State, city and county inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past several weeks, including offenses related to moldy food, expired meat, cockroaches and rodents.
The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level.
Listed below are some of the more serious findings that stem from inspections at Iowa restaurants, stores, care facilities and other businesses between Feb. 28, 2026, and April 3, 2026. (Last year, DIAL began withholding from public disclosure all food-safety inspection reports for eight days past the date of inspection.)
The inspections department reminds the public that its reports are a “snapshot” in time, and violations are often corrected on the spot before the inspector leaves the establishment. For a more complete list of all inspections, along with additional details on each of the inspections listed below, visit the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing’s website.
Gog Dynasty Buffet, 5388 Elmore Ave., Davenport — During an April 2 visit, a Scott County inspector cited this establishment for 16 risk-factor violations, an exceptionally high number that included several repeat violations. The inspector concluded management of the establishment was not ensuring that food was cooked and held at safe temperatures, and was not ensuring that employees were trained in how to use time and temperature controls to ensure food safety.
“Staff observed not washing hands after returning to the kitchen after taking out the trash,” the inspector noted. “Staff observed transporting raw shrimp in a strainer and trailing raw shrimp liquid onto the floor. Staff observed taking plastic wrap from the garbage and then going to place it back on chicken wings. Inspector intervened.”
The restaurant was not keeping shell-stock identification tags that are used to trace the origin of shellfish in the event of contamination or an outbreak, workers throughout the restaurant were seen failing to change their single-use gloves between tasks or when leaving their work stations, and raw shrimp was “coming off of the wok cooked to 128 to 130 degrees” rather than the minimum of 145 degrees.
In addition, chicken wings, wontons, dumplings, and chicken skewers on the hot buffet line all measured below 135 degrees, which was not hot enough to ensure their safety, and cooked chicken was left sitting out at room temperature and then measured at 78 to 82 degrees.
The inspector also noted there were two refrigeration units holding various food items at temperatures above the maximum of 41 degrees, while a walk-in cooler used to store ready-to-eat products was holding food at 48 degrees. The food from the coolers was discarded. In addition, all of the sushi products were measured at above the maximum of 41 degrees, and the restaurant was not recording the time at which sushi rice and rolled sushi products were either prepared or needed to be discarded – a repeat violation.
The inspector also observed that the dishwashing machine was operating with no detectable levels of chlorine sanitizing solution and some of the handwashing sinks were not equipped with soap. The inspector also reported that the plastic bins used to store various “packaged, powdered sugary items” contained “dead insects.”
The visit was in response to a non-illness complaint from a customer who alleged they had “found a worm in their food.” The owner of the restaurant “confirmed the incident occurred,” the inspector reported, adding, “There are no signs of other worms, nor did the inspector find worms in other food or dry-storage area.”
Steak ’n Shake, 5229 Elmore Ave., Davenport — During an April 3 visit, a Scott County inspector reported the staff at the restaurant “could not verify” the presence of any certified food protection managers. The inspector also noted that food stored in a cooler near the grill measured 48 degrees, which was too warm to ensure the food’s safety, and so the tomatoes and lettuce stored there were discarded.
Also, several buckets of sanitizing solution that were in use did not have a sufficient concentration of sanitizing fluid, and several metal pans stored as “clean” had visible leftover food debris on them, as did a produce dicer.
“Shelving in the walk-in cooler has excess grime and debris,” the inspector reported. “Metal cups on the ice cream/shake station had leftover shake residue.” In addition, a handwashing sink near the grill was leaking water onto the floor.
Trattoria Fresco, 511 4th St., Sioux City — During an April 2 visit, a Siouxland District Health Department inspector noted that rice cooked days prior to the inspection had yet to cool to 41 degrees, was measured at 52 degrees, and had to be discarded. Also, mozzarella cheese, raw chicken and raw veal were stored at 51 to 62 degrees and had to be discarded.
Several cooked and prepared dishes had no date-markings to ensure freshness and safety, and there was no detectable amount of sanitizing solution being used in the dishwashing machine. Also, the ice machine was visibly soiled, and there was a can of Raid insect killer on hand, despite it not being approved for use in commercial establishments.
Comfort Inn & Suites, 1630 W St., Grinnell — During an April 1 visit, a state inspector cited this business for nine food-safety violations – an unusually high number for a hotel with limited food service. The inspector noted that several items that required refrigeration were held at temperatures well above the maximum of 41 degrees, including chocolate waffle mix at 73 degrees, regular waffle mix at 61 degrees, and dairy-based whipped toppings at 64 degrees. All of the items were discarded.
In addition, the product being used to sanitize items had no detectable level of sanitizing solution in it, the interior of the beverage dispenser was reported to be “not clean,” and there was no soap or paper towels at the handwashing sink. Also, the doors and interiors of the cupboards used for food storage were described as “not clean,” and the hotel had failed to post its previous inspection report.
Maloney’s Pub, 239 N. 2nd St., Eldridge — During a March 31 visit, a Scott County inspector noted that raw eggs were stored in direct contact with lettuce inside a walk-in cooler, risking cross-contamination. Also, baked chicken was being maintained in a hot-holding unit at 108 to 111 degrees, which was too cool to ensure safety, and macaroni and cheese was being held at only 98 degrees. Both the chicken and the macaroni were discarded.
In addition, multiple food products had no dates of preparation to ensure freshness and safety, and several food products had been held past their seven-day discard date. Also, the fryer cabinets, the floor below the fryers, and the walk-in cooler were all marred by what the inspector described as “dust, debris and gunk.”
Subway, 801 S. Riverside Drive, Iowa City — During a March 30 visit, a Johnson County inspector reported the restaurant was not employing a certified food protection manager as required. Also, the inspector observed an employee who failed to wash their hands before donning gloves and handling food, and noted that multiple items in the food-preparation cooler — including cheese, chicken, deli meats, tuna mixture and sliced tomatoes — were all holding at 45 to 50 degrees rather than 41 degrees or colder.
The inspector also reported that the chemical dishwashing machine had no detectable levels of sanitizing solution in it and the handwashing sink in the food-serving area was not supplied with hot water. In addition, the current food license and the most recent inspection report were not posted as required.
Ohana Grill, 207 E. 2nd St., Ottumwa — During a March 27 visit, a state inspector concluded the person in charge was not fulfilling their duties as evidenced by the number of risk-factor violations related to employee training, cross-contamination risks, the date-marking of food items, hot-holding temperatures of food, and the cleaning and sanitizing of food-contact surfaces.
The inspector observed that Spam and rice wraps were being held at 88 degrees, not hot enough to ensure their safety, and had to be discarded. In addition, flan that was being held at 68 degrees had to be discarded.
“There does not appear to be a date-marking policy in place at this time as no product was observed with a date,” the inspector reported. In addition, the kitchen handwashing sink had no soap and no paper towels, chicken was left to thaw inside a sink, and the hot-holding unit and the reach-in coolers had no thermometers for temperature monitoring.
The inspector also reported that the condenser inside the reach-in cooler was dripping water, leaving the shell eggs that were on the bottom shelf standing in water. In addition, the dry-storage area was “being used as a sleeping quarters,” and the ceiling above the stove was soiled. “Establishment does not have a ventilation system for their stovetop, new fryer and flat-top grill,” the inspector added. The eatery was given to July 2, 2026, to have a certified food protection manager on staff.
Acapulco Mexican Bakery #2, 1937 Keokuk St., Iowa City — During a March 26 visit, a Johnson County inspector determined that not all of the people in charge were certified food protection managers as required. Also, the inspector concluded the person in charge was not fulfilling their duties or asserting active managerial control of food-safety practices as evidenced by violations related to handwashing, sanitizing, and inadequate food-safety training for the staff.
“Cooking time and temperature controls were not effectively overseen,” the inspector reported. “Eggs were stored at room temperature near the cashier counter, with an ambient temperature 72 degrees.”
Also, chicken and pork tamales were prepared and stored on racks and were measured at 57 degrees and 53 degrees, and none of the food containers in the cold-holding units were marked as to their dates of preparation, opening or discarding.
In addition, two containers of pork feet were observed thawing in standing water — one on the floor, and another in a sink. The inspector also noted that the establishment did not have a working, thin-tipped probe thermometer to measure the temperature of any of the cooked, cooling, cold, and hot-held foods.
Rudy’s Tacos, 3111 Devil’s Glen Road, Bettendorf — During a March 26 visit, a Scott County inspector observed a worker handling ready-to-eat tacos with their bare hands. Also, several food items in the coolers had no date-markings on them to ensure freshness and safety, and the high-temperature dishwashing machine was not working.
The interiors of the microwave ovens and regular ovens were marred by excess food debris, as was the exterior of other kitchen equipment, the speed rack in the kitchen, the ceiling tiles and vents, and the flooring under all of the kitchen equipment.
The visit was in response to complaint from a customer who alleged they became ill after eating at the establishment. The complaint was deemed unverified.
F B & Company, 4185 Whittier Road, Central City — During a March 25 visit, a Linn County inspector noted the staff failed to wash their hands between tasks the restaurant had eggs on hand from an unapproved source. Also, there was homemade, canned barbecue sauce on hand, and the handwashing sink was blocked by fly swatters. “Rodents observed in traps in kitchen area,” the inspector noted.
Azteca #4, 3566 N. Brady St., Davenport — During a March 19 visit, a Scott County inspector reported seeing one live cockroach in the bar area; one live, juvenile cockroach on the wall behind an oven, and a number of dead roaches in the vicinity of the dishwashing machine and in the storage room.
The inspector also noted that sugar and various spices were being kept in “large buckets without lids” in the storage room. An employee failed to wash their hands and change gloves after returning to the kitchen from taking out the trash, and one cooler was keeping food at 44 to 55 degrees – too warm to ensure the safety of the food inside. Also, cheese was left “sitting in a container at room temperature” and was measured at 52 degrees, and cilantro, onions, and limes were sitting in containers without enough ice, and were 57 to 64 degrees.
In addition, raw chicken was left sitting out at room temperature and was measured at 43 to 46 degrees; salsa in the designated salsa cooler was measured at 47 degrees; and several pans of queso, along with several large plastic containers of various salsas, had no date-markings to ensure freshness and safety.
The inspector also observed that the fountain-drink machine and the knives stored on the knife rack were marred with debris of some kind. Also, fish in vacuum-sealed packaging had not been removed from the package prior to thawing, increasing the risk that any spoilage would go undetected.
“Kitchen and bar floors each (marred) with debris and gunk,” the inspector reported. “Three-compartment sink faucet is leaking in several areas.”
The visit was in response to a complaint about cockroaches in both the bar and service areas. The complainant also alleged there were mouse and rat droppings “all over the facility.” While the inspector reported no evidence of mice or rats, the complaint was deemed verified.
Basil and Vine, 1025 Utica Ridge Road, Bettendorf — During a March 19 visit, a Scott County inspector observed an employee slicing ready-to-eat meats on a slicer using their bare hands. Also, meat products placed in the hot-holding unit were measured at only 85 degree — too cool to ensure their safety — and so the products were reheated to 165 degrees before being placed back in the hot-holding unit.
The inspector also reported finding several containers of pizza sauces and minced garlic that were not refrigerated as required and which had to be discarded. Also, all of the food stored in a cooler that was operating at temperatures of between 48 to 50 degrees had to be discarded, as did “several pounds of butter” that was left unrefrigerated and which was measured at 70 degrees.
“Several food items in the coolers and walk-in cooler not date-marked,” the inspector reported. “Meat slicer had dry food debris on it.”
El Fredo Pizza, 523 W. 19th St., Sioux City — During a March 18 visit, a Siouxland District Health Department inspector found a half-eaten doughnut above a toaster in the kitchen and discovered “mold growing on ravioli in the reach-in cooler with a date-mark of Jan. 31.”
The kitchen staff discarded the ravioli. In addition, the inspector reported finding prepared lasagna sitting on a counter at 56 degrees. The lasagna was then placed back inside a cooler for storage. One cooler had an ambient temperature of 45 degrees — too warm to keep the contents safe — and there were sliced tomatoes and mayonnaise-based salads in the walk-in cooler that were measured at 54 to 56 degrees.
Also, the restaurant was not discarding food items that had been held seven days or more, the inspector reported, adding that he had found lasagna and commercially processed ham dated March 7, as well as ravioli dated Feb. 17. In addition, the inspector reported finding homemade garlic butter dated Feb. 22 inside the walk-in cooler.
“Ware-washing room has flying bugs around the clean dishes,” the inspector reported. “Discussed insect control. Facility is working with a pest control company. That company did provide the facility with a spray to use down the drains. Person in charge stated the spray was helping the situation.”
Los Portales #2, 1012 E. Kimberly Road, Davenport — During a March 11 visit, a Scott County inspector found a “container of moldy sauce” stored inside the walk-in cooler, as well as a “container of standing tomato water.” The moldy sauce and the tomato water were discarded.
The inspector also reported finding raw shrimp stored above cheese, and raw beef stored above vegetables, inside a cooler, risking cross-contamination.
“Multiple foods uncovered in the establishment,” the inspector reported, adding that several food items were also being held outside acceptable temperature ranges. Rice sitting on a table was measured at 106 degrees, and pork was hot-holding on a grill at 88 degrees.
“Knives, knife rack, can opener, can-opener holder, and pop dispensers in the bar (marred) with debris and gunk,” the inspector reported. “Raw beef thawing on prep table in the back room.”
