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TAQUERIA EL RANCHERO

7300 RAINIER AVE S, SEATTLE, WA 98118 · Restaurant (Mobile Food Unit)

Inspection summary

TAQUERIA EL RANCHERO has been inspected 31 times by Public Health – Seattle & King County since August 23, 2013. The most recent inspection, on April 24, 2025, recorded 1 infraction.

11 of 31 inspections on record found no infractions at all. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Cleaning and sanitizing.

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 10 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on August 7, 2024. For example: 2120 - Proper cold holding temperatures; between 42 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (6 to 7 degrees Celsius (C))

  • 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 10 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on May 19, 2023. For example: 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities

  • 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 5 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on April 16, 2025. For example: 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used

  • 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 4 separate inspections, most recently on July 2, 2022. For example: 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display

  • Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk

    Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.

    Recorded once on October 30, 2018. For example: 2500 - Toxic substances properly identified,...

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.

31 inspections

  1. Return Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 2600 - Compliance with valid permit; operating and risk control plans, and required written procedures
      • RED
  2. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    4 infractions

    • 4500 - Sewage, wastewater properly disposed
      • BLUE
    • 4400 - Plumbing properly sized, installed, and maintained; proper backflow devices, indirect drains, no cross-connections
      • BLUE
    • 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
      • BLUE
    • 2600 - Compliance with valid permit; operating and risk control plans, and required written procedures
      • RED
  3. 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
  4. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  5. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 2600 - Compliance with valid permit; operating and risk control plans, and required written procedures
      • RED
    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
  6. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  7. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
      • BLUE
  8. Return Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
      • BLUE
    • 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration
      • BLUE
  9. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    7 infractions

    • 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration
      • BLUE
    • 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
      • BLUE
    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
    • 1710 - Proper hot holding temperatures; less than 130 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (54 degrees Celsius (C))
      • RED
    • 0400 - Hands washed as required
      • RED
    • 2200 - Accurate thermometer provided and used to evaluate temperature of TCS foods
      • RED
    • 0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
      • RED
  10. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  11. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 1600 - Proper cooling procedure
      • RED
    • 0400 - Hands washed as required
      • RED
  12. Return Inspection

    0 infractions

  13. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  14. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  15. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  16. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 2500 - Toxic substances properly identified,...
      • RED
  17. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  18. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    0 infractions

  19. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 1900 - No room temperature storage; proper use of time...
      • RED
  20. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored, proper sanitizer
      • BLUE
  21. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  22. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
      • BLUE
  23. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 infractions

    • 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored, proper sanitizer
      • BLUE
    • 4000 - Food and non-food surfaces properly used and...
      • BLUE
  24. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    3 infractions

    • 4000 - Food and non-food surfaces properly used and...
      • BLUE
    • 4800 - Physical facilities properly installed,...
      • BLUE
    • 1600 - Proper cooling procedure
      • RED
  25. Consultation/Education - Field

    0 infractions

  26. Return Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 0400 - Hands washed as required
      • RED
  27. Return Inspection

    3 infractions

    • 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
      • RED
    • 1900 - No room temperature storage; proper use of time...
      • RED
    • 1600 - Proper cooling procedure
      • RED
  28. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    3 infractions

    • 2600 - Compliance with risk control plans, variances, plan of operation; valid permit; appr procedur
      • RED
    • 0400 - Hands washed as required
      • RED
    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
  29. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 1900 - No room temperature storage; proper use of time...
      • RED
  30. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 infraction

    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED
  31. Routine Inspection/Field Review

    4 infractions

    • 0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
      • RED
    • 0400 - Hands washed as required
      • RED
    • 2600 - Compliance with risk control plans, variances, plan of operation; valid permit; appr procedur
      • RED
    • 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
      • RED

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