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TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE

645 W DIVERSEY PKWY, CHICAGO, IL 60614 · Restaurant

Inspection summary

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE has been inspected 3 times by Chicago Department of Public Health since October 24, 2023. The most recent inspection, on July 18, 2025, recorded 1 infraction.

None of the 3 inspections on record were free of infractions. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food source, labelling and allergens, Protecting food from contamination and Handwashing and staff hygiene.

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 source, labelling and allergensHigher risk

    Food must come from approved suppliers, stay in labelled containers and be thrown out when it is spoiled or damaged, such as dented or swollen cans. Labelling matters for allergies: an unlabelled container can hide an allergen.

    Recorded once on July 3, 2024. For example: FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER

  • 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 July 3, 2024. For example: CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY

  • 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 once on July 3, 2024. For example: PERSONAL CLEANLINESS

  • 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 3 separate inspections, most recently on July 18, 2025. For example: CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE

  • 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 2 separate inspections, most recently on July 3, 2024. For example: ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED

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.

3 inspections

  1. Canvass

    1 infraction

    • 2. CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE
      • NOTED NO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER ON DUTY WHILE TCS FOODS ARE PREPARED AND SERVED (SMOOTHIES, CHICKEN, SALADS ETC)OR CITY OF CHICAGO SANITATION CERTIFICATE. CERTIFICATES ON SITE (SAFE SERVE ARE EXPIRED). INSTRUCTED TO HAVE THE ORIGINAL CITY OF CHICAGO ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION #7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
  2. Canvass

    7 infractions

    • 3. MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING
      • OBSERVED NO WRITTEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO HAVE A SIGNED EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-010. CITATION ISSUED.
    • 37. FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER
      • MUST PROPERLY LABEL FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS WHEN FOOD IS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER.
    • 39. CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY
      • OBSERVED ICE SCOOPS STORED ON TOP OF ICE MACHINE. MUST PROPERLY STORE ICE SCOOPS IN A CLEAN CONTAINER TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION.
    • 40. PERSONAL CLEANLINESS
      • OBSERVED EMPLOYEE IN FRONT FOOD PREPARATION AREA PREPARING AND SERVING FOOD WITHOUT WEARING HAIR RESTRAINT. MUST WEAR HAIR RESTRAINT AT ALL TIMES FOOD IS BEING PREPARED AND SERVED.
    • 56. ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED
      • OBSERVED BURN OUT LIGHT BULB IN REAR PREP/FOOD STORAGE AREA. MUST REPLACE BURN OUT LIGHT AND MAINTAIN ADEQUATE LIGHTHING.
    • 56. ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED
      • OBSERVED DUST BUILD UP ON VENTILATION VENT INSIDE THE UNISEX EMPLOYEE WASHROOM. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
    • 57. ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING
      • OBSERVED FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES WITHOUT FOODHANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATES. MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF TRAINING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES WHO DO NOT HAVE CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE.
  3. License

    2 infractions

    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • MUST INSTALL A SMOOTH, EASILY CLEANABLE CEILING ABOVE THE REAR PREP TABLE, ANY DRY FOOD STORAGE AREAS IN THE REAR AND ABOVE THE ENTRANCE TO THE WALK-IN FREEZER.
    • 58. ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED
      • NO PROOF OF ALLERGEN TRAINING OR CERTIFICATE FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER. MUST PROVIDE.

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