by Chicago Department of Public Health since March 14, 2018. The most recent inspection, on September 20, 2019, found no infractions.

3 of 5 inspections on record found no infractions at all. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Food source, labelling and allergens and Handwashing and staff hygiene.

Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.

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 4 times on May 30, 2019. For example: PROPER HOT HOLDING TEMPERATURES

  • 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 2 times on May 30, 2019. For example: PROPER DATE MARKING AND DISPOSITION

  • 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 May 30, 2019. For example: PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS

  • 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 once on May 30, 2019. For example: NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN

  • 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 4 times on May 30, 2019. For example: CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE

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.

5 inspections

  1. Canvass

    0 infractions

  2. Canvass

    14 infractions

    • 2. CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE
      • OBSERVED NO CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SANITATION CERTIFICATE POSTED ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO HAVE A CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER PRESENT AT ALL TIMES WHILE TCS FOODS ARE BEING PREPARED AND SERVED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
    • 3. MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING
      • OBSERVED NO WRITTEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A SIGNED EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-010. NO CITATION ISSUED.
    • 5. PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS
      • OBSERVED NO CLEAN UP PROCEDURE OR SUPPLIES ON THE PREMISES TO RESPOND TO VOMIT AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE BOTH. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005. NO CITATION ISSUED.
    • 21. PROPER HOT HOLDING TEMPERATURES
      • OBSERVED TAMALES IN A STAINLESS STEEL POT IN THE FOOD PREP AREA WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 117.5F. MANAGEMENT VOLUNTARILY DISCARDED APPROXIMATELY 2# OF FOOD WORTH $10. PRIORITY 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
    • 22. PROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES
      • OBSERVED IMPROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES OF TCS FOODS. OBSERVED SOUR CREAM AT 49.8F, EGGS AT 51.8F, MASHED PLAINTAINS AT 49.8F, TAQUITOS AT 51.1F. MANAGEMENT VOLUNTARILY DISCARDED APPROXIMATELY 20# OF FOOD WORTH $100. PRIORITY 7-38-005. SEE VIOLATION #21 FOR CITATION.
    • 23. PROPER DATE MARKING AND DISPOSITION
      • OBSERVED READY-TO-EAT, TCS FOODS HELD OVER 24 HOURS NOT DATE MARKED TO INDICATE THE DATE IN WHICH THE FOOD MUST BE CONSUMED OR DISCARDED. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO DATE MARK ALL READY-TO-EAT, TCS FOODS HELD OVER 24 HOURS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005. NO CITATION ISSUED.
    • 33. PROPER COOLING METHODS USED; ADEQUATE EQUIPMENT FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL
      • OBSERVED THE 2 DOOR PREP COOLER WITH AN AIR TEMPERATURE OF 51.3F. THE COOLER WAS USED TO STORE TCS FOODS SUCH AS EGGS AND COOKED PLAINTAINS. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN THE COOLER BELOW 41F. PRIORITY 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
    • 35. APPROVED THAWING METHODS USED
      • OBSERVED IMPROPER THAWING METHODS FOR TCS FOODS. OBSERVED FROZEN PORK SITTING IN A CONTAINER OF STANDING WATER INSIDE OF THE 3 COMPARTMENT SINK. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO PROPERLY THAW TCS FOODS.
    • 37. FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER
      • MUST LABEL ALL DRY STORAGE FOODS IN THE STORAGE ROOM AND COOKED FOODS IN THE COOLERS.
    • 49. NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN
      • CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE MICROWAVE, PREP COOLERS AND FREEZERS, AND PREP TABLES.
    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • CLEAN THE FLOOR IN THE REAR STORAGE AREA.
    • 56. ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED
      • CLEAN THE VENTILATION HOOD AND FILTERS.
    • 57. ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING
      • OBSERVED FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES WITHOUT A FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATE. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED THAT ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES MUST HAVE A FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATE.
    • 58. ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED
      • OBSERVED NO ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE POSTED ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED THAT ALL CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS MUST HAVE AN ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE.
  3. License Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  4. License

    4 infractions

    • 11. ADEQUATE NUMBER, CONVENIENT, ACCESSIBLE, DESIGNED, AND MAINTAINED
      • OBSERVED NO EXPOSED HANDSINK NEXT TO THREE COMPARTMENT SINK.INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO INSTALL AN EXPOSED HANDSINK WITH HOT AND COLD RUNNING WATER WITH SOAP AND PAPER TOWELS. CRITICAL VIOLATION 7-38-030
    • 33. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT UTENSILS CLEAN, FREE OF ABRASIVE DETERGENTS
      • OBSERVED THE INTERIOR OF MICROWAVE TO BE DIRTY.INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO CLEAN AND SANITIZE MICROWAVE OVEN. RANGE TOP AT HOT LINE NEEDS CLEANING.INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO CLEAN RANGE TOP.
    • 35. WALLS, CEILINGS, ATTACHED EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTED PER CODE: GOOD REPAIR, SURFACES CLEAN AND DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS
      • OBSERVED CEILING AT HOT LINE SPLASHED.INSTRUCTED MANAGEMENT TO CLEAN CEILING.
    • 36. LIGHTING: REQUIRED MINIMUM FOOT-CANDLES OF LIGHT PROVIDED, FIXTURES SHIELDED
      • OBSERVED BURNT OUT LIGHT AT DRY STORAGE AREA.INSTRUCTED MANGEMENT TO REPLACE BURNT OUT LIGHT BULBS.
  5. License

    0 infractions

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