Salt Life Food Shack
Last inspected: Aug 19, 2025
58
Score
Across the available record, Salt Life Food Shack has eight inspections on file, the first dated 2022. The latest inspection on file is from Aug 19, 2025. The medium risk tier sits in the middle: not spotless, but not alarming either.
Recent visits have produced comparable findings, with counts hovering near seven violations per visit.
Across the inspection history, “time/temperature control for safety food cold held” is the issue that surfaces most often, recorded four times.
The city-wide average sits at 68, which Salt Life Food Shack's 58 doesn't quite reach. Taken together, the history looks like that of a busy facility working through the usual inspection cycle.
8
Inspections
1
Critical latest
3
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
Aug 19, 2025
Complaint Full
1 critical violation. 3 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw partially cooked beef stored over cooked chicken on speed rack in walk in cooler. Moved by manager. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Establishment offers undercooked comminuted meat on the child menu. Operator has "asterisk (*)" marked on kids online menu offering burgers undercooked. Operator stated that burger are fully cooked but has asterisk to inform customers of health risk. Informed operator that kids menu can not have burgers served undercooked. Customers will have to order from regular menu to have burgers undercooked. In house kids menu do not have asterisk.
03C-16-6
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. At hand wash sink on right side of cook line. Manager provided **Corrected On-Site**
31B-02-4
Intermediate - Written procedures for non-continuous cooking of raw animal foods are lacking provisions for monitoring. Operator partially cooking raw beef and storing in walk in cooler and cook line but has no monitoring and not properly labeling
03C-92-4
Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. At bar hand wash sink. Manager provided **Corrected On-Site**
31B-04-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. In far end of cook line reach in cooler. Employee cleaned **Corrected On-Site**
29-49-6
58
Jul 31, 2025
Complaint Full
2 critical violations. 2 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Live, small flying insects found Observed one live flying insect at upstairs ice machine.
35A-02-7
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed shredded lettuce (45F - Cold Holding) placed on line for less than one hour per person in charge. Discussed with leaving flip-top cooler open when not using product. Person in charge placed ice on product. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Establishment is conducting non-continuous cooking of raw animal foods and the written procedures are not available upon request. Observed non-continuous cooking of chicken wings per discussed procedures with person in charge missing written procedures. Provided blank copy and discussed with person in charge. **Corrective Action Taken**
03C-90-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed cutting boards stained with food debris.
22-02-4
Basic - Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed. Observed no current license displayed in establishment. Person in charge found printed license and brought to front counter. **Corrective Action Taken**
50-09-4
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 one bag of vacuum packaged fish not removed from its reduced oxygen packaging while thawing. Person in charge sliced bag open. Provided new hand out for thawing vacuum packaging fish **Corrected On-Site**
06-09-1
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Observed standing water on floor at upstairs outside bar.
36-22-4
52
Jan 30, 2025
Routine - Food
4 critical violations. 1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours. In walk in cooler, two (2) containers of clam chowder soup 93F. Clam chowder was placed into walk in cooler approximately 4.5 hours prior - time when cooling began could not be determined. Chowder discarded. See stop sale.
03D-01-5
High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours and from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within six hours. See stop sale. Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours. In walk in cooler, two (2) containers of clam chowder soup 93F. Clam chowder was placed into walk in cooler approximately 4.5 hours prior - time when cooling began could not be determined. Chowder discarded. See stop sale.
01B-36-5
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. In bar area, bartender handled sanitizer bucket with bare hands and immediately handled beer bottle and clean glassware without washing hands. Manager coached employee on proper hand washing procedures. Employee washed hands correctly. In dish area, dishwasher handled soiled pans, rinsed pans off and loaded dish machine and immediately handled clean pans and lids without washing hands. Manager coached employee on proper hand washing procedures. Employee washed hands correctly. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
12A-13-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Near fryers on cook line, tempura batter and egg wash stored in flip top cooler 48F. Both items placed into cooler approximately 2.5 hours prior. Both items moved to walk in freezer to cool. **Corrected On-Site**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Clams/mussels/oysters tag removed from original container prior to container being emptied. In cooler drawer on cook line, pan of raw oysters does not have tag.
01C-10-4
Basic - Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Multiple cooks working in kitchen.
13-04-4
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. Dishwasher drinking from open container - cup stored on top of dish machine. Cup removed. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-12-5
Basic - Open dumpster lid. Lid propped open with rod. Lid closed. **Corrected On-Site**
33-16-4
43
Aug 29, 2024
Routine - Food
5 critical violations. 1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Jug of green cleaning chemical stored on counter with clean cups and iced tea equipment in upstairs server area. Spray bottle containing yellow chemical cleaner stored on counter with clean cups in upstairs bar area. Both chemicals moved and stored correctly. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
High Priority - Employee switched from working with raw food to ready-to-eat food without washing hands. In prep area of kitchen, prep cook shucking raw oysters with gloved hands and immediately began touching clean bowls, salt, and utensils without removing gloves and washing hands. Manager coached employee on proper hand washing procedures. Employee washed hands correctly. **Corrective Action Taken**
12A-12-4
High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Missing at both ends of splitter for outside faucet in upstairs dining area. Maintenance on site left to purchase breakers. **Corrective Action Taken**
29-34-4
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. Cook on cook line handled personal cell phone and immediately handled clean cooking utensils without washing hands. Manager coached employee on proper hand washing procedures. Employee washed hands correctly. **Corrective Action Taken**
12A-13-4
High Priority - Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. Four rusted cans of beans stored in dry food storage area in kitchen. Cans discarded.
01B-01-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Hand washing sink on cook line with storage buckets stored inside. Hand washing sink in bar area with soiled towels stored inside. Items moved. **Corrected On-Site**
31A-11-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Single use foil containers stored on shelf above sushi cooler. Containers inverted. **Corrected On-Site**
25-06-4
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. Dishwasher in dish machine area drinking from unenclosed cup. Cup covered with lid and straw. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-12-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Clean storage pans stored on rack/shelf near dish area. Plastic cups in server area across from pass through window.
24-08-4
Basic - Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. Employee opened water wattle store in beer walk in cooler. Bottles discarded. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-13-4
35
Feb 22, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 1 minor violation.
View 3 violations
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. In kitchen 0 ppms, primed 10ppm primed 100ppms **Corrective Action Taken**
22-41-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Ice machine upper area.
22-02-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. Propped open with stuck.
33-16-4
74
Oct 4, 2023
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Mussel dip on line cooler 47-50f moved to walk in freezer to cool down **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Bagged raw beef in container with sliced ham. Moved to proper storage areas. in clean pans **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Acidity of each batch of sushi rice not tested with a pH meter and results recorded as required.
03G-38-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Blocked by chart, chart moved **Corrected On-Site**
31A-09-4
Basic - Clams/mussels/oysters removed from original container for long-term storage.
01C-06-5
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Next to sushi area, moved **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Equipment or utensils not designed or constructed in a durable manner. Wired dipping baskets used in egg wash with broken wires. Discarded **Corrected On-Site**
14-10-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. Lid closed. **Corrected On-Site**
33-16-4
50
Feb 17, 2023
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In reach in cooler in front of grillColeslaw 48f black beans mix 50f salsa 48f placed bags of ice on **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Clams/mussels/oysters tag removed from original container prior to container being emptied. Container of oysters in drawer cooler on line with no tag, employees not sure where tag is located
01C-10-4
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Cook on line. Hat appeared **Corrected On-Site**
13-03-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Clear containers stacked together wet, taken apart to rewash and dry **Corrective Action Taken**
24-08-4
Basic - Food not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor. Chill sticks stored on walk in freezer floor, moved **Corrected On-Site**
08B-47-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs stored on oven doors
10-20-4
64
Oct 4, 2022
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Supervisor/Person in Charge Present
FL-01
Adequate Handwashing Facilities Supplied and Accessible
FL-10
Proper Sanitizer Contact Time and Concentration
FL-33
Equipment Adequate to Maintain Product Temperature
FL-29
Food Received at Proper Temperature
FL-12
64
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Salt Life Food Shack last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Salt Life Food Shack on file is from Aug 19, 2025. The public record contains eight inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Salt Life Food Shack?
Across the inspection record, “time/temperature control for safety food cold held” has been cited four times, more than any other issue at Salt Life Food Shack.
How does Salt Life Food Shack compare to other restaurants in Fernandina Beach?
Salt Life Food Shack most recently scored 58 out of 100, which is lower than the Fernandina Beach average of 68.
Has Salt Life Food Shack's inspection record improved over time?
Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Salt Life Food Shack have averaged around seven violations per visit across the recent record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Salt Life Food Shack 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 Salt Life Food Shack inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Salt Life Food Shack is inspected around three times per year on average.
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