Darrell's Diner
Last inspected: Dec 29, 2025
50
Score
Going back to 2022, Darrell's Diner has nine inspections in the public record. The latest inspection on file is from Dec 29, 2025. A high risk rating points to multiple serious findings at the most recent inspection.
Recent inspections have turned up roughly the same number of issues each time, hovering near seven violations per visit.
“Ready-to-eat” comes up most often, recorded three times in the inspection record.
The city-wide average sits at 78, which Darrell's Diner's 50 doesn't quite reach. This restaurant has more on its record than most do.
9
Inspections
2
Critical latest
3
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
Dec 29, 2025
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 3 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Observed : the dish wash machine at 0 ppm. The almost empty jug was tilted and the machine was primed. Achieved 100 ppm at 100°. **Corrected On-Site**
22-41-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed : gravy in the hot hold, 130°.
03B-01-6
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed : the cut board by the window is stained. ALSO, the can opener blade had dried food debris on it.
22-02-4
Intermediate - No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths. Observed : lack of a test kit for the Sysco RTU sanitizer. Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid is the main ingredient, along with lactic acid.
16-37-1
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Observed : a container of batter with yesterdays date but made today according to the cook line staff.
02C-02-5
Basic - No Heimlich maneuver/choking sign posted. Observed : lack of a choking poster.
51-13-4
Basic - Sanitizer bucket/spray stored with food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Observed : on the front line, Sysco RTU sanitizer stored on the front counter with the tea urns and coffee cups. ALSO, at the wait station Sysco spray stored with table napkins. Both were moved into the cleaning cabinet. **Corrected On-Site**
21-44-1
50
Sep 15, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 4 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Reach-in cooler at the cook line, hot dogs date marked 09/06/25. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
01B-24-5
Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for employee hired more than 60 days ago. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. For one male cook. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
53B-02-5
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 two onsite employees, both employees signed the agreement. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
11-26-1
Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Handwash sink at the cook line, blocked by garbage can, Employee moved. **Corrected On-Site**
31A-09-4
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/ At arriving time, four food employees, no manager on site, Manager arrived during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
53A-05-6
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Container stored above cooler at the cook line with multiple employee personal items, employee moved. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink next to container of raisins, employee moved drink. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-07-4
52
Mar 3, 2025
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 3 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 9 violations
Supervisor/Person in Charge Present
FL-01
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Food Obtained from Approved Sources
FL-11
Food Received at Proper Temperature
FL-12
Potentially Hazardous Food Held at Proper Temperature
FL-16
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
Toilet Rooms Maintained
FL-53
43
Sep 11, 2024
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Sep 7, 2024
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 3 major violations. 5 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray bottle of WD 40 stored next to container of salt on shelf in kitchen. Manager moved WD 40 to mop sink room. **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 kitchen reach-in cooler next to window: pasta salad (49F - Cold Holding); hamburger (48F - Cold Holding); sausage (47F - Cold Holding); cottage cheese (48F - Cold Holding); potato salad (49F - Cold Holding). Manager stated cooler was holding items at proper temperature at 8 am. Manager moved items to reach-in freezer to reduce temperature to 41F. **Warning**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting board on kitchen steam table. Blade of can opener on kitchen prep table. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Spray bottle hanging from mop sink in mop sink room.
41-17-4
Intermediate - Wash solution in spray-type chemical warewasher less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash cycle for kitchen dish machine 103F.
16-53-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Steak thawing in standing water in kitchen prep sink. Manager placed steak underneath running water. **Corrected On-Site**
06-01-5
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wiping cloth stored on kitchen reach-in cooler next to window.
21-12-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employees backpack stored on soda boxes across from dish machine.
40-06-5
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood vents above cook line grill.
23-03-4
Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. Coffee filters stored in front counter wait station not covered.
25-05-4
43
Feb 27, 2024
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 3 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Employee cracked raw shell eggs and then handled ready-to-eat food and/or clean equipment or utensils without washing hands. Male employee cracked raw shell eggs and handles raw bacon, placed them on flat top grill and immediately after touched handles and grabbed a cleaned plate, inspector addressed situation, employee washed his hands. **Corrected On-Site**
12A-27-4
High Priority - Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Male employee at the dish machine area, placed dirty plates on trays and after sanitization occurred touched and handled cleaned equipment, Inspector instructed to washed his hands. **Corrected On-Site**
12A-13-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. At the cook line, potato soup 112F, manager placed soup around 7:30-7:45 am on steam table after reheating it to 165F, manager moved to stove to reheated to 165F. **Corrective Action Taken**
03B-01-6
Intermediate - No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths. For chlorine.
16-37-1
Intermediate - Operator is not properly tracking/marking the number of days opened commercially processed, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food was held at refrigeration temperatures prior to freezing in order to properly date mark the food when it is thawed and held at refrigeration temperatures again. At the cook line, ham date marked 2/15/24, per manager item was pulled out of freezer 02/26/24.
02C-06-5
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Reach-in cooler at the cook line, egg salad no date marked, Manager dated. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
02C-02-5
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. At the server station, bulk container of sugar not labeled.
02D-01-5
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Multiple employee drinks on prep tables and above tables no lid no straw, Manager moved all. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Ice machine soiled. **Repeat Violation**
22-20-5
41
Sep 27, 2023
Routine - Food
6 critical violations. 3 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 13 violations
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Cut peppers touched with bare hands after employee touched his face.
01B-13-4
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Reach-in cooler at the cook line, raw burgers stored above jalapeños and cooked sausage, Manager moved and stored properly. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Reach-in cooler at the cook line, links 48F, ham 48F, corned beef hash 44F, raw beef 45F, per manager around 5:00-5:30am temperature of the cooler was adjusted to a higher temperature. Links and ham stop sale, other items moved to freezer. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Reach-in cooler at the cook line, links 48F, ham 48F, **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
01B-02-5
High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Male employee touched cut peppers with bare hands after touching his face, Manager discarded the peppers. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
09-01-4
High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. At the cook line, medicine and supplement stored above reach-in cooler, Manager moved. **Repeat Violation**
41-07-4
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 new male employee
11-26-1
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Reach-in cooler at the cook line, boiled eggs (no shell) no date marked, Manager discarded.
02C-02-5
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. At the dish machine area, spray bottle with blue liquid not labeled, Manager labeled. **Corrected On-Site**
41-17-4
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Ice machine with some mold like substance
22-20-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Clean Cups and plates stacked **Repeat Violation**
24-08-4
Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. Handwash sink at the cook line
31B-04-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. To go containers at the front counter area not inverted, Employee inverted. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
25-06-4
25
Mar 28, 2023
Routine - Food
4 critical violations. 1 major violation. 5 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Employee handled toast and ready to eat bacon with bare hands on counter in front of steam table. Manager had employee reheat bacon and toast. **Corrective Action Taken**
09-01-4
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Items in reach-in cooler in dry storage: ham (47F - Cold Holding); milk (46F - Cold Holding); turkey (46F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items are stored in reach-in cooler over night. Items in reach-in cooler next to grill: chicken (45F - Cold Holding); hamburger (46F - Cold Holding); ham (45F - Cold Holding); steak (47F - Cold Holding); cheese (46F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items stored in cooler over night.
01B-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items in reach-in cooler in dry storage: ham (47F - Cold Holding); milk (46F - Cold Holding); turkey (46F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items are stored in reach-in cooler over night. Items in reach-in cooler next to grill: chicken (45F - Cold Holding); hamburger (46F - Cold Holding); ham (45F - Cold Holding); steak (47F - Cold Holding); cheese (46F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items stored in cooler over night. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
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 handled clean plates. Manager had employee wash hands and uses a different plate. **Corrective Action Taken**
12A-27-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Steel wool stored in kitchen hand washing sink. Manager removed steel wool. Oil and vinegar stored in hand washing sink behind front counter. Employee removed containers of oil and vinegar. **Corrected On-Site**
31A-11-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee monster drink stored in kitchen reach-in cooler. Manager placed drink in pan, marked it for personal use and placed pan on bottom shelf in reach-in cooler. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-49-4
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wiping cloth on reach-in cooler next to pass through window. Employee placed towel in sanitizer bucket. **Corrected On-Site**
21-12-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Aluminum pans stored on shelf next to kitchen reach-in coolers. Manager turned containers over. **Corrected On-Site**
25-06-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Side of reach-in freezer greasy. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Cups stored in dining room next to soda machine.
24-08-4
39
Oct 18, 2022
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 3 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Adequate Handwashing Facilities Supplied and Accessible
FL-10
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Wiping Cloths Properly Used and Stored
FL-41
61
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Darrell's Diner last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Darrell's Diner on file is from Dec 29, 2025. The public record contains nine inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Darrell's Diner?
Across the inspection record, “ready-to-eat” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at Darrell's Diner.
How does Darrell's Diner compare to other restaurants in Ocala?
Darrell's Diner most recently scored 50 out of 100, which is lower than the Ocala average of 78.
Has Darrell's Diner's inspection record improved over time?
Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Darrell's Diner have averaged around seven violations per visit across the recent record.
What does a high risk rating mean?
A high risk rating at Darrell's Diner 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 inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Darrell's Diner is inspected around three times per year on average.
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