El Comal Downtown

Inspection summary

El Comal Downtown has been inspected 5 times by Vancouver Coastal Health since March 3, 2025. The most recent inspection, on January 5, 2026, found no infractions.

3 of 5 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 3 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Pests, Protecting food from contamination and Cleaning and sanitizing.

Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.

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.

• 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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on December 16, 2025. For example: The premises is free of conditions that lead to harbouring, breeding and entry of pests.

• 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 March 3, 2025. For example: Food is handled in a sanitary manner and is not subject to contamination.

• 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 March 3, 2025. For example: All equipment, food contact surfaces, utensils, dishes & glasses used on the premises are washed and sanitized in a manner that removes contamination.

• 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 March 3, 2025. For example: Each employee demonstrates good personal hygiene and washes their hands as often as necessary to prevent the contamination of food.

• Permits, records and postingLower risk

  Operating permits, required signage, written procedures and logs. These findings are administrative: the documentation was missing or out of date at the time of inspection.

  Recorded 4 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on December 16, 2025. For example: Operator of a food service establishment has developed, maintained, and followed approved written procedures to ensure that a health hazard does not occur.

About this data

These results come from Vancouver Coastal 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.

• View the official Vancouver Coastal Health disclosure site
• See all inspected facilities in Vancouver Coastal
• How to read an inspection report