The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
Last inspected: Dec 18, 2025
55
Score
The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant appears in inspection records eight times, starting in 2022. The most recent visit was on Dec 18, 2025. Diners should read medium risk as a signal that some issues exist but aren't extreme.
Violation counts have ticked up lately, averaging around six violations per visit versus roughly four violations earlier in the record.
The most common issue across all inspections has been “equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting”, showing up two times.
Compared to other Clearwater restaurants (averaging 79), there's room to close the gap. The inspection history reads as standard for a restaurant of this size.
8
Inspections
1
Critical latest
0
Major latest
9
Minor latest
Inspection History
Dec 18, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 9 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Sterno stored with food in dry storage. Operator moved sterno during the inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Speaker stored next to salt.employee moved salt during inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Multiple employees without hair restraints involved in plating salads and dishing soup.
13-03-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Food container holding clean bowls has water standing at the bottom. **Corrected On-Site**
24-08-4
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Cook and prep areas **Repeat Violation**
36-22-4
Basic - Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Under and behind fixed equipment. Cook line, prep area and storage areas
36-73-4
Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Utensils in standing water on cook line. Discussed proper storage of in use utensil. **Corrected On-Site**
10-07-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Exterior of Cambro units, dolly for clean equipment. **Repeat Violation**
23-03-4
Basic - Reuse of single-service or single-use articles. Reuse of paper trays to scoop food. Discussed the need to use trays for single use only.
25-32-4
Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Shakers on cook line containing food removed from the original container not labled with common name. Discussed the need to label all foods removed from the original container. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
02D-01-5
55
Feb 25, 2025
Routine - Food
3 minor violations.
View 3 violations
Certified Food Manager Identification
FL-02
Non-Food Contact Surfaces Clean
FL-23
Lighting Adequate; Required Shields in Place
FL-36
82
Aug 29, 2024
Routine - Food
6 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with dust. Dust on ceiling of walk in cooler next to fan. Discussed with manager.
36-34-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Silver pans in warewashing area stacked wet. Discussed with manager the need to allow clean equipment to properly air dry before stacking.
24-08-4
Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Walk in freezer and 2 reach in freezers near walk in cooler.
14-69-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Surrounding area of soda nozzles. Discussed with manager on duty
23-03-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid. **Repeat Violation**
33-16-4
Basic - Sanitizer bucket stored with food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Bucket on prep table next to cutting board. Employee relocated **Corrected On-Site**
21-44-1
74
Feb 21, 2024
Complaint Full
3 minor violations.
View 3 violations
Basic - Employee eating in a food preparation or other restricted area. Evidence of employee eating in back area where silverware is being rolled. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-02-4
Basic - Grease receptacle/dumpster not on proper pad/nonabsorbent surface.
33-23-4
Basic - Open dumpster lid.
33-16-4
86
Jan 23, 2024
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 3 minor violations.
View 6 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. At expo, cut leafy greens and sliced tomatoes on same time frame. Put out at 11 am. No separate time control for each item. Discussed alternatives with manager on duty. **Corrected On-Site**
03F-02-5
High Priority - Food placed in soiled container. Red peppers washed then placed back in cardboard box, operator rewashed peppers and put in colander. **Corrective Action Taken**
08B-27-4
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Marsala sauce (46F - Cold Holding)moved to chill tank , chilled to 40F before end of inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
03A-02-5
Basic - Employee with ineffective hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Prep cook, Long hair under cap, cook put hair hair into cap **Corrected On-Site**
13-02-4
Basic - Food stored on floor. In walk in freezer, boxes of food on floor, moved to shelf. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-38-4
Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. Old stickers on plastics containers in prep room, moved to dish room and stickers removed **Corrected On-Site**
16-46-4
55
Oct 10, 2023
Routine - Food
1 major violation. 3 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Hand wash sink blocked by bags of garbage. Manager had the trash disposed of. **Corrected On-Site**
31A-09-4
Basic - Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Cook no beard guard
13-04-4
Basic - Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Prep area and dish area
36-22-4
Basic - Garbage not placed in a receptacle for storage until pick up to make the garbage inaccessible to insects and rodents. Garbage in bags on floor in front of hand wash sink leaking onto the floor. Manager had the area cleaned and sanitized. **Corrected On-Site**
33-09-4
78
Jun 23, 2023
Routine - Food
1 major violation.
View 1 violation
Food Obtained from Approved Sources
FL-11
90
Dec 16, 2022
Routine - Food
3 minor violations.
View 3 violations
Basic - Ambient air thermometer not located in the warmest part of the cold holding unit at expo line . Manager relocated thermometer **Corrected On-Site**
05-11-4
Basic - Clean equipment/dishware/utensils stored next to handwash/food preparation sink exposed to splash. Bun o manic at hand wash sink at wait station near dining area -manager relocated **Corrected On-Site**
24-27-4
Basic - Reach-in freezer interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues at back food prep area - employee cleaned reach in freezer interior **Corrected On-Site**
22-16-4
86
Frequently Asked Questions
When was The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant on file is from Dec 18, 2025. The public record contains eight inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant?
Across the inspection record, “equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant.
How does The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant compare to other restaurants in Clearwater?
The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant most recently scored 55 out of 100, which is lower than the Clearwater average of 79.
Has The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant's inspection record improved over time?
No. Recent inspections at The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant have averaged around six violations per visit, up from roughly four earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant 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 The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant is inspected around three times per year on average.
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