Cafe El Meson
4631 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60632 · Brighton Park · Restaurant · High risk
Mostly clean — 5 of 7 passed, one prior failure
Last Inspected
2025-10-09
What You Should Know
✓ Passed most recent inspection (2025-10-09)
⚠ Failed 1 inspection (2024)
⚠ Employee Hygiene issues found across 2 inspections
⚠ Other issues found across 2 inspections
→ Issues were corrected on re-inspection
Advertisement · 300×250
Types of Issues Found
🚰 Plumbing & Waste minor 4×
🧼 Employee Hygiene critical 2×
📋 Documentation & Training critical 1×
Inspection History
4 ▾
minor Sanitation
FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED
OBSERVED TORN DOOR GASKET INSIDE OF REFRIGERATOR. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE.
minor Plumbing & Waste
PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES
OBSERVED NO BACKFLOW PREVENTER DEVICE ON ICE MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL TO ENSURE DEVICE CAN BE LOCATED, SERVICED, AND MAINTAINED.
minor Sanitation
PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
OBSERVED GREASE AND FOOD DEBRIS ON BACK WALL UNDER COUNTERTOP WHERE FRYERS ARE STORED. INSTRUCTED TO INCREASE CLEANING FREQUENCY TO MINIMIZE BUILDUP OF GREASE AND MAINTAIN.
minor Sanitation
PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
OBSERVED UNUSED CONVECTION OVEN IN STORAGE AREA NEXT TO BACK DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ALL UNNECESSARY ITEMS, ORGANIZE, AND MAINTAIN.
2024-07-30 Pass Canvass Re-Inspection 2 ▾
minor Sanitation
NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN
4-602.13 OBSERVED BUILD-UP OF FOOD RESIDUE IN REFRIGERATOR AND BACK OF DISH AREA. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
minor Sanitation
PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
6-201.11 OBSERVED WALL BETWEEN KITCHEN AND FRONT PREP AREA WITH DAMAGED AND PEELING PAINT. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.
3 ▾
serious Sanitation
FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES: CLEANED & SANITIZED
OBSERVED BUILD-UP OF MOLD-LIKE SUBSTANCE ON INTERIOR OF ICE MACHINE (ICE USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION). INSTRUCTED THE PERSON IN CHARGE TO DISCARD, CLEAN, AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION #7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
minor Sanitation
NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN
OBSERVED BUILD-UP OF FOOD RESIDUE IN REFRIGERATOR AND BACK OF DISH AREA. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
minor Sanitation
PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
OBSERVED WALL BETWEEN KITCHEN AND FRONT PREP AREA WITH DAMAGED AND PEELING PAINT. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.
6 ▾
minor Employee Hygiene
WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED & STORED
OBSERVED WET WIPING CLOTHS STORED ON THE HANDWASHING SINKS AND CUTTING BOARDS IN THE FOOD PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO STORE WIPING CLOTHS IN PROPER SANITIZING SOLUTION WHEN NOT IN USE.
minor Plumbing & Waste
PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES
THREE COMPARTMENT SINK STOPPERS UNABLE TO PROPERLY HOLD WATER. INSTRUCTED PROVIDE OR REPLACE SINK STOPPERS.
minor Plumbing & Waste
PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES
NO BACKFLOW DEVICE FOR ICE MACHINE IN THE FOOD PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
minor Sanitation
TOILET FACILITIES: PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED, SUPPLIED, & CLEANED
OBSERVED NO LIDS ON THE TRASHCANS IN THE RESTROOMS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
minor Sanitation
PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
OBSERVED SPILLED FOOD DEBRIS ON THE FLOORS IN BETWEEN SHELVING AND COOKING EQUIPMENT IN THE BACK REAR STORAGE AREA. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MANINTAIN.
minor Other
ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED
ALL CERTIFIED FOOD PROTECTION MANAGERS MUST PROVIDE ALLERGEN AWARENESS TRAINING.
2019-11-06 Pass w/ Conditions Canvass CRITICAL 6 ▾
critical Documentation & Training
MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING
NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY IN PLACE. INSTD TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN VERIFIABLE EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-010.
critical Other
PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS
NO PROCEDURE IN PLACE FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS. INSTD TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005.
critical Employee Hygiene
ADEQUATE HANDWASHING SINKS PROPERLY SUPPLIED AND ACCESSIBLE
MISSING HANDWASH SIGNAGE AT HANDWASH SINKS. INSTD TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
minor Sanitation
FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED
CUTTING BOARD AT PREP COOLER STAINED WITH DEEP, DARK GROOVES, INSTD TO REPLACE CUTTING BOARD AND MAINTAIN SAME.
minor Sanitation
PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
MISSING OUTLET COVER AT OUTLET NEXT TO UPRIGHT COOLER. INSTD TO REPLACE MAINTAIN.
minor Sanitation
PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
FLOOR ALONG WALLBASE AND IN CORNERS IN PREP AREA NEED DETAILED CLEANING, FREE OF DEBRIS.
2 ▾
minor Sanitation
FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT UTENSILS CLEAN, FREE OF ABRASIVE DETERGENTS
OBSERVED THE INTERIOR OF THE TWO TOASTER OVENS, AND DRIP TRAYS NOT CLEAN, INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND SANITIZE. ALSO CLEAN AND SANITIZE CUTTING BOARDS.
minor Plumbing & Waste
VENTILATION: ROOMS AND EQUIPMENT VENTED AS REQUIRED: PLUMBING: INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED
OBSERVED THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK BASINS NOT LARGE ENOUGH FOR COMPLETE SUBMERSION OF LARGE BAKING PANS,PLASTIC CONTAINERS, AND BUS PANS, INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE 3 COMPARTMENT SINK LARGE ENOUGH FOR COMPLETE SUBMERSION OF THE LARGEST PIECE OF EQUIPMENT...
1 ▾
minor Sanitation
WALLS, CEILINGS, ATTACHED EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTED PER CODE: GOOD REPAIR, SURFACES CLEAN AND DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS
WALL IN PREP AREA WITH CHIPPED, PEELING PAINT. INSTD TO REMOVE PEELING PAINT. WALL OUTLET COVER MISSING IN PREP AREA. PROVIDE SAME.
Data sourced from Chicago Dept. of Public Health ·
Score calculated from inspection outcomes, violation severity & recency.
· How we score
View official record on city data portal →
Eat or Beat scores are independent editorial analysis of public records and do not represent official government ratings.