El Terco Leon Taqueria
Last inspected: May 20, 2025
90
Score
El Terco Leon Taqueria has been inspected six times since 2020. Inspectors last stopped by on May 20, 2025. Diners can read the low risk label as a sign that recent inspections have gone well.
The trend has been favorable: violation counts have eased from around six violations to closer to two violations per visit over the last few inspections.
The most common issue across all inspections has been “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean”, showing up six times.
That puts the facility ahead of the local pack: the average Chicago restaurant scores 81. Taken together, the history is a positive one.
6
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
May 20, 2025
Routine
2 minor violations.
View 2 violations
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: OBSERVED FOOD BUILD UP ON WALLS AT FRONT PREP AREA COOKLINE. MUST CLEAN WALLS AND MAINTAIN.
55
All food employees have food handler training
Inspector notes: SOME FOOD HANDLERS WITHOUT FOOD HANDLERS TRAINING CERTIFICATES. INSTRUCTED MANAGER ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST BE CERTIFIED WITH NAMES OF EMPLOYEES ON PREMISES.
57
90
Sep 18, 2024
Routine
3 minor violations.
View 3 violations
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
Inspector notes: OBSERVED ACCUMULATED GREASE BUILD UP ON VENTILATION HOOD AND FILTERS. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN VENTILATION HOOD AND FILTERS.
56
Food properly labeled; original container
Inspector notes: RICE AND BEANS BULK CONTAINERS NOT LABELED AT DRY STORAGE ROOM. MUST LABEL AND DATE BULK CONTAINERS.
37
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: OBSERVED DIRT BUILD UP ON FLOOR ALONG WALLS AND CORNERS AT DISHWASH AREA. MUST CLEAN FLOOR AND MAINTAIN.
55
86
May 30, 2023
Complaint
No violations found.
100
Oct 13, 2022
Routine
1 major violation. 5 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
Inspector notes: THE HAND WASHING SINK WAS BLOCKED TWICE DURING THE INSPECTION WITH DISHES, CHEMICAL CONTAINERS, AND A POT OF RAW MEAT IN THE BACK PREPARATION AREA. HAND SINKS MUST BE ACCESSIBLE AT ALL TIMES. ITEMS WERE RELOCATED ON-SITE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030 (C) CITATION ISSUED.
10
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: CASES OF DRINKS AND CONTAINERS OF FOOD ARE STORED ON THE FLOOR IN THE BACK PREPARATION AREA AND WALK-IN COOLER. ITEMS MUST BE AT LEAST 6 INCHES ABOVE THE FLOOR.
39
Wiping cloths: properly used & stored
Inspector notes: IN-USE WIPING CLOTHS ARE NOT STORED PROPERLY. FOUND ON PREPARATION SURFACES IN THE BACK PREP AND FRONT PREP AREA. CLOTHS USED TO WIPE SURFACES AND EQUIPMENT SHALL BE HELD IN A PROPER SANITIZER SOLUTION. CLOTHS IN-USE FOR WIPING SURFACES IN CONTACT WITH RAW ANIMAL FOODS SHALL BE KEPT SEPARATE FROM CLOTHS USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
41
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: VEGETABLE CRATES ARE USED AS UTENSILS/EQUIPMENT STORAGE IN THE BACK PREPARATION AREA---CARDBOARD IS USED AS LINING UNDER THE MICROWAVE---DRY RAGS ARE USED AS LINING FOR SHELVES IN THE COOKLINE AND BACK PREP AREA. FACILITY MUST REMOVE FROM USE AND REPLACE WITH EQUIPMENT THAT IS DURABLE AND EASILY CLEANABLE, MEETING FOOD STANDARDS.
47
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: CLUTTERED STORAGE ITEMS USED FOR THE FACILITY WERE FOUND ON THE FLOOR IN THE BACK AREA BEHIND THE OFFICE. THE CLUTTERED AREA IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS AND CLEAN PROPERLY. STORAGE AREA SHALL BE KEPT OFF THE FLOOR AT LEAST 6 INCHES AND EASILY TO MONITOR FOR PEST/RODENT ACTIVITY AND CLEANING.
55
Allergen training as required
Inspector notes: CERTIFIED CITY MANAGER'S ALLERGEN CERTIFICATES HAVE EXPIRED. THE FACILITY MUST PROVIDE UPDATED FOOD ALLERGEN CERTIFICATES FOR ALL CITY-CERTIFIED MANAGERS.
58
70
Jan 15, 2021
Routine
2 minor violations.
View 2 violations
Personal cleanliness
Inspector notes: FOODHANDLERS NOT WEARING HAIR RESTRAINTS. MUST PROVIDE.
40
Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried, & handled
Inspector notes: FOUND FOOD CONTAINERS NOT STORED PROPELRY ON SHELVING UNITS.MUST STORE INVERTED.
44
90
Jan 3, 2020
License
3 major violations. 6 minor violations.
View 9 violations
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
Inspector notes: NO CLEAN UP PROCEDURE FOR VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005 NO CITATION ISSUED.
5
Consumer advisory provided for raw/undercooked food
Inspector notes: MUST PROVIDE REMINDER AND DISCLOSURE AND ASTERISK ALL FOOD BEING SERVED MEDIUM RARE OR UNDERCOOKED ON THE MENU, PLACARDS OR ANY OTHER EFFECTIVE WRITTEN MEANS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005 NO CITATION ISSUED.
25
Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting
Inspector notes: NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. MUST PROVIDE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-010 NO CITATION ISSUED.
3
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: RAW WOOD ON THE FRONT COUNTER. INSTRUCTED TO SEALED OR PAINT,MAKE IT SMOOTH EASILY CLEANBLE.
47
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
Inspector notes: NO BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE ON THE MOP SINK FAUCET. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL TO LOCATE TO BE ABLE TO SERVICED AND MAINTAINED.
51
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: CEILING VENT COVER INSIDE THE WASHROOM WITH DUST ACCUMULATED. MUST DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
55
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: UNNECESSARY ITEMS,ARTICLES IN THE REAR STORAGE AREA CLOSE TO THE EXIT DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE,ORGANIZE THE AREA,ELEVATE ALL ITEMS OFF THE FLOOR TO PREVENT RODENT/INSECTS HARBORAGE.
55
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: FLOOR INSIDE BOTH FURNACE ROOMS WITH DIRT,DUST. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
55
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
Inspector notes: GREASE BUILD-UP ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FILTERS ON THE VENTILATION HOOD ABOVE THE COOKING EQUIPMENT. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN,REMOVE GREASE AND MAINTAIN.
56
55
Frequently Asked Questions
When was El Terco Leon Taqueria last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at El Terco Leon Taqueria on file is from May 20, 2025. The public record contains six inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at El Terco Leon Taqueria?
Across the inspection record, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” has been cited six times, more than any other issue at El Terco Leon Taqueria.
Has El Terco Leon Taqueria's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at El Terco Leon Taqueria have averaged around two violations per visit, down from roughly six earlier in the record.
What does a low risk rating mean?
A low risk rating at El Terco Leon Taqueria 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 El Terco Leon Taqueria inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, El Terco Leon Taqueria is inspected roughly once per year on average.
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