Last week a restaurant's permit was suspended because the inspector noted, "Temperatures in walk-in cooler fluctuating drastically and most foods out of temperature." One of the worst offenders of the week had a violation that included, "observed person in charge wiped nose, picked up ready to eat balogni [sic], cheese at the line with bare hands;" another did not have time documentation for "hanging duck, pork bellies, pig ears or pig stomachs," and at a third place it was noted that there was no sanitizer in the glass washer.


The following list represents those restaurants (not schools, caterers, corporate cafeterias, bakeries or other food processing businesses) that had three or more Priority Violations -- those that are considered a serious risk for foodborne illness -- during their last inspection. Three or more Priority Violations means that the grade for that inspection is a D (there are no F grades). The worst are at the top of the list. A restaurant that had that many Priority Violations noted would be one that I'd avoid, at least until they had subsequent inspections showing more understanding of safe food preparation standards and concern for their patrons.

I also include establishments where their license was immediately suspended by the inspector. Typically, this involves an equipment failure that can't be corrected immediately. Examples might be refrigeration units that don't cool enough, plumbing problems, or availability of clean water. Their license might be reinstated, even later that same day, if they correct the problems noted.

Restaurants reported here are located in communities all over Maricopa County. That means not only Phoenix, but also Scottsdale; the cities and towns in the West Valley like Glendale, Peoria, Surprise; the cities and towns in the East Valley like Tempe, Chandler and Mesa; as well as other county locations. County inspectors may or may not inspect restaurants in every part of the county every week.

After you peruse the worst, please take a look at the many Phoenix area restaurants that achieved the best inspections during the week ending May 17, 2015. Those are arranged by zip code, for your convenience. They deserve our support and our business.

Restaurants With the Worst Health Department Inspection Results
For Week Ending May 17, 2015

Business Name	Address	City	Zip Code	Priority Violation
Margaritas	10 W Main St	Mesa	85201	Immediate Suspension
Wildflower Bread Company	6428 S Mcclintock Dr	Tempe	85283	5
Mekong Palace Restaurant	66 S Dobson Rd	Mesa	85202	5
O.H.S.O. Brewery	10810 N Tatum Blvd	Phoenix	85028	5
Bosa Donuts	2990 N Dobson Rd	Chandler	85224	5
Casey Moore Oyster House	850 S Ash Ave	Tempe	85281	4
Mcdonalds	2001 N Country Club Dr	Mesa	85201	4
Pho Chandler Vietnamese Cuisine	4055 S Arizona Ave	Chandler	85248	4
Ohya Korean Asian Kitchen & Bar	4920 W Thunderbird Rd	Glendale	85306	4
Earl of Sandwich	505 S Mill Ave	Tempe	85281	4
Duke's Grille	980 E Pecos Rd	Chandler	85225	4
Royal Cafe	10793 W Grand Ave	Sun City	85351	3
Garcia's Las Avenidas	2212 N 35th Ave	Phoenix	85009	3
Macayo	300 S Ash Ave	Tempe	85281	3
Midwestern Meats	4308 E Main St	Mesa	85205	3
El Amigo Mexican Grill	10639 N 19th Ave	Phoenix	85029	3
El Tlacoyo	2535 E University Dr	Tempe	85281	3
Brisam's	4730 E Lone Mountain Rd	Cave Creek	85331	3
Gallaghers	34406 N Black Mountain Pkwy	Cave Creek	85331	3
Jack In The Box	4305 W Bethany Home Rd	Glendale	85301	3
Hibachi Grill Super Buffet	1164 W Southern Ave	Mesa	85210	3
Filiberto's Mexican Food	1727 W Glendale Ave	Phoenix	85021	3
El Pollo Correteado	2904 W McDowell Rd	Phoenix	85009	3
Kinfolks Kitchen	1155 S Higley Rd	Mesa	85206	3

You can see the inspection history of any place that serves or handles food at the Maricopa County website. If you are interested in Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, Superior, Florence, Maricopa or Casa Grande, you can find restaurant reports for Pinal County, too.

_{Restaurant information provided by the Maricopa County Environmental Health Services Division, used with permission. The image on this page is generic, and not associated with any of the restaurants mentioned here.}

More Inspection Results

See Restaurants With Best Test Results from Previous Weeks
See Restaurants With Worst Test Results from Previous Weeks

You Might Also Want to Know...

• Restaurant Inspections Explained
• How To Report a Restaurant or File a Complaint Against a Restaurant