Ember & Iron
Last inspected: Feb 24, 2026
100
Score
Ember & Iron has been inspected 11 times since 2022. The most recent visit was on Feb 24, 2026. When a facility lands in the low risk tier, it usually means nothing alarming showed up at the most recent visit.
There hasn't been much movement either way: counts have stayed near six violations per visit across recent inspections.
Looking across the full record, “operator is doing a special process” is the recurring theme, flagged three times.
Restaurants in St. Johns average 69, so Ember & Iron is doing better than most peers. The full picture is one of consistent compliance.
11
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
0
Minor latest
Inspection History
Feb 24, 2026
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Dec 23, 2025
Routine - Food
4 critical violations. 4 major violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Food handler in prep area switching from preparing food and handling clean equipment with bare hands to scratching face and hair without washing hands.
12A-25-4
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. Dish machine reading 0ppm after employee ran multiple containers through machine. Machine primed and ran multiple times and retested at 100ppm, employee began to rerun containers through machine. **Corrected On-Site**
22-41-4
High Priority - Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. 1 dented can of Garbanzo beans on rack in back corner of prep area in kitchen.
01B-01-4
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Undercooked smoked salmon stored over cooked beef in walk in cooler, salmon moved. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Food being cooled by nonapproved method as evidenced by inadequate rate of cooling during time of inspection. curry sauce (123F - Cooling, after 40 minutes 119F) in walk in cooler in large plastic covered container surround by other large plastic containers, chef put chill stick in sauce and made space around container, sauce was made less then 1 hour. **Corrective Action Taken**
03D-15-4
Intermediate - Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Beef tartare and smoked salmon dip on menus, employee marked all menus during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
02B-01-5
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. At hand wash station in ware washing area. **Repeat Violation**
31B-02-4
Intermediate - Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment is vacuum packaging raw beef and precooked pork(Canadian Bacon) that stays inside vacuum bags more than 48 hours for storage only, without an arrived HACCP plan. **Warning**
03G-50-1
37
May 27, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 7 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Missing back flow preventer on water hose bib located on exterior of wall near wood shed
29-34-4
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. Missing paper towel at hand wash sink in prep area. Manager provided **Corrected On-Site**
31B-02-4
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Some ceiling vents and ceiling tiles in kitchen with dust build up
36-34-5
Basic - Hole in or other damage to wall. Wall over dish machine in disrepair with some tiles missing
36-24-5
Basic - Food stored on floor. Bag of ice stored on floor in walk in freezer
08B-38-4
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employees prep food with no hair restraint Employee with facial beard preparing food with no beard guard **Repeat Violation**
13-03-4
Basic - Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Employees preparing food with watch on wrist
13-07-4
Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Cutting board on make table on cook line
14-09-4
Basic - Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Clean stored plates on rack near ware washing area not inverted
24-05-4
55
Feb 4, 2025
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 3 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Date marked combined ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days of preparing/opening the earliest ready-to-eat time/temperature for safety ingredient. See stop sale. Cooked pasta dated 1/21 in reach in cooler on cook line. Black eye peas dated 1/28 in walk in cooler. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
01B-28-5
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. Employee handling washed oranges used for zesting at bar area.
09-01-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. raw beef (47F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (46F - Cold Holding) in reach in coolers on cook line, per operator coolers where left open for inventory check for less then 1 hour.
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Food manager certification expired. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ Joshua Finch, expired 9/23/2024
53A-03-7
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting boards on cook line.
22-02-4
Intermediate - Records/documents for required employee training do not contain all of the required information. Multiple certifications missing certified food manager's number and/or birthdate. Also 1 certification expired.
53B-10-4
Basic - Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Two food handlers in prep area preparing food.
13-04-4
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Plastic bowl used to dispense rock salt for oysters at end of cook line. Bowl removed. **Corrected On-Site**
14-01-5
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed heads of lettuce stored over countering of cooked vegetables in walk in cooler, employee removed lettuce. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-17-4
41
Jun 11, 2024
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Apr 9, 2024
Routine - Food
4 critical violations. 2 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Establishment packages raw tuna in reduced oxygen packaging per manager tuna is pounded out and used for carpaccio and completely thawed out before, during, and after vacuum packaging.
01B-13-4
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 crab cakes dated 3/30 in reach in cooler on make line. Container of whipped cream dated 3/31 in reach in cooler in kitchen in server area.
01B-24-5
High Priority - Fish not held frozen before, during and after being packaged onsite using a reduced oxygen packaging method. See stop sale. Establishment packages raw tuna in reduced oxygen packaging per manager tuna is pounded out and used for carpaccio and completely thawed out before, during, and after vacuum packaging.
03G-04-5
High Priority - Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee touching face and hair with gloved hands while cutting fruit at bar without washing hands between tasks.
12A-25-4
Intermediate - Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. The tuna carpaccio, beef tartare, and smoked salmon dip do not have any asterisk/symbol leading from menu item to the consumer advisory. **Warning**
02B-01-5
Intermediate - Menu contains an item made with a raw/undercooked animal food as an ingredient and description of item does not inform consumer of raw/undercooked animal food ingredient. Per manager the caesar dressing, buttermilk ranch, and spicy ranch are all made with raw shell eggs. **Warning**
02B-04-5
Basic - Raw fruits/vegetables not washed prior to preparation. Employee cutting unwash strawberries at bar area, employee washed off strawberries. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-39-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food packaged using a reduced oxygen method without a HACCP plan not properly labeled with the production time and date. Establishment does not have times for any of the cooked beef and pork in establishment. Establishment has already submitted a HACCP plan and is waiting for approval.
03G-53-1
41
Dec 19, 2023
Complaint Full
No violations found.
100
Nov 15, 2023
Complaint Full
1 major violation.
View 1 violation
Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment is utilizing vacuum packaging for raw meat and cooked lamb shanks. Inspector provided HACCP template. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-11-15: At time of follow up inspection establishment is in the process of filling out and submitting a HACCP Template. **Time Extended**
03G-50-1
90
Sep 14, 2023
Complaint Full
5 critical violations. 4 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 12 violations
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Chemical spray bottle of steel cleaner over clean containers in the dish area. Operator relocated the spray bottles. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. On the front counter cook line, butter (69F - Cold Holding); corn salsa (56F - Cold Holding). Corn salsa held on ice bath recently placed out. Operator states set up at the beginning of the shift daily. Inspector had operator add both items to existing time as public health control written procedures. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. In the reach in cooler on the main cook line raw duck over raw salmon. Operator switched the storage levels. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-20-5
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Current license expired 06/01/2023. License renewed during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
50-17-3
High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. At time of inspection chlorine dish machine at 0ppm. Operator primed machine to remove air bubble from hose, dish machine at 100ppm chlorine at conclusion of inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
22-41-4
Intermediate - Establishment conducts non-continuous cooking of raw animal foods without written procedures approved by the division. No approved written procedures for non-continuous cooking methods for fish cakes and chicken. Inspector provided written procedures. **Corrective Action Taken**
03C-89-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Portable cutting board at the end of the main cook line and in prep area has food debris residue staining. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. At time of inspection person in charge unable to provided food manager certification. Establishment has other certified food managers present.
53A-01-7
Intermediate - Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment is utilizing vacuum packaging for raw meat and cooked lamb shanks. Inspector provided HACCP template. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
03G-50-1
Basic - Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Pots stored on shelf over the prep sinks not inverted or covered for protection.
24-05-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On the storage shelf over the three compartment sink, clean containers stacked while wet. **Repeat Violation**
24-08-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Walk in cooler door gasket has mold like substance build up. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
27
Feb 3, 2023
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In the flip top reach in cooler at the front counter, raw tuna stored over assorted ready to eat vegetables. Operator relocated the tuna to the correct storage location. In the walk in cooler raw duck in a container stored over package of raw shrimp. Operator relocated the duck. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Both walk in cooler door gaskets have mold like substance build up on the door gaskets, operator had employee clean and sanitize the door gaskets. **Corrected On-Site**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. On the bar counter, blue chemical spray bottle with no product labeling. Operator labeled the chemical spray bottle. **Corrected On-Site**
41-17-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee beverage on middle shelf on the front cook line with clean bowls. Employee relocated the beverage. **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 jacket stored over spices on dry storage rack at the end of the main cook line. Operator relocated the jackets. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On the storage shelf over the three compartment sink, clean plastic containers stacked while wet. **Repeat Violation**
24-08-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. At the wait station soda dispenser, build up of soda syrup residue behind the soda dispenser nozzles. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
58
Oct 25, 2022
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Washing Fruits and Vegetables
FL-42
Warewashing Facilities Maintained and Used
FL-24
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
61
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Ember & Iron last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Ember & Iron on file is from Feb 24, 2026. The public record contains 11 inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Ember & Iron?
Across the inspection record, “operator is doing a special process” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at Ember & Iron.
How does Ember & Iron compare to other restaurants in St. Johns?
Ember & Iron most recently scored 100 out of 100, which is higher than the St. Johns average of 69.
Has Ember & Iron's inspection record improved over time?
Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Ember & Iron have averaged around six violations per visit across the recent record.
What does a low risk rating mean?
A low risk rating at Ember & Iron 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 Ember & Iron inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Ember & Iron is inspected around three times per year on average.
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