EL TAPATIO

Inspection summary

EL TAPATIO has been inspected 2 times by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division since February 7, 2024. The most recent inspection, on September 10, 2024, recorded 4 infractions.

None of the 2 inspections on record were free of infractions. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Pests, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Protecting food from contamination.

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 once on September 10, 2024. 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 once on September 10, 2024. For example: PERSONAL CLEANLINESS AND HAIR RESTRAINTS

• 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 February 7, 2024. For example: FOOD PROPERLY STORED; FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS IDENTIFIED

• 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 February 7, 2024. For example: FOOD CONTACT SURFACES: CLEAN AND SANITIZED

• Building, plumbing and upkeepLower risk

  Floors, walls and ceilings must be smooth and clean, with working lighting, ventilation, plumbing, hot and cold water, and washrooms. These are rarely an immediate food-safety risk on their own, but persistent problems can lead to pest or sanitation issues.

  Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on September 10, 2024. For example: PLUMBING: PLUMBING IN GOOD REPAIR, PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES

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