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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.

R J Grunts

Restaurant

2054-2056 N Lincoln Park West, Chicago, IL 60614

Lincoln Park

Aug 24, 2026 — Complaint inspection

Fail

Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

Dishwasher handled dirty and clean dishes bare-handed without washing hands between tasks.

Key Findings

  • Dishwasher touched dirty dishes with bare hands, then unloaded clean dishes without washing hands in between.
  • Frozen turkey burgers were improperly thawed on a food rack at 25.1°F instead of under refrigeration.
  • Multiple previous violations from May 2026 remain uncorrected, including unlabeled bulk flour, floor-stored dry goods, and missing food manager allergen training certificates.
  • No proof of food handler training provided for required employees; basement hand washing and three-compartment sinks have blackened caulking that needs replacement; cardboard and towels were used as floor matting at the cook's line.

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 #8 — HANDS CLEAN & PROPERLY WASHED
Inspector's Notes:

OBSERVED THE DISHWASHER HANDLING DIRTY DISHES WITH BARE HANDS AT THE DISH WASHING MACHINE THEN UNLOAD THE CLEAN DISHES WITHOUT WASHING HANDS BETWEEN TASKS. REVIEWED GOOD HYGIENIC PRACTICES WITH MANAGEMENT AND WHEN TO WASH HANDS OR PROPER GLOVE USE. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-010 CITATION ISSUED.

Violation code #35 — APPROVED THAWING METHODS USED
Inspector's Notes:

NOTED IMPROPERLY THAWING OF FROZEN TURKEY BURGERS ON A FOOD RACK ON THE COOKS LINE. REVIEWED PROPER THAWING METHODS AND INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE AND CONTINUE THE THAWING PROCESS UNDER REFRIGERATION. BURGERS NOTED AT 25.1F.

Viewing inspection from Aug 24, 2026 · Show current spotlight →

Inspection History

R J Grunts has had 9 inspections in the last 5 years with a 78% pass rate. Last inspection was on Aug 31, 2026.

Aug 31, 2026Pass

Complaint Re-Inspection — A follow-up to confirm complaint-related violations were fixed.

Aug 24, 2026FailVIEWING NOW

Complaint — Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

6 violations
May 19, 2026Pass

Complaint — Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

7 violations