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IsTheKitchenClean displays publicly available food inspection data from the Chicago Department of Public Health. Trending rankings and summaries are automated interpretations of that data and are not official health department assessments. Inspection findings reflect conditions at a specific point in time and may not represent current conditions at a restaurant.

Lito's Tamales

Restaurant

4242 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60639

Northwest Side

May 14, 2024 โ€” Canvass inspection

Conditional

A routine, unannounced visit by a city health inspector.

No certified food manager on site during food preparation; multiple critical hygiene and storage violations found.

Key Findings

  • No certified manager present for 25 minutes while chicken tamales were being prepared; manager arrived at 11:00 AM.
  • Hand washing sink in prep area blocked by a container and lacked paper towels.
  • No verifiable employee health policy on file; inspector provided template.
  • Food items stored directly on floor in walk-in cooler; employee preparing food without hair restraint.

Key findings are derived directly from the inspector's notes from the Chicago Department of Public Health. See the full violation notes below.

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Violation code #2 โ€” CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE SANITATION CERTIFICATE
Inspector's Notes:

OBSERVED NO CERTIFIED MANAGER FROM 10:35AM TO 11:0AM WHILE TCS FOODS SUCH AS CHICKEN TAMALES WERE PREPARED. AT 11:00AM CERTIFIED MANAGER JOSE PARADA ARRIVED ON SITE. INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN EMPLOYEE HOLDING CITY OF CHICAGO FOODSERVICE MANAGER CERTIFICATE ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.

Violation code #3 โ€” MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING
Inspector's Notes:

OBSERVED NO VERIFIABLE EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE AT TIME OF INSPECTION. LEFT TEMPLATE AND INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN COPIES OF VERIFIABLE HEALTH POLICY SIGNED BY ALL EMPLOYEES ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-010. CITATION ISSUED.

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Inspection History

Lito's Tamales has had 7 inspections in the last 5 years with a 50% pass rate. Last inspection was on Jul 27, 2026.

Standout inspection
Jul 27, 2026Fail

Canvass โ€” A routine, unannounced visit by a city health inspector.

13 violations
Nov 6, 2025Pass

Canvass Re-Inspection โ€” A follow-up to confirm violations from a routine visit were fixed.

Oct 23, 2025Fail

Canvass โ€” A routine, unannounced visit by a city health inspector.

12 violations
May 14, 2024ConditionalVIEWING NOW

Canvass โ€” A routine, unannounced visit by a city health inspector.

14 violations
Nov 6, 2023Pass

License Re-Inspection โ€” A follow-up to confirm license-inspection violations were fixed.

9 violations
Standout inspection
Oct 30, 2023Fail

License โ€” Required before the city issues a business license.

14 violations
Oct 19, 2023No Entry

License โ€” Required before the city issues a business license.