Santo Tamal
Last inspected: Mar 4, 2026
67
Score
Santo Tamal appears in inspection records three times, starting in 2025. Santo Tamal was last inspected on Mar 4, 2026. Medium risk typically reflects a handful of issues that inspectors wrote up but didn't deem critical.
The trend has been favorable: violation counts have eased from around 11 violations to closer to four violations per visit over the last few inspections.
The most common issue across all inspections has been “time/temperature control for safety food”, showing up two times.
By comparison, the average Hialeah facility scores 76, putting Santo Tamal on the weaker side. The record is unremarkable in either direction.
3
Inspections
2
Critical latest
0
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
Mar 4, 2026
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 2 minor violations.
View 4 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed on the preparation table at kitchen garlic in oil (87F - Hot Holding), as per employee less than 3 hours. Operator transferred it to the walk in cooler.
03A-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed ham croquettes (126F - Hot Holding); tequeño (125F - Hot Holding), as per operator for less than 4 hours. Operator adjusted temperature to maintain it at proper temperature. **Corrective Action Taken**
03B-01-6
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Observed empanadas thawing at room temperature.
06-01-5
Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning.
16-46-4
67
Jan 26, 2026
Complaint Full
3 critical violations. 9 major violations. 10 minor violations.
View 22 violations
High Priority - Employee touched bare body part and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed cook cleaning his hands with his clothes and touching his face while preparing food without washing his hand prior. **Warning**
12A-10-4
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed in the walk in cooler raw chicken stored over bread. Sent owner food storage handout. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
08A-05-6
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed cooked chicken on shelf above the oven cooked chicken at 132F. As per cook food was removed from over less than 2 hours ago. **Warning**
03B-01-6
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. **Warning**
11-27-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed can opener soiled. **Warning**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Observed hand wash sink at cook line blocked by a large garbage can. **Warning**
31A-09-4
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink located at front counter. **Warning**
31B-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. Sent report to operator. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
11-26-1
Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. No soap provided at hand wash sink located at cook line. **Warning**
31B-03-4
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. Observed three bags of cooked oxtail stored in ROP bag since 7/10/26. Instructed operator to immediately discard food. Operator discarded product on side. As per owner they don't use ROP, he stated those bags were the original bags were the raw oxtail came in. **Warning**
03G-50-1
Intermediate - Certified Food Manager or person in charge lacks knowledge of foodborne illnesses and symptoms of illness that would prevent an employee from working with food, clean equipment and utensils, and single-service items. Sent big 6 to operator. **Warning**
11-07-5
Intermediate - Employee washed hands in a sink other than an approved handwash sink. Observed employee washing hands in the three compartment sink. **Warning**
12A-03-4
Basic - Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Observed pots and pans not inverted observed on storage shelves next to the fryer in the kitchen. **Warning**
24-05-4
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Both employees in the kitchen. **Warning**
13-03-4
Basic - Employee with soiled clothing. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
13-01-4
Basic - Food not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor. Observed crates with raw vegetables stored on the floor by the walk in cooler. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
08B-47-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Observed interior of both oven at cook line soiled. Observed microwave soiled. **Warning**
22-08-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. **Warning**
33-16-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Observed small prep cooler interior soiled, cooler located next to the three compartment sink. **Warning**
22-16-4
Basic - Ripped/worn tin foil used as shelf cover. Observed ripped foil used as cover under the small prep table at cook line. **Warning**
14-20-4
Basic - Soiled dry wiping cloth in use observed at preparation table. **Warning**
21-10-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Observed raw pork loin thawing in standing water in the three compartment sink. **Warning**
06-01-5
16
Aug 22, 2025
Food-Licensing Inspection
No violations found.
100
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Santo Tamal last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Santo Tamal on file is from Mar 4, 2026. The public record contains three inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Santo Tamal?
Across the inspection record, “time/temperature control for safety food” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at Santo Tamal.
How does Santo Tamal compare to other restaurants in Hialeah?
Santo Tamal most recently scored 67 out of 100, which is lower than the Hialeah average of 76.
Has Santo Tamal's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Santo Tamal have averaged around four violations per visit, down from roughly 11 earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Santo Tamal means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.
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