Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe
Last inspected: Jan 18, 2026
33
Score
Going back to 2022, Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe has 10 inspections in the public record. Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe was last inspected on Jan 18, 2026. High risk usually means inspectors flagged either critical violations or a stack of smaller ones.
Things have been moving the wrong way, with the rolling count rising from around five violations to closer to seven violations per visit.
“Food-contact surface soiled with food debris” comes up most often, recorded two times in the inspection record.
The city-wide average sits at 70, which Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe's 33 doesn't quite reach. There are enough flags in the record to merit a second thought.
10
Inspections
3
Critical latest
3
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
Jan 18, 2026
Complaint Full
3 critical violations. 3 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 8 violations
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Food Received at Proper Temperature
FL-12
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
Approved Thawing Methods Used
FL-31
Personal Cleanliness
FL-40
Wiping Cloths Properly Used and Stored
FL-41
33
Dec 30, 2025
Routine - Food
2 minor violations.
View 2 violations
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Observed dust accumulated in ceiling tiles and vents at cooked line. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-12-30: Observed dust accumulated in ceiling tiles and vents at cooked line. **Time Extended**
36-34-5
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Insect control device installed over food preparation area. Observed bug zapper installed over food preparation area at cook line. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-12-30: Observed bug zapper installed over food preparation area at cook line. **Time Extended**
35B-02-4
90
Dec 5, 2025
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 8 minor violations.
View 11 violations
Supervisor/Person in Charge Present
FL-01
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Proper Eating, Tasting, Drinking, or Tobacco Use
FL-06
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Proper Hot and Cold Holding Temperatures
FL-21
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Equipment, Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Approved
FL-35
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
Personal Cleanliness
FL-40
Wiping Cloths Properly Used and Stored
FL-41
33
May 5, 2025
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Mar 27, 2025
Routine - Food
3 major violations. 6 minor violations.
View 9 violations
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.
11-27-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observe soiled can opener blade. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification and no other certified food service manager employed at this location. **Warning**
53A-02-7
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Observe personal bags stored on preparation table at kitchen area.
40-06-5
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Observe a plantains bag(frozen) on preparation table, employee moved back the plantains to reach in cooler. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
06-01-5
Basic - Wet wiping cloths used for occasional spills on equipment food- and nonfood-contact surfaces not clean. Observe at cook line.
21-09-4
Basic - Wiping cloth sanitizing solution stored on the floor. Observe at cook line, employee stored properly during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
21-38-4
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin.
22-20-5
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Observe personal drink at cook line, employee removed. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
55
Dec 5, 2024
Routine - Food
1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Proper Eating, Tasting, Drinking, or Tobacco Use
FL-06
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Proper Hot and Cold Holding Temperatures
FL-21
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
61
Mar 12, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 6 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed raw fish stored above wraps in reach in cooler at cook line, employee rearranged properly. Also observed raw fish fillets stored above cook shrimp inside drawers at cook line. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Observed cooked rice and cooked lobster not date marked inside reach in cooler at cook line, as per employee from previous day.
02C-02-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed soiled can opener blade.
22-02-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Observed personal drinks stored on preparation table, employee removed. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tile shows damage or is in disrepair. Observed water marks on some ceiling tiles at preparation area.
36-32-5
Basic - Water leaking from pipe and/or faucet/handle. Observed leaking pipe at HWS at front counter.
29-11-4
Basic - Wiping cloth sanitizing solution stored on the floor. Observed at cook line. **Corrected On-Site**
21-38-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Observed at cook line.
10-20-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Observed personal phone stored above sauce container at preparation area. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
52
Aug 30, 2023
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 4 major violations. 6 minor violations.
View 11 violations
Proper Eating, Tasting, Drinking, or Tobacco Use
FL-06
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Food Obtained from Approved Sources
FL-11
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Potentially Hazardous Food Held at Proper Temperature
FL-16
Approved Thawing Methods Used
FL-31
Personal Cleanliness
FL-40
Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Designed and Constructed
FL-50
Toilet Rooms Maintained
FL-53
Proper Hot and Cold Holding Temperatures
FL-21
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
33
Jan 31, 2023
Complaint Full
2 critical violations. 7 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed at the hot kitchen reach in cooler hamburger patties (49F - Cold Holding). Per operator less than two hours. The top door of the reach in cooler was closed to improve the cooling process **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. **Repeat Violation**
12A-07-5
Basic - Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas. Observed some ceiling tiles at the preparation area not smooth and easily cleanable
36-37-5
Basic - Employee eating in a food preparation or other restricted area. Observed staff drinking from an open container at the front counter preparation area.
12B-02-4
Basic - Ice buildup in walk-in freezer. **Repeat Violation**
14-69-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Observed accumulation of grease on the bottom Blodgett oven of the kitchen **Repeat Violation**
22-08-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Observed on the top shelf of the kitchen small black plastic containers not inverted.
25-06-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Observed standing water in the kitchen reach in cooler near the wall
29-49-6
Basic - Standing water in floor drain/floor drain draining very slowly. Observed standing water on the floor by the triple sink.
29-19-4
52
Dec 12, 2022
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 7 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. **Repeat Violation**
12A-07-5
Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Observed hot kitchen hand wash sink inaccessible. It has a cutting board on top of it
31A-09-4
Intermediate - No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths.
16-37-1
Basic - Plumbing system in disrepair. Observed the hot water handle of the preparation area hand wash sink in disrepair.
29-08-4
Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning.
16-46-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Observed the bottom of the oven soiled **Repeat Violation**
22-08-4
Basic - In-use ice scoop stored on soiled surface between uses. Observed the ice scoop of the preparation area stored on top of the soiled surface of the ice machine
10-12-5
Basic - Ice buildup in walk-in freezer.
14-69-4
Basic - Commercially processed reduced oxygen packaged fish bearing a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use no longer frozen and not removed from reduced oxygen package. Observed fish being thawed under running water in the vacuum pacakage.
06-09-1
Basic - Ceiling tile missing.
36-36-4
50
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe on file is from Jan 18, 2026. The public record contains 10 inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe?
Across the inspection record, “food-contact surface soiled with food debris” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe.
How does Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe compare to other restaurants in Key Largo?
Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe most recently scored 33 out of 100, which is lower than the Key Largo average of 70.
Has Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe's inspection record improved over time?
No. Recent inspections at Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe have averaged around seven violations per visit, up from roughly five earlier in the record.
What does a high risk rating mean?
A high risk rating at Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe 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 Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe is inspected around three times per year on average.
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