Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Last inspected: Dec 4, 2025
74
Score
Public records show five inspections at Tropical Smoothie Cafe stretching back to 2020. The most recent visit was on Dec 4, 2025. A medium risk score generally means inspectors found things to fix, though most weren't urgent.
Recent visits have flagged more than earlier ones: around five violations per visit lately, up from roughly three violations before.
The pattern that stands out is “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean”, which has been cited five times.
That's lower than the typical Chicago restaurant, which scores around 81. Nothing in the record is alarming, but there's room to improve.
5
Inspections
0
Critical latest
1
Major latest
4
Minor latest
Inspection History
Dec 4, 2025
Routine
1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 5 violations
City of chicago food service sanitation certificate
Inspector notes: OBSERVED FACILITY FOOD HANDLERS PREPARING AND HANDLING�TIME AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY(TCS) (EGGS, SLICED TOMATOES, SANDWICH WRAPS, ETC) FOODS WITHOUT ORIGINAL CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGER AND CERTIFICATE ON SITE. INFORMED PERSON IN CHARGE CITY OF CHICAGO ORIGINAL FOOD SERVICE CERTIFICATE MUST REMAIN POSTED ON SITE AND CERTIFIED MANAGER ON SITE DURING TCS FOOD PREP, COOKING, SERVING AND OPERATING HOURS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION #7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.
2
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.
55
All food employees have food handler training
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO PROOF OF TRAINING FOR ALL FOOD HANDLERS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN RECORDS AT ALL TIMES.
57
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: OBSERVED MILK CRATES BEING USED AS SHELVING THROUGHOUT THE PREP AND STORAGE AREAS. MUST REMOVE AND PROVIDE SHELVING THAT IS 6" OFF THE FLOOR AND PROVIDES FLOOR ACCESSIBILITY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FACILITY CLEANING.
47
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: OBSERVED MOP IN A POSITION THAT DOES NOT ALLOW TO DRY PROPERLY AND PREVENT PEST HARBORAGE. MUST STORE MOP AFTER USE IN A MOUNTED POSITION THAT ALLOWS FOR AIR-DRYING WITHOUT SOILING AND PEST HARBORAGING.
55
74
Apr 25, 2024
Reinspection
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: 6-201.12 EXCESSIVE DEBRIS ON FLOORS UNDER, BEHIND AND ALONG BASEBOARD WALL THROUGHOUT. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
55
95
Apr 17, 2024
Routine
1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized
Inspector notes: WE OBSERVED ICE/FOOD NOT PROTECTED DURING STORAGE INSIDE STANDING ICE BIN AT SMOOTHIES PREP/SERVING AREA. WE OBSERVED BLACK SLIME SUBSTANCE DRIPPING DOWN INTO THE ICE FROM WHITE RACK.ICE CUBES HAD BLACK PARTICLES ON IT. ICE IS USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMTION. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND SANITIZE THE INTERIOR OF ICE BIN THROUGHOUT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005 CITATION ISSUED.
16
In-use utensils: properly stored
Inspector notes: ICE SCOOP MUST BE STORED IN A CLEAN CONTAINER BETWEEN USE. -
43
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: MUST NOT USE MILK CRATES TO STORE REPACKED FOOD IN CONTAINERS INSIDE THE WALK-IN COOLER.SURFACE MUST BE SMOOTH,CLEANABLE AND NON-ABSORBENT MATERIAL
47
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: SOMECOLORED CUTTING BOARDS IN THE KITCHEN WITH DARK STAINS AND DEEP CUTS,MUST REFINISH OR REPLACE SAID CUTTING BOARDS
47
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: EXCESSIVE DEBRIS ON FLOORS UNDER, BEHIND AND ALONG BASEBOARD WALL THROUGHOUT. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
55
74
Jan 7, 2022
License
4 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Food properly labeled; original container
Inspector notes: ALL BULK FOOD CONTAINERS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER MUST BE LABELED WITH THE PRODUCT COMMON NAME.
37
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: NOTED A SPLASH GUARD BETWEEN THE PREP TABLE AND THE EXPOSED HAND WASH SINK AT THE FRONT PREP AREA; HOWEVER, THE SPLASH GUARD IS NOT TALL ENOUGH TO PREVENT WATER SPLASHING ON THE PREP TABLE FROM THE HAND SINK DURING HAND WASHING TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION (SHORT). INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A SPLASH GUARD (TALLER)THAT CAN PREVENT CONTAMINATION.
39
Single-use/single-service articles: properly stored & used
Inspector notes: ALL STORED ITEMS THROUGHOUT MUST BE ELEVATED FROM THE FLOORS.
45
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: FLOOR OF THE WALK-IN FREEZER WITH EXCESSIVE FOOD DEBRIS. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
55
82
Sep 15, 2020
License
1 major violation. 1 minor violation.
View 2 violations
Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting
Inspector notes: NOTED NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION FOLLOWING THE NEW CODE AND GUIDELINES. INSTRUCTED TO HAVE VERIFICATION OF POLICY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE ONE ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION #7-38-010. NO CITATION ISSUED TODAY
3
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: NOTED A SPLASH GUARD BETWEEN PREP TABLE AND THE EXPOSED HAND WASH SINK AT THE FRONT PREP AREA; HOWEVER THE SPLASH GUARD IS NOT TALL ENOUGH TO PREVENT WATER SPLASHING ON THE PREP TABLE FROM THE HAND SINK DURING HAND WASHING TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION (SHORT). INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A SPLASH GUARD (TALLER)THAT CAN PREVENT CONTAMINATION.
39
86
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Tropical Smoothie Cafe last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Tropical Smoothie Cafe on file is from Dec 4, 2025. The public record contains five inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Tropical Smoothie Cafe?
Across the inspection record, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” has been cited five times, more than any other issue at Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
Has Tropical Smoothie Cafe's inspection record improved over time?
No. Recent inspections at Tropical Smoothie Cafe have averaged around five violations per visit, up from roughly three earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Tropical Smoothie Cafe 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 Tropical Smoothie Cafe inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is inspected roughly once per year on average.
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