Food Safety Report: Midtown Athletic Club And Hotel, 2444 N Elston Ave, Chicago, Il, USA.

Chicago, 60647 Illinois, United States

Report date: Nov 20, 2025
6. Proper eating, tasting, drinking, or tobacco use
- comments: found a food employee drinking from a cup placing that cup on a cutting board in the rear prep area. Food employee eating meal at pizza station. Instructed management that employees must consume beverages/food in designated areas or put a lid on cup to prevent contamination of food, equipment, utensils, etc.

10. Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
- comments: observed handwashing sink along the main cook line in central kitchen area inaccessible, used to store in-use utensils under running water and obstructed by utensil containers noted dishes also stored right under soap dispenser. Instructed to relocate utensils and containers and dishes from handwashing sink and cease use of handwashing sink to store in-use utensils. Instructed to maintain handwashing sinks accessible for handwashing by food employees and free from obstructions at all times. Person-in-charge relocated all items obstructing handwashing sink at time of inspection. Priority foundation violation. 7-38-030(c) citation issued

10. Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
- comments: observed the following sinks not maintained with hot water: improper temperature of hot water observed at prep handsink (63f), and employee washroom handsink (72. 8f). Instructed person in charge hot water at all hand washing sinks must be at least 100f. Service technician arrived on site and now all sinks are maintained between 102f - 105f. Priority violation #7-38-030(c). Citation issued.

10. Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
- comments: observed no handwashing signage in the washroom. A sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands shall be provided at all handwashing sinks used by food employees and shall be clearly visible to food employees. Instructed to provide.

16. Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized
- comments: observed interior of 3 ice machines with a build-up of black slime substance, dripping onto ice cubes stored at below ice bin. Ice is used for human consumption. Also black slime at exterior of unit between ice bin and top part of the unit. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005 citation issued.

16. Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized
- comments: observed high temperature warewashing machine not meeting hot water sanitizer requirements of at least 180f for thr final rinse temperature. Instructed not to use unit until reinspected by chicago department of health (cdph). Tagged unit. Priority violation #7-38-025. Citation issued.

22. Proper cold holding temperatures
- comments: noted internal temperatures of the following time/temperature control for safety food items inside reach-in cooler to be improper: grilled pineapple at 46. 3f, grilled chicken breast at 45. 8f, liquid egg in cold holding at 44. 8f, shelled raw egg at 50. 2f. Manager immediately and voluntarily disposed of 15 lbs of products worth $250. 00 through the denaturing process. Priority violation #7-38-005. Citation issued.

23. Proper date marking and disposition
- comments: observed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety (tcs) foods: grilled pineapple in reach-in cooler, cubes of cheese, roast beef (deli meat) in walk-in cooler not date marked to indicate the product's name and date in which the food must be sold, discarded or consumed within 7 days. Instructed to provide proper labels for date marking and discard date for refrigerated, ready-to-eat, tcs foods held over 24hrs placed in all cold-holding units priority foundation violation #7-38-005. Citation issued.

29. Compliance with variance/specialized process/haccp
- comments: observed facility not meeting compliance with variance/specialized process; facility in (rop) reduce oxygen packaging of cooked meat, etc. In prep kitchen area. Informed person in charge of requirements and facility must meet and maintain. Tag unit and food products. Priority violation 7-38-005 citation issued.

32. Variance obtained for specialized processing methods
- comments: noted a vacuum packaging machine on site and assorted food items inside the walk in cooler, walk-in freezer without out labels. Vacuum packaged with no proof of haccp or variance per health code requirement. Instructed management discontinue the vacuum packaging process until a variance and haccp are approved by the health department. Manager immediately and voluntarily disposed of 90 lbs of products worth $2,250. 00 through denaturing process. Priority foundation violation #7-38-005. Citation combined with violation# 29

37. Food properly labeled; original container
- comments: observed food storage containers without labels containing the common name of foods. Instructed to provide.

39. Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
- comments: observed food containers stored on the floor in the walk-in freezer and walk-in cooler, prep and storage areas. Instructed manager to properly store and protect food items from contamination while stored by elevating at least six inches from the floor on raised shelving units.

40. Personal cleanliness
- comments: observed food handlers not wearing beard restraints. Instructed to wear at all times when preparing food.

41. Wiping cloths: properly used & stored
- comments: observed wet wiping cloths on several prep surface areas. Instructed to properly store wiping cloths in a sanitizing solution between uses to prevent contamination of equipment & food. Must maintain

47. Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
- comments: observed cutting boards in the rear prep area with open seams and dark stains. Instructed to refinish or replace damaged or stained cutting boards and maintain at all times.

47. Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
- comments: observed milk crates being used as shelving throughout the prep and storage areas. Must remove and provide shelving that is 6" off the floor and provides floor accessibility to ensure adequate facility cleaning.

47. Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
- comments: observed aluminum foil as liner on cooking equipment and tables. Instructed to remove.

48. Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
- comments: observed facility without a chemical test kit for sanitizer or for ware washing area. Informed person in charge a test kit that accurately measures the concentration in mg/l of sanitizing solution must be provided. Priority foundation violation #7-38-005. Citation issued.

49. Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
- comments: observed the interior of the reach in and walk-in coolers in need of cleaning. Instructed to detail clean.

55. Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
- comments: observed food debris and spills on the floors and surfaces throughout the facility. Instructed to detail clean under all shelving units, interior of prep dish area, around dish machine, prep tables and all cooking equipment to remove spills, food debris, dirt buildup and/or grease. Instructed to increase cleaning frequency and maintain at all times.

55. Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
- comments: observed chipped/ cracking paint, and water damage in dry storage area. Instructed to resurface and repaint chipped areas to ensure walls are sealed, smooth and easily cleanable.

58. Allergen training as required
- comments: observed the city of chicago food certified manager with no proof of allergen training certificate. Instructed all city of chicago certified food managers obtain this certificate.

Source: chicago.gov