LOCK & KEEL

Inspection summary

LOCK & KEEL has been inspected 12 times by Public Health – Seattle & King County since July 29, 2019. The most recent inspection, on October 14, 2026, recorded 1 infraction.

3 of 12 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 2 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Food source, labelling and allergens and Handwashing and staff hygiene.

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.

• 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 8 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on January 15, 2025. For example: 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used

• Food source, labelling and allergensHigher risk

  Food must come from approved suppliers, stay in labelled containers and be thrown out when it is spoiled or damaged, such as dented or swollen cans. Labelling matters for allergies: an unlabelled container can hide an allergen.

  Recorded 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on October 14, 2026. For example: 3100 - Food properly labeled; proper date marking

• 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 August 26, 2024. For example: 0500 - Proper barriers used to prevent bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods

• 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 January 31, 2023. For example: 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures; greater than 45 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (7 degrees Celsius (C))

• 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 July 29, 2019. For example: 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display

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.

• View the official Public Health – Seattle & King County disclosure site
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