Cuckoo

5143 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

Asian / Fusion

Last inspected: Jan 29, 2026

Score

Low Risk

Going back to 2022, Cuckoo has five inspections in the public record. The latest inspection on file is from Jan 29, 2026. A low risk tier reflects an inspection that turned up minimal issues.

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

Across the inspection history, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” is the issue that surfaces most often, recorded five times.

The city-wide average for Chicago sits at 81, putting Cuckoo on the better side of that line. Overall, the inspection record reads well.

Inspections

Critical latest

Major latest

Minor latest

Inspection History

Jan 29, 2026

Routine

3 minor violations.

View 3 violations

In-use utensils: properly stored

Inspector notes: NOTED SERVING PLATES ON SHELVES AT THE KITCHEN PREP AREA NOT PROPERLY STORED. INSTRUCTED TO INVERT ALL SERVING PLATES TO PREVENT DUST ACCUMULATION.

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

Inspector notes: NOTED ASSORTED FOOD ITEMS INSIDE REFRIGERATION UNITS FOOD STORED INSIDE TIN CANS. INSTRUCTED TO PROPERLY STORE ALL FOOD ITEMS INSIDE APPROVED FOOD GRADE CONTAINERS.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN FLOORS ALONG WALL BASE AND UNDERNEATH EQUIPMENT.

Jan 29, 2025

Routine

7 minor violations.

View 7 violations

Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display

Inspector notes: OBSERVED FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS AND BOXES STORED ON THE FLOOR IN REAR PREP/COOKING AREA AND IN REAR OUTSIDE STORAGE AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PROPERLY STORE 6" OFF THE FLOOR TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION AND FOR EASY ACCESS ON CLEANING.

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

Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN INTERIOR SURFACES OF 2 DOOR REACH-IN FREEZER WITH EXCESSIVE DRIED FOOD ACCUMULATION IN REAR (OUTSIDE) STORAGE AREA.

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

Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND REPAINT RUSTY METAL TOP/COVER OF GREASE BOX UNDERNEATH 3 COMPARTMENT SINK.

Non-food/food contact surfaces clean

Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN KITCHEN HOOD AND FILTERS ABOVE COOKING EQUIPMENT.

Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

Inspector notes: NOTED FAUCET NECK AT (RIGHT) PREP SINK BEHIND FRONT PREP COUNTER IN POOR REPAIR. INSTRUCTED TO FIX.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED EXCESSIVE DRIED LEAVES AND LITTER IN THE REAR OUTSIDE AREA BY THE EXIT DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: ADDITIONAL CLEANING OF FLOORS IN REAR PREP/DISHWASHING AREA ALONG THE WALLS AND IN ALL CORNERS.

Mar 6, 2024

Routine

4 minor violations.

View 4 violations

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

Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN THE FOLLOWING: INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES OF ALL COOLERS (PREP COOLER, REACH-IN COOLER, FREEZERS, DEEP CHICKEN COOLERS) WITH EXCESSIVE GREASE AND DRIED FOOD DEBRIS ACCUMULATION, SIDES OF ALL COOKING EQUIPMENT (STOVE, FRYERS, MICROWAVE OVEN), INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES OF ALL FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS, PREP TABLE, STORAGE RACKS, EXTERIOR SURFACES OF ALL CLEANING BOTTLES WITH EXCESSIVE GREASE AND DIRT DEBRIS.

Non-food/food contact surfaces clean

Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN STORAGE SHELVES BEHIND FRONT COUNTER SERVICE.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN WALLS WITH EXCESSIVE GREASE AND DRIED FOOD SPILLAGE AND FLOORS THROUGHOUT REAR PREP/COOKING/DISHWASHING AREA ESPECIALLY UNDER AND AROUND COOKING EQUIPMENT, UNDERNEATH 3 COMPARTMENT SINK

All food employees have food handler training

Inspector notes: OBSERVED FOOD HANDLER WITHOUT A FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATE. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED THAT ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES MUST SHOW PROOF OF TRAINING.

Jan 20, 2023

Routine

2 minor violations.

View 2 violations

Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THE INTERIOR OF THE ICE MACHINE BIN AND INTERIOR GUARD WITH SOME DIRT, NOT CLEAN. INSTRUCTED THE PERSON IN CHARGE TO DETAIL CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED DEBRIS/FOOD SPILLS ON FLOORS THROUGHOUT THE FRONT AND REAR PREPARATION AREAS. INSTRUCTED THE PERSON IN CHARGE TO DETAIL CLEAN FLOORS AND MAINTAIN THEM.

Mar 2, 2022

License

3 minor violations.

View 3 violations

Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

Inspector notes: BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE NOT LOCATED ON ICE MACHINE WATER LINE. MUST PROVIDE AND MAKE VISIBLE.

All food employees have food handler training

Inspector notes: NO EMPLOYEE FOOD HANDLERS TRAINING CERTIFICATES ON-PREMISES. INSTRUCTED MANAGER MUST HAVE ALL FOOD HANDLERS CERTIFICATES WITH NAMES OF EMPLOYEES ON-PREMISES.

Allergen training as required

Inspector notes: NO FOOD ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE ON PREMISES. INSTRUCTED ALL CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS MUST HAVE FOOD ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATES ON PREMISES.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Cuckoo last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Cuckoo on file is from Jan 29, 2026. The public record contains five inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Cuckoo?

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

Has Cuckoo's inspection record improved over time?

Yes. Recent inspections at Cuckoo have averaged around three violations per visit, down from roughly six earlier in the record.

What does a low risk rating mean?

A low risk rating at Cuckoo 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 Cuckoo inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, Cuckoo is inspected roughly once per year on average.

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