State and county food inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and grocery stores for hundreds of food-safety violations in the past month.
Inspectors at the state, city and county levels reported numerous issues over the past several weeks, including moldy and expired food, insect activity and dirty kitchens.
The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which oversees statewide food-establishment inspections, released these findings.
Below are some of the most serious violations documented at Iowa restaurants, stores, care facilities and other businesses between Oct. 10, 2025, and Nov. 13, 2025. Earlier this year, DIAL began withholding inspection reports from public disclosure for eight days after each inspection.
The department notes that inspection reports represent a snapshot in time, and many violations are corrected before inspectors leave the establishment. For full inspection reports and additional details, visit the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing website.
El Senor Cactus, 1534 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City — During a Nov. 13 visit, a Johnson County inspector found the internal temperature of the restaurant’s grilled chicken reached only 152 degrees. Staff removed it from service and recooked it to 165 degrees. The house-made Cancun sauce had been kept longer than the seven-day limit and was discarded.
The inspector also found prepared foods and sauces in a cooler without date-markings, and vacuum-sealed frozen fish thawing inside sealed packaging, which can hide signs of spoilage.
Two containers of raw chicken were left thawing at room temperature, cooked beans were stored on the kitchen floor, and debris had built up in the microwaves and the interior of the two-door cooler.
La Mich Grocery, 1215-1221 Franklin St., Waterloo — A Black Hawk County inspector cited this store for 12 risk-factor violations during a Nov. 13 visit, noting an empty sanitizing solution in the three-bay sink, an expired food-safety certification and food prepared days earlier holding at 45 to 48 degrees. Staff discarded the items.
Salsa in the retail cooler lacked date-markings, and a designated handwashing sink in the meat-deli area contained meat debris. The inspector also noted the business was not date-marking items correctly, and enchilada sauce and maize de pozole were kept past their seven-day shelf life. Cooked items were cooled in large, sealed containers, slowing the cooling process.
St. Ambrose University Cafeteria, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport — A Scott County inspector visiting on Nov. 12 found blocked handwashing sinks and food items dated Oct. 24, indicating they had been held 19 days, far beyond the seven-day limit.
An open bag of lettuce was undated, raw chicken was stored above ready-to-eat items, and food-prep coolers had excess food debris. Similar buildup was found on pop dispensers and the salad station cooler.
The walk-in cooler and allergy-station spinach lacked date-markings, and homemade salad dressing was undated. The large mixer had rust and peeling paint, and the kitchen floor was peeling and deteriorating.
Jersey Grille, 5255 Jersey Ridge Road, Davenport — During a Nov. 10 visit, a Scott County inspector noted poor handwashing practices and multiple foods held past their discard dates.
The ice machine and fountain drink machine contained debris, four handwashing sinks lacked paper towels, and the walk-in freezer compressor leaked fluid onto food and packaging. Inspectors also found food stored on the floor, missing date-labels, soy sauce held at room temperature, discolored and rotting apples, and heavy whipping cream dated Aug. 26 still being served. Vacuum-sealed frozen fish was thawing improperly. The area under grills and fryers, oven trays, ceiling and vent hoods were covered with dust and debris.
La Leona, 2075 John F. Kennedy Road, Dubuque — During a Nov. 7 preopening inspection, a Dubuque inspector cited nine risk-factor violations and denied the business a license pending reinspection.
The ice machine had a layer of dust and debris, handwashing sinks were missing from several areas, no sinks had soap and food-contact surfaces were dusty. The inspector noted the entire restaurant needed a more thorough cleaning.
Gordie’s Bar & Grill, 108 13th St., Centerville — On Nov. 6, a regional inspector found lettuce dated Oct. 17 and a can of Raid Ant & Roach Killer, which is not approved for commercial kitchens. Sliced cheese and diced tomatoes lacked date-markings, and the kitchen had no thermometer to check food temperatures.
Izumi Sushi & Hibachi, 941 E. San Marnan Drive, Waterloo — A Black Hawk County inspector found 14 risk-factor violations during a Nov. 4 visit. Sushi rice was not marked with a discard time, the ice machine had buildup, raw meat was stored above ready-to-eat sushi ingredients and a food handler rinsed gloved hands instead of washing them.
Another food handler breaded raw shrimp and then handled ready-to-eat crab rangoon without washing their hands. Sushi fish was thawed while still vacuum-sealed, no thermometer could be found, gnats were near the beer taps, soy-sauce buckets were reused for storage and the walk-in freezer had ice buildup.
Buchona’s Sports Bar & Grill, 229 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids — A Linn County inspector noted during a Nov. 3 visit that staff failed to sanitize dishes properly or date-mark any food in the kitchen. Some cooler items lacked covers, leaving them exposed. The inspector also found mold on shredded cheddar cheese.
Legends American Grill, 1425 W. 19th St., Newton — A state inspector visiting Nov. 3 found expired food items, including au jus dated Nov. 1, and sauteed onions and salsa dated Oct. 31. Equipment and utensils were not sanitized as required, and debris was found inside the ice machine.
Baxter’s Grocery & Grill, 108 E. Main St., Fremont — During an Oct. 29 visit, the inspector found no date-markings on any items in the coolers and reported the establishment lacked a date-marking policy. The ice machine interior was unclean, and hot-holding foods — including marinara sauce at 120 degrees and beans at 127 degrees — were reheated to 165 degrees. Chicken thawed in standing water, coolers had no thermometers and the kitchen floors, walls and ceiling were not clean.
S & K Gas and Food, 18820 Bellevue Cascade Road, Zwingle — A state inspector cited 10 risk-factor violations during an Oct. 29 visit. A bucket labeled “transmission oil” was air-drying alongside kitchen utensils, and containers of precooked hamburgers, sausages and egg patties lacked date-markings.
The handwashing sink was used for storage, and no certified food protection manager records were on file. The manager agreed to have a certified person on staff by April 29, 2026. The business was last inspected in October 2020.
The Corner Lounge, aka TNT Services, 207 E. Main St., Belmond — On Oct. 27, an inspector found cooked roast beef sitting at room temperature at 97 degrees. It was discarded.
The kitchen handwashing sink was blocked, the make-table refrigerator was not working and ham was holding at 58 degrees while sliced tomatoes were at 63 degrees. The walk-in cooler was not cooling properly, with cooked beef at 46 degrees and cooked chicken at 45 degrees.
The inspector noted many foods were discarded and several items lacked date-markings. Dead insects were found throughout the kitchen and dishwashing areas, and containers of cooked food were sitting directly on the walk-in cooler floor. The stove, oven, walls and floors were unclean.
Jack Trice Stadium, Iowa State University, 1800 4th St., Ames — This inspection occurred Oct. 25 during the ISU vs. BYU football game. The inspector noted a soiled ice machine at the Sweet & Savory concession, and a lack of sanitizing fluid at Campbell’s Corndogs. Tom’s Coffee stored items in a handwashing sink.
Several concessionaires held food below 135 degrees, including taco meat at 79 degrees, pizza at 113 to 116 degrees and pizza at 110 to 120 degrees. Items were discarded or reheated to 165 degrees.
Carlos Quesadillas lacked hot water at the start of the inspection. Some vendors were not tracking internal food temperatures or recording times when food left temperature control. At Victory Bell, hot dogs were thawing at room temperature.
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