LORENA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT
3615 MONTEREY AVE, EL MONTE, CA 91731 · RESTAURANT (31-60) SEATS HIGH RISK
Inspection summary
LORENA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT has been inspected 3 times by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division since February 23, 2024. The most recent inspection, on June 29, 2026, recorded 4 infractions.
None of the 3 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 4 infractions recorded. 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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on May 2, 2025. For example:
WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED AND STORED
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 29, 2026. 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 June 29, 2026. For example:
FOOD SEPARATED AND PROTECTED
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 February 23, 2024. For example:
PROPER HOT AND COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES
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 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on June 29, 2026. For example:
EQUIPMENT/UTENSILS APPROVED: INSTALLED; GOOD REPAIR; CAPACITY
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.
3 inspections
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
4 infractions
- F126: PERSONAL CLEANLINESS AND HAIR RESTRAINTS
- 1 point
- F128: FOOD SEPARATED AND PROTECTED
- 1 point
- F138: ADEQUATE VENTILATION AND LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS, USE
- 1 point
- F136: EQUIPMENT/UTENSILS APPROVED: INSTALLED; GOOD REPAIR; CAPACITY
- 1 point
- F126: PERSONAL CLEANLINESS AND HAIR RESTRAINTS
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
5 infractions
- F036: # 36. EQUIPMENT, UTENSILS AND LINENS: STORAGE AND USE
- 1 point
- F025: # 25. PERSONAL CLEANLINESS AND HAIR RESTRAINTS
- 1 point
- F039: # 39. WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED AND STORED
- 1 point
- F014: # 14. FOOD CONTACT SURFACES: CLEAN AND SANITIZED
- 4 points
- F033: # 33. NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR
- 1 point
- F036: # 36. EQUIPMENT, UTENSILS AND LINENS: STORAGE AND USE
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
5 infractions
- F042: # 42. TOILET FACILITIES: PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED, SUPPLIED, CLEANED
- 1 point
- F039: # 39. WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED AND STORED
- 1 point
- F007: # 07. PROPER HOT AND COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES
- 2 points
- F046: # 46. SIGNS POSTED; LAST INSPECTION REPORT AVAILABLE
- 1 point
- F036: # 36. EQUIPMENT, UTENSILS AND LINENS: STORAGE AND USE
- 1 point
- F042: # 42. TOILET FACILITIES: PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED, SUPPLIED, CLEANED
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