El Rey Restaurant
Last inspected: Jun 5, 2025
100
Score
The health department has logged six inspections at El Rey Restaurant, the earliest from 2022. El Rey Restaurant was last inspected on Jun 5, 2025. Diners can read the low risk label as a sign that recent inspections have gone well.
Things have been moving in the right direction, with the rolling count dropping from around eight violations to closer to four violations per visit.
“Container of medicine improperly stored” accounts for the largest share of issues, appearing two times across the record.
Among Palm Springs restaurants, the typical score is 82; El Rey Restaurant is comfortably above that bar. The full picture is one of consistent compliance.
6
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
0
Minor latest
Inspection History
Jun 5, 2025
Food-Licensing Inspection
No violations found.
100
Oct 14, 2024
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 2 minor violations.
View 4 violations
High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Waitress observed returning to work from dining room to make coffee. Hands not washed before beginning work
12A-16-4
High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Over flip top cooler on cook line
41-07-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Chicken at room temperature
06-01-5
Basic - Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair. Kitchen entry way
36-17-5
67
Mar 4, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 3 major violations. 5 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. cream cheese (64F - Cold Holding); at front counter. Out less than four hours. Not prepped or portioned. Placed in cooler. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - No probe thermometer provided to measure temperature of food products. Not turning on
05-08-4
Intermediate - Raw/undercooked animal food offered and establishment has no written consumer advisory. Raw animal foods must be fully cooked prior to service.
02B-02-5
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. At triple sink
41-17-4
Basic - Employee drinking from an unenclosed beverage container in a food preparation/clean dishware area and the container does not have a dispensing mechanism to prevent hand contact with lip contact area of drink container.
12B-12-5
Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. 74 f at coffee machine at front counter
10-07-4
Basic - In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board.
21-04-4
Basic - Wiping cloth sanitizing solution stored on the floor. Under triple sink
21-38-4
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Flour
02D-01-5
50
Sep 14, 2023
Routine - Food
5 critical violations. 6 minor violations.
View 11 violations
High Priority - Nonfood-grade containers used for food storage - direct contact with food. Thank you grocery bags storing bread in walk in cooler
14-15-4
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Open box Raw beef Pattie's not commercially packaged over cooked chicken not commercially packaged in one door freezer. Removed. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-02-6
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shell eggs over cut cabbage and tortillas in walk in cooler removed **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. cheese (47F - Cold Holding); in walk in cooler. Operator states cheese or prepped or portioned today. In unit over four hours.
01B-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. cheese (47F - Cold Holding); in walk in cooler. Operator states cheese or prepped or portioned today. In unit over four hours.
03A-02-5
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl as scoop flour
14-01-5
Basic - Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair. At kitchen entry In front of triple sink
36-17-5
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Walk in cooler door not sealing and closing Gaskets torn one door cooler cook line
14-11-5
Basic - Insect control device installed over food preparation area. Over freezer chest where employee is doing food prep
35B-02-4
Basic - No conspicuously located ambient air temperature thermometer in holding unit. Sliding door cooler in dining room
05-09-4
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Flour container under counter
02D-01-5
35
Jan 12, 2023
Complaint Full
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Equipment Adequate to Maintain Product Temperature
FL-29
Approved Thawing Methods Used
FL-31
Equipment, Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Approved
FL-35
Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Designed and Constructed
FL-50
67
Nov 21, 2022
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Bottle of day quill stored on shelf in kitchen near reach in cooler. Removed. **Corrected On-Site**
41-07-4
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. **Admin Complaint**
50-17-2
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Food being cooled by nonapproved method as evidenced by inadequate rate of cooling during time of inspection. tripe soup (70F - Cooling) in reach in cooler. Operator states soup made last night. Not prepared or portioned today. Soup in large container and sealed. At this rate soup not cooled to 41F within six hours.
01B-02-5
Intermediate - Raw/undercooked animal food offered and establishment has no written consumer advisory. Raw animal foods must be fully cooked prior to service.
02B-02-5
Intermediate - Food being cooled by nonapproved method as evidenced by inadequate rate of cooling during time of inspection. tripe soup (70F - Cooling) in reach in cooler. Operator states soup made last night. Not prepared or portioned today. Soup in large container and sealed. At this rate soup not cooled to 41F within six hours.
03D-15-4
Basic - No conspicuously located ambient air temperature thermometer in holding unit. One door reach in on cooler. **Corrected On-Site**
05-09-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler.
29-49-6
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Gasket torn on one door reach in cooler on cook line.
14-11-5
Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Screen ripped.
35B-01-4
43
Frequently Asked Questions
When was El Rey Restaurant last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at El Rey Restaurant on file is from Jun 5, 2025. The public record contains six inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at El Rey Restaurant?
Across the inspection record, “container of medicine improperly stored” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at El Rey Restaurant.
How does El Rey Restaurant compare to other restaurants in Palm Springs?
El Rey Restaurant most recently scored 100 out of 100, which is higher than the Palm Springs average of 82.
Has El Rey Restaurant's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at El Rey Restaurant have averaged around four violations per visit, down from roughly eight earlier in the record.
What does a low risk rating mean?
A low risk rating at El Rey Restaurant means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.
How often is El Rey Restaurant inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, El Rey Restaurant is inspected around two times per year on average.
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