Concerned about where you’re eating? Restaurant inspection scores from Shelby County, Tennessee, are in, and some establishments didn’t quite make the grade between October 28th and November 3rd. Want these scores delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for WREG’s Newsletter! (Note: The provided links are not accessible.)
WREG compiles the highest and lowest scores weekly. You can find more scores from Shelby County and other Tennessee counties. (Note: The provided links are not accessible.)
Here’s a breakdown of the lowest-scoring restaurants:
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Happy Wok: (3685 North Watkins Street, Memphis, TN 38127) scored a 63. Violations included a dirty ice machine and can opener, a generally unclean facility, and a manager unaware of proper pest control procedures. There were also issues with food storage (raw chicken over soy sauce), lack of date marking, improper chemical storage, missing thermometer, uncovered and unlabeled food, rusty equipment, and damaged walls. The latest inspection wasn’t even posted! (Note: The provided link is not accessible.)
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Outback Steak House: (1110 North Germantown Parkway, Cordova, TN 38018) scored a 70. Violations included an employee wearing pajama bottoms and no hair net while cutting vegetables, employees not washing hands between tasks, a dirty ice scoop, a seasoned scoop in stagnant water, stained cutting boards, unlabeled chemical spray bottles, improper use of wiping cloths, food debris, water leaks, and a damaged exterior garbage can lid. (Note: The provided link is not accessible.)
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Church’s Fried Chicken: (2237 Frayser Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38127) also scored a 70. Violations included uncovered raw chicken, red slime in the ice machine, an ice scoop on a dirty floor drain, dirty and rusty exterior equipment, a lack of managerial control, a manager not wearing a hair restraint, excessive trash, damaged fencing, an open grease pit, a dirty men’s restroom, an open back door, a missing floor drain cover, a missing thermometer, toxic chemical storage, and a missing “no smoking” sign. (Note: The provided link is not accessible.)
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Sonic Drive-In: (3540 Covington Pike, Memphis, TN 38115) scored a 79. Violations included discolored lettuce, a leaking warewashing sink faucet, a food worker not washing hands after pulling up pants, a food worker’s inner clothing being exposed, a broken cold water handle, a broken toilet, and stagnant water on the floor. (Note: The provided link is not accessible.)
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Esco Memphis: (158 Lt. George West Lee Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103) scored an 83. Violations included dirty dishes stored with clean ones, no hot water, single-service items stored with personal belongings, blown lights, a dirty restroom, damaged seating, employees not washing hands after changing gloves, a missing handle on the salad cooler, and unlabeled spray containers. (Note: The provided link is not accessible.)
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Germantown Commissary: (2290 Germantown Road, Germantown, TN 38138) also scored an 83. Violations included pink buildup in the ice machine, stained cutting boards, missing tiles, a walk-in cooler not maintaining temperature, improperly stored wiping cloths, and plastic cups used as scoops. (Note: The provided link is not accessible.)
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Johnnie Mae’s Soul Cafe: (969 East McLemore Avenue, Memphis, TN 38106) scored an 85. Violations included no hand soap, an improperly labeled spray bottle, an open dumpster lid, a dirty floor, and food particles on shelves. (Note: The provided link is not accessible.)
Restaurants with scores of 100:
- B-Nicee Entertainment, 4715 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN, Memphis, TN 38116
- Guesthouse at Graceland Grab & Go, 3600 Elvis Presley, Memphis, TN 38116
- Pizza Hut, 714 North Germantown Parkway, Suite #5, Cordova, TN 38018
But here’s where it gets controversial… Do these inspection scores accurately reflect the overall quality of these restaurants? And this is the part most people miss… How much weight should we give to a single inspection? What are your thoughts on these findings? Share your opinions in the comments below!