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EL BERRINCHES PILSEN RESTAURANT

1519 W 18TH ST, CHICAGO, IL 60608 · Restaurant

Inspection summary

EL BERRINCHES PILSEN RESTAURANT has been inspected 4 times by Chicago Department of Public Health since March 8, 2024. The most recent inspection, on September 9, 2025, recorded 9 infractions.

2 of 4 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: Cleaning and sanitizing, Protecting food from contamination and Chemicals and toxic substances.

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.

  • 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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on September 9, 2025. For example: WAREWASHING FACILITIES: INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & USED; TEST STRIPS

  • 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 on September 9, 2025. For example: FOOD IN GOOD CONDITION, SAFE, & UNADULTERATED

  • Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk

    Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.

    Recorded once on September 9, 2025. For example: TOXIC SUBSTANCES PROPERLY IDENTIFIED, STORED, & USED

  • 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 September 9, 2025. For example: INSECTS, RODENTS, & ANIMALS NOT PRESENT

  • 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 September 9, 2025. 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.

4 inspections

  1. Canvass

    9 infractions

    • 2. CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE
      • UPON ARRIVAL, I OBSERVED NO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER WITH THE ORIGINAL CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGER CERTIFICATE ON SITE, WHILE OPEN AND OPERATING. INSTRUCTED A CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER MUST BE ON SITE WITH THE ORIGINAL CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGER CERTIFICATE POSTED AT ALL TIMES WHILE OPEN AND OPERATING. MANAGER ARRIVED BEFORE THE CONCLUSION OF THE INSPECTION. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-012, CITATION ISSUED
    • 13. FOOD IN GOOD CONDITION, SAFE, & UNADULTERATED
      • OBSERVED ADULTERATED READY TO EAT FOOD ITEMS. OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY 4 SMALL FLIES ON CUT LIMES AND LEMONS STORED AT THE BAR IN AN UNCOVERED CONTAINER. LEMONS AND LIMES ARE USED FOR BEVERAGES. IMMEDIATELY HAD EMPLOYEE DISCARD OF 3LBS AT $10 WORTH OF PRODUCT. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005, CITATION ISSUED
    • 28. TOXIC SUBSTANCES PROPERLY IDENTIFIED, STORED, & USED
      • OBSERVED OPEN RODENT BAIT STATIONS IN THE FOOD PREP AREA IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: ON TOP OF AN OPEN PREP COOLER NEAR FOOD ITEMS AND ON THE FLOORS UNDER THE DISHWASHING EQUIPMENT. INSTRUCTED THE MANAGER ALL RODENT BAIT STATIONS SHALL BE COVERED AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-015, CITATION ISSUED
    • 38. INSECTS, RODENTS, & ANIMALS NOT PRESENT
      • OBSERVED REAR EXIT DOOR NEAR THE FOOD PREP AREA NOT RODENT PROOF AT THE BOTTOM. INSTRUCTED TO RODENT PROOF AND MAINTAIN.
    • 39. CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY
      • OBSERVED ALL PREP COOLERS/ COLD HOLDING UNITS AND HOT HOLDING UNITS WITH FOOD STORED INSIDE NOT COVERED, WHILE UNATTENDED IN THE REAR FOOD PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED MUST COVER MAINTAIN ALL FOOD ITEMS.
    • 47. FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED
      • OBSERVED ALL GENDER TOILET ROOM IN THE DINING AREA WITH A DAMAGED LOCK. DOOR NOT ABLE TO LOCK. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.
    • 48. WAREWASHING FACILITIES: INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & USED; TEST STRIPS
      • OBSERVED ONE MISSING SINK STOPPER FOR THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • OBSERVED STANDING SLIGHT WATER NEAR THE ICE MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE AND MAINTAIN.
    • 58. ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED
      • OBSERVED NO ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE FROM THE CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER ON SITE. INSTRUCTED TO TAKE COURSE AND MAINTAIN RECORDS ON SITE.
  2. License

    0 infractions

  3. Canvass

    0 infractions

  4. License

    5 infractions

    • 3. MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING
      • 2-102.14(O) OBSERVED NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-010.
    • 16. FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES: CLEANED & SANITIZED
      • 4-501.114 OBSERVED LOW-TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE NOT SANITIZING PROPERLY AT 0PPM DURING THE INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN 50PPM-100PPM OF CHLORINE SANITIZING CONCENTRATION AT ALL TIMES. LOW-TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE TAGGED AND HELD FOR INSPECTION AND MAY NOT BE USED. THE FACILITY MUST USE THE 3-COMPARTMENT SINK TO WASH, RINSE, AND SANITIZE ALL UTENSILS AND EQUIPMENT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-025. NO CITATION ISSUED
    • 49. NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN
      • 4-601.11(C) OBSERVED THE INTERIOR OF THE FRYER WITH MINOR ACCUMULATED DEBRIS. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN.
    • 51. PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES
      • 5-202.11 OBSERVED NO GREASE TRAP ATTACHED TO THE FOOD PREP AND BAR AREA 3 COMPARTMENT SINKS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • 6-201.13 OBSERVED THE WALLS NOT COVERED UNDER THE LOW-TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE AND THE FOOD PREP AREA 3 COMPARTMENT SINK. INSTRUCTED TO MAKE SURFACE TIGHT FITTING.

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