SUN REY CAFE
1357 N WESTERN AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60622 · Restaurant
Inspection summary
SUN REY CAFE has been inspected 4 times by Chicago Department of Public Health since August 10, 2022. The most recent inspection, on March 14, 2025, recorded 4 infractions.
None of the 4 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, Protecting food from contamination and Food temperature control.
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 2 times on February 23, 2024. For example:
WAREWASHING FACILITIES: INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & USED; TEST STRIPS
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 March 14, 2025. For example:
CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY
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 March 1, 2023. For example:
THERMOMETERS PROVIDED & ACCURATE
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 7 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on March 14, 2025. For example:
PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on March 14, 2025. For example:
ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING
About this data
These results come from Chicago Department of Public Health, 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.
4 inspections
- Canvass
4 infractions
- 39. CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY
- OBSERVED SEVERAL ITEMS PLACED ON FLOOR. IN BOTH KITCHEN AND BASEMENT. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PLACE ALL ITEMS 6 INCHES ABOVE FLOOR.
- 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
- OBSERVED CLUTTER IN BASEMENT OF FACILITY. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO DECLUTTER BASEMENT OF FACILITY AND REMOVE UNNECESSARY ITEMS.
- 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
- OBSERVED HOLE IN CEILING OUTSIDE OF TOILET ROOM. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PATCH HOLE.
- 57. ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING
- OBSERVED FOOD HANDLER WITH NO FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATE.
- 39. CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY
- Canvass
4 infractions
- 47. FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED
- OBSERVED RACKS IN BASEMENT WALK-IN COOLER AS WELL AS GREASE TRAP FOR 3-COMPARTMENT SINK WITH AN ACCUMULATION OF RUST BUILD UP. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO REPAINT OR REPLACE RUSTED ITEMS.
- 48. WAREWASHING FACILITIES: INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & USED; TEST STRIPS
- OBSERVED 3 COMPARTMENT SINK NOT IN PROPER WORKING ORDER. WATER DRAINS SLOW. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO REPAIR 3 COMPARTMENT SINK. THE PLUMBER ARRIVED ON SITE AND REPAIRED THE SINK. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-025 CITATION ISSUED.
- 49. NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN
- OBSERVED FANS IN BASEMENT WALK-IN COOLER WITH AN ACCUMULATION OF DUST BUILD UP. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN.
- 58. ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED
- OBSERVED NO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER WITH FOOD ALLERGEN TRAINING INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENT.
- 47. FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED
- Complaint
2 infractions
- 36. THERMOMETERS PROVIDED & ACCURATE
- OBSERVED NO THERMOMETER IN PREP COOLER LOCATED IN FRONT PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
- 57. ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING
- OBSERVED 2 EMPLOYEES WITHOUT FOOD HANDLER TRAINING. INSTRUCTED ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES MUST COMPLETE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING AND MAINTAIN RECORDS THEREOF ON SITE AT ALL TIMES.
- 36. THERMOMETERS PROVIDED & ACCURATE
- License
5 infractions
- 51. PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES
- OBSERVED DRAINPIPE LEAKING UNDER THE SECOND COMPARTMENT OF THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK. ALSO OBSERVED, A LEAK OF THE FAUCET OF THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK WHEN THE WATER IS RUNNIGN. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR LEAKING DRAINPIPE AND FACUET.
- 53. TOILET FACILITIES: PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED, SUPPLIED, & CLEANED
- OBSERVED NO COVERED RECEPTACLE IN THE UNISEX EMPLOYEE/PUBLIC TOILET ROOM. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
- 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
- OBSERVED WATER STAINED CEILING TILES IN THE REAR DISH AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE THE STAINED CEILING TILES.
- 56. ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED
- OBSERVED A BURNED OUT LIGHT-BULB IN THE REAR DSH AREA ABOVE THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE BULB AND MAINTAIN LIGHTING IN THE UNIT.
- 56. ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED
- OBSERVED AN ACCUMULATION OF DIRT/DEBRIS BUILDUP ON THE TOILET ROOM EXHAUST VENTILATION. MUST DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
- 51. PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES
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