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Lemon Chicago

1600 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Café / Breakfast
Last inspected: May 14, 2025
70
Score
Medium Risk

Inspectors have visited Lemon Chicago four times, with records going back to 2023. On May 14, 2025, the health department conducted the most recent visit. The medium risk tier sits in the middle: not spotless, but not alarming either.

The trend has not been favorable: recent inspections average around seven violations each, up from closer to four violations before.

“Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” accounts for the largest share of issues, appearing four times across the record.

Compared to other Chicago restaurants (averaging 81), there's room to close the gap. Taken together, the history looks like that of a busy facility working through the usual inspection cycle.

4
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
7
Minor latest
Inspection History
May 14, 2025
Reinspection
7 minor violations.
View 7 violations
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: 4-501.12 : MUST REPAIR OR REPLACE SOME WORN SEAMS & DEEP GROOVES ON CUTTING BOARDS
47
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: 6-501.13 : MUST REMOVE STANDING WATER ON FLOOR IN BASEMENT NEAR CHEMICAL STORAGE SHELF AND WALK IN COOLER.MUST CLEAN DEBRIS BUILD UP FROM FLOOR DRAINS AT BAR AREA AND STICKS SUBSTANCE FROM FLOOR IN BASEMENT.
55
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: : 6-501.13 : MUST REMOVE STANDING WATER ON FLOOR IN BASEMENT NEAR CHEMICAL STORAGE SHELF AND WALK IN COOLER.MUST CLEAN DEBRIS BUILD UP FROM FLOOR DRAINS AT BAR AREA AND STICKS SUBSTANCE FROM FLOOR IN BASEMENT.
55
Food properly labeled; original container
Inspector notes: 3-302.12 : MUST LABEL SMALL FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS AT BAR AREA WHEN FOOD IS NOT IN ORIGINAL PACKAGE.
37
Insects, rodents, & animals not present
Inspector notes: 6-202.15 : MUST REPAIR OR REPLACE GAPS AT FRONT ENTRY DOOR ALONG TOP AND BOTTOM SIDES,DJ BOOTH DOOR ALONG BOTTOM,STAGE DOOR EAST ACROSS THE TOP,STAGE DOOR WEST ALONG BOTTOM,PATIO DOOR ALONG BOTTOM MUST MAKE DOORS TIGHT FITTING.
38
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: 3-305.11 : MUST ELEVATE BOXES OFF OF FLOOR IN WALK IN COOLER.
39
Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried, & handled
Inspector notes: 4-903.11 (A;B;D) : MUST INVERT LARGE BOWLS ON PREP TABLE.
44
70
May 6, 2025
Routine
1 major violation. 7 minor violations.
View 8 violations
Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
Inspector notes: OBSERVED HIGH TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE GAUGE COCK NOT ABLE TO DISPLAY FINAL RINSE TEMPERATURE ON DISPLAY SCREEN.MUST REPAIR AND MAINTAIN. A HELD FOR INSPECTION TAG HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE DISH-MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO USE 3-COMPATRMENT SINK FOR SANITIZING GLASSES. (PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005)(CITATION ISSUED)
48
Food properly labeled; original container
Inspector notes: MUST LABEL SMALL FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS AT BAR AREA WHEN FOOD IS NOT IN ORIGINAL PACKAGE.
37
Insects, rodents, & animals not present
Inspector notes: MUST REPAIR OR REPLACE GAPS AT FRONT ENTRY DOOR ALONG TOP AND BOTTOM SIDES,DJ BOOTH DOOR ALONG BOTTOM,STAGE DOOR EAST ACROSS THE TOP,STAGE DOOR WEST ALONG BOTTOM,PATIO DOOR ALONG BOTTOM MUST MAKE DOORS TIGHT FITTING.
38
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: MUST ELEVATE BOXES OFF OF FLOOR IN WALK IN COOLER.
39
Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried, & handled
Inspector notes: MUST INVERT LARGE BOWLS ON PREP TABLE.
44
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: MUST REPAIR OR REPLACE SOME WORN SEAMS & DEEP GROOVES ON CUTTING BOARDS.
47
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: MUST PROVIDE A HOOKING SYSTEM TO HANG UP WET MOPS AT MOPSINK.
55
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: MUST REMOVE STANDING WATER ON FLOOR IN BASEMENT NEAR CHEMICAL STORAGE SHELF AND WALK IN COOLER.MUST CLEAN DEBRIS BUILD UP FROM FLOOR DRAINS AT BAR AREA AND STICKS SUBSTANCE FROM FLOOR IN BASEMENT.
55
64
Nov 3, 2023
Reinspection
No violations found.
100
Oct 24, 2023
License
3 major violations. 1 minor violation.
View 4 violations
Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO WASHBOWL SINK IN NORTHERN RESTROOM. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL WASHBOWL PROPERLY SUPPLIED WITH PAPER TOWELS AND SOAP AND CAPABLE OF DELIVERING HOT AND COLD RUNNING WATER UNDER PRESSURE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030(C). NO CITATION ISSUED.
10
Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO IRREVERSIBLE THERMOMETER ON SITE TO MEASURE HOT WATER SANITIZING AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN ON SITE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005. NO CITATION ISSUED.
48
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO TOILET IN SOUTHERN TOILET ROOM. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL RELEVANT LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-030(C). NO CITATION ISSUED.
53
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO COVERED TRASH RECEPTACLES INSIDE UNISEX TOILET ROOMS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
53
70

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Lemon Chicago last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Lemon Chicago on file is from May 14, 2025. The public record contains four inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Lemon Chicago?

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

Has Lemon Chicago's inspection record improved over time?

No. Recent inspections at Lemon Chicago have averaged around seven violations per visit, up from roughly four earlier in the record.

What does a medium risk rating mean?

A medium risk rating at Lemon Chicago 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 Lemon Chicago inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, Lemon Chicago is inspected around three times per year on average.

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