J CAFE
3801 E MERCER WAY, MERCER ISLAND, WA 98040 · Restaurant (Limited Food Services)
Inspection summary
J CAFE has been inspected 13 times by Public Health – Seattle & King County since December 13, 2010. The most recent inspection, on July 28, 2025, recorded 1 infraction.
4 of 13 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, Cleaning and sanitizing and Chemicals and toxic substances.
The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.
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 5 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on January 11, 2019. For example:
2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
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 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on July 28, 2025. For example:
4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
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 February 9, 2024. For example:
2500 - Toxic substances properly identified, stored, used
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 January 11, 2019. For example:
0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
Equipment and utensilsLower risk
Equipment has to be built from cleanable materials, kept in good repair and stored properly. These findings are mostly about upkeep, like a cracked shelf, a worn gasket or utensils stored the wrong way. They are generally lower risk but show how well the kitchen is maintained.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 12, 2014. For example:
3700 - In-use utensils properly stored
About this data
These results come from Public Health – Seattle & King County, 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.
13 inspections
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
- BLUE
- 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
- BLUE
- 2500 - Toxic substances properly identified, stored, used
- RED
- 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
3 infractions
- 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored, proper sanitizer
- BLUE
- 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
- RED
- 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
- RED
- 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored, proper sanitizer
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 2200 - Accurate thermometer provided and used ...
- RED
- 2120 - Proper cold holding temperatures ( 42° F to 45° F)
- RED
- 2200 - Accurate thermometer provided and used ...
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 2200 - Accurate thermometer provided and used ...
- RED
- 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
- RED
- 2200 - Accurate thermometer provided and used ...
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 3700 - In-use utensils properly stored
- BLUE
- 3700 - In-use utensils properly stored
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
- RED
- 0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored
- BLUE
- 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 3700 - In-use utensils properly stored
- BLUE
- 3700 - In-use utensils properly stored
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
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