JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville locations of two major franchises and two local restaurants made the Department of Business and Professional Regulations list for restaurants forced to temporarily shutdown last week.
All but one reopened with a perfect score, making for a very impressive turnaround for some.
Ho-Ho Restaurant on Lem Turner Road in Jacksonville
Once commonly described by Google reviewers as “The best Chinese food on the Northside,” Ho-Ho Restaurant on Lem Turner Road in Jacksonville made a turn for the worst last week on Thursday, September 30.
An inspector with the Department of Business and Professional Regulations shut the restaurant down due to emergency and immediate risk for food-borne illnesses.
Among its 15 violations, the restaurant was cited for 134 rodent droppings and 3 live flies. It also received 4 violations related to improper storage or separation of raw and cooked meats and seafood.
Quick to recover, the inspector returned the next day and couldn’t find a single violation at the restaurant.
RESTAURANT REPORTS: Failing inspection | Perfect inspection
Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q on Norwood Avenue in Jacksonville
The Norwood Avenue location of the Jacksonville-born franchise, Bonos, made the emergency shutdown list this week, too.
During a routine inspection last Thursday, an inspector found 42 rodent droppings, 18 dead roaches, and 7 violations related to the cleanliness or condition of surfaces and equipment.
It was briefly shut down Wednesday, September 29, but reopened the next day.
RESTAURANT REPORTS: Failing inspection | Perfect inspection
Crispy Links Café inside the Florida Bureau of Statistics in Jacksonville
If you’ve been to the office of the Florida Bureau of Statistics lately in Jacksonville, you may have seen or visited the Crispy Links Café.
The café is located inside the government building where people commonly go to retrieve birth and/or death certificates.
An inspector shut down the restaurant though after finding 41 dead roaches, and 12 live ones. The report also shows 22 rodent droppings were found.
It reopened the next day.
RESTAURANT REPORTS: Failing inspection | Perfect inspection
Sonic Drive-In on Fruit Cove Road in St. Johns
The Sonic in St. Johns was closed briefly Wednesday, September
At a routine inspection, it received several violations and was ordered to shut down due to wastewater backing up through floor drains.
During a follow-up inspection, the draining issue was fixed, but several other violations were not. The violations were not serious enough to keep the restaurant closed. It was allowed to reopen.
RESTAURANT REPORTS: Failing inspection | Passing inspection
News4Jax monitors restaurant inspections in District 5 every week with the Division of Hotels and Restaurants under the Department of Business and Professional Regulations.
District 5 covers Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, and Union Counties.
You can search your favorite restaurants anywhere in the state and their most recent inspections in DBPR’s licensing portal. You can also file a complaint against a restaurant that may be violating health and safety standards.