Rick's on the River
Last inspected: Jan 20, 2026
67
Score
Rick's on the River has been inspected 12 times since 2022. On Jan 20, 2026, the health department conducted the most recent visit. When a facility lands in medium risk territory, it usually means a mixed inspection result.
The trend has not been favorable: recent inspections average around six violations each, up from closer to three violations before.
“Employee beverage container on a food preparation table” accounts for the largest share of issues, appearing four times across the record.
Restaurants in Tampa average 79, so Rick's on the River trails the local norm. On the whole, the file is mixed but not concerning.
12
Inspections
1
Critical latest
0
Major latest
5
Minor latest
Inspection History
Jan 20, 2026
Complaint Full
1 critical violation. 5 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw beef burgers stored over raw fish in small reach-in cooler at cook line. Employee rearranged items to prevent cross contamination at time of inspection. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
08A-20-5
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine. Slimy black/green mold-like substance on the interior of the poor repair lid at 1 of the 3 ice machines.
22-20-5
Basic - Covered waste receptacle not provided in women's bathroom. In unisex employee bathroom.
32-12-6
Basic - Duct tape used to repair nonfood-contact surface. On 1 of the 3 ice machine lid.
14-71-4
Basic - Food not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor. A case of fried onion rings stored on floor in walk-in freezer. Employee moved to shelf. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-47-4
Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. At oyster bar.
31B-04-4
67
Nov 3, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 5 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw beef burger stored over raw fish in small reach-in cooler. Operator rearranged items to prevent cross contamination at time of inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-20-5
Basic - Cutting boards has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. On small and large reach-in coolers at cook line.
14-09-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee opened bottled water stored with buns at prep counter in kitchen. Employee removed drink. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-07-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. Operator closed lid at time of inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
33-16-4
Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. 2 cases of single service food trays stored on floor at dry storage area. Operator moved to shelves. **Corrected On-Site**
25-05-4
Basic - Straws provided for customer self-service not individually wrapped or in an approved dispenser. At bar. Employee moved straws behind counter. **Corrected On-Site**
25-27-4
67
Aug 25, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 5 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw beef burgers stored over pasteurized liquid egg in walk-in cooler. Employee rearranged items to prevent cross contamination. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. Gary Jerman. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
53A-01-7
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee's opened bottle water stored on sheet pan with bread in kitchen. Employee removed. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-07-4
Basic - Food not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor. A case of potato fries and fried chicken strips stored on floor in walk-in freezer. Employee moved to shelves. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-47-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. On oven door handle at cook line, employee removed tong. **Corrected On-Site**
10-20-4
67
Jun 13, 2025
Routine - Food
1 major violation.
View 1 violation
Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. Gary Jerman. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-06-13: **Time Extended**
53A-01-7
90
Jun 5, 2025
Routine - Food
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. In beer walk-in cooler. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-06-05: **Time Extended**
36-27-5
95
Apr 3, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. A container of raw fish 50 F and raw chicken 45 F stored in reach-in cooler at cook line by fryers. Operator moved items to reach-in freezer, re temp: raw fish 44 F, raw chicken 41 F. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. 1 container of cooked bell peppers and 1 cooked onion not date marked in walk-in cooler. **Warning**
02C-02-5
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. The establishment cooked and cooled crab meat with plant food sauce, then reduced oxygen packaged onsite and stored in freezer/cooler at 41F or less more than 48 hours but less than 30 days. **Warning**
03G-50-1
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee opened bottled water stored on prep table with hamburger buns. Operator removed drink. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
12B-07-4
Basic - Stored food not covered. Cooked chicken wings in walk-in cooler. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
08B-12-5
Basic - Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. In beer walk-in cooler. **Warning**
36-27-5
61
Feb 10, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 5 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. A container of raw fish 48 F and egg wash 53 F stored in reach-in cooler at fry station. Employee placed egg wash in ice bath and moved fish to reach-in freezer for rapid cool. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
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. Cutting boards stained on reach-in cooler at cook line. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - No probe thermometer provided to measure temperature of food products.
05-08-4
Intermediate - Proof of required state approved employee training not available for some employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Only 1 of approximately 20 food employee has proof of training.
53B-13-5
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Cooked chicken breasts, cooked onion and cooked peppers in walk-in cooler.
02C-02-5
Basic - Food not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor. Soda syrup box at back area. Operator moved to higher shelves. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-47-4
Basic - Food storage container/container lid cracked or broken. Crack lid used on raw fish container in reach-in cooler at cook line.
14-38-4
Basic - Wiping cloth quaternary ammonium compound sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. Tested less than 150ppm.
21-08-4
45
Oct 3, 2024
Complaint Full
5 critical violations. 3 major violations. 13 minor violations.
View 21 violations
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Observed portioned corned beef stored on line that was spoiled. Operator decided dispose of during inspection. See stop sale **Warning**
01B-13-4
High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Observed hose splitter on mop sink without vacuum breaker added at time of inspection **Warning**
29-42-4
High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Observed cook remove gloves and put on new gloves without washing his hands observed cook touch face and hair with gloves hands without removing gloves and washing hands during inspection **Warning**
12A-07-5
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. Observed cook touch face and hair with gloves hands without removing gloves and washing hands during inspection **Warning**
12A-25-4
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with unwashed produce. Observed raw fish stored over unwashed vegetables in walk-in cooler at time of inspection **Warning**
08A-04-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed: - Can opener soiled with food debris at time of inspection - Cutting boards stained on cooks line at time of inspection **Warning**
22-02-4
Intermediate - No proof provided that food employees are informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses. **Warning**
11-26-1
Intermediate - Required employee training expired for all employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. All cooks food handler training expired at time of inspection **Warning**
53B-05-5
Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Interior of ice machine has a dead front inside it. **Warning**
22-20-5
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 salmon and mahi thawed in manufacture packaging that states to remove from package before thawing. See stop sale **Warning**
06-09-1
Basic - Duct tape used to repair nonfood-contact surface. Observed reach in cooler door handle repaired with silver duct tape at time of inspection **Warning**
14-71-4
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. - Gaskets on small reach in cooler torn at time of inspection - Door to walk in freezer rusted at bottom exposing door insulation at time of inspection **Warning**
14-11-5
Basic - Food stored on floor. Observed French fries stored on floor of cooks line at time of inspection. Case of food stored on walk in freezer floor at time of inspection **Warning**
08B-38-4
Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knife stored between reach in cooler and food preparation table on cooks line. **Repeat Violation** **Warning**
10-17-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Observed tongs stored on oven handles during inspection **Repeat Violation** **Warning**
10-20-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. - Shelves soiled on cooks line with old grease at time of inspection. - Gaskets on reach in coolers soiled at time of inspection Hood filters have buildup of grease. **Warning**
23-03-4
Basic - Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. The employee drink stored inside walk in cooler. **Warning**
12B-13-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Observed standing water in two reach in coolers on cooks line at time of inspection **Repeat Violation** **Warning**
29-49-6
Basic - Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. Observed rust on shelves in walk in cooler during inspection **Warning**
14-17-4
Basic - Water leaking from pipe and/or faucet/handle. Observed leaking drain pipe under bar triple sink at time of inspection. **Warning**
29-11-4
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Observed wash cloths stored on tables during inspection. Operator moved cloths to sanitizer bucket during inspection **Warning**
21-12-4
18
Apr 18, 2024
Routine - Food
6 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Observed employee bag stored on dry storage shelf Corrected -observed employee remove **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Observed 2 knifes stored between cookline refrigerator Corrected -observed employee remove **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
10-17-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Observed a pair of tongs stored on oven handles Corrected observed employee remove **Corrected On-Site**
10-20-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Observed in reachin cooler adjacent to fryers on cookline
29-49-6
Basic - Stored food not covered. Observed garnish in bar area not covered Corrected-observed employee cover **Corrected On-Site**
08B-12-5
Basic - Unprotected ice machine in a customer/nonsecure area. Observed 3 ice machines stored under a shed outside exposed to customer
08B-62-4
74
Oct 17, 2023
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 6 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. One can Tuna with dent on brim.
01B-01-4
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Cut lettuce, garlic butter, corn dogs all held over 24 hrs not date marked in walk in cooler . **Repeat Violation**
02C-02-5
Basic - Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. Co2 container in dry storage area not secured.
51-11-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink store on food prep table, corrected , employee removed drink during inspection. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-07-4
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Sugar container held together with duct tape .
14-11-5
Basic - Food stored on floor. Foods stored on floor in walk in freezer, corrected, cook placed food on shelf of walk in freezer. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-38-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Fish thawing out on counter.
06-01-5
Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Corrected, employee removed knives from between equipment during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
10-17-4
58
Dec 8, 2022
Complaint Full
3 critical violations. 6 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Medicine not labeled properly. Bottle of medicine on dry storage shelf with food. **Corrected On-Site**
41-22-4
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken over raw beef in walk-in-cooler **Corrected On-Site**
08A-20-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooked chicken wings at 48 F at 1:00pm. Manager placing in walk-in-freezer uncovered in shallow pan. Cooked chicken wings at 42 F 1:45pm **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
03A-02-5
Basic - Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Underneath cooking equipment on cooksline
36-73-4
Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Utensils in standing water at 99 F. Water 155 F **Corrected On-Site**
10-07-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Reach-in-cooler on cooksline next to stove.
29-49-6
Basic - Wiping cloth sanitizing solution stored on the floor. On cooksline **Corrected On-Site**
21-38-4
Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. **Repeat Violation**
14-09-4
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. Observed on prep table in kitchen **Corrected On-Site**
12B-12-5
47
Jul 14, 2022
Complaint Full
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. **Repeat Violation** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2022-07-14: **Time Extended**
21-12-4
95
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Rick's on the River last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Rick's on the River on file is from Jan 20, 2026. The public record contains 12 inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Rick's on the River?
Across the inspection record, “employee beverage container on a food preparation table” has been cited four times, more than any other issue at Rick's on the River.
How does Rick's on the River compare to other restaurants in Tampa?
Rick's on the River most recently scored 67 out of 100, which is lower than the Tampa average of 79.
Has Rick's on the River's inspection record improved over time?
No. Recent inspections at Rick's on the River have averaged around six violations per visit, up from roughly three earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Rick's on the River 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 Rick's on the River inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Rick's on the River is inspected around three times per year on average.
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