TAMATEBAKO
20801 S WESTERN AVE, TORRANCE, CA 90501 · RESTAURANT (61-150) SEATS HIGH RISK
Inspection summary
TAMATEBAKO has been inspected 4 times by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division since April 21, 2024. The most recent inspection, on September 18, 2026, recorded 3 infractions.
None of the 4 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 7 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Handwashing and staff hygiene, Food temperature control and Pests.
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.
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 April 7, 2026. For example:
ADEQUATE HANDWASHING FACILITIES; SUPPLIED & ACCESSIBLE
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 April 7, 2026. For example:
THERMOMETERS PROVIDED AND ACCURATE
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 November 16, 2024. For example:
PREMISES; PERSONAL/CLEANING ITEMS; VERMIN-PROOFING
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 once on April 21, 2024. For example:
WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED AND STORED
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 April 21, 2024. For example:
FOOD PROPERLY STORED; FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS IDENTIFIED
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.
4 inspections
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
3 infractions
- F138: ADEQUATE VENTILATION AND LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS, USE
- 1 point
- F137: EQUIPMENT, UTENSILS AND LINENS: STORAGE AND USE
- 1 point
- F145: FLOORS, WALLS AND CEILINGS PROPERLY BUILT, MAINTAINED AND CLEAN
- 1 point
- F138: ADEQUATE VENTILATION AND LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS, USE
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
4 infractions
- F136: EQUIPMENT/UTENSILS APPROVED: INSTALLED; GOOD REPAIR; CAPACITY
- 1 point
- F107: ADEQUATE HANDWASHING FACILITIES; SUPPLIED & ACCESSIBLE
- 2 points
- F139: THERMOMETERS PROVIDED AND ACCURATE
- 1 point
- F145: FLOORS, WALLS AND CEILINGS PROPERLY BUILT, MAINTAINED AND CLEAN
- 1 point
- F136: EQUIPMENT/UTENSILS APPROVED: INSTALLED; GOOD REPAIR; CAPACITY
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
4 infractions
- F006: # 06. ADEQUATE HANDWASHING FACILITIES SUPPLIED & ACCESSIBLE
- 2 points
- F043: # 43. PREMISES; PERSONAL/CLEANING ITEMS; VERMIN-PROOFING
- 1 point
- F035: # 35. EQUIPMENT/UTENSILS - APPROVED; INSTALLED; CLEAN; GOOD REPAIR, CAPACITY
- 1 point
- F036: # 36. EQUIPMENT, UTENSILS AND LINENS: STORAGE AND USE
- 1 point
- F006: # 06. ADEQUATE HANDWASHING FACILITIES SUPPLIED & ACCESSIBLE
- ROUTINE INSPECTION
3 infractions
- F039: # 39. WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED AND STORED
- 1 point
- F033: # 33. NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR
- 1 point
- F030: # 30. FOOD PROPERLY STORED; FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS IDENTIFIED
- 1 point
- F039: # 39. WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED AND STORED
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