Chicago Oyster House

No violations were recorded at this inspection.

1. May 23, 2025 No Entry

   Non-Inspection · No Entry

   No violations

2. Mar 8, 2024 Pass

   Complaint Re-Inspection · Pass

   2 general Show violations

   • GeneralFood handling

     Clean utensils, equipment, or linens weren’t stored and handled properly.

     Inspector’s note: 4-904.11: observed tableware (forks and plates) not inverted stored in the cabinet under the server station near the liquor storage closet. Instructed to invert all mentioned items and maintain.

     Official wording (code 44)

     Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried, & handled

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

     Inspector’s note: 6-201.11: observed the bottom of the wall behind the ice machine in the rear food prep area with damaged tiles along the entire wall. Instructed to repair said tiles to seal openings and to make surface smooth and easily cleanable.

     Official wording (code 55)

     Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

3. Mar 1, 2024 Fail

   Complaint · Fail

   1 critical2 general Show violations

   • CriticalFood handling

     Surfaces that touch food weren’t cleaned and sanitized.

     Inspector’s note: Observed black like substance build up on the interior panel above the ice on the inside of the ice machine. Ice used for human consumption. Instructed must remove build up, clean, and sanitize. Priority foundation 7-38-005, citation issued.

     Official wording (code 16)

     Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

   • GeneralFood handling

     Clean utensils, equipment, or linens weren’t stored and handled properly.

     Inspector’s note: Observed tableware (forks and plates) not inverted stored in the cabinet under the server station near the liquor storage closet. Instructed to invert all mentioned items and maintain.

     Official wording (code 44)

     Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried, & handled

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

     Inspector’s note: Observed the bottom of the wall behind the ice machine in the rear food prep area with damaged tiles along the entire wall. Instructed to repair said tiles to seal openings and to make surface smooth and easily cleanable.

     Official wording (code 55)

     Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

4. Feb 14, 2024 No Entry

   Complaint · No Entry

   No violations

5. Mar 9, 2023 Pass

   Complaint · Pass

   1 general Show violations

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.

     Inspector’s note: Observed the faucet at the one comp sink in the kitchen leaking at the base; instructed to repair. (a new faucet was purchased and plumber is expected to change soon).

     Official wording (code 51)

     Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

6. Mar 2, 2022 Pass

   Canvass · Pass

   1 general Show violations

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.

     Inspector’s note: Lights in prep area in need of sheilds. Sheilds in poor repair. Correct and maintain.

     Official wording (code 56)

     Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used

7. Feb 25, 2022 No Entry

   Non-Inspection · No Entry

   No violations

8. Jun 14, 2021 Pass

   Canvass Re-Inspection · Pass

   1 general1 paperwork Show violations

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.

     Inspector’s note: 5-204.12 unable to locate the back flow prevention device on the ice machine. Instructed to locate or provide.

     Official wording (code 51)

     Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 observed the city of chicago food service sanitation manager without the required allergen training certificate. Instructed to meet requirement.

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

9. Jun 7, 2021 Fail

   Canvass · Fail

   2 critical2 general1 paperwork Show violations

   • CriticalHygiene & sanitation

     Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked with soap and towels.

     Inspector’s note: 6-301.14 observed hand washing signs are needed at the hand washing sinks in the rear food prep area and by the sushi bar and bar. Instructed to provide.

     Official wording (code 10)

     Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible

   • CriticalFood handling

     No warning to customers about raw or undercooked food.

     Inspector’s note: 3-603.11 observed no consumer advisory disclosure with footnote on the menu for all items that can be ordered under cooked or raw (beef, oysters, sushi) instructed to provide a consumer advisory disclosure with foot note for these items. Priority foundation 7-38-005.

     Official wording (code 25)

     Consumer advisory provided for raw/undercooked food

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.

     Inspector’s note: 5-204.12 unable to locate the back flow prevention device on the ice machine. Instructed to locate or provide.

     Official wording (code 51)

     Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Toilet rooms weren’t built, stocked, or cleaned properly.

     Inspector’s note: 5-501.17 observed no covered receptacle inside of the toilet rooms. Instructed to provide.

     Official wording (code 53)

     Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 observed the city of chicago food service sanitation manager without the required allergen training certificate. Instructed to meet requirement.

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

10. May 18, 2021 No Entry

    Non-Inspection · No Entry

    No violations

11. May 16, 2019 Conditional

    Canvass · Pass w/ Conditions

    5 critical3 paperwork Show violations

    • CriticalManagement & training

      Staff weren’t trained on, or didn’t follow, the rules for reporting illness.

      Inspector’s note: No employee health policy on premises as required; must provide. Instructed the person in charge to provide documentation of employees responsibility to report any illness transmissible through food. Priority foundation violation 7-38-010.

      Official wording (code 3)

      Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting

    • CriticalManagement & training

      No written plan or kit for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea.

      Inspector’s note: No vomit and diarrheal clean up procedure on premises as required; must provide. Instructed the person in charge that a vomit and diarrheal clean up procedure must be documented and the necessary supplies on hand in the event of a vomit and diarrheal incident on premises. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005.

      Official wording (code 5)

      Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events

    • CriticalFood temperature

      Prepared food wasn’t date-marked, or was kept past its discard date.

      Inspector’s note: Found some ready to eat tcs foods not properly date marked; must provide date marking. Instructed the person in charge that all tcs foods held for more than 24 hours must be date marked with the day that the food will be sold, discarded or consumed. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005.

      Official wording (code 23)

      Proper date marking and disposition

    • CriticalFood handling

      No warning to customers about raw or undercooked food.

      Inspector’s note: Observed newly printed menus with no consumer advisory or disclosure statement as required; must provide. Gave the person in charge a consumer advisory info sheet. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005.

      Official wording (code 25)

      Consumer advisory provided for raw/undercooked food

    • CriticalFood handling

      Specialized processes (curing, vacuum-packing, etc.) didn’t follow the approved plan.

      Inspector’s note: No lab letter on premises verifying the ph and water activity level of the sushi rice; must provide. Instructed the person in charge that a letter must be provided by an approved laboratory verifying that their sushi rice has been tested and that it must be updated every five years. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005.

      Official wording (code 29)

      Compliance with variance/specialized process/haccp

    • PaperworkManagement & training

      No manager on duty held a City of Chicago food sanitation certificate.

      Inspector’s note: The person in charge on premises has no city of chicago food service managers certificate; instructed to obtain. All persons in charge on a given day or shift are required to have a valid city of chicago food service managers certificate. Priority foundation violation 7-38-012.

      Official wording (code 2)

      City of chicago food service sanitation certificate

    • PaperworkManagement & training

      Not all food employees had food-handler training.

      Inspector’s note: Instructed the person in charge that all food handlers must obtain the required food handler training.

      Official wording (code 57)

      All food employees have food handler training

    • PaperworkManagement & training

      Required allergen training was missing.

      Inspector’s note: Instructed the person in charge that all city of chicago food service managers must obtain the required food allergen training.

      Official wording (code 58)

      Allergen training as required

12. May 7, 2019 No Entry

    Canvass · No Entry

    No violations

13. Mar 21, 2018 Pass

    Canvass · Pass

    1 general Show violations

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Food and non-food contact equipment utensils clean, free of abrasive detergents

      Inspector’s note: Air vents in dining room in need of cleaning to remove all dust build up. Correct and maintain

14. Mar 9, 2018 No Entry

    Canvass · No Entry

    No violations

15. Jan 6, 2017 Conditional

    Complaint · Pass w/ Conditions

    1 critical1 general Show violations

    • CriticalCritical (pre-2018 form)

      Adequate number, convenient, accessible, designed, and maintained

      Inspector’s note: Toilet in womens washroom not functioning properly. Must repair. Critical violation 7-38-030.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Food and non-food contact equipment utensils clean, free of abrasive detergents

      Inspector’s note: Clean interior panel of ice machine in kitchen.

16. Dec 21, 2016 No Entry

    Short Form Complaint · No Entry

    No violations

17. Mar 4, 2016 Pass

    Complaint · Pass

    1 general Show violations

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Walls, ceilings, attached equipment constructed per code: good repair, surfaces clean and dust-less cleaning methods

      Inspector’s note: The vents above the cooking equipment need cleaning; clean vents.

18. Oct 13, 2015 Pass

    Canvass · Pass

    2 general Show violations

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Food in original container, properly labeled: customer advisory posted as needed

      Inspector’s note: No lab testing letter for sushi rice ph on site, instructed mgr to obtain. Facility not operating at this time no sushi rice is prepared. Instructed to obtain.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Ventilation: rooms and equipment vented as required: plumbing: installed and maintained

      Inspector’s note: Drain line from sushi cooler is in contact with cutting board at sushi station, instructed to reamove.

19. Oct 1, 2015 No Entry

    Canvass · No Entry

    No violations

20. Dec 12, 2014 Pass

    Complaint · Pass

    1 general Show violations

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Lighting: required minimum foot-candles of light provided, fixtures shielded

      Inspector’s note: One light bulb out under the hooded system above the cooking equipment in the kitchen; replace blown bulb in the middle.

21. Aug 7, 2014 Pass

    Complaint · Pass

    5 general Show violations

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Food and non-food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed and maintained

      Inspector’s note: Observed loose rubber gaskets at the doors of the two door cooler; replace gaskets.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Floors: constructed per code, cleaned, good repair, coving installed, dust-less cleaning methods used

      Inspector’s note: Replace missing floor tile in center of kitchen floor where needed.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Walls, ceilings, attached equipment constructed per code: good repair, surfaces clean and dust-less cleaning methods

      Inspector’s note: Replace missing wall coving along wallbase behind the grease receptor in the kitchen at the three comp sink. Vents in the hooded system above the cooking equipment need cleaning; clean vents.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Lighting: required minimum foot-candles of light provided, fixtures shielded

      Inspector’s note: Observed two sets of lights in the kitchen without shields; provide light shields for the lights.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Ventilation: rooms and equipment vented as required: plumbing: installed and maintained

      Inspector’s note: Observed the hot water faucet at the three comp sink leaking and a leak from the center of the pipe under the three comp sink; repair. Both grease receptors in kitchen attached to the sinks need to be cleaned and painted; clean and paint both grease receptors.

22. Sep 30, 2013 Pass

    Canvass · Pass

    7 general Show violations

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Food and non-food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed and maintained

      Inspector’s note: New cutting boards needed at sushi counter. Must replace and maintain.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Food and non-food contact equipment utensils clean, free of abrasive detergents

      Inspector’s note: The following in need of cleaning: cooking equipment, reach in cooler, prep sinks and hand sinks. Must clean and maintain at all times.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Floors: constructed per code, cleaned, good repair, coving installed, dust-less cleaning methods used

      Inspector’s note: Floors through out prep area in need of cleaning through out. Under and around all cooking equipment. Floor tiles in need of replacing where missing. Coving in need of replcing under bar area. Must correct and maintain at all times.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Walls, ceilings, attached equipment constructed per code: good repair, surfaces clean and dust-less cleaning methods

      Inspector’s note: Walls and ceiling in need of cleaning to remove all splatter. Must clean and maintain at all times.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Lighting: required minimum foot-candles of light provided, fixtures shielded

      Inspector’s note: Light in need of shielding in prep area. Must correct and maintain at all times.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Ventilation: rooms and equipment vented as required: plumbing: installed and maintained

      Inspector’s note: Ventilation unit above cooking equipment in need of cleaning to remove all grease build up. The following plumbing issues in need of correcting: leak at p-trap at hand sink, leak at p-trap and at faucet 1 comp sink, leak at faucet at 3 comp sink. Must correct and maintain at all times.

    • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

      Linen: clean and soiled properly stored

      Inspector’s note: All clean linen must be organized and stored away from dirty linen. Must correct and maintain at all times.

23. Sep 20, 2013 No Entry

    Canvass · No Entry

    No violations