Fat Jax's

34720 U.S. Highway 19, Palm Harbor, FL 34683

American

Last inspected: Mar 16, 2026

Score

High Risk

Going back to 2022, Fat Jax's has four inspections in the public record. On Mar 16, 2026, the health department conducted the most recent visit. A high risk tier suggests the facility had a rough recent inspection, with multiple violations on record.

The trend has not been favorable: recent inspections average around eight violations each, up from closer to four violations before.

“In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses” comes up most often, recorded two times in the inspection record.

Fat Jax's latest score of 39 falls below the Palm Harbor average of 74. Taken together, the history suggests a facility that has struggled with consistency.

Inspections

Critical latest

Major latest

Minor latest

Inspection History

Mar 16, 2026

Routine - Food

5 critical violations. 1 major violation. 2 minor violations.

View 8 violations

High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken above raw beef, raw pork above raw fish

08A-20-5

High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw pork above cut tomatoes in drawer on cook line

08A-05-6

High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Expired 02/01/2026

50-17-3

High Priority - Employee washed hands with cold water. Water temperature 76F

12A-19-4

High Priority - Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. To go bags used to store food

14-31-5

Intermediate - Raw/undercooked animal food offered and establishment has no written consumer advisory. Raw animal foods must be fully cooked prior to service. Provided operator with printed copy of 5030-081, she posted at front counter **Corrected On-Site**

02B-02-5

Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food.unwashed vegetables above cooked rice

08B-17-4

Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs on oven door handle, tongs removed **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**

10-20-4

Apr 2, 2025

Food-Licensing Inspection

3 critical violations. 2 major violations. 1 minor violation.

View 6 violations

High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. Chicken soup (51F - Cooling) soup was cooked yesterday. Operator states that they used a laser thermometer to take temperatures. Soup is in a large container. Discussed with owner proper cooling procedures. See stop sale.

03D-02-5

High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Chicken soup (51F - Cooling)

01B-02-5

High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Pesticide spray sitting on top of freezer chest. Operator relocated to office. **Corrected On-Site**

41-10-4

Intermediate - No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths. No chemical test strips for chlorine. Operator was able to acquire test strips at time of inspection. **Corrected On-Site**

16-37-1

Intermediate - No probe thermometer provided to measure temperature of food products. Operator is using laser thermometer. Discussed the need to use a probe thermometer and provided operator with thermometer. **Corrected On-Site**

05-08-4

Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs hanging on oven handle. Operator relocated. **Corrected On-Site**

10-20-4

Aug 9, 2023

Routine - Food

1 critical violation. 1 major violation.

View 2 violations

High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Meatballs 91F hot holding. Operator stated that the meatballs were ready to serve prior to temperature. Operator placed meatballs in the oven to reheat **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-08-09: **Time Extended**

03B-01-6

Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification and no other certified food service manager employed at this location. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-08-09: **Time Extended**

53A-02-7

Sep 8, 2022

Routine - Food

2 major violations. 1 minor violation.

View 3 violations

Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Hand wash sink near 3 comp sink blocked with cutting boards. Operator removed cutting boards **Corrected On-Site**

31A-09-4

Intermediate - Packaged food not labeled as specified by law. Squeeze bottles of salt and pepper not labeled. Discussed the need to label all food once removed from original container

02D-02-4

Basic - Objectionable odors in bathroom or other areas of the establishment. Odor coming from grease trap. Operator had records to show that the grease trap was recently cleaned.

36-64-5

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Fat Jax's last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Fat Jax's on file is from Mar 16, 2026. The public record contains four inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Fat Jax's?

Across the inspection record, “in-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at Fat Jax's.

How does Fat Jax's compare to other restaurants in Palm Harbor?

Fat Jax's most recently scored 39 out of 100, which is lower than the Palm Harbor average of 74.

Has Fat Jax's inspection record improved over time?

No. Recent inspections at Fat Jax's have averaged around eight violations per visit, up from roughly four earlier in the record.

What does a high risk rating mean?

A high risk rating at Fat Jax's 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 Fat Jax's inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, Fat Jax's is inspected roughly once per year on average.

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