Carbon

300 W 26Th St, Chicago, IL 60616

Steakhouse

Last inspected: Dec 2, 2025

Score

Low Risk

The health department has logged four inspections at Carbon, the earliest from 2024. The latest inspection on file is from Dec 2, 2025. Low risk means the most recent visit produced few or no significant findings.

The trend has been favorable: violation counts have eased from around four violations to closer to one violation per visit over the last few inspections.

Looking across the full record, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” is the recurring theme, flagged two times.

Restaurants in Chicago average 81, so Carbon is doing better than most peers. Overall, the inspection record reads well.

Inspections

Critical latest

Major latest

Minor latest

Inspection History

Dec 2, 2025

Routine

1 minor violation.

View 1 violation

Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used

Inspector notes: OBSERVED CUTTING BOARDS IN THE REAR PREP AREA WITH OPEN SEAMS AND DARK STAINS. INSTRUCTED TO REFINISH OR REPLACE DAMAGED OR STAINED CUTTING BOARDS AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.

May 13, 2025

Routine

1 critical violation. 3 minor violations.

View 4 violations

Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Inspector notes: OBSERVED LOW TEMPERATURE WAREWASHING MACHINE LOCATED IN THE KITCHEN'S DISH AREA NOT PROPERLY SANITIZING. THE SANITIZING RESIDUAL CONCENTRATION WAS OBSERVED AT 0 PPM AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO REPAIR TO MEET SANITIZING REQUIREMENTS OF 50-100PPM. DISH MACHINE WAS REPAIRED BY OWNER DURING INSPECTION. NOW SANITIZING AT 100PM. PRIORITY VIOLATION #7-38-025. CITATION ISSUED.

Personal cleanliness

Inspector notes: OBSERVED FOOD HANDLERS PREPPING FOOD WITHOUT HAIR RESTRAINTS. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST WEAR A HAIR RESTRAINT.

Wiping cloths: properly used & stored

Inspector notes: OBSERVED WET WIPING CLOTHS ON SEVERAL PREP SURFACE AREAS. INSTRUCTED TO PROPERLY STORE WIPING CLOTHS IN A SANITIZING SOLUTION BETWEEN USES TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION OF EQUIPMENT & FOOD. MUST MAINTAIN.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED LOOSE DEBRIS, DIRT AND DUST BUILDUP ON THE FLOORS AND CORNERS THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND INCREASE CLEANING FREQUENCY OF FLOORS. MUST MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.

Mar 12, 2024

Reinspection

3 minor violations.

View 3 violations

Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible

Inspector notes: 6-301.14: OBSERVED NO HANDWASHING SIGNAGE AT THE HANDWASHING SINKS BEHIND THE BAR AREA, IN THE TOILET ROOMS NEAR THE BAR DINING AREA, AND IN THE BASEMENT. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.

Non-food/food contact surfaces clean

Inspector notes: 4-602.13: OBSERVED THE PIPES AND THE SURFACES BEHIND THE COOKING EQUIPMENT IN THE REAR FOOD PREP AREA WITH GREASE BUILD AND GREASE DROPLETS. ALSO, OBSERVED THE PEPSI COLD HOLDING UNIT IN THE BASEMENT NOT CLEAN. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN ALL MENTIONED EQUIPMENT.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: 6-501.11: OBSERVED A DAMAGED WALL BASE UNDER THE VEGETABLE SANITIZING SINK NEXT TO THE LOW TEMPERATURE DISHWASHING MACHINE, AN OPENING IN THE METAL WALL ABOVE THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK IN THE REAR OF THE RESTAURANT, AND AN OPENING IN THE WALL UNDER THE HANDWASHING SINK BEHIND THE BAR. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR ALL SURFACES SO THAT THEY ARE SMOOTH AND EASILY CLEANABLE AND MAINTAIN.

Mar 5, 2024

License

No violations found.

100

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Carbon last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Carbon on file is from Dec 2, 2025. The public record contains four inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Carbon?

Across the inspection record, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at Carbon.

Has Carbon's inspection record improved over time?

Yes. Recent inspections at Carbon have averaged around one violation per visit, down from roughly four earlier in the record.

What does a low risk rating mean?

A low risk rating at Carbon means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.

How often is Carbon inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, Carbon is inspected around two times per year on average.

Nearby Restaurants

Carbon

300 W 26Th St

Score: 100 — Low Risk

Score: 100 — Low Risk

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