Fort Worth restaurants’ health violations include roaches, mice, mold, no masks
Several restaurants across Fort Worth have recently been found in violation of city health codes aimed at protecting the safety of customers, perhaps even more crucially during the coronavirus pandemic. Those broken rules include employees not washing their hands or sanitizing surfaces, and managers not instituting protocols for sick individuals.
Many eateries also struggled with issues such as mold, cockroaches and rodents, as well as “dead or trapped birds,” according to a comprehensive database of July and August health inspections.
The overview compiled by the Star-Telegram provides a glimpse into the inner-workings of Fort Worth restaurants and what goes on behind the doors of kitchens. Health inspectors handed out violations with corresponding point values, and any restaurant that scored above a 30 was ordered to take corrective actions within 48 hours. Only one restaurant fit that category, per the database —Tres Betos Taqueria on NE 28th Street, which scored 43.
The restaurant reportedly didn’t have a written employee health policy, and failed to limit bare-handed contact with food and dispose of sewage in a proper manner. Employees also hadn’t “completed an accredited food handler course” within a week of starting, according to the database.
Three restaurants in Fort Worth fell one point short of 30 after racking up long lists of violations: Ashim’s Hibachi Grill on West Fourth Street, House of Pho on South Hulen Street, and Hoya Korean Kitchen on West Third Street.
Two restaurants had problems related to masks, including Panther City BBQ on East Pennsylvania Avenue — where employees were “not wearing required masks” — and the Napoli’s Pizza on North Beach Street that had workers not wearing masks at all times. There was no information in the database about social distancing violations.
The tool from the Star-Telegram allows user to search by key words, from specific violations to the names of restaurants.
There were 15 businesses with no violations found:
- AP Catering Service on Bryan Avenue
- Belenty’s Love Mexican Vegan Restaurant on Blue Bonnet Circle
- Biscuit Bar on East Exchange Avenue
- BNSF Cafe on Lou Menk Drive
- Courtyard Fort Worth on West Freeway
- Dukes on Boat Club Road
- La Jaiba Brava Mexican Food on Jacksboro Highway
- Pazthor on East Berry Street
- Renaissance Worthington Hotel on Main Street
- Sear-N-Dip on North Tarrant Parkway
- Sonic on Clifford Street
- Taqo Guy on Pennsylvania Avenue
- Trinity College Irish Pub on Currie Street
- Wayback Burgers on Saginaw Boulevard
- Whataburger on Golden Triangle Boulevard
According to the city of Fort Worth health inspection website, “the scores here represent only a snapshot of the facility at the time the inspector arrived. The conditions could be better or worse while an inspector is not present.”
Here are the inspection scores and violations for restaurants within the city limits of Fort Worth for July and August 2020. Scores are based on a demerit system. When the total exceeds 30, the restaurant must take immediate corrective action on all identified critical violations, then has 48 hours to initiate corrective action on all other violations. To search the July - August restaurant inspections, type in a keyword or restaurant name. You can also sort by score.
This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 12:17 PM.
