Niku Niku
46 James St N, Hamilton ON L8R 2K1 · Restaurant
Inspection summary
Niku Niku has been inspected 9 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since August 22, 2025. The most recent inspection, on September 30, 2026, recorded 3 infractions.
4 of 9 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 7 inspections with 14 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Cleaning and sanitizing and Food temperature control.
Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.
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 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on June 18, 2026. For example:
Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on February 24, 2026. For example:
Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
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 June 18, 2026. For example:
Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
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 4 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on September 30, 2026. For example:
Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
Building, plumbing and upkeepLower risk
Floors, walls and ceilings must be smooth and clean, with working lighting, ventilation, plumbing, hot and cold water, and washrooms. These are rarely an immediate food-safety risk on their own, but persistent problems can lead to pest or sanitation issues.
Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on September 30, 2026. For example:
Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
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.
9 inspections
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- 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
- 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
- Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
- Ensure food handlers wash hands as often as necessary
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
4 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Ensure ceilings are kept clean and in good repair
- 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
- Keep cloths clean, in good repair, and restricted to a single task
- Food protected from contamination or adulteration
- Store raw foods separate and below cooked / ready-to-eat foods
- 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
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
5 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- 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
- Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
- Ensure food handlers wash hands as often as necessary
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
2 infractions
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Food in storage protected from contamination
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
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