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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.

Tony's Finer Foods

Grocery

5233 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

North Side

Jan 12, 2024 — Complaint inspection

Conditional

Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

No certified food manager on site while handling chicken, soup, and other potentially hazardous foods.

Key Findings

  • No certified food service manager present during preparation and handling of potentially hazardous foods like chicken, soup, rice, and pizzas—a priority foundation violation.
  • Hand washing sinks in bakery and produce prep areas lacked paper towels or hand drying devices while food handlers were actively working.
  • Mold-like buildup found on storage racks inside the egg cooler and dust accumulation on walk-in cooler fan covers.
  • Stained cutting boards in main kitchen and seafood prep areas require resurfacing or replacement, and a water leak detected under meat department hand sink needs repair.

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 #49 — NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN
Inspector's Notes:

INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN THE STORAGE RACKS INSIDE THE ISLE EGG COOLER TO REMOVE MOLD LIKE BUILD-UP AND REMOVE ACCUMULATION OF DUSTS ON FAN COVERS IN ALL WALK-IN-COOLERS AND MANTAIN.

Violation code #1 — PERSON IN CHARGE PRESENT, DEMONSTRATES KNOWLEDGE, AND PERFORMS DUTIES
Inspector's Notes:

OBSERVED NO PERSON IN CHARGE PRESENT WITH CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED MANAGER CERTIFICATE.

Viewing inspection from Jan 12, 2024 · Show current spotlight →

Inspection History

Tony's Finer Foods has had 12 inspections in the last 5 years with a 83% pass rate. Last inspection was on Oct 13, 2026.

Oct 13, 2026Pass

Short Form Complaint — A shorter, targeted check prompted by a public complaint.

1 violation
Oct 7, 2026Pass

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

1 violation
Sep 30, 2026Fail

Complaint — Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

10 violations
Mar 17, 2026Pass

Canvass — A routine, unannounced visit by a city health inspector.

5 violations
Sep 9, 2025Pass

Complaint — Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

4 violations
Aug 4, 2025Pass

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

1 violation
Standout inspection
Jul 23, 2025Fail

Canvass — A routine, unannounced visit by a city health inspector.

12 violations
Dec 4, 2024Conditional

Complaint — Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

7 violations
Jan 12, 2024ConditionalVIEWING NOW

Complaint — Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

9 violations
Apr 19, 2023Conditional

Complaint — Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

4 violations
Oct 5, 2022Pass

Short Form Complaint — A shorter, targeted check prompted by a public complaint.

7 violations
Jul 18, 2022Conditional

Complaint — Triggered by a public complaint about this restaurant.

8 violations