Li'l Jo's BBQ on Maynardville Highway flunked a routine health inspection this week after inspectors reported a string of sanitation problems and ordered prepared food tossed. According to the inspection report, about eight pounds of potato salad and two pounds of smoked chicken were discarded, and the restaurant walked away with a failing score of 65. Staff were written up for poor hand-hygiene practices, and several items in the cooler had no date marks. A follow-up visit later found the biggest issues fixed.
What inspectors found
As reported by WATE, the inspection notes that the person in charge "was unable to answer some basic questions about food safety" and that a worker was spotted eating in the kitchen over the food-preparation table. Inspectors also found no soap at the hand sink and observed a kitchen employee enter the kitchen and skip the sink entirely, which led them to require the potato salad and smoked chicken to be thrown out as a precaution.
Why date marking and handwashing matter
Federal food-safety guidance treats date marking and handwashing as basic defenses against illness because refrigerated ready-to-eat foods can carry harmful bacteria if they sit too long in the cooler, and unwashed hands are a classic route for cross-contamination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says ready-to-eat, time/temperature-control foods should not be kept more than seven days (CDC), and the FDA Food Code spells out when and how food workers are supposed to wash their hands and what sinks and soap must be available.
Follow-up inspection and local context
Inspectors later returned for a re-inspection and reported that the critical violations had been addressed, which bumped the score up to 92, according to WATE. Public records show Li'l Jo's earned a 91 on another inspection in 2024, suggesting the failing score was an outlier compared with the restaurant's recent history, per City-Data.
What diners should do
If you recently ate at Li'l Jo's and start feeling sick with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, contact your health care provider and notify the Union County Health Department. The county posts environmental-health contacts and guidance online, and customers can call the local health director's office for more details (Union County Health Director).
The episode is a reminder that small lapses, like missing date labels, no soap at a sink, or one pair of unwashed hands, can be enough to tank a score and force prepared food straight into the garbage. Li'l Jo's appears to have corrected the most serious problems at re-inspection, but anyone who wants extra reassurance can review the latest reports or call the health department before ordering a plate of barbecue.
