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Turtle Jacks

1180 Upper James St, Hamilton ON L9C 3B1 · Restaurant

Inspection summary

Turtle Jacks has been inspected 25 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since March 3, 2022. The most recent inspection, on March 13, 2026, recorded 1 infraction.

7 of 25 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 5 inspections with 7 infractions recorded. 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 12 times across 10 separate inspections, most recently on November 26, 2025. For example: Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed

  • 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 11 times across 10 separate inspections, most recently on March 13, 2026. For example: Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner

  • 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 11 times across 9 separate inspections, most recently on August 11, 2025. For example: Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less

  • 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 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on March 3, 2025. For example: Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation

  • 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 6 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on December 2, 2025. For example: Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner

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.

25 inspections

  1. Routine Inspection

    1 infraction

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
  2. Complaint

    0 infractions

  3. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  4. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure food handlers confine hair while handling food
  5. Routine Inspection

    4 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles in good repair
      • Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure food handlers confine hair while handling food
  6. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • 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
      • Provide sanitizing solution for wiping cloths/rinsing large utensils/rinsing food contact surfaces
  7. Routine Inspection

    5 infractions

    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
      • Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
    • 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
      • Provide sanitizing solution for wiping cloths/rinsing large utensils/rinsing food contact surfaces
    • Maintenance of sanitary facilities
      • Maintain sanitary facility clean and in good repair
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure food handlers confine hair while handling food
  8. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  9. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
  10. Re-inspection

    3 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
      • Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure food handlers confine hair while handling food
  11. Routine Inspection

    6 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
    • 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
      • Provide sanitizing solution for wiping cloths/rinsing large utensils/rinsing food contact surfaces
    • Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
      • Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
    • Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation
      • Store toxic/poisonous substances in container bearing identifying labels
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
  12. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
  13. Routine Inspection

    4 infractions

    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
      • Chlorine sanitizer concentration must be at least 100 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
    • Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation
      • Store toxic/poisonous substances in container bearing identifying labels
    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure food handlers confine hair while handling food
  14. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  15. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles in good repair
  16. Routine Inspection

    6 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
    • 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
      • Provide sanitizing solution for wiping cloths/rinsing large utensils/rinsing food contact surfaces
    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
      • Chlorine sanitizer concentration must be at least 100 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
    • Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation
      • Store toxic/poisonous substances in container bearing identifying labels
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
  17. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  18. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles in good repair
      • Ensure equipment, utensils, and multi-service articles are suitable for intended purposes (food-grade)
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
  19. Routine Inspection

    7 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles in good repair
      • Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Ventilation system requires thorough cleaning
    • Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
      • Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
    • Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation
      • Store toxic/poisonous substances in container bearing identifying labels
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
    • Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
      • Provide easily readable thermometer in refrigeration or hot-holding equipment
  20. Routine Inspection

    0 infractions

  21. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
      • Chlorine sanitizer concentration must be at least 100 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
  22. Routine Inspection

    0 infractions

  23. Routine Inspection

    4 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
      • Ensure ceilings are kept clean and in good repair
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
      • Ensure floors, walls, and ceilings are tight, smooth, and non-absorbent
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
      • Maintain and arrange appliances to permit a clean and sanitary condition
    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
      • Ensure wash water is between 60°C and 71°C
    • Maintenance of sanitary facilities
      • Maintain sanitary facility clean and in good repair
  24. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
      • Dispose of liquid waste in a sanitary manner
    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
      • Ensure wash water is between 60°C and 71°C
      • Quaternary ammonium compound must be at least 200 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
  25. Routine Inspection

    3 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
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
      • Maintain and arrange equipment to permit a clean and sanitary condition
    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
      • Ensure wash water is between 60°C and 71°C
      • Quaternary ammonium compound must be at least 200 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds

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