El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar
Last inspected: Dec 9, 2025
35
Score
Across the available record, El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar has nine inspections on file, the first dated 2024. The most recent visit was on Dec 9, 2025. High risk indicates the latest inspection turned up problems worth knowing about.
Recent inspections have turned up roughly the same number of issues each time, hovering near four violations per visit.
By comparison, the average Ocala facility scores 78, putting El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar on the weaker side. There are enough flags in the record to merit a second thought.
9
Inspections
4
Critical latest
2
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
Dec 9, 2025
Routine - Food
4 critical violations. 2 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 8 violations
Supervisor/Person in Charge Present
FL-01
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
Equipment Adequate to Maintain Product Temperature
FL-29
Wiping Cloths Properly Used and Stored
FL-41
Approved Thawing Methods Used
FL-31
35
Sep 26, 2025
Routine - Food
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Dead roaches on premises. Observed ten dead roaches on floor near storage area at the cook line. One dead roach on floor under stove Six dead roaches on floor under flat top grill. Six dead roaches on floor in front of walk-in cooler entrance Three dead roaches on floor behind cooler near ice machine. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-24: Three dead roaches on floor under coolers. Employee cleaned. **Admin Complaint** **Corrective Action Taken** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-25: Two dead roaches on floor under cooler, Manager cleaned. **Admin Complaint** **Corrective Action Taken** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-26: Two dead roaches on floor at the kitchen entrance, employee cleaned. **Admin Complaint** **Corrective Action Taken**
35A-03-4
95
Sep 25, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 minor violations.
View 3 violations
High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. At the kitchen area, observed two live roaches on floor under prep table, one live roach on wall above prep table, one live roach under reach-in cooler at the cook line, three live roaches under server cooler and one live roach on wall behind ice machine. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-24: Eight live roaches under reach-in cooler at the cook line (on wheels, side of cooler and exterior part of gaskets) Nine live roaches on exterior part of cooler at the server area. Two live roaches on wall behind cook line. **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-25: Two live roaches on floor near storage shelf, Manager killed and cleaned. One live roach on floor under reach-in cooler, Manager killed and cleaned. **Admin Complaint** **Corrective Action Taken**
35A-05-4
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Dead roaches on premises. Observed ten dead roaches on floor near storage area at the cook line. One dead roach on floor under stove Six dead roaches on floor under flat top grill. Six dead roaches on floor in front of walk-in cooler entrance Three dead roaches on floor behind cooler near ice machine. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-24: Three dead roaches on floor under coolers. Employee cleaned. **Admin Complaint** **Corrective Action Taken** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-25: Two dead roaches on floor under cooler, Manager cleaned. **Admin Complaint** **Corrective Action Taken**
35A-03-4
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Accumulation of dead or trapped birds, insects, rodents, or other pests, in control devices. Approximately eight live roaches on glue trap under prep table at the kitchen area, manager removed and discarded. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-24: **Time Extended** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-25: **Time Extended**
35A-06-4
78
Sep 24, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 minor violations.
View 3 violations
High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. At the kitchen area, observed two live roaches on floor under prep table, one live roach on wall above prep table, one live roach under reach-in cooler at the cook line, three live roaches under server cooler and one live roach on wall behind ice machine. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-24: Eight live roaches under reach-in cooler at the cook line (on wheels, side of cooler and exterior part of gaskets) Nine live roaches on exterior part of cooler at the server area. Two live roaches on wall behind cook line. **Admin Complaint**
35A-05-4
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Accumulation of dead or trapped birds, insects, rodents, or other pests, in control devices. Approximately eight live roaches on glue trap under prep table at the kitchen area, manager removed and discarded. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-24: **Time Extended**
35A-06-4
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Dead roaches on premises. Observed ten dead roaches on floor near storage area at the cook line. One dead roach on floor under stove Six dead roaches on floor under flat top grill. Six dead roaches on floor in front of walk-in cooler entrance Three dead roaches on floor behind cooler near ice machine. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-09-24: Three dead roaches on floor under coolers. Employee cleaned. **Admin Complaint** **Corrective Action Taken**
35A-03-4
78
Sep 23, 2025
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 3 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 8 violations
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Food Obtained from Approved Sources
FL-11
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
Wiping Cloths Properly Used and Stored
FL-41
Equipment, Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Approved
FL-35
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
35
Mar 27, 2025
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Jan 21, 2025
Routine - Food
2 major violations.
View 2 violations
Intermediate - - From initial inspection : 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. No documents on site. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-01-21: **Time Extended**
11-26-1
Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. No proof for employees hired four months earlier **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-01-21: **Time Extended**
53B-01-5
82
Jan 14, 2025
Routine - Food
10 critical violations. 6 major violations. 19 minor violations.
View 35 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Robbie and containers stored above fish and walk in cooler and walk-in freezer . Manager moved fish above raw beef **Corrected On-Site**
08A-02-6
High Priority - Nonfood-grade containers used for food storage - direct contact with food. Tribe stored in thank you bags in walk in freezer. Two bags of chili stored in black trash bag
14-15-4
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. Employee wearing gloves, using cleaning equipment, then handled Food container with ready to eat food and covered the container **Warning**
12A-13-4
High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Cook Wearing gloves handled raw beef, then change gloves but did not wash hands and handled serving dishes **Warning**
12A-07-5
High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Cold medicine, stored above, clean equipment on clean ware rack.
41-07-4
High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Vacuum, breaker, missing On hose bib under steam table also, at mop sink on "Y" connector?
29-34-4
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Bottle of glass cleaner stored on the same shelf with takeout trays. Manager remove glass cleaner **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
High Priority - Server handled soiled dishes or utensils and then picked up plated food, served food, or prepared a beverage without washing hands. Server cleaned off soil dishes in dishwasher area, then handled the inside of a to go tray without washing hands **Warning**
12A-02-4
High Priority - Sanitizer solution other than chlorine, quat or iodine not at the proper minimum strength listed in the manufacturer's instructions. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Three compartment sink using other sanitizer solution at 170 ppm . label requires 500 ppm. Employee replaced sanitizer solution with chlorine and brought it to 50 ppm.**Corrected On-Site** **Corrected On-Site**
22-51-5
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Container of Barbacoa in walk-in cooler with date made eight days prior to inspection, also marisco sauce date marked 12/10/24. One line with mold under grill and cook line
01B-24-5
Intermediate - Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. Inspector provided a digital copy during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
11-27-4
Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. No proof for employees hired four months earlier **Warning**
53B-01-5
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. No documents on site. **Warning**
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. Container of ham, prepared three days earlier, with no date mark. Manager placed label on ham container **Corrected On-Site**
02C-02-5
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Spray bottle with degreaser not label . Employee labeled bottle **Corrected On-Site**
41-17-4
Intermediate - Water with a temperature of least 85 degrees Fahrenheit not provided/shut off at employee handwash sink. Hot water valve not operating at hand wash sink, and cook line . Manager repaired water valve **Corrected On-Site**
27-16-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Handles on reach in cooler and cook line soil with food debris. Soiled shelf with food particles above fliptop, make table and cook wine
23-03-4
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl with no handle, used to dispense sugar and flour. Manager instructed employee to remove bowls **Corrective Action Taken**
14-01-5
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. Gasket and reach in cooler torn
14-74-7
Basic - Employee eating in a food preparation or other restricted area. Employee water bottle on prep table and cook line . employee water bottle over fliptop make table and cook line
12B-02-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee oatmeal in reach in cooler not labeled
08B-49-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee jacket stored on soda syrup boxes. Manager removed jacket from boxes. Employee cell phone and flip top make table on Cook line Employee jacket stored above clean wares **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Establishment using sponges on cleaned and sanitized, or in-use food-contact surface. Sponge used at three compartment sink to clean dishes and pots
21-23-4
Basic - Food-contact surface not smooth and easily cleanable. Wood surface surrounding steam table on cook line, that is not smooth and cleanable surface is also showing where the paint has worn off
14-13-4
Basic - Ice bucket improperly stored. Ice buckets not inverted or protected next to ice machine
10-14-5
Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knife stored between Fliptop make table, coolers, and cook line
10-17-4
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed produce stored above, ready to eat cheese and sour cream in the walk-in cooler
08B-17-4
Basic - Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. Mob stored in wringer
42-01-4
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wiping cloths, stored on food prep table
21-12-4
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Bottle of oil on cook line not labeled
02D-01-5
Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. Old labels on clean food containers
16-46-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water inside the bottom of a reach in cooler on Cook line
29-49-6
Basic - Stored food not covered. Stored chilies in Walk-in freezer, not covered
08B-12-5
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongue stored on fryer door handle and cook line
10-20-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Interior of oven soiled with food
22-08-4
5
Jul 15, 2024
Food-Licensing Inspection
1 critical violation. 1 minor violation.
View 2 violations
Toxic Substances Properly Identified, Stored, Used
FL-32
Wiping Cloths Properly Used and Stored
FL-41
82
Frequently Asked Questions
When was El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar on file is from Dec 9, 2025. The public record contains nine inspections in total.
How does El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar compare to other restaurants in Ocala?
El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar most recently scored 35 out of 100, which is lower than the Ocala average of 78.
Has El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar's inspection record improved over time?
Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar have averaged around four violations per visit across the recent record.
What does a high risk rating mean?
A high risk rating at El Patron Mexican Grill & Bar 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.
Nearby Restaurants