Several Phoenix-area spots just scored the kind of publicity no restaurant wants, landing on this week’s Dirty Dining roundup after county health inspectors logged problems ranging from sketchy food temps to sloppy handwashing and even pest sightings. On the list: big-name chains, neighborhood joints and a supermarket deli, all cited for risk-factor violations that inspectors say can boost the odds of foodborne illness.
Arizona's Family pulled the latest batch from Maricopa County inspection logs and highlighted El Taco Tote in Phoenix, a Circle K in Gilbert, China Way in Chandler, Legacy Retirement Residence in Mesa and Lee Lee International Supermarket in Chandler, among others. Inspectors documented issues like workers handling food right after touching their hair, chicken cooked below safe temperatures and open packages kept past their use-by date. According to Arizona's Family, most of the places called out logged three to four risk-factor violations on their most recent visit.
What Inspectors Found
Inspection notes describe raw meat stored next to ready-to-eat items, sanitizer solutions and dishwashers running at the wrong strength, moldy or spoiled produce, and food sitting at unsafe hot or cold temperatures. County officials treat those kinds of slip-ups as higher-risk because they can directly set the stage for foodborne illness.
Why "Risk-Factor" Violations Matter And How To Check
Per Maricopa County's grade-card guidance, "Priority items (P) are directly related to foodborne illness," which covers problems like skipping handwashing or failing to keep food hot or cold enough. The county posts full inspection write-ups on its Maricopa County Restaurant Ratings portal, where you can search by business name or address, read the inspector’s notes and see whether violations were fixed on the spot. The same portal shows if any open problems triggered a reinspection date or further enforcement.
A Recurring Pattern
This week’s list looks a lot like earlier Dirty Dining lineups that called out moldy ice, cross-contamination and handwashing lapses all over the Valley. Hoodline has been following these weekly roundups and has noted that TV stations pull the details directly from county logs; see our earlier coverage of moldy ice for context.
WBTV has also posted a short video version of the same inspection highlights. If your go-to spot pops up on a Dirty Dining segment, keep in mind that many operators correct violations immediately or during reinspection. A quick look at Maricopa County's Restaurant Ratings portal can show the latest follow-up notes before you decide whether to keep it in your rotation.
