The Chicago Restaurants Ordered Closed Last Week

CHICAGO, IL — Dozens of Chicago restaurants are slapped with fines for health violations each week, but it takes a serious violation for a restaurant to be ordered closed, the city said. Places are ordered shuttered for reasons such as roach and mice infestations, major plumbing problems, food stored at the wrong temperatures and basic food safety rules not being followed, the city said.

Less-serious violations, which don't require closures, often include issues such as poor ventilation, inadequate lighting, worn seal on refrigerators, fruit flies and inappropriate materials like cardboard and paper sitting in the wrong places. Restaurants are required to fix those problems immediately, or they will risk forced closure.

These were the restaurants that were ordered closed for the week of June 11, 2018, according to the city's Department of Health:

• New Grand Chinese Kitchen at 5401 S. Wentworth Avenue in Fuller Park on the city's South Side was ordered closed after inspectors said that the restaurant hadn't taken steps to rectify these former health violations:
  • Mouse droppings found on floor throughout prep areas, kitchen restroom, storage areas and kitchen; live mouse found in prep area
  • Food in walk-in freezer didn't have name/prep date labels
  • Heavy grease build up on floor under cooking equipment

• Taqueria Hacienda Tapatia at 4125 W. 26th Street in Little Village on the West Side was also ordered closed after the restaurant didn't fix the former violations:
  • Around eight live roaches found crawling on lower door frame of reach-in freezer, base of prep cooler, near sink, on the floor and on a pipe near a rear door.
  • Around ten flies found flying around in prep area and staff bathroom.
  • Rodent droppings found behind hot water tank, and a gap was found along the bottom of the front door, which allows rodents to get inside.
  • Grease and food debris build up in coolers, shelving, grill table, stove, prep tables and pipes of cooking equipment.

• Just Turkey at 4343 S. Cottage Grove Avenue in Grand Boulevard on the South Side was closed after its refrigeration system was found at an improper temperature, health officials said.

Information on which Chicago restaurants have been ordered closed is not available on the city's data portal. The city's public health department has committed to sending Patch weekly reports, and we will publish those as long as they are made available.

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