Patch examined inspection reports in North Center. Information has been compiled using publicly available data published to the website of the Chicago Department of Public Health's Food Protection Program. Restaurants and businesses can pass, pass with conditions or fail using a standardized procedure. Establishments that pass don't have any critical or serious violations. Those that receive 'pass with conditions' had serious violations, but the violations were corrected during the inspection. Failed establishments had serious violations that weren't correctable during the inspection. A fail rating does not mean the business's license is automatically suspended. All inspections are done on a routine canvass, unless otherwise noted. Join North Center-Roscoe Village Patch for more neighborhood news and follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Costello’s Sandwiches
- 2015 W. Roscoe St.
- Fail, then Pass Upon Reinspection
The sandwich shop on Roscoe first failed their health inspection for a multitude of issues like clogged sinks and the fact that there was no certified food manager at the restaurant. Combined with not fixing a minor issue from a previous inspection, the inspector gave the business a failing score. Castello’s later passed when the inspector returned to find all the issues corrected.
- 2005 W. Roscoe St.
- Fail, then Pass Upon Reinspection
Inspectors failed Kitsch’n upon their initial examination because the restaurant’s doors weren’t rodent-proofed and a violation from a previous report still wasn’t corrected. That’s combined with a broken wall in their basement stairway and rusty wire racking found in the coolers. When inspectors returned, Kitsch’n fixed most of the issues, and was still working on a few—like the broken wall.
Browntrout
- 4111 N. Lincoln Ave.
- Pass
The popular restaurant on Lincoln Avenue passed the inspection, but not before the health official discovered a few things worth fixing. For example, Browntrout needs to add thermometers in some of its coolers and clean its basement floors, the walls in the prep area, the chopping board, wire racks and more.
Inspectors passed the local school near Hamlin Park, and they had few issues school officials need to remedy. For example, they noted the peeling paint at areas like the girl’s bathroom and in the kitchen’s dry storage room. In addition, there were broken hand dryers in the school, missing self-closing devices on some bathroom doors and a burned out light bulb in the freezer.
Volo Restaurant
The restaurant on Roscoe nearly passed its health inspection unscathed, but officials found three things to improve upon. First, owners need to clean up water on the basement floor “to prevent insects harborage,” as well as seal the holes in prep-area walls and adjust bathroom doors.
- 1936 W. Belmont Ave.
- Pass
Belmont Nursing Home were simply asked to sweep the floors in their storage area and label their build food like sugar and flour.
The Famous Taco Burrito King
- 3603 N. Western Ave.
- Fail, then Pass Upon Reinspection
Inspectors initially handed over serious citations to the restaurant because owners still hadn’t cleaned and sanitized their ice machine, nor had thy repaired a wall near a sink—both of which they were instructed to do during a previous inspection. Combined with front entrance door that could let bugs and rodents in and “heavy grease build-up” in the deep fryer, the restaurant failed. But when inspectors came back to look at the space again, everything was fixed according to code, and Taco Burrito King passed.
Subway
- 4019 N. Lincoln Ave.
- Fail, then Pass Upon Reinspection
A critical citation was issued to this Subway location when inspectors couldn’t find hand soap or paper towel at the food-prepping sink. That issue alone—combined with an entrance door that could potentially let rodents and insects in, and cleaning cloths not being stored in sanitizing solution—led the restaurant to fail. When inspectors returned, all the issues were corrected, and the Subway location passed.
Beat Kitchen
- 2100 W. Belmont Ave.
- Fail
Beat Kitchen failed when inspectors found “black, wet, moldy like substance on the walls of interior panel and on the plastic tubings” of the ice machine. It was tagged and employees were told not to use it until it was sanitized. Inspectors also discovered owners never provided lids for the ice bins, an issue they’ve told Beat Kitchen to fix before. Both of those issues are combined with dusty vents in the washrooms and missing thermometers in all the chest freezers and one cooler.
Subway
- 3601 N. Western Ave.
- Pass
This Subway location passed, but employees were asked to clean the floors under various racks, as well as the vent cover in both washrooms. They also needed to dispose the clutter in the exit area and increase the water pressure in a sink faucet.
