Sweet Mama's
Last inspected: Dec 4, 2025
70
Score
Sweet Mama's appears in inspection records 10 times, starting in 2022. The latest inspection on file is from Dec 4, 2025. When a facility lands in medium risk territory, it usually means a mixed inspection result.
Things have been moving in the right direction, with the rolling count dropping from around eight violations to closer to three violations per visit.
The pattern that stands out is “in-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses”, which has been cited three times.
That's lower than the typical Jacksonville restaurant, which scores around 74. Taken together, the history looks like that of a busy facility working through the usual inspection cycle.
10
Inspections
0
Critical latest
1
Major latest
3
Minor latest
Inspection History
Dec 4, 2025
Routine - Food
1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Adequate Handwashing Facilities Supplied and Accessible
FL-10
Proper Hot and Cold Holding Temperatures
FL-21
Approved Thawing Methods Used
FL-31
70
Oct 2, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation.
View 1 violation
High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired. 6-1-25 **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-10-02: License still expired since 6-1-25 Establishment observed preparing, serving, or selling food to customers with an expired license. **Admin Complaint**
50-17-3
86
Jul 30, 2025
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 1 major violation.
View 4 violations
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
Food and Non-Food Contact Surfaces Designed and Constructed
FL-50
Toilet Rooms Maintained
FL-53
58
Mar 12, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 6 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Pan of raw beef over pan of baked beans in single door reach in cooler next to soda station, removed raw beef to store correctly **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - Required employee training expired for some employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Carl expired 2023
53B-14-5
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Cup with no handle used to scoop parboiled rice upfront under counter
14-01-5
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Both cooks in kitchen no hair restraint. Placed on hair nets **Corrected On-Site**
13-03-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs stood oven door handles. Moved from oven doors **Corrected On-Site**
10-20-4
Basic - Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. Opened personal Arizona Mango tea in single reach in cooler next to drink station, drink discarded **Corrected On-Site**
12B-13-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Fish thawing in prep sink in a container with standing water, employee turned on water **Corrective Action Taken**
06-01-5
Basic - Unprotected ice machine in a customer/nonsecure area. Ice machine stored in hall way near restroom. Lock missing
08B-62-4
58
Oct 4, 2024
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 2 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 7 violations
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Expired 6-1-24 **Admin Complaint**
50-17-3
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Grits 98f on hot holding unit, reheated on stove **Corrective Action Taken**
03B-01-6
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. Handsink next to triple sink, manager provided **Corrected On-Site**
31B-02-4
Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for employee hired more than 60 days ago. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Jay and David
53B-02-5
Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knife stored between to prep tables, moved
10-17-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Stored on oven doors, tongs moved **Corrected On-Site**
10-20-4
Basic - Light shield for lights in food preparation, food storage or warewashing area missing end caps. End caps missing on lights over triple sink area
38-12-4
52
May 6, 2024
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 1 major violation. 5 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Reach in freezer frozen raw chicken over fish and shrimp. Moved to store correctly **Corrective Action Taken**
08A-02-6
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Container of raw chicken over container of potato Salad, manager moved to store correctly **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Grits 78 and meat loaf on line, states was out cause of order, moved to cooler **Corrective Action Taken**
03B-01-6
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Zap spray bottle with clear substance inside, manager states it's bleach
41-17-4
Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knife stored between 2 prep tables, moved to sink to clean **Corrected On-Site**
10-17-4
Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs on oven doors, moved from oven doors **Corrected On-Site**
10-20-4
Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. utensils in water 79f on line, discussed with operator about 135f holding
10-07-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. 2 door cooler upfront
29-49-6
Basic - Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. Chain not around tanks, secured **Corrected On-Site**
51-11-4
45
Mar 18, 2024
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Jan 10, 2024
Routine - Food
5 critical violations. 4 major violations. 11 minor violations.
View 20 violations
High Priority - Food/ice received from unapproved source/no invoice provided to verify source. See Stop Sale. Empress Energy Health and Wellness- Canned Sea Moss for sale in establishment for customer self service. Person in charge unable to provide license or DACS license for establishment. Person in charge states operator makes at home. **Admin Complaint**
01A-05-4
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired June 1, 2023. **Admin Complaint**
50-17-3
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with unwashed produce. Raw oxtails over cabbage in reach in cooler adjacent to cookline.
08A-04-5
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food originating from an unapproved source. Empress Energy Health and Wellness- Canned Sea Moss for sale in establishment for customer self service. Person in charge unable to provide license or DACS license for establishment. Person in charge states operator makes at home.
01B-04-5
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed spray cleaner atop bag-in-box soda near storage rack.
41-10-4
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Lima beans stored in reach in cooler made more than 24 hours ago not date marked.
02C-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. Person in charge indicated establishment did not have plan for vomiting/diarrhea event.
11-27-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Hand wash sink next to triple sink being used to store rubber dish mats and cutting board. Employee removed rubber mats and cutting board. **Corrected On-Site**
31A-11-4
Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. No proof of any training due to all training certificates being expired. **Warning**
53B-01-5
Basic - Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. Three oxygen tanks located near triple sink are not adequately secured.
51-11-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Observed employee personal drinking cups atop prep table shelf next to SS containers and food items.
40-06-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Observed wet nesting on containers stored on drying rack.
24-08-4
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Reach in cooler adjacent to cooking station has torn gasket seals.
14-11-5
Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Observed gap at the threshold of the right side exterior double doors.
35B-01-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Bottom interior of Double ovens adjacent to cooking station is heavily soiled.
22-08-4
Basic - Label on a food item prepared and packaged onsite for customer self-service does not include product identity/description, date product was packaged and name and address of the establishment that prepared and packaged the food. Cakes stored in grab and go containers in dining area for customer self service missing minimum labeling.
02D-03-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Reach in freezer and reach in coolers located adjacent to triple sink and prep area, respectively had soiled gasket seals. Vent hood above cooking station heavily soiled.
23-03-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. Observed open garbage lid on dumpster in rear of establishment.
33-16-4
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Observed wet wiping cloth atop prep table area adjacent to cook station.
21-12-4
Basic - Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Observed raw chicken thawing in triple sink.
06-01-5
18
Mar 27, 2023
Routine - Food
1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 4 violations
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. No written plan for cleanup of bodily functions. Emailed written plan for operator to print and file.
11-27-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Area under soda machine above soda nozzle is soiled with splashback residue visible when mirror is placed under nozzle area. Operator cleaned area. **Corrected On-Site**
23-03-4
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Bulk spices stored in large bins unlabeled. Discussed
02D-01-5
Basic - Label on a food item prepared and packaged onsite for customer self-service does not include product identity/description, date product was packaged and name and address of the establishment that prepared and packaged the food. Cake made from scratch and sold as a grab and go from cooler on customer side of counter not properly labeled. Discussed
02D-03-4
78
Sep 23, 2022
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 2 minor violations.
View 4 violations
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken wings held in make line preparation table over raw pork ribs. Operator properly stored **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
08A-20-5
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired 6/1/2022 Operator logged on and attempted to renewed license but had trouble navigating website. Finished inspection with operator assisted by Tallahassee DBPR over phone and operator showed payment confirmation number, but inspection application has not updated. **Corrective Action Taken** **Admin Complaint**
50-17-2
Basic - Faucet/handle missing at plumbing fixture. Hand wash sink near three compartment sink missing cold water valve.
29-09-4
Basic - Unprotected ice machine in a customer/nonsecure area. Ice machine located in hallway to public restrooms and not in a protected area.
08B-62-4
67
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Sweet Mama's last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Sweet Mama's on file is from Dec 4, 2025. The public record contains 10 inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Sweet Mama's?
Across the inspection record, “in-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at Sweet Mama's.
How does Sweet Mama's compare to other restaurants in Jacksonville?
Sweet Mama's most recently scored 70 out of 100, which is lower than the Jacksonville average of 74.
Has Sweet Mama's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Sweet Mama's have averaged around three violations per visit, down from roughly eight earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Sweet Mama's 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 Sweet Mama's inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Sweet Mama's is inspected around three times per year on average.
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