Thunderbird Cafe

1833 W Southern Ave, Mesa, AZ 85202
Café / Breakfast
License: Food Establishment - Eating & Drinking
Last inspected: Feb 18, 2026
82
Score
Low Risk Grade: B

Thunderbird Cafe appears in inspection records five times, starting in 2024. The latest inspection on file is from Feb 18, 2026. Low risk means the most recent visit produced few or no significant findings.

Things have been moving the wrong way, with the rolling count rising from around zero violations to closer to three violations per visit.

Across the inspection history, “system maintained in good repair” is the issue that surfaces most often, recorded two times.

That's lower than the typical Mesa restaurant, which scores around 95. Nothing in the record is alarming, but there's room to improve.

5
Inspections
0
Critical latest
1
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
Feb 18, 2026
Routine
1 major violation. 2 minor violations. 1 corrected on site.
View 3 violations
Ready-to-eat food not date marked (corrected on site)
Inspector notes: Observed trays of cooked corn, and cooked chicken in the walk-in cooler that did not have a date on them. Person in charge (PIC) stated the food was cooked the day before. The PIC put a date on the food at time of inspection. RTE/TCS foods requiring date marking must be date marked within 24 hours and sold or discarded after 7 days (including the day it was made as day 1). All RTE/TCS foods were properly date marked at the time of inspection
3-501.17
Raw and ready-to-eat foods not properly separated
Inspector notes: Observed apples available for students at the register. The apples were not wrapped. Discussed with person in charge (PIC) that wrapping the apples will reduce risk of contamination by hands
3-302.11(A3-8)
Plumbing system not maintained in good repair
Inspector notes: Observed the dishwasher and ice machine drain lines draining below the flood rim of the floor drains. Drain line must maintain a 1-inch air gap above the flood rim of the floor drains. Must repair all plumbing to a state of good repair prior to next routine inspection. All plumbing must be maintained in good repair at all times
5-205.15(B)
82
Aug 28, 2025
Routine
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Plumbing system not maintained in good repair
5-205.15(B)
95
May 5, 2025
Routine
No violations found.
100
Jan 27, 2025
Routine
No violations found.
100
Sep 11, 2024
Routine
1 critical violation. 1 corrected on site.
View 1 violation
Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Equipment, Chemical Sanitization- Temperature, pH, Concentration and Hardness (corrected on site)
Inspector notes: Observed a final sanitizer concentration of 0ppm chlorine sanitizer from the low-temp chemical dishwasher. Discussed the importance of proper sanitizer levels and proper monitoring of sanitizer levels (50-100ppm chlorine). Food-contact surfaces were properly sanitized at time of inspection. PIC placed a work order on the unit and had the dished moved to the 3 comp dishwasher
4-501.114(A-E)
86

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Thunderbird Cafe last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Thunderbird Cafe on file is from Feb 18, 2026. The public record contains five inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Thunderbird Cafe?

Across the inspection record, “system maintained in good repair” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at Thunderbird Cafe.

How does Thunderbird Cafe compare to other restaurants in Mesa?

Thunderbird Cafe most recently scored 82 out of 100, which is lower than the Mesa average of 95.

Has Thunderbird Cafe's inspection record improved over time?

No. Recent inspections at Thunderbird Cafe have averaged around three violations per visit, up from roughly zero earlier in the record.

What does a low risk rating mean?

A low risk rating at Thunderbird Cafe means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.