⚠️ Recent Failed Inspections ⚠️

MELI CAFE ON DEARBORN

500 S DEARBORN ST, CHICAGO, IL 60605

Type: Restaurant

Risk Level: Risk 1 (High)

🍽️ Cuisine: American

📍 Neighborhood: Hyde Park

License #: 2294320

21
Total Inspections
11
Passed
4
Failed
6
Conditional
PASS W/ CONDITIONS
Last Result

Inspection History

PASS W/ CONDITIONS Risk 1 (High)

May 21, 2025 Inspection

May 21, 2025• Complaint• 9 violations

Violation: 2. CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE - Comments: OBSERVED NO CERTIFIED MANAGER FROM 8:30AM TO 9:00AM WHILE TCS FOODS SUCH AS CHICKEN, EGGS WERE PREPARED AND SERVED. AT 9:00AM CERTIFI...(+8 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Feb 5, 2025 Inspection

February 5, 2025• Canvass Re-Inspection• 1 violation

Violation: 47. FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED - Comments: 4-201.11 FOUND THAT ALL THREE BUILT-IN STOPPERS LOCATED AT THE 3-COMPARTMENT SINK ARE INOPERAB...

FAIL Risk 1 (High)

Jan 24, 2025 Inspection

January 24, 2025• Canvass• 5 violations

Violation: 15. FOOD SEPARATED AND PROTECTED - Comments: OBSERVED INADEQUATE FOOD STORAGE PRACTICIES. OBSERVED RAW CHICKEN STORED OVER POTATOES. FOOD SHALL BE PROTECTED FROM CROSS CONTAMINATION BY ARRANGING ALL F...(+4 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Oct 1, 2024 Inspection

October 1, 2024• Complaint• 3 violations

Violation: 37. FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER - Comments: Bulk food containers ( sugar, salt) not labeled. Instructed to label and maintain.(+2 more)

PASS W/ CONDITIONS Risk 1 (High)

May 6, 2024 Inspection

May 6, 2024• Canvass• 3 violations

Violation: 16. FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES: CLEANED & SANITIZED - Comments: High Temp dish machine not sanitizing at final rinse, 120f final rinse temp, no Chemical sanitizer provided neither. Machine was being us...(+2 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Jan 24, 2023 Inspection

January 24, 2023• Canvass Re-Inspection• 2 violations

Violation: 36. THERMOMETERS PROVIDED & ACCURATE - Comments: 4-204.112(B) OBSERVED NO THERMOMETER IN A REFRIGERATION UNIT LOCATED AT THE FRONT FOOD PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE THERMOMETERS IN ALL REFRIGE...(+1 more)

FAIL Risk 1 (High)

Jan 17, 2023 Inspection

January 17, 2023• Canvass• 8 violations

Violation: 16. FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES: CLEANED & SANITIZED - Comments: 4-501.114 OBSERVED A LOW TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE NOT PROPERLY SANITIZING AT 0PPM OF SANITIZING SOLUTION AND A HIGH TEMPERATURE DISH MACH...(+7 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Jan 31, 2022 Inspection

January 31, 2022• Canvass• 6 violations

Violation: 37. FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER - Comments: ALL BULK FOOD CONTAINERS MUST BE LABELED WITH COMMODITY NAME. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN(+5 more)

PASS W/ CONDITIONS Risk 1 (High)

Nov 2, 2021 Inspection

November 2, 2021• Canvass• 9 violations

Violation: 10. ADEQUATE HANDWASHING SINKS PROPERLY SUPPLIED AND ACCESSIBLE - Comments: OBSERVED NO HAND WASHING SIGNAGE AT THE FOLLOWING HAND SINKS: FRONT FOOD PREP AREA, REAR FOOD PREP AREA, DISH AREA. INSTRUCT...(+8 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Jan 14, 2020 Inspection

January 14, 2020• Canvass• 2 violations

Violation: 49. NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN - Comments: OBSERVED THE UPPER INTERIOR OF THE ICE MACHINE IN NEED OF CLEANING; CLEAN UPPER INTERIOR OF MACHINE. CLEAN BOTTOM AREA OF FRYER AND INTERIOR SURFAC...(+1 more)

PASS W/ CONDITIONS Risk 1 (High)

Feb 14, 2019 Inspection

February 14, 2019• Canvass• 14 violations

Violation: 3. MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING - Comments: OBSERVED NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. MUST PROVIDE PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38...(+13 more)

FAIL Risk 1 (High)

Apr 25, 2018 Inspection

April 25, 2018• Canvass• 4 violations

Violation: 18. NO EVIDENCE OF RODENT OR INSECT OUTER OPENINGS PROTECTED/RODENT PROOFED, A WRITTEN LOG SHALL BE MAINTAINED AVAILABLE TO THE INSPECTORS - Comments: OBSERVED ABOUT 20 SMALL FLIES ON THE CEILING LOCA...(+3 more)

PASS W/ CONDITIONS Risk 1 (High)

May 24, 2017 Inspection

May 24, 2017• Canvass• 9 violations

Violation: 2. FACILITIES TO MAINTAIN PROPER TEMPERATURE - Comments: FOUND THE TALL 2-DOOR STAINLESS STEEL REACH IN COOLER NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE REQUIRED TEMPERATURE OF 40F OR LOWER. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS 45...(+8 more)

PASS W/ CONDITIONS Risk 1 (High)

Dec 16, 2016 Inspection

December 16, 2016• Canvass• 2 violations

Violation: 8. SANITIZING RINSE FOR EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS: CLEAN, PROPER TEMPERATURE, CONCENTRATION, EXPOSURE TIME - Comments: High temp dish machine not sanitizing properly. found final rinse temp at 130f whil...(+1 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

May 4, 2016 Inspection

May 4, 2016• Canvass• 1 violation

Violation: 30. FOOD IN ORIGINAL CONTAINER, PROPERLY LABELED: CUSTOMER ADVISORY POSTED AS NEEDED - Comments: LOOSE WIRES ON FOOD STRAINERS, INSTRUCTED TO USE SOUND UTENSILS.

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Sep 3, 2015 Inspection

September 3, 2015• Canvass Re-Inspection• 1 violation

Violation: 36. LIGHTING: REQUIRED MINIMUM FOOT-CANDLES OF LIGHT PROVIDED, FIXTURES SHIELDED - Comments: OBSERVED THE LIGHT SHIELD BROKEN ABOVE THE DISH ROOM SPRAYER HEAD SINK. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN A...

FAIL Risk 1 (High)

Aug 27, 2015 Inspection

August 27, 2015• Canvass• 4 violations

Violation: 18. NO EVIDENCE OF RODENT OR INSECT OUTER OPENINGS PROTECTED/RODENT PROOFED, A WRITTEN LOG SHALL BE MAINTAINED AVAILABLE TO THE INSPECTORS - Comments: OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY 40 LIVE FRUIT FLIES ON THE...(+3 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Dec 4, 2014 Inspection

December 4, 2014• Canvass• 5 violations

Violation: 32. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED AND MAINTAINED - Comments: RUBBER GASKETS NEEDED AT ALL REACH IN COOLERS. MUST REPLACE AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.(+4 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Jul 22, 2014 Inspection

July 22, 2014• Canvass• 6 violations

Violation: 31. CLEAN MULTI-USE UTENSILS AND SINGLE SERVICE ARTICLES PROPERLY STORED: NO REUSE OF SINGLE SERVICE ARTICLES - Comments: ALL MULTI USE ARTICLES MUST BE STORED IN A CLEAN SANITIZED LOCATION. MUST COR...(+5 more)

PASS Risk 1 (High)

Dec 9, 2013 Inspection

December 9, 2013• License• 3 violations

Violation: 34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED - Comments: REMOVE RUST FROM FLOORS ON THE RIGHT SIDE BY THE 2-COMP. SINK IN THE REAR PREP ARE...(+2 more)

Health Department Contact

Department: Chicago Department of Public Health

Division: Food Protection Program

Report Issues: Call 311 or File Online

More Information: Chicago Food Protection

Data sourced from Chicago Open Data Portal - Chicago Department of Public Health inspections