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MATADOR WEST

4546 CALIFORNIA AVE SW, SEATTLE, WA 98116 · Restaurant (Seating 51-150)

Inspection summary

MATADOR WEST has been inspected 50 times by Public Health – Seattle & King County since March 7, 2006. The most recent inspection, on May 5, 2026, recorded 2 infractions.

25 of 50 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: Food temperature control, Cleaning and sanitizing 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.

  • 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 20 times across 16 separate inspections, most recently on February 5, 2025. For example: 1720 - Proper hot holding temperatures; between 130 to 134 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (54 to 56 degrees Celsius (C))

  • 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 8 separate inspections, most recently on May 5, 2026. For example: 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and 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 8 times across 8 separate inspections, most recently on February 26, 2019. For example: 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities

  • 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 5 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on May 5, 2026. For example: 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display

  • PestsHigher risk

    Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.

    Recorded once on March 17, 2014. For example: 3200 - Insects, rodents, animals not present; entrance controlled.

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.

50 inspections

  1. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
      • BLUE
    • 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
      • BLUE
  2. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 1720 - Proper hot holding temperatures; between 130 to 134 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (54 to 56 degrees Celsius (C))
      • RED
    • 1100 - Proper disposition of returned, unsafe, or contaminated food; proper date marking procedures for food at high risk for Listeria
      • RED
  3. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    3 infractions

    • 3000 - Proper thawing methods used
      • BLUE
    • 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
      • BLUE
    • 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures; greater than 45 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (7 degrees Celsius (C))
      • RED
  4. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  5. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 2120 - Proper cold holding temperatures; between 42 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (6 to 7 degrees Celsius (C))
      • RED
  6. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  7. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  8. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  9. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  10. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed,...
      • BLUE
  11. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 4200 - Food-contact surfaces maintained, clean, sanitized
      • BLUE
    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
  12. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
      • RED
    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
  13. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  14. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 2120 - Proper cold holding temperatures ( 42° F to 45° F)
      • RED
  15. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  16. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  17. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    3 infractions

    • 0100 - PIC certified by accredited program or compliance with code, or correct answers
      • RED
    • 0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
      • RED
    • 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
      • RED
  18. Return Inspection

    0 infractions

  19. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    3 infractions

    • 1710 - Proper hot holding temperatures (less than130 degrees)
      • RED
    • 2120 - Proper cold holding temperatures ( 42° F to 45° F)
      • RED
    • 0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
      • RED
  20. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  21. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
    • 2120 - Proper cold holding temperatures ( 42° F to 45° F)
      • RED
  22. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  23. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed,...
      • BLUE
    • 2120 - Proper cold holding temperatures ( 42° F to 45° F)
      • RED
  24. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    3 infractions

    • 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
      • BLUE
    • 2120 - Proper cold holding temperatures ( 42° F to 45° F)
      • RED
    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
  25. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    4 infractions

    • 2900 - Adequate equipment for temperature control
      • BLUE
    • 4000 - Food and non-food surfaces properly used and...
      • BLUE
    • 1600 - Proper cooling procedure
      • RED
    • 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
      • RED
  26. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  27. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    6 infractions

    • 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
      • BLUE
    • 4800 - Physical facilities properly installed,...
      • BLUE
    • 3200 - Insects, rodents, animals not present; entrance controlled.
      • BLUE
    • 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored, proper sanitizer
      • BLUE
    • 0100 - PIC certified by accredited program or compliance with code, or correct answers
      • RED
    • 0500 - Proper barriers used to prevent bare hand contact with ready to eat foods.
      • RED
  28. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  29. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  30. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
      • RED
  31. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  32. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  33. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  34. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 0500 - Proper methods used to prevent bare hand...
      • RED
  35. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  36. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
      • RED
  37. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  38. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed,...
      • BLUE
    • 2200 - Accurate thermometer provided and used ...
      • RED
  39. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
  40. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  41. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during ...
      • BLUE
  42. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • No room temperature storage; proper use of time...
      • RED
  43. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  44. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • Warewashing facilities properly installed,...
      • BLUE
  45. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • Physical facilities properly installed,...
      • BLUE
    • Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
  46. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  47. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • Proper cold holding temperatures ( 42° F to 45° F)
      • RED
  48. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  49. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  50. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

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