VARGAS MEXICATESSEN

Inspection summary

VARGAS MEXICATESSEN has been inspected 2 times by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division since December 27, 2023. The most recent inspection, on August 26, 2025, recorded 2 infractions.

None of the 2 inspections on record were free of infractions. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Handwashing and staff hygiene, Pests and Protecting food from contamination.

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 August 26, 2025. For example: ADEQUATE HANDWASHING FACILITIES SUPPLIED & ACCESSIBLE

• 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 December 27, 2023. For example: PREMISES; PERSONAL/CLEANING ITEMS; VERMIN-PROOFING

• 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 December 27, 2023. For example: FOOD PROPERLY STORED; FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS IDENTIFIED

• Permits, records and postingLower risk

  Operating permits, required signage, written procedures and logs. These findings are administrative: the documentation was missing or out of date at the time of inspection.

  Recorded once on August 26, 2025. For example: PERMITS AVAILABLE

• Equipment and utensilsLower risk

  Equipment has to be built from cleanable materials, kept in good repair and stored properly. These findings are mostly about upkeep, like a cracked shelf, a worn gasket or utensils stored the wrong way. They are generally lower risk but show how well the kitchen is maintained.

  Recorded once on December 27, 2023. For example: NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR

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.

• View the official Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division disclosure site
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• How to read an inspection report