Fiesta Tamaleria El Barrio
1820 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Restaurant ZIP 60608 Risk 1 (High)
Passed · as of Nov 25, 2025
Fiesta Tamaleria El Barrio was last inspected on November 25, 2025 with a result of “Pass”. Inspectors found 2 violations.
Latest inspection
November 25, 2025 · Canvass
Result: Pass
2 general-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment and surfaces were dirty.
Inspector’s note: Must clean the interior of the prep cooler and shelving inside the walk in cooler. Also defrost and clean the interior of the walk in freezer.
Official wording (code 49)
Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Floors need cleaning in the basement and inside the walk in cooler to remove spills and/or debris.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspection history
9 inspections on record
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Pass
Short Form Complaint · Pass
6 general Show violations
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GeneralPests
Insects, rodents, or animals were present, or the building wasn’t sealed against them.
Inspector’s note: 6-202.15 observed an appx. 1" gap at the door base of the basement door.must make door tight fitting.
Official wording (code 38)
Insects, rodents, & animals not present
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment or surfaces were in poor repair or made of material that can’t be cleaned.
Inspector’s note: 4-501.12 observed cutting boards with open seams and dark stains. Must refinish or replace damaged or stained cutting boards.
Official wording (code 47)
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment or surfaces were in poor repair or made of material that can’t be cleaned.
Inspector’s note: 4-202.16 noted some use of milk crates for elevation in the kitchen area, dishwashing area, and dry storage area. Instructed not to use milk crates for elevation to prevent hiding places for pest. Must provides appropriate shelving for storage. All food items must also be stored 6" away from the wall.
Official wording (code 47)
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: 6-501.114 noted clutter of equipment and other unused items on floors in the basement storage room.must elevate all items to allow cleaning and remove all unnecessary items.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: 6-201.13 the missing wall at the baseboard line in the basement prep area must replace the wall and baseboard coving. Hole in the ceiling of the adult washroom. Must seal/repair.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: 6-201.16 observed chipped paint on the ceiling in the basement prep area. Instructed to resurface and repaint chipped areas to ensure walls are sealed, smooth and easily cleanable.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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Pass
Canvass · Pass
6 general Show violations
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GeneralPests
Insects, rodents, or animals were present, or the building wasn’t sealed against them.
Inspector’s note: Observed an appx. 1" gap at the door base of basement door.must make door tight fitting.
Official wording (code 38)
Insects, rodents, & animals not present
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment or surfaces were in poor repair or made of material that can’t be cleaned.
Inspector’s note: Cutting boards with open seams and dark stains. Must refinish or replace damaged or stained cutting boards.
Official wording (code 47)
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment or surfaces were in poor repair or made of material that can’t be cleaned.
Inspector’s note: Noted some use of milk crates for elevation at the kitchen area, dishwashing area, and dry storage area. Instructed not to use milk crates for elevation to prevent hiding places for pest. Must provide appropriate shelving for storage. All food items must also be stored 6" away from the wall
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: Noted clutter of equipment and other unused items on floors in basement storage room.must elevate all items to allow cleaning and remove all unnecessary items.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Missing wall at the baseboard line in basement prep area must replace the wall and baseboard coving.hole in the ceiling of the adult washroom. Must seal/repair.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Observed chipped paint on the ceiling in the basement prep area. Instructed to resurface and repaint chipped areas to ensure walls are sealed, smooth and easily cleanable.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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Pass
Canvass · Pass
3 general1 paperwork Show violations
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GeneralFood temperature
Thermometers were missing or inaccurate.
Inspector’s note: Observed no ambient air thermometer inside the 1-door cooler located in the basement. Must provide and maintain.
Official wording (code 36)
Thermometers provided & accurate
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Dishwashing equipment wasn’t set up, maintained, or used correctly.
Inspector’s note: Observed a pot in the dish area too large to be submerged in the 3-compartment sink. Instructed to remove large dishes that are too large to be submerged in the 3-compartment sink from premises or provide a written alternative warewashing procedure that states how the facility will wash, rinse, and sanitize large dishes. Management removed the pot from the premises.
Official wording (code 48)
Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Toilet rooms weren’t built, stocked, or cleaned properly.
Inspector’s note: Observed no self-closing device on the washroom door. Instructed management that all washroom doors must be completely enclosed and provided with tight fitting and self-closing doors.
Official wording (code 53)
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
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PaperworkManagement & training
Required allergen training was missing.
Inspector’s note: Observed an expired allergen training certificate. Instructed management that all city of chicago food managers must complete allergen training and maintain valid certificates on site.
Official wording (code 58)
Allergen training as required
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Pass
Canvass · Pass
3 general Show violations
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GeneralFood handling
Food wasn’t labeled or wasn’t in its original container.
Inspector’s note: 3-302.12 observed no labels on the dry storage containers located in the basement. Instructed to provide.
Official wording (code 37)
Food properly labeled; original container
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GeneralFood handling
Single-use items weren’t stored or used properly.
Inspector’s note: 4-502.13 observed single service items being used for dry food storage. Instructed not to reuse single service items for food storage.
Official wording (code 45)
Single-use/single-service articles: properly stored & used
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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.
Official wording (code 51)
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
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Pass
Canvass · Pass
2 general Show violations
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.
Inspector’s note: Observed a leaky pipe underneath the 3 comp sink (last compartment). Must repair and maintain.
Official wording (code 51)
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Observed water stained ceiling tile in the front dining area. Must replace and maintain.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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Conditional
Canvass · Pass w/ Conditions
1 critical1 general Show violations
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CriticalManagement & training
Staff weren’t trained on, or didn’t follow, the rules for reporting illness.
Inspector’s note: 2-102.14(o) observed no employee health policy on site. Instructed to provide. Priority foundation 7-38-010.
Official wording (code 3)
Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting
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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.
Official wording (code 51)
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
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Pass
License Re-Inspection · Pass
No violations
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Fail
License · Fail
4 critical3 general Show violations
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CriticalManagement & training
Staff weren’t trained on, or didn’t follow, the rules for reporting illness.
Inspector’s note: 2-102.14(o) observed no employee health policy. Instructed to provide. Priority foundation 7-38-010.
Official wording (code 3)
Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting
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CriticalManagement & training
No written plan or kit for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea.
Inspector’s note: 2-501.11 observed no written procedure nor adequate supplies on site to properly respond to vomit and diarrhea events that can potentially occur inside of the facility. Priority foundation 7-38-005.
Official wording (code 5)
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
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CriticalHygiene & sanitation
Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked with soap and towels.
Inspector’s note: 5-204.11 observed no hand washing sink in the basement food prep area. Instructed to install an additional hand washing sink in the basement food prep area. Priority foundation 7-38-030(c).
Official wording (code 10)
Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
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CriticalFood handling
Food wasn’t protected from contamination during prep, storage, or display.
Inspector’s note: 3-306.11 observed no adequate separation between the 1st floor food prep area and the customer dining/serving area. Instructed to provide adequate separation that is at least 6ft in height around the 1st floor food prep area. Priority violation. 7-38-005.
Official wording (code 39)
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.
Inspector’s note: 5-203.13 observed no service sink on site. Instructed to install a service sink with a floor drain.
Official wording (code 51)
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.
Inspector’s note: 5-205.15 observed a minor leak under the far right compartment of the 3 compartment sink. Instructed to repair.
Official wording (code 51)
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Toilet rooms weren’t built, stocked, or cleaned properly.
Inspector’s note: 5-501.17 observed no closed receptacle inside of the toilet room. Instructed to provide.
Official wording (code 53)
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
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More in ZIP 60608
Source: Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) open data, refreshed hourly. Last inspection 11 months ago. Always confirm with the official record.