Los Chepes

No violations were recorded at this inspection.

1. Oct 22, 2025 Pass

   Complaint · Pass

   1 critical2 general Show violations

   • CriticalHygiene & sanitation

     Staff were eating, drinking, or smoking where food is prepared.

     Inspector’s note: Observed food handler consuming a banana with gloves on in food prep area. Instructed managers that employees must consume beverages/food in designated areas to prevent contamination of food, equipment, and utensils.

     Official wording (code 6)

     Proper eating, tasting, drinking, or tobacco use

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Equipment or surfaces were in poor repair or made of material that can’t be cleaned.

     Inspector’s note: Observed cardboard used as liner under cooking equipment. Instructed to remove and maintain so as surface to be smooth and easily cleaanble

     Official wording (code 47)

     Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

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

     Inspector’s note: Missing cover on trash receptacle in toilet room. Instd to provide cover and maintain

     Official wording (code 53)

     Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned

2. Jun 11, 2025 Pass

   Canvass · Pass

   3 general Show violations

   • GeneralFood handling

     Food wasn’t protected from contamination during prep, storage, or display.

     Inspector’s note: Food storage containers on floor in walk in cooler. Instd to elevate 6 inches on proper shelving and maintain

     Official wording (code 39)

     Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display

   • GeneralFood handling

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

     Inspector’s note: Knives improperly stored inbetween prep table and prep cooler. Instd to store properly and maintain (ie, knife rack, on clean surface, etc)

     Official wording (code 44)

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

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Equipment or surfaces were in poor repair or made of material that can’t be cleaned.

     Inspector’s note: Ceramic/clay drinking cups on site. Instd to ensure cups are lead free or lead safe levels and maintain documentation of such on site; or remove cups from premise

     Official wording (code 47)

     Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used

3. Apr 15, 2024 Pass

   Canvass · Pass

   2 general Show violations

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

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

     Inspector’s note: Observed no covered receptacle in restroom in dining room area. Instructed person in charge to provide covered receptacle and maintain.

     Official wording (code 53)

     Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

     Inspector’s note: Observed items stored on the floor in the basement dry storage area and in the walk-in cooler. Instructed person in charge to organize all items and maintain at least six inches from the floor at all times.

     Official wording (code 55)

     Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

4. Jun 14, 2023 Pass

   Canvass Re-Inspection · Pass

   No violations

5. Jun 7, 2023 Fail

   Canvass · Fail

   3 critical6 general Show violations

   • CriticalFood handling

     Surfaces that touch food weren’t cleaned and sanitized.

     Inspector’s note: No sanitizer on site at the time of inspection to wash, rinse and sanitize cooking equipment. Instd to provide sanitzier. Priority violation. Citation issued 7-38-005. Person in charge provided chlorine sanitizer by end of inspection.

     Official wording (code 16)

     Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

   • CriticalFood temperature

     Cold food was held above a safe temperature.

     Inspector’s note: Observed improper cold holding tempertures in walk in cooler (cooked yesterday)) 10lbs of cooked refried beans at 63.3f and 15lbs of cooked tomatoes at : 52.0f . . Priority violation. Citation issued 7-38-005. Person in charge discarded beans and cooked tomatoes. Approx $100 value.

     Official wording (code 22)

     Proper cold holding temperatures

   • CriticalFood handling

     No warning to customers about raw or undercooked food.

     Inspector’s note: MISSING DISCLOSURE FOR CONSUMER ADVISORY ON THE MENU. INSTRUCTED TO DISCLOSE ON THE MENU WHICH FOODS ARE COOKED TO ORDER (EX. EGGS, STEAK) WITH AN ASTERISK NEXT TO THOSE SPECIFIC ITEMS; AND THEN BY ASTERISKING THEM TO A FOOTNOTE THAT STATES THESE ITEMS ARE SERVED UNDERCOOKED OR COOOKED TO ORDER OR CONTAIN (OR MAY CONTAIN) RAW OR UNDERCOOKED INGREDIENTS AND ALSO A REMINDER STATEMENT SUCH AS "Consuming raw or undercooked MEATS, POULTRY, seafood, shellfish, or EGGS may increase your RISK of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions" PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005

     Official wording (code 25)

     Consumer advisory provided for raw/undercooked food

   • GeneralFood temperature

     Thermometers were missing or inaccurate.

     Inspector’s note: Thermometer not provided to monitor hot holding unit for carnitas. Instd to provide thermometer.

     Official wording (code 36)

     Thermometers provided & accurate

   • GeneralPests

     Insects, rodents, or animals were present, or the building wasn’t sealed against them.

     Inspector’s note: OBSERVED APPROX. 50 RAT DROPPINGS SCATTERED ON THE GROUND IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS; THE BASEMENT STORAGE AREA, GARAGE DRY STORAGE AREA, AND ON THE GROUND SURROUNDING GREASE BINS OUTSIDE. INSTD TO SCHEDULE PEST CONTROL AND CLEAN AFFECTED AREAS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. CITATION ISSUED 7-38-020(a).

     Official wording (code 38)

     Insects, rodents, & animals not present

   • GeneralFood handling

     Wiping cloths weren’t used or stored properly.

     Inspector’s note: Obsevred wet in use wiping cloths stored on the counter in the wait staff beverage area. Instd to keep wipe cloths in proper sanitzing solution when not in use.

     Official wording (code 41)

     Wiping cloths: properly used & stored

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Equipment or surfaces were in poor repair or made of material that can’t be cleaned.

     Inspector’s note: Ceramic/clay drinking cups on site. Instd to ensure cups are lead free or lead safe levels and maintain documentation of such on site; or remove cups from premises

     Official wording (code 47)

     Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

     Inspector’s note: Observed wet mops stored inside of buckets in the rear hallway of facility. Instd to hang mops when not in use to allow to dry.

     Official wording (code 55)

     Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.

     Inspector’s note: No ventilation hood provided over flat top grill in rear prep area. Instd to provide ventilation or remove grill from premises.

     Official wording (code 56)

     Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used

6. Jul 19, 2021 Conditional

   Canvass · Pass w/ Conditions

   1 critical3 general1 paperwork Show violations

   • CriticalManagement & training

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

     Inspector’s note: Missing employee health policy. Instd to provide an employee acknowledged health policy and maintain on site. Priority foundation 7-38-010

     Official wording (code 3)

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

   • GeneralFood handling

     Food wasn’t labeled or wasn’t in its original container.

     Inspector’s note: Dry storage containers missing common name. Instd to label and maintain

     Official wording (code 37)

     Food properly labeled; original container

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.

     Inspector’s note: Handwash sink next to 3-compartment sink is loose from wall. Instd to repair and maintain tight fitting

     Official wording (code 51)

     Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

   • GeneralRepeat violation

     A previously cited basic violation still wasn’t fixed.

     Inspector’s note: Previous core violation from 4/22/19 report 2285520 not corrected. 58- missing allergen training for city of chicago certified manager certificates. Instd to obtain training and maintain certification on site

     Official wording (code 60)

     Previous core violation corrected

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: See 60

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

7. Apr 22, 2019 Conditional

   Canvass · Pass w/ Conditions

   4 critical1 general1 paperwork Show violations

   • CriticalManagement & training

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

     Inspector’s note: Observed no employee health policy on site. Must provide written employee health policy for all employees. Priority foundation violation.

     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: Observed no vomit and diarrhea clean up kit/procedure on site. Must provide written procedure for the clean up of vomit and diarrheal events, and corresponding equipment outline in procedure. Priority foundation violation.

     Official wording (code 5)

     Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events

   • CriticalFood temperature

     Cold food was held above a safe temperature.

     Inspector’s note: Observed tcs food at improper temperature in the front display cooler. Found uncooked beef @ 53.1f. Instructed all tcs foods must be held @ 41f or less at all times when in refrigeration. Operator voluntarily discarded approximately 5 lbs of denatured foods during inspection. Estimated value $5. Priority violation 7-38-005. Citation issued.

     Official wording (code 22)

     Proper cold holding temperatures

   • CriticalFood temperature

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

     Inspector’s note: Observed no labels on prepped tcs foods inside coolers. Must properly label all prepped tcs foods with discard date no more than 7 day from preparation date. Must correct and maintain same. Priority foundation violation.

     Official wording (code 23)

     Proper date marking and disposition

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.

     Inspector’s note: Observed slow draining hand sink in rear prep area. Must repair and maintain same.

     Official wording (code 51)

     Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: Observed no proof of allergen training on site. Must provide proof of allergen training for all chicago certified food managers.

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

8. Jun 28, 2018 Pass

   License Re-Inspection · Pass

   No violations

9. Jun 22, 2018 Fail

   License · Fail

   1 critical3 general Show violations

   • CriticalCritical (pre-2018 form)

     Adequate number, convenient, accessible, designed, and maintained

     Inspector’s note: No handsink in basement employee toilet room. Instd to install handsink with hot/cold running water under city pressure.

   • GeneralSerious (pre-2018 form)

     Food protected during storage, preparation, display, service and transportation

     Inspector’s note: No barrier at front prep counter where carnitas will be prepared and served (cutting board, knives, scale) also no barrier at front prep area where steam table located. Instd to provide proper barrier. Violation 7-38-005a serious.

   • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

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

     Inspector’s note: Missing splashguards at rear exposed handsink inbetween prep table and 3-compartment sink. Instd to provide and maintain. Provide mechanical ventilation in basement toilet room.

   • GeneralMinor (pre-2018 form)

     Refrigeration and metal stem thermometers provided and conspicuous

     Inspector’s note: Missing metal stem thermometers for food handlers. Instd to provide and maintain.