Red Mesa Cantina
Last inspected: Apr 13, 2026
70
Score
Red Mesa Cantina has been inspected 10 times since 2022. The latest inspection on file is from Apr 13, 2026. A medium risk score generally means inspectors found things to fix, though most weren't urgent.
Things have been moving in the right direction, with the rolling count dropping from around five violations to closer to three violations per visit.
The pattern that stands out is “food-contact surface soiled with food debris”, which has been cited seven times.
Red Mesa Cantina's latest score of 70 falls below the St. Petersburg average of 77. The full record sits in fairly typical territory for a working restaurant.
10
Inspections
0
Critical latest
3
Major latest
1
Minor latest
Inspection History
Apr 13, 2026
Routine - Food
3 major violations. 1 minor violation.
View 4 violations
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Spray bottle labeled degreaser. **Corrected On-Site**
41-17-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener blade soiled with food debris. Item sent back to dish machine to be washed and sanitized. **Corrected On-Site**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Observed brown liquid substance and ice inside handsink at the end of cook line. Educated employees about the handsink only being used for handwashing purposes. **Corrective Action Taken**
31A-11-4
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Interior of ice machine soiled with yellow, pink, and black substance.
22-20-5
70
Jul 1, 2025
Complaint Full
4 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Cooler in prep area **Repeat Violation**
29-49-6
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Plastic cups at bar **Repeat Violation**
24-08-4
Basic - Waste line missing at soda gun holster. Outdoor bar
29-17-4
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin.
22-20-5
82
May 2, 2025
Complaint Partial
No violations found.
100
Mar 27, 2025
Complaint Partial
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw calamari over open fries in walk in freezer. Employee removed to raw to lower shelf. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting boards soiled on cook line reach in coolers. Can opener soiled in prep area.
22-02-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Wet nesting of plastic pans on drying rack in prep room.
24-08-4
Basic - Accumulation of dead or trapped birds, insects, rodents, or other pests, in control devices. 100 flies in sticky trap on wall in prep area. Employee removed sticky trap and discarded dead. **Corrected On-Site**
35A-06-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water in reach in beer cooler in exterior bar area.
29-49-6
Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. Old date dot labels on clean plastic pans in drying rack. Employee removed to dish area to clean. **Corrected On-Site**
16-46-4
64
Mar 12, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 2 minor violations.
View 4 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. flautas(55F - Cold Holding); pork (55F - Cold Holding); yucca fries (55F - Cold Holding); plantains (55F - Cold Holding Placed items in freezer for 15 mins. All foods 41f **Corrected On-Site**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Raw animal foods must be fully cooked prior to service. Consumer advisory needs to be better identified on menu.
02B-02-5
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Tuna moved out from under produce **Corrected On-Site**
08B-17-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting.
24-08-4
70
Sep 9, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 3 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Heat strip failed to turn black to indicate the sanitization temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit was achieved on the dish surface and/or high temperature holding thermometer did not reach 160F. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired. High temperature dishwasher machine only reached 159.1 F after running more than 6 times. Sanitization will occur in three compartment sink at 200 ppm quaternary. Operator was able to get dish machine to work properly. Dish machine is now sanitizing at 161.6 F. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
22-57-6
Intermediate - Food manager certification expired. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/
53A-03-7
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Green cutting boards on cook line have built up food debris. Can opener on prep table in rear part of kitchen has built up food debris. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Wash solution in spray type hot water sanitizing dishmachine not reaching proper temperature according to manufacturer's specifications. High temperature dishwasher machine only reached 159.1 F after running more than 6 times. Sanitization will occur in three compartment sink at 200 ppm quaternary. Operator was able to get dish machine to work properly. Dish machine is now sanitizing at 161.6 F. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
16-54-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee beverage on prep table across from walk in cooler. Manager removed. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning.
16-46-4
58
May 9, 2024
Routine - Food
8 critical violations. 5 major violations. 11 minor violations.
View 24 violations
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. Dishwasher goes from scraping dirty dishes to putting away clean dishes with no hand wash.
12A-13-4
High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food.
12A-07-5
High Priority - Wiping cloth solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed stored in a location that could result in the cross contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Wiping cloth solution over 400 ppm quaternary. Corrected to 200 ppm quaternary. **Corrected On-Site**
41-15-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In reach in cooler underneath cook top: cooked beef (48F - Cold Holding); raw beef (48F - Cold Holding); raw shrimp (48F - Cold Holding) temperatures taken at 2:00 pm. Temperatures taken again at 2:40 pm: cooked beef (42F - Cold Holding); raw beef (42F - Cold Holding); raw shrimp (43F - Cold Holding) **Corrected On-Site**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Raw beef, ham, and refried beans vacuum sealed and stored in walk in freezer without a HAACP plan for more than 48 hours. 17 packages of flan marked more than 7 days.
01B-02-5
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Employee on cook line was working with raw beef with the spatula and dipped the spatula in the salt container to add salt. Inspector discussed with Certified Food Manager.
08A-05-6
High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. 1 live fly in kitchen by server expo line not landing on food or food contact surfaces.
35A-02-6
High Priority - Heat strip failed to turn black to indicate the sanitization temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit was achieved on the dish surface and/or high temperature holding thermometer did not reach 160F. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired. High temperature dishwasher machine only reaches 154.7 F. Maintenance fixed booster and temperature taken again reached 159.3 F. **Corrected On-Site**
22-57-6
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting boards on cook line have built up food debris. Can opener in prep table behind cook line has built up food debris. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Hand wash sink on cook line used to fill pan. Hand wash sink in outdoor bar used to dump straws.
31A-11-4
Intermediate - No measuring device available for measuring utensil surface temperature when using hot water as sanitizer in a dishmachine.
16-62-1
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink in bar area. Manager replaced. **Corrected On-Site**
31B-02-4
Intermediate - Wash solution in spray type hot water sanitizing dishmachine not reaching proper temperature according to manufacturer's specifications.
16-54-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food packaged using a reduced oxygen method without a HACCP plan not removed from its package within 48 hours after packaging. Raw beef, ham, and refried beans vacuum sealed and stored in walk in freezer without a HAACP plan for more than 48 hours.
03G-54-1
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Interior of ice machine has mold like substance.
22-20-5
Basic - Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed.
50-09-4
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. Open container of water above dish machine. Employee removed. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-12-5
Basic - Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. **Repeat Violation**
13-04-4
Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knives stored in between reach in cooler and door.
10-17-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Microwave oven on cook line has built up food debris.
22-08-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Light fixtures over bar have dust and other debris.
23-03-4
Basic - Silverware/utensils stored upright with the food-contact surface up. Spoons in cook line stored with food contact surfaces upright.
24-18-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Coffee filters in kitchen not covered for protection. Manager stored correctly. **Corrected On-Site**
25-06-4
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. Raw beef vacuum sealed and held under refrigeration in walk in cooler with no date, time or product information.
03G-53-1
11
Oct 26, 2023
Routine - Food
1 major violation. 1 minor violation.
View 2 violations
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Green cutting board on cook line across from fryers has built up food debris. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Basic - Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employee preparing food on cook line with no beard guard.
13-04-4
86
Apr 10, 2023
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Dishmachine not sanitizing properly. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. High temperature dish machine only reaches 148.2 F. Sanitation will take place in three-compartment sink at 200 ppm quaternary.
22-49-4
High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. 1 lie fly in dry goods storage area not landing on food or food contact surfaces. 1 live fly behind outdoor bar not landing on food or food contact surfaces. **Repeat Violation**
35A-02-6
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Food debris build up on can opener on prep table. Manager gave to ware washing to clean. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Basic - Food stored on floor. Bread rolls stored on floor of walk in freezer. Manager stored 6 inches off the floor.
08B-38-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Wet nesting on pans in prep area outside of walk in cooler. **Repeat Violation**
24-08-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee food stored in cooler with food to be served to the public. Manager removed. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-49-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee beverage on cutting board behind bar area. Employee removed. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-07-4
55
Nov 16, 2022
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 1 major violation. 7 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In server prep area: salsa (50F - Cold Holding) In reach in coolers across from cooktops: butter (55F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (48F - Cold Holding); shredded queso (48F - Cold Holding); cut leafy greens (48F - Cold Holding) Manager put items on ice. Temperature of items taken at 1:30 pm. Temperature items taken again at 2:30 pm: cut tomatoes 43 F, cut leafy greens 42 F, shredded queso cheese 43 F, butter 44 F, salsa 47 F. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. 1 live fly on last light fixture above bar in dining room.
35A-02-6
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener on prep table in rear of kitchen has built up food debris. Manager had can opener scrubbed, cleaned and sanitized. **Corrected On-Site**
22-02-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Wet nesting on pans in rear of kitchen storage area.
24-08-4
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wash cloth not stored in sanitizing solution. Manager stored correctly. **Corrected On-Site**
21-12-4
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Interior of ice machine near mop sink has mold like substance.
22-20-5
Basic - Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Ice buckets near ice machine in mop sink room not inverted for protection. Manager inverted. **Corrected On-Site**
24-05-4
Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Grooved cutting board in outdoor bar area. Manager replaced. **Corrected On-Site**
14-09-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee beverage above prep table next to hot well. Manager removed. **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 phone located above a food prep area. Manager removed. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
47
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Red Mesa Cantina last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Red Mesa Cantina on file is from Apr 13, 2026. The public record contains 10 inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Red Mesa Cantina?
Across the inspection record, “food-contact surface soiled with food debris” has been cited seven times, more than any other issue at Red Mesa Cantina.
How does Red Mesa Cantina compare to other restaurants in St. Petersburg?
Red Mesa Cantina most recently scored 70 out of 100, which is lower than the St. Petersburg average of 77.
Has Red Mesa Cantina's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Red Mesa Cantina have averaged around three violations per visit, down from roughly five earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Red Mesa Cantina means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.
How often is Red Mesa Cantina inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Red Mesa Cantina is inspected around three times per year on average.
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