EL NICA RESTAURANT

Inspection summary

EL NICA RESTAURANT has been inspected 4 times by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division since December 11, 2023. The most recent inspection, on July 23, 2026, recorded 7 infractions.

None of the 4 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 14 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Pests, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Food temperature control.

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.

• 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 5 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on July 23, 2026. For example: PREMISES; PERSONAL/CLEANING ITEMS; VERMIN-PROOFING

• 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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on February 3, 2025. For example: ADEQUATE HANDWASHING FACILITIES SUPPLIED & ACCESSIBLE

• 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 once on July 23, 2026. For example: PROPER HOT AND COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES

• 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 December 11, 2023. For example: FOOD PROPERLY STORED; FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS IDENTIFIED

• 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 5 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on July 23, 2026. For example: FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATION

About this data

These results come from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division, 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 Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division disclosure site
• See all inspected facilities in Los Angeles County
• How to read an inspection report