Tamales Danny
Last inspected: Feb 27, 2026
61
Score
Tamales Danny has only two inspections on file, a thin record to work from. Inspectors last stopped by on Feb 27, 2026. Diners should read medium risk as a signal that some issues exist but aren't extreme.
The picture has improved over the last few visits: recent inspections have averaged around nine violations, down from roughly 12 violations earlier in the record.
Across the inspection history, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” is the issue that surfaces most often, recorded six times.
Compared to other Chicago restaurants (averaging 81), there's room to close the gap. The inspection history reads as standard for a restaurant of this size.
2
Inspections
0
Critical latest
1
Major latest
8
Minor latest
Inspection History
Feb 27, 2026
Reinspection
1 major violation. 8 minor violations.
View 9 violations
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
Inspector notes: 2-501.11: OBSERVED ALL NECESSARY ITEMS NOT ON PREMISES FOR COMPLYING WITH PROCEDURE AVAILABLE ON SITE WHEN EMPLOYEES RESPOND TO VOMITTING OR DIARRHEAL EVENTS. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN ON PREMISES ALL NECESSARY ITEMS TO FOLLOW THE WRITTEN PROCEDURE FOR EMPLOYEES TO FOLLOW WHEN RESPONDING TO VOMITTING OR DIARRHEAL EVENTS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION
5
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: 6-501.11: OBSERVED MISSING LIGHT SHIELDS IN FACILITY. OBSERVED MISSING LIGHT SHIELDS IN FRONT NEAR ENTRANCE, IN REAR DRY STORAGE AREA, IN REAR PREP AREA AND IN REAR STORAGE AREA WITH COLD HOLDING UNITS. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE ALL MISSING LIGHT SHIELDS IN FACILITY WITH SOLID SHIELDS.
55
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: 6-501.16: OBSERVED NO MOP DRYING RACK INSTALLED. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL MOP DRYING RACK FOR PROPER DRAINING AND DRYING OF MOPS TO PREVENT PEST ENTRANCE.
55
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
Inspector notes: 6-304.11: OBSERVED NO MECHANICAL VENTILATION INSTALLED IN ALL GENDER EMPLOYEE WASHROOM. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL MECHANICAL VENTILATION OF SUFFICIENT CAPACITY IN ALL GENDER EMPLOYEE WASHROOM.
56
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
Inspector notes: 6-303.11: OBSERVED NON WORKING LIGHT IN REAR PREP/DISHWASHING AREA OF FACILITY. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR/REPLACE NON WORKING LIGHTS IN REAR PREP/DISHWASHING AREA OF FACILITY TO INCREASE LIGHT INTENSITY.
56
Allergen training as required
Inspector notes: 2-102.13: AT TIME OF INSPECTION FACILITY PROVIDED NO ALLERGEN AWARENESS TRAINING CERTIFICATES FOR EMPLOYEE WITH CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF ALLERGEN TRAINING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES WITH CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATES
58
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
Inspector notes: 6-501.19: OBSERVED DOOR OF ALL GENDER EMPLOYEE WASHROOM TO NOT BE SELF CLOSING. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL SELF CLOSING DEVICE ON ALL GENDER EMPLOYEE WASHROOM DOOR SO THAT IT SHALL BE TIGHT FITTING AND SELF CLOSING.
53
Garbage & refuse properly disposed; facilities maintained
Inspector notes: 5-501.11: OBSERVED NON SMOOTH OUTDOOR SURFACE UNDERNEATH DUMPSTER CONSTRUCTED OF DIRT AND ROCKS. INSTRUCTED AN OUTDOOR SURFACE FOR REFUSE, RECYCLABES AND RETURNABLES SHALL BE CONSTRUCTED OF NONABSORBENT MATERIAL SUCH AS CONCRETE OR ASPHALT AND SHALL BE SMOOTH, DURABLE AND SLOPED TO DRAIN.
54
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: 6-501.114: OBSERVED UNUSED PROOFER, MIXER AND BREAD OVEN IN REAR STORAGE AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ITEMS THAT ARE UNNECESSARY TO THE OPERATION OR MAINTENANCE OF THE ESTABLISHEMNT SUCH AS EQUIPMENT THAT IS NONFUNCTIONAL OR NO LONGER USED.
55
61
Feb 25, 2026
License
3 major violations. 9 minor violations.
View 12 violations
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
Inspector notes: OBSERVED ALL NECESSARY ITEMS NOT ON PREMISES FOR COMPLYING WITH PROCEDURE AVAILABLE ON SITE WHEN EMPLOYEES RESPOND TO VOMITTING OR DIARRHEAL EVENTS. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN ON PREMISES ALL NECESSARY ITEMS TO FOLLOW THE WRITTEN PROCEDURE FOR EMPLOYEES TO FOLLOW WHEN RESPONDING TO VOMITTING OR DIARRHEAL EVENTS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION
5
Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
Inspector notes: OBSERVED STOVE INSTALLED IN REAR OF FACILITY IN BREAK ROOM. NO HAND SINK IN AREA. MUST RELOCATE STOVE TO A FOOD PREP AREA WITH AN ACCESSIBLE HAND WASH SINK. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION.
10
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO BARRIER TO PREVENT CUSTOMERS FROM ENTERING INTO FRONT PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL BARRIER TO PROTECT FOOD PREP AREA FROM CONTAMINATION BY PUBLIC. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION
39
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO MECHANICAL VENTILATION INSTALLED IN ALL GENDER EMPLOYEE WASHROOM. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL MECHANICAL VENTILATION OF SUFFICIENT CAPACITY IN ALL GENDER EMPLOYEE WASHROOM.
56
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NON WORKING LIGHT IN REAR PREP/DISHWASHING AREA OF FACILITY. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR/REPLACE NON WORKING LIGHTS IN REAR PREP/DISHWASHING AREA OF FACILITY TO INCREASE LIGHT INTENSITY.
56
Allergen training as required
Inspector notes: AT TIME OF INSPECTION FACILITY PROVIDED NO ALLERGEN AWARENESS TRAINING CERTIFICATES FOR EMPLOYEE WITH CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF ALLERGEN TRAINING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES WITH CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATES.
58
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
Inspector notes: UNABLE TO LOCATE BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE ON UTILITY SINK. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE ON UTILITY SINK SO THAT IT SHALL BE LOCATED SO THAT IT MAY BE SERVICED AND MAINTAINED.
51
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
Inspector notes: OBSERVED DOOR OF ALL GENDER EMPLOYEE WASHROOM TO NOT BE SELF CLOSING. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL SELF CLOSING DEVICE ON ALL GENDER EMPLOYEE WASHROOM DOOR SO THAT IT SHALL BE TIGHT FITTING AND SELF CLOSING.
53
Garbage & refuse properly disposed; facilities maintained
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NON SMOOTH OUTDOOR SURFACE UNDERNEATH DUMPSTER CONSTRUCTED OF DIRT AND ROCKS. INSTRUCTED AN OUTDOOR SURFACE FOR REFUSE, RECYCLABES AND RETURNABLES SHALL BE CONSTRUCTED OF NONABSORBENT MATERIAL SUCH AS CONCRETE OR ASPHALT AND SHALL BE SMOOTH, DURABLE AND SLOPED TO DRAIN.
54
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: OBSERVED MISSING LIGHT SHIELDS IN FACILITY. OBSERVED MISSING LIGHT SHIELDS IN FRONT NEAR ENTRANCE, IN REAR DRY STORAGE AREA, IN REAR PREP AREA AND IN REAR STORAGE AREA WITH COLD HOLDING UNITS. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE ALL MISSING LIGHT SHIELDS IN FACILITY WITH SOLID SHIELDS. OBSERVED OPENINGS IN WALLS IN WASHROOM. INSTRUCTED TO SMOOTHLY REPAIR OPENINGS IN WALLS IN WASHROOM IN AREAS SUCH AS ALONG BASE OF WALL AND FLOOR TO THE RIGHT OF UTILITY SINK, IN CORNER NEXT TO TOILET AND ABOVE UTILITY SINK FOR EASE OF CLEANABILITY.
55
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: OBSERVED UNUSED PROOFER, MIXER AND BREAD OVEN IN REAR STORAGE AREA. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ITEMS THAT ARE UNNECESSARY TO THE OPERATION OR MAINTENANCE OF THE ESTABLISHEMNT SUCH AS EQUIPMENT THAT IS NONFUNCTIONAL OR NO LONGER USED.
55
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO MOP DRYING RACK INSTALLED. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL MOP DRYING RACK FOR PROPER DRAINING AND DRYING OF MOPS TO PREVENT PEST ENTRANCE.
55
47
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Tamales Danny last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Tamales Danny on file is from Feb 27, 2026. The public record contains two inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Tamales Danny?
Across the inspection record, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” has been cited six times, more than any other issue at Tamales Danny.
Has Tamales Danny's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Tamales Danny have averaged around nine violations per visit, down from roughly 12 earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Tamales Danny means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.
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