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VACA'S CREAMERY

1436 W BLACKHAWK ST, CHICAGO, IL 60642 · Restaurant

Inspection summary

VACA'S CREAMERY has been inspected 4 times by Chicago Department of Public Health since April 8, 2021. The most recent inspection, on May 7, 2025, recorded 4 infractions.

2 of 4 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: Handwashing and staff hygiene and Cleaning and sanitizing.

Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.

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 once on May 7, 2025. For example: PERSONAL CLEANLINESS

  • 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 May 7, 2025. For example: WAREWASHING FACILITIES: INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & USED; TEST STRIPS

  • 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 on May 21, 2024. 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 2 times on May 7, 2025. For example: TOILET FACILITIES: PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED, SUPPLIED, & CLEANED

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

  1. Complaint

    4 infractions

    • 40. PERSONAL CLEANLINESS
      • Food handlers not wearing hair restraints. Instructed to wear/
    • 48. WAREWASHING FACILITIES: INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & USED; TEST STRIPS
      • No sanitizer solution test strips available on site, Instructed to obtain. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005.
    • 53. TOILET FACILITIES: PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED, SUPPLIED, & CLEANED
      • Toilet room too close to prep kitchen and left open, instructed to keep door closed.
    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • Heavy dust build-up noted on wall next to prep area, instructed to clean.
  2. Complaint

    3 infractions

    • 2. CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE
      • OBSERVED NO CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SANITATION CERTIFICATE POSTED ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED THAT A CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER MUST BE PRESENT AT ALL TIMES WHILE TCS FOODS PREPARED AND SERVED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
    • 3. MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING
      • OBSERVED NO WRITTEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY PROVIDED ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO HAVE A SIGNED EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-010. CITATION ISSUED.
    • 57. ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING
      • OBSERVED NO FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATES POSTED ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED THAT ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES MUST SHOW PROOF OF TRAINING.
  3. License

    0 infractions

  4. License

    0 infractions

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