Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station)

640 Atlantic Av, Boston, MA 02111

Bar / Pub

Last inspected: Jul 29, 2025

Score

Medium Risk

Going back to 2022, Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) has seven inspections in the public record. On Jul 29, 2025, the health department conducted the most recent visit. The medium risk tier sits in the middle: not spotless, but not alarming either.

Recent inspections have turned up roughly the same number of issues each time, hovering near two violations per visit.

Looking across the full record, “equipment food-contact surfaces nonfood-contact surfaces” is the recurring theme, flagged two times.

Compared to other Boston restaurants (averaging 86), there's room to close the gap. Taken together, the history looks like that of a busy facility working through the usual inspection cycle.

Inspections

Critical latest

Major latest

Minor latest

Inspection History

Jul 29, 2025

Routine

1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 2 minor violations.

View 5 violations

Packaged and unpackaged food-separation packaging and segregation (p)

Inspector notes: Raw beef stored above ready to eat produce. Corrected on site.

590.003/3-302.11-P

(a) equipment food-contact surfaces nonfood-contact surfaces and utensils (pf)

Inspector notes: Ice machine in basement observed with black and pink sludge inside the interior of the unit. Clean to remove.

590.004/4-601.11-PF

Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food date marking (pf)

Inspector notes: Multiple foods in production line cooler without date marking. Provide date marking for all foods held longer than 24 hours.

590.003/3-501.17-PF

Food storage containers identified with common name of food (c)

Inspector notes: Multiple squeeze bottles observed without labels. Provide.

590.003/3-302.12-C

Packaged and unpackaged food-separation packaging and segregation (c)

Inspector notes: Multiple uncovered containers in production line refrigertion. Cover to prevent potential contamination.

590.003/3-302.11-C

Dec 17, 2024

Routine

1 minor violation.

View 1 violation

Effectiveness-hair restraints (c)

Inspector notes: Employee prepping pizza observed without hair restraint. Provide.

590.002/2-402.11-C

May 30, 2024

Routine

1 critical violation. 1 minor violation.

View 2 violations

Separation-storage (p)

Inspector notes: Bleach stored in basement store room in close proximity to wine bottles. Person in charge corrected.

590.007/7-201.11-P

(a) certified food protection manager (c)

Inspector notes: No certified food manager certificate in establishment. Provide.

590.002(C)/2-102.12-C

Dec 8, 2023

Routine

No violations found.

100

Jun 16, 2023

Routine

No violations found.

100

Dec 15, 2022

Routine

2 critical violations. 2 major violations. 1 minor violation.

View 5 violations

Manual and mechanical warewashing equipment chemical sanitization-temperature ph concentration and hardness (p)

Inspector notes: SAnitizer not registering for low temp dish machine. Changed out empty sanitizer container. Reading 50ppm. Monitor chemical sanitizer container to ensure equipment and glassware are correctly sanitized.

590.004/4-501.114-P

Reheating for hot holding (p)

Inspector notes: Foods for hot holding- chicken chili clam chowder- reheated top 100F-120F. Retrain staff to reheat foods for hot holding to 165F before placing into hot holding steam table. Foods reheated to 165-170F.

590.003/3-403.11-P

Common name-working containers (pf)

Inspector notes: Unlabeled spray bottle with chemical sanitizer per PIC. Discard by PIC. do not pour premixed sanitizer into unlabeled bottles.

590.007/7-102.11-PF

(a) equipment food-contact surfaces nonfood-contact surfaces and utensils (pf)

Inspector notes: Interior and exterior of ice machine with soils. Clean to prevent contamination.

590.004/4-601.11-PF

Nonfood contact surfaces (c)

Inspector notes: Old mouse droppings in basement storage under shelves. Clean and monitor for activity.

590.004/4-602.13-C

Apr 25, 2022

Routine

1 major violation. 2 minor violations.

View 3 violations

Sanitizing solutions testing devices (pf)

Inspector notes: No test strips for testing chlorine sanitizer in low temperature dish machine. Provide strips.

590.004/4-302.14-PF

Effectiveness-hair restraints (c)

Inspector notes: Food handler observed without hair restraint. Corrected on site. Food handlers need to have hair covered or restrained at all times when handling food.

590.002/2-402.11-C

System maintained in good repair (c)

Inspector notes: Pipe under dump sink at bar leaking. Repair as necessary to avoid standing water and slip hazard.

590.005/5-205.15-C

Show all 7 inspections Show less

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) on file is from Jul 29, 2025. The public record contains seven inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station)?

Across the inspection record, “equipment food-contact surfaces nonfood-contact surfaces” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station).

How does Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) compare to other restaurants in Boston?

Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) most recently scored 64 out of 100, which is lower than the Boston average of 86.

Has Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station)'s inspection record improved over time?

Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) have averaged around two violations per visit across the recent record.

What does a medium risk rating mean?

A medium risk rating at Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.

How often is Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, Tavern in the Square Restaurant (So. Station) is inspected around two times per year on average.

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