LA BAMBA RESTAURANT
14620 HAWTHORNE BLVD, LAWNDALE, CA 90260 · RESTAURANT (31-60) SEATS HIGH RISK
Inspection summary
LA BAMBA RESTAURANT has been inspected 2 times by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division since April 10, 2024. The most recent inspection, on February 27, 2025, recorded 2 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: Cleaning and sanitizing, 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.
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 27, 2025. For example:
FOOD CONTACT SURFACES: CLEAN AND SANITIZED
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 April 10, 2024. For example:
HANDS CLEAN AND PROPERLY WASHED; GLOVES USED PROPERLY
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 April 10, 2024. For example:
FOOD SEPARATED AND PROTECTED
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 April 10, 2024. For example:
TOXIC SUBSTANCES PROPERLY IDENTIFIED, STORED, USED
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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on February 27, 2025. For example:
NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR
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.
2 inspections
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
2 infractions
- F014: # 14. FOOD CONTACT SURFACES: CLEAN AND SANITIZED
- 2 points
- F033: # 33. NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR
- 1 point
- F014: # 14. FOOD CONTACT SURFACES: CLEAN AND SANITIZED
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
7 infractions
- F036: # 36. EQUIPMENT, UTENSILS AND LINENS: STORAGE AND USE
- 1 point
- F044: # 44. FLOORS, WALLS AND CEILINGS: PROPERLY BUILT, MAINTAINED IN GOOD REPAIR AND CLEAN
- 1 point
- F033: # 33. NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR
- 1 point
- F005: # 05. HANDS CLEAN AND PROPERLY WASHED; GLOVES USED PROPERLY
- 2 points
- F027: # 27. FOOD SEPARATED AND PROTECTED
- 1 point
- F037: # 37. ADEQUATE VENTILATION AND LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS, USE
- 1 point
- F029: # 29. TOXIC SUBSTANCES PROPERLY IDENTIFIED, STORED, USED
- 1 point
- F036: # 36. EQUIPMENT, UTENSILS AND LINENS: STORAGE AND USE
Nearby inspected facilities
- MARIA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT
14620 HAWTHORNE BLVD, LAWNDALE, CA 90260
1 inspection
- MATEO'S ICE CREAM & FRUIT BARS - RESTAURANT
14611 HAWTHORNE BLVD, LAWNDALE, CA 90260
1 inspection
- TEDS LIQUOR
14609 HAWTHORNE BLVD, LAWNDALE, CA 90260
2 inspections
- AMIGOS MINI MART
4345 W 147TH ST, LAWNDALE, CA 90260
2 inspections
- WENDY'S #121
14508 HAWTHORNE BLVD, LAWNDALE, CA 90260
4 inspections
- CORNER BURGER
4437 W 147TH ST, LAWNDALE, CA 90260
1 inspection
- CITY OF LAWNDALE KITCHEN
14700 BURIN AVE, LAWNDALE, CA 90260
2 inspections
- #1 BUFFET
14418 HAWTHORNE BLVD, LAWNDALE, CA 90260
4 inspections