Sushi Zento and Grill
Last inspected: Nov 5, 2025
64
Score
Inspectors have visited Sushi Zento and Grill seven times, with records going back to 2022. The most recent report on file is from Nov 5, 2025. Diners should read medium risk as a signal that some issues exist but aren't extreme.
Recent inspections have found fewer violations than earlier ones, averaging around six violations lately and about 13 violations before that.
The most common issue across all inspections has been “ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer”, showing up three times.
That's lower than the typical St. Augustine restaurant, which scores around 81. On the whole, the file is mixed but not concerning.
7
Inspections
1
Critical latest
0
Major latest
6
Minor latest
Inspection History
Nov 5, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 6 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. No vacuum breaker installed at hose bib near mop sink area.
29-34-4
Basic - Accumulation of debris on exterior of warewashing machine. Top exterior of dishwasher soiled with debris.
16-21-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink above self service soda/ice machine. Operator removed. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Gap beneath exterior back door of kitchen.
35B-01-4
Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Ice build up on pipes in walk in freezer. **Repeat Violation**
14-69-4
Basic - Reach-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. Reach in cooler shelves on cookline rust pitted also deep freezer back of kitchen rust pitted surface all around.
14-33-4
Basic - Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. Walk in cooler shelves rusted.
14-17-4
64
Jun 23, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 8 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In the cook line reach in cooler, raw beef over ready to eat dumplings. Operator rearranged storage levels. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. In cooked rice, plastic bowl used as scoop. Operator switched with scoop with handle. **Corrected On-Site**
14-01-5
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. In the walk in cooler, multiple employee food items over food for customers. Operator relocated to bin labeled for employees and placed on ground of walk in cooler. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-49-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On the shelf next to the dish machine, clean plastic containers stacked while wet.
24-08-4
Basic - Food stored on floor. Soy sauce container stored on the floor. Operator relocated. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-38-4
Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Ice buildup up on coil of walk in freezer. Operator began removing ice buildup up. **Corrective Action Taken**
14-69-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Reach in chest freezer by back door with mold like substance build up on the door gaskets and rust pitting the surface around the seal.
23-03-4
Basic - Stored food not covered. Prepared salad in a bowl in the waitstation reach in cooler uncovered. Operator covered. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-12-5
Basic - Wiping cloth sanitizing solution stored on the floor. Sanitizer solution stored on floor behind sushi bar. Operator relocated. **Corrected On-Site**
21-38-4
58
Jan 8, 2025
Routine - Food
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Observed raw shrimp in bucket of water in 3 compartment sink with no running water. Operator turned the water on the shrimp. **Corrected On-Site**
06-01-5
95
Jun 7, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 5 violations
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. Observed: wash cloth in a solution that tested to over 200 ppm. This was dumped and refreshed to 100 ppm. **Corrected On-Site**
41-15-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed: the dish wash machine well with and accumulation of debris on the walls.
22-02-4
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Observed no handle bowls used in multiple places for food. These were discarded. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
14-01-5
Basic - Clean utensils or equipment stored in dirty drawer or rack. Observed: ice machine scoop stored on the soiled edge of the ice maker. The scoop was moved to a pan. **Corrective Action Taken**
24-06-4
Basic - In-use utensil in non-time/temperature control for safety food not stored with handle above top of food within a closed container. Observed: the server ice machine with the food ice scoop handle touching ice. This was adjusted up. **Corrected On-Site**
10-01-5
67
Oct 23, 2023
Routine - Food
4 critical violations. 2 major violations. 8 minor violations.
View 14 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. Dishwasher (Chlorine 0ppm, re tested at 50ppm) **Corrected On-Site**
22-41-4
High Priority - Operator unable to provide documentation that aquacultured fish has been raised in a controlled environment and fed formulated feed. Establishment sells raw salmon but doesn't have proof of farm raised or pellet fed. Operator obtained documentation during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
01D-08-5
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. In walk-in cooler, raw chicken stored over unwashed zucchini. Operator moved chicken to bottom shelf. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-02-6
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. On bottom shelf of prep counter across from cook line, Sanitizer Bucket (Chlorine 200+ppm, rested at 100ppm) At front of kitchen across from drink station, Sanitizer Bucket (Chlorine 200+ppm, retested at 50ppm) Operator re made both sanitizer buckets. **Corrected On-Site**
41-15-5
Intermediate - Establishment advertised a specific fish on the menu/menu board but served another type of fish. On in house menu, four fold takeout menu and tri fold paper sushi menu, Spicy White Tuna Roll (under Raw or Hand Roll section) do not specify fish as escolar **Admin Complaint**
52-04-5
Intermediate - Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. In walk-in cooler, per operator milk opened 3 days prior. Operator dated milk. **Corrected On-Site**
02C-03-5
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. On bottom of shelf across from cook line, plastic soufflé cup used as scoop in bulk container of curry. Operator removed plastic cup. **Corrected On-Site**
14-01-5
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. On bottom shelf of prep table across from cook line, cell phone stored on flour container. Employee moved phone **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On shelves across from dish area, multiple stacks of plastic containers have wet nesting.
24-08-4
Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Back door kitchen entrance next to dish area has visibly wide gap under door. **Repeat Violation**
35B-01-4
Basic - In-use utensil in non-time/temperature control for safety food not stored with handle above top of food within a closed container. On bottom of shelf across from cook line, bulk container of pepper has scoop of handle not stored above top of pepper. Operator removed scoop. **Corrected On-Site**
10-01-5
Basic - Sanitizer bucket stored with food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. On counter next to soda station, sanitizer bucket stored next to tea pitchers. Employee moved to bottom shelf **Corrected On-Site**
21-44-1
Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. In walk-in cooler used as storage area, box of Togo boxes stored on floor. Also, on prep counter across from cook line, stack of Togo boxes not inverted. Operator moved all togo boxes. **Corrected On-Site**
25-05-4
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Under prep counter across from cook line, multiple containers of flour not labeled. Operator labeled all containers during inspection **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
02D-01-5
30
Feb 27, 2023
Routine - Food
5 critical violations. 3 major violations. 12 minor violations.
View 20 violations
High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Observed employee putting gloves on without washing hands. Operator had employee wash hands before gloves.
12A-07-5
High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. At front counter observed employee prepping cucumbers with no gloves. Operator had employee wash hands and put on gloves.
09-01-4
High Priority - Nonfood-grade containers used for food storage - direct contact with food. Observed produce box being used to store soup base portions in walk-in cooler. Operator placed on plastic tub during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
14-15-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In top of flip top reach-in cooler observed, chicken (46F - Cold Holding). Employee stated chicken was stocked less than one hour prior and lowered level of chicken to below the fill line and placed in bottom of cooler. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
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 and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. On cook line observed no time mark for tempura. Operator labeled with time during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
03F-02-5
Intermediate - Records/documents for required employee training appear to be falsified. Observed four employee certifications with altered dates of completion and expiration.
53B-11-4
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. Observed no written cleanup procedures available. Provided operator with handout during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
11-27-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed mold-like substance buildup on ice machine drop plate. Operator began cleaning plate during inspection. **Corrective Action Taken**
22-02-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Observed tongs hanging on handle of grill on cook line. Operator moved tongs during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
10-20-4
Basic - Light shield damaged/in disrepair. Over mop sink area observed cover on light with cracked missing corner exposing bulbs.
38-01-4
Basic - No conspicuously located ambient air temperature thermometer in holding unit. In sushi cases at front counter observed no ambient thermometer present. Operator placed thermometer in cooler during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
05-09-4
Basic - Outer openings not protected with self-closing doors and/ or visible gap beneath door. Observed back door kitchen entrance with visibly wide gap under door. Observed back door kitchen entrance not self closing completely.
35B-03-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. In dry storage area observed stack of lids and stack of togo boxes not inverted. Operator turned stacks over during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
25-06-4
Basic - Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. Outside back door entrance to kitchen observed mop stored in bucket of water. Operator hung mop up during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
42-01-4
Basic - Wiping cloth chlorine sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. Observed sanitizer bucket on cook line at 0ppm. Operator remade bucket and observed at 100ppm. **Corrected On-Site**
21-07-4
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Observed multiple containers of flours on cook line without label. Operator began labeling containers during inspection. **Corrective Action Taken**
02D-01-5
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. In three compartment sink observed shrimp and squid thawing in standing water. Operator placed both under running water during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
06-01-5
Basic - Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. At soda station observed co2 tank unsecured. Operator secured tank during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
51-11-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensil. On cook line observed employee drink stored over reach-in cooler. Employee moved drink during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Observed extreme ice buildup in walk-in freezer. Operator moved part of ice buildup during inspection. **Corrective Action Taken**
14-69-4
19
Nov 7, 2022
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 6 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. Multiple employee ps handled soiled equipment, raw seafoods then Handle plates, single service items without washing hands. Manager intervened. **Corrective Action Taken**
12A-13-4
High Priority - Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Dish machine chlorine. 0ppm. Empty supply bucket. Replaced by manger.
22-45-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Multiple Hand Wash Sinks used for upholding utensils , rinsing utensils.
31A-11-4
Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. Soiled exterior of equipment including handles to coolers.
23-24-4
Basic - Stored food not covered. Uncovered foods in walk in cooler.
08B-12-5
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Multiple wet wipes on counter in : kitchen throughout.
21-12-4
58
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Sushi Zento and Grill last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Sushi Zento and Grill on file is from Nov 5, 2025. The public record contains seven inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Sushi Zento and Grill?
Across the inspection record, “ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at Sushi Zento and Grill.
How does Sushi Zento and Grill compare to other restaurants in St. Augustine?
Sushi Zento and Grill most recently scored 64 out of 100, which is lower than the St. Augustine average of 81.
Has Sushi Zento and Grill's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Sushi Zento and Grill have averaged around six violations per visit, down from roughly 13 earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Sushi Zento and Grill 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 Sushi Zento and Grill inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Sushi Zento and Grill is inspected around two times per year on average.
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