Darrell's Diner #18
Last inspected: Mar 9, 2026
45
Score
Darrell's Diner #18 has been inspected seven times since 2023. On Mar 9, 2026, the health department conducted the most recent visit. The high risk label is a heads-up that the most recent visit didn't go well.
The trend has been favorable: violation counts have eased from around nine violations to closer to six violations per visit over the last few inspections.
The pattern that stands out is “time/temperature control for safety food cold held”, which has been cited three times.
By comparison, the average Ocala facility scores 78, putting Darrell's Diner #18 on the weaker side. The pattern in the record is worth a careful look.
7
Inspections
3
Critical latest
1
Major latest
5
Minor latest
Inspection History
Mar 9, 2026
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 1 major violation. 5 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. Turkey stored in walk-in cooler dated 2/3/2026. Manager stated item prepared on 3/3/2026. Manager placed proper date mark on turkey. **Corrected On-Site**
02C-01-5
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Degreaser stored next to soda box on dry storage shelf next to mop sink. Manager moved degreaser to area where chemicals are stored. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items stored in front counter reach-in cooler: sour cream (46F - Cold Holding); cottage cheese (45F - Cold Holding). Employee stated items placed in cooler one hour prior to temperature being taken. Employee placed items on top shelf to get better air flow around items. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - No currently certified food service manager on duty with four or more employees engaged in food preparation/handling. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/. No certified food manager present with four employees working.
53A-05-6
Basic - Accumulation of lime scale on the inside of the dishmachine. Dish machine next to three compartment sink.
16-23-4
Basic - Cardboard used to line nonfood-contact shelves. Cardboard lining shelf above cook line steam table. Manager removed cardboard during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
14-45-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink on prep table next to cook line reach-in freezer. Manager removed drink during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee phone on prep table next to cook line reach-in cooler. Manager removed phone during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Cups stored next to soda machine in wait station.
24-08-4
45
Sep 2, 2025
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 3 minor violations.
View 5 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items stored in wait station reach-in cooler: cream cheese (45F - Cold Holding); butter (46F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items placed in cooler two hours prior to temperature being taken. Manager had employees move items to walk-in cooler to reduce temperature to 41F. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Employee cracked raw shell eggs and then handled ready-to-eat food and/or clean equipment or utensils without washing hands. Employee cracked eggs and proceeded to handle clean plate without washing hands and changing gloves. Manager had employee wash hands and change gloves. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
12A-27-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Bottle of water in reach-in freezer across from back door.
08B-49-4
Basic - Accumulation of debris on exterior of warewashing machine. Dish machine next to three compartment sink.
16-21-4
Basic - Missing drain plug at dumpster. Dumpster in parking lot.
33-11-4
64
Feb 14, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 3 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Food Received at Proper Temperature
FL-12
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Warewashing Facilities Maintained and Used
FL-24
Personal Cleanliness
FL-40
70
Aug 26, 2024
Routine - Food
5 critical violations. 4 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. See stop sale. Raw shelled eggs kept on time did not have the most current time mark. Manager put the correct time mark on the white board in the kitchen **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03F-02-5
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Potato salad in walk-in-cooler dated eight days earlier
01B-13-4
High Priority - Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. Employee was on the cookline then went to walk-in-cooler then returned to cookline ad handled toast, without removing gloves, washing hands and putting on clean gloves. Discussed with Manager.
12A-09-4
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with unwashed produce. Two dozen raw shelled eggs stored above green peppers in walk-in-cooler . Manager removed raw shelled eggs **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
08A-04-5
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. Potato salad in walk-in-cooler dated eight days earlier
02C-01-5
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee salad stored on middle shelf above door service to the public I walk-in-cooler. Manager discarded salad **Corrected On-Site**
08B-49-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Equipment not properly air-dried, and stored wet on clean ware rack resulting in wet nesting( cups at server station)
24-08-4
Basic - Single-service articles improperly Coffee filter not covered or protected at server station.
25-05-4
Basic - Stored food not covered. Chicken in reach in freezer and fresh coffee ground placed in coffee filters not covered at server station. Manager covered coffee and filters **Corrected On-Site**
08B-12-5
39
Feb 26, 2024
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. At the cook line, raw shell eggs no time marked, employee marked.
03F-02-5
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Grill cleaning brick above cleaned containers and food, manager moved. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. At the cook line, observed raw pooled eggs (French toast mix) stored above pancakes batter and home fries, employee moved, also In freezer near back door, observed raw chicken stored above raw beef, Manager moved. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Handwash sink at the triple sink, soap containers in front of sink, employee moved. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
31A-09-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Jacket and personal belongings stored above dry goods and cleaned containers, manager moved all. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
40-06-5
Basic - Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed. During inspection manager provided a digital copy. **Corrective Action Taken**
50-09-4
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. At the cook line, bowl no handle inside home fries container, French fries and onion rings, employee moved all. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
14-01-5
50
Oct 30, 2023
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 5 major violations. 5 minor violations.
View 12 violations
High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. At the cook line, two employees working with food, stopped and started wearing gloves and no hand washed occurred, Inspector instructed to properly washed their hands. Also male employee adjusted glasses with tip of his finger and didn't change his gloves and continued working with food m
12A-07-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler at the server station (front counter): milk 57F, sour cream 57F, per Manager items placed at 8:00am, milk and sour cream moved to freezer. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - No written procedures available for use of time as a public health control to hold time/temperature control for safety food. No plans available, inspector provided a digital form.
03F-10-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Interior of microwave soiled. Also at the front counter area, ice chute with mold like substance
22-02-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Handwash sink at the three compartment sink area used as a dumped sink, observed container with soiled utensils inside and another container in front of it. Manager moved all items. **Corrected On-Site**
31A-09-4
Intermediate - No proof provided that food employees are informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses. For one female employee at the prep area.
11-26-1
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. In front of three compartment sink, observed bottle with yellow substance not labeled, Manager labeled. **Corrected On-Site**
41-17-4
Basic - Cold holding equipment not maintained in good repair. Do not store time/temperature control for safety food in this unit until the unit is repaired. Reach-in cooler at the server station, (front counter) ambient air temperature of 56F.
14-74-7
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. At the cook line bowl no handle inside home fries container, also at the dry storage area, observed bowl no handle inside black pepper container.
14-01-5
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. At the prep area, wet wiping cloth on prep table, employee moved to bucket. **Corrected On-Site**
21-12-4
Basic - In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. At the prep area, observed in use cutting board with a white wet towel underneath
21-04-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Near back door, employee purse on top of coffee box.
40-06-5
35
May 18, 2023
Food-Licensing Inspection
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Plumbing Maintained; Sewage Disposal
FL-51
95
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Darrell's Diner #18 last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Darrell's Diner #18 on file is from Mar 9, 2026. The public record contains seven inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Darrell's Diner #18?
Across the inspection record, “time/temperature control for safety food cold held” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at Darrell's Diner #18.
How does Darrell's Diner #18 compare to other restaurants in Ocala?
Darrell's Diner #18 most recently scored 45 out of 100, which is lower than the Ocala average of 78.
Has Darrell's Diner #18's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Darrell's Diner #18 have averaged around six violations per visit, down from roughly nine earlier in the record.
What does a high risk rating mean?
A high risk rating at Darrell's Diner #18 means the most recent inspection flagged either critical violations or a substantial number of smaller ones. Diners may want to read the violation details before deciding to visit.
How often is Darrell's Diner #18 inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Darrell's Diner #18 is inspected around two times per year on average.
Nearby Restaurants