John St Diner
29 John St N, Hamilton ON L8R 1H1 · Restaurant
Inspection summary
John St Diner has been inspected 14 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since June 9, 2022. The most recent inspection, on April 21, 2026, recorded 2 infractions.
4 of 14 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 2 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Food temperature control and Cleaning and sanitizing.
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.
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 8 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on October 15, 2025. For example:
Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
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 4 separate inspections, most recently on February 26, 2025. For example:
Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
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 5 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on October 4, 2024. For example:
Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
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 3 separate inspections, most recently on April 21, 2026. For example:
Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
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 January 26, 2024. For example:
Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
About this data
These results come from City of Hamilton Public Health Services, 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.
14 inspections
- Routine Inspection
2 infractions
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Hand washing station must be used only for hand washing of employees
- Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
- Change sanitizing solution for wiping cloths at a minimum of every 2 hours, or as often as necessary, to maintain the solution clean and sanitary at all times
- Ensure wiping cloths are kept in a sanitizing solution when not in use
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
2 infractions
- Illumination maintained in food premise as prescribed in Ontario Regulation 332/12 (Building Code)
- Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
- Re-inspection
1 infraction
- Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
- Routine Inspection
4 infractions
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Adjust or repair the refrigeration unit immediately. Do not store any hazardous foods in the unit until it is able to maintain hazardous foods at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
- Provide easily readable thermometer in refrigeration or hot-holding equipment
- Certified food handler present in the food service premise
- Ensure certified food handler or supervisor is present during all hours of operation
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
- Food protected from contamination or adulteration
- Store raw foods separate and below cooked / ready-to-eat foods
- Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
- Provide easily readable thermometer in refrigeration or hot-holding equipment
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Ensure floors, walls, and ceilings are tight, smooth, and non-absorbent
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Routine Inspection
4 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
- Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
- Food in storage protected from contamination
- Ensure racks, shelves or pallets are clean and designed to protect against contamination
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
2 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Routine Inspection
5 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
- Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
- Ensure floors, walls, and ceilings are tight, smooth, and non-absorbent
- Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Hand washing station must be used only for hand washing of employees
- Ensure hand washing basin is unobstructed and accessible for hand washing
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
- Maintain and arrange appliances to permit a clean and sanitary condition
- Food in storage protected from contamination
- Ensure racks, shelves or pallets are clean and designed to protect against contamination
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
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