Sonny's BBQ
Last inspected: Mar 16, 2026
55
Score
Sonny's BBQ appears in inspection records 13 times, starting in 2022. Sonny's BBQ was last inspected on Mar 16, 2026. A medium risk rating points to a few notable findings at the last inspection, though nothing severe.
Recent visits have produced comparable findings, with counts hovering near seven violations per visit.
The most common issue across all inspections has been “interior of oven/microwave has accumulation”, showing up four times.
Sonny's BBQ's latest score of 55 falls below the Palatka average of 75. The full record sits in fairly typical territory for a working restaurant.
13
Inspections
2
Critical latest
0
Major latest
6
Minor latest
Inspection History
Mar 16, 2026
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 6 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Chemical spray bottle labeled bleach on cook line next to steam table. Operator relocated. At bar area windex spray bottles over bottles of juice. Operator relocated. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In cookline drawer reach in cooler, beef (47F - Cold Holding) stored in same drawer as cooked chicken wings cooling down. Operator removed the hot chicken wings. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. Food debris residue on cook line door handles. **Repeat Violation**
23-24-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On shelf of warewashing area, clean metal trays stacked while wet. **Repeat Violation**
24-08-4
Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Build up of ice on fan guard and door of walk in freezer.
14-69-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Microwave on cookline with debris build up on fan guard. **Repeat Violation**
22-08-4
Basic - Sanitizing solution for wiping cloths not free of food debris and visible soil. Sanitizer solution on shelf of smoker prep area visibly soiled. Two sanitizer solution buckets at 0ppm. Operator refilled new bucket to 200ppm. **Corrective Action Taken**
21-11-4
Basic - Water leaking from pipe and/or faucet/handle. Leaking pipe to thermalizer on cook line. Leaking pipe to hand wash sink in warewashing area.
29-11-4
55
Jul 21, 2025
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 4 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. At pass through window, onion straws held utilizing time as public health control missing time marker. Operator replaced time marker. **Corrected On-Site**
03F-02-5
High Priority - Live, small flying insects found. Observed 4 live flies in drive through wait station area landing on a box on the shelf. Operator was able to kill and remove at least 2 flies. Observed 1 live fly in smoker area over trash can. **Corrective Action Taken**
35A-02-7
High Priority - Employee rubbed hands together for less than 10-15 seconds while washing hands. Observed employee wash hands while switching gloves rinse hands under water, no soap and no rubbing together for an approximate length of time. Discussed with operator.
12A-17-4
Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. Cookline warmer door handles build up of food residue.
23-24-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink at front counter prep table by smoker, employee relocated beverage. Employee drink on top of dishmachine. **Corrective Action Taken**
12B-07-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. At pass through window, clean plastic containers on top shelf stacked while wet.
24-08-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Build up of food debris in microwave on cook line and on waitstaff side of pass through. **Repeat Violation**
22-08-4
52
Jan 3, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In the walk in cooler raw candied bacon over cooling ready to eat chicken wings. Operator relocated the candied bacon. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener in smoker area with debris build up on the blade. Soda nozzle at bar counter with mold like substance build up. Per operator not in use as soda gun doesn't have connection to carbonation. Operator had employee clean and sanitize the bar nozzle. **Corrective Action Taken**
22-02-4
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. No paper towels at hand wash sink by warewashing area. Operator provided paper towels. **Corrected On-Site**
31B-02-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Interior of the microwave at the pass through window with food debris build up. Employee cleaned the microwave. **Corrected On-Site**
22-08-4
Basic - Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Ice buckets by bulk ice bin not inverted or covered. Employee relocated the ice buckets. **Corrected On-Site**
24-05-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. In the walk in freezer employee personal ice cream over food for customers.
08B-49-4
Basic - Food stored on floor. On the side of the cook line, jug of fryer oil stored on the floor. In the walk in cooler container of Alabama sauce stored on the floor. Operator relocated all items from the floor. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-38-4
58
Aug 1, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 5 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Warewashing Facilities Maintained and Used
FL-24
Equipment, Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Approved
FL-35
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
64
Mar 14, 2024
Complaint Full
2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Food in Good Condition, Safe, and Unadulterated
FL-13
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Toilet Rooms Maintained
FL-53
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
Food Contact Surfaces Clean and Sanitized
FL-22
Hot and Cold Water Available; Adequate Pressure
FL-25
67
Oct 24, 2023
Complaint Full
1 critical violation. 7 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. No time marking on fried onion straws at the pass through window. Operator replaced time marking that previously fell off the container per operator. **Corrected On-Site**
03F-02-5
Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. Build up of residue/food debris in the handles to the hot holding units on the main cook line.
23-24-4
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Accumulation of dust, mold like substance on multiple ceiling vents through kitchen area.
36-34-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Clean drinks cups stored at waitstation area stacked while wet.
24-08-4
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Multiple spots of pooled standing water on the floor of the kitchen area.
36-22-4
Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Build up of ice on the walk in freezer door seal.
14-69-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of food debris. Build up of food residue on rotating plate of microwave on the main cook line.
22-08-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Build up of grease and food debris on the side of the oven closest to the fryers. Build up of grease on the bottom shelf of the cook line prep table area. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
61
Oct 6, 2023
Complaint Partial
No violations found.
100
Aug 18, 2023
Complaint Full
3 critical violations. 4 minor violations.
View 7 violations
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Food Received at Proper Temperature
FL-12
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Wiping Cloths Properly Used and Stored
FL-41
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
Equipment, Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Approved
FL-35
Equipment Adequate to Maintain Product Temperature
FL-29
52
Jun 21, 2023
Complaint Full
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Food in Good Condition, Safe, and Unadulterated
FL-13
95
May 25, 2023
Complaint Partial
No violations found.
100
Nov 8, 2022
Complaint Partial
No violations found.
100
Oct 12, 2022
Complaint Full
4 critical violations. 2 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 9 violations
Potentially Hazardous Food Held at Proper Temperature
FL-16
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Equipment Adequate to Maintain Product Temperature
FL-29
Equipment, Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Approved
FL-35
Single-Use/Single-Service Articles Properly Stored and Used
FL-45
Toilet Rooms Maintained
FL-53
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
39
Aug 2, 2022
Complaint Full
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 5 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken stored over raw pork in walk on speed racks. Person in charge moved to appropriate location. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-20-5
Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Container in hand wash sink at server area. Item was removed. **Corrected On-Site**
31A-11-4
Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. Soap missing at bar hand wash sink, person in charge provided. **Corrected On-Site**
31B-03-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee purse and hoodie on shelf above/with BBQ sauce. Person in charge removed. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - No conspicuously located ambient air temperature thermometer in holding unit. Missing from small beverage cooler holding coleslaw at server area.
05-09-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Ribs thawing in standing water. Person in charge turned on water. **Corrected On-Site**
06-01-5
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed tomatoes stored over prepped items in salad walk in cooler. Person in charge moved to appropriate location. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-17-4
Basic - Water draining onto floor surface. At hand wash sink in bar area, pipe disconnected. Person in charge reconnect during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
29-03-4
55
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Sonny's BBQ last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Sonny's BBQ on file is from Mar 16, 2026. The public record contains 13 inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Sonny's BBQ?
Across the inspection record, “interior of oven/microwave has accumulation” has been cited four times, more than any other issue at Sonny's BBQ.
How does Sonny's BBQ compare to other restaurants in Palatka?
Sonny's BBQ most recently scored 55 out of 100, which is lower than the Palatka average of 75.
Has Sonny's BBQ's inspection record improved over time?
Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Sonny's BBQ have averaged around seven violations per visit across the recent record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Sonny's BBQ 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 Sonny's BBQ inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Sonny's BBQ is inspected around four times per year on average.
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