Baba's Famous Steak & Lemonade
2101 E 71st ST, Chicago, IL 60649
Restaurant ZIP 60649 Risk 1 (High)
Passed · as of May 7, 2026
Baba's Famous Steak & Lemonade was last inspected on May 7, 2026 with a result of “Pass”. Inspectors found 5 violations, including signs of pests.
Latest inspection
May 7, 2026 · Complaint
Result: Pass
5 general-
GeneralPests
Insects, rodents, or animals were present, or the building wasn’t sealed against them.
Inspector’s note: 6-202.13 observed insect traps hanging in the rear over the 3 compartment sink. Instructed to remove and only allow pest control to install all pest traps.
Official wording (code 38)
Insects, rodents, & animals not present
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GeneralHygiene & sanitation
Staff personal cleanliness was inadequate.
Inspector’s note: 2-402.11 observed one male food handler without a hair restraint. Instructed to provide for all male food handlers.
Official wording (code 40)
Personal cleanliness
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment and surfaces were dirty.
Inspector’s note: 4-601.11 observed excessive grease and food debris in the interior of the fryers. Instructed to clean.
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: 6-501.12 observed floors under and behind the fryers with excessive accumulated food and grease debris. Observed debris on the walls located by the handwashing sink. Instructed to clean all.
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: 6-501.114 observed crates in the rear being used to store items on. Observed clutter on the shelves in the toilet room. Instructed to remove and provide adequate shelving and organize shelves in the toilet room.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspection history
7 inspections on record
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Pass
Canvass · Pass
4 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 the front entrance door not completely rodent proof at bottom; instructed to seal 1/4 inch gap at bottom of door and maintain.
Official wording (code 38)
Insects, rodents, & animals not present
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment and surfaces were dirty.
Inspector’s note: Instructed to clean and maintaint the following: interiors of refrigeration units, exterior surfaces of grill and fryers, clean area underneath grill to remove grease, clean bottom area of fryers, clean rolling cart and prep tables at bottom area.
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: Instructed to clean and maintain the following: floors around under and behind cooking and other equipment, walls around and behind kitchen equipment, ceiling vents where needed, vent fan cover in washroom on ceiling, interior of utility sink.
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: Observed several water stained ceiling tile; replace stained ceiling tile where needed.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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Pass
Canvass Re-Inspection · Pass
No violations
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Fail
Canvass · Fail
1 critical6 general1 paperwork 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: No employee health policies 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 7-38-010 violaion citation issued.
Official wording (code 3)
Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting
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GeneralFood handling
Food wasn’t labeled or wasn’t in its original container.
Inspector’s note: Bulk storage containers not labeled as required; instructed to label containers with name of product inside of container.
Official wording (code 37)
Food properly labeled; original container
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GeneralPests
Insects, rodents, or animals were present, or the building wasn’t sealed against them.
Inspector’s note: Observed rodent activity on premises. Found 80 or more mouse droppings on the floor behind the ice machine, on the window ledge in cooking area, on the floor around cooking equipment and in the bottom of the fryers. Instructed to clean all areas and have pest control company service prior to reinspection next week. Priority foundation violation 7-38-020(a) citation issued.
Official wording (code 38)
Insects, rodents, & animals not present
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment and surfaces were dirty.
Inspector’s note: Instructed to clean and maintain the following: interior panel of ice machine, exterior surfaces of grill and fryers, underneath fryers and grill, prep tables.
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: Observed multiple boxes in front of rear exit door; instructed to remove and also remove items stored inside of the utility sink.
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: Instructed to clean the floors under around and behind cooking and other equipment, in dishwashing area underneath the sinks and in areas where droppings observed. Also clean walls and ceilings in areas where needed and clean pipes above the electrical box in dishwashing area to remove dust.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.
Inspector’s note: The vents in the hooded system above the grlll and fryers need cleaning; clean vents.
Official wording (code 56)
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
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PaperworkManagement & training
Not all food employees had food-handler training.
Inspector’s note: Observed expired food handler certificates; instructed to have all food handlers obtain valid certificates.
Official wording (code 57)
All food employees have food handler training
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Pass
Complaint · Pass
5 general Show violations
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment and surfaces were dirty.
Inspector’s note: Nstructed to clean the following: exterior and bottom interior surfaces of fryers, exterior and interiors of refrigeration units, bottoms of prep tables and wheels attached to fryer and grill to remove excessive grease. Also defrost and clean the interior of all deep freezers.
Official wording (code 49)
Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.
Inspector’s note: Observed a leaky pipe under the front hand sink. Must repair and maintain.
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: Observed the washroom door not self closing. Instructed manager to provide and maintain a self closing device.
Official wording (code 53)
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Observed the floor, walls, ceiling and attached pipping behind the cooking dirty with grease,debris and food splatter. Must detail clean more frequently to prevent possible food source for pests.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Observed ceiling tiles in poor repair through out. Must replace and maintain.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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Conditional
Canvass · Pass w/ Conditions
1 critical9 general1 paperwork Show violations
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CriticalManagement & training
No written plan or kit for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea.
Inspector’s note: Premises has no procedures or supplies for responding to vomiting and/or diarrhea events as required. Instructed manager to comply or more citations will follow. Priority foundation citation issued #7-38-005.
Official wording (code 5)
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
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GeneralFood handling
Food wasn’t protected from contamination during prep, storage, or display.
Inspector’s note: Observed open/unwrap food items inside of the deep freezer. Instructed manager to properly store foods inside food grade container to prevent possible contamination.
Official wording (code 39)
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
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GeneralFood handling
Wiping cloths weren’t used or stored properly.
Inspector’s note: Observed wiping clothes lying on prep table and counter tops. Must properly store wiping clothes in sanitizing solution when not in use.
Official wording (code 41)
Wiping cloths: properly used & stored
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment and surfaces were dirty.
Inspector’s note: Nstructed to clean the following: exterior and bottom interior surfaces of fryers, exterior surface of grill, interiors of refrigeration units, interior panel of ice machine, bottoms of prep tables and wheels attached to fryer and grill to remove excessive grease. Also defrost and clean the interior of all deep freezers.
Official wording (code 49)
Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.
Inspector’s note: Observed the front hand sink with a slow drain. 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: Floors need detail cleaning through out premises to remove spills,debris and/or grease.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Noted walls behind prep stations dirty. Must detail clean wall through out to remove food splatter and/or grease.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Observed damaged ceiling tiles and missing vent cover in the front prep area. Must provide and maintain.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Observed garbage piled up at the rear exit door. Must remove and maintain garbage to prevent harborage.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
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GeneralRepeat violation
A previously cited basic violation still wasn’t fixed.
Inspector’s note: OBSERVED PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION (58) ALLERGEN TRAINING NOT CORRECTED FROM REPORT #2497866 DATE 4-6-21. Violation Codes: 2-102.13 Inspector Comments: INSTRUCTED MANAGER THAT ALL CITY CERTIFIED MANAGERS MUST HAVE ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED OR CITATION WILL FOLLOW. PRIORITY FOUNDATION CITATION ISSUED #7-42-090.
Official wording (code 60)
Previous core violation corrected
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PaperworkManagement & training
Required allergen training was missing.
Inspector’s note: See violation #60
Official wording (code 58)
Allergen training as required
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Conditional
License · Pass w/ Conditions
1 critical4 general1 paperwork Show violations
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CriticalManagement & training
No written plan or kit for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea.
Inspector’s note: Premises has no procedures or supplies for responding to vomiting and/or diarrhea events as required. Instructed manager to comply or citations will follow. Priority foundation violation #7-38-005.
Official wording (code 5)
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Equipment and surfaces were dirty.
Inspector’s note: Instructed to clean the following: exterior and bottom interior surfaces of fryers, exterior surface of grill, interiors of refrigeration units, interior panel of ice machine, bottoms of prep tables and wheels attached to fryer and grill to remove excessive grease.
Official wording (code 49)
Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Floors need detail cleaning through out especially behind and around cooking equipment.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.
Inspector’s note: Observed damaged ceiling tiles trough out premises. Must replace and maintain.
Official wording (code 55)
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
-
GeneralFacility upkeep
Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.
Inspector’s note: Must detail clean the filters and hood above the cooking equipment to remove grease build up.
Official wording (code 56)
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
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PaperworkManagement & training
Required allergen training was missing.
Inspector’s note: Instructed manager that all city certified managers must have allergen training as required or citation will follow.
Official wording (code 58)
Allergen training as required
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More in ZIP 60649
Source: Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) open data, refreshed hourly. Last inspection 6 months ago. Always confirm with the official record.