What is Essence OF India's health inspection score?

Essence OF India has a SafeDine safety score of 86 out of 100 (Grade A). This score is calculated from official government health inspection data, factoring in violation severity, recency, and trends.

When was Essence OF India last inspected?

Essence OF India was last inspected on November 19, 2025. SafeDine tracks official health department inspections and updates scores automatically.

How many health violations does Essence OF India have?

Essence OF India has 17 total violations across 6 inspections on record. Violations are categorized by severity: high priority, intermediate, and basic.

Is Essence OF India safe to eat at?

Yes, Essence OF India has an excellent safety record with a score of 86/100. This indicates strong compliance with health and safety standards.

What type of cuisine does Essence OF India serve?

Essence OF India serves Indian cuisine. Visit their SafeDine page for safety scores, inspection history, and more details.

Official Health Record

Essence OF India

Name: Essence OF India
Address: 4601 N LINCOLN AVE, Chicago, 60625
Rating: 86

4601 N LINCOLN AVE, Chicago

Last Inspected: 11/19/2025

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0Excellent

Indian•Lincoln Square

Ranked #133 of 447 in Lincoln SquareBetter than 91% of indian restaurants

Declining

6 inspections

Last: Nov 19, 2025

high confidence

Directions Order

Inspections

33%

Clean Rate

2.8

Avg Violations

5 months ago

Last Inspected

Top Concerns

Most common issues from recent inspections

Cross-contamination

Raw and cooked foods not properly separated

Employee hygiene

Personal hygiene practices not followed

Other violation

Regulatory compliance issue

Facility condition

Building maintenance or structural issues

Food labeling

Food not properly labeled or dated

Score Analysis

How the SafeDine score is calculated

Live Data Feed

Starting Score

100

Total Deductions

-14

Final Score

Impact Breakdown

High Priority

-0 pts

Direct health hazards • 10 pts each

Intermediate

-3 pts

Potential hazards • 5 pts each

Basic

-8 pts

Best practices • 2 pts each

Inspection Timeline

-10 pts

Latest

100% weight

100

2nd

60% weight

3rd

30% weight

How scoring works: Every restaurant starts at 100 points. Points are deducted for violations found during inspections.

Recent inspections are weighted more heavily. High priority violations (direct health hazards) have the greatest impact.

Location

4601 N LINCOLN AVE, Chicago, IL 60625

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Violation Timeline

Oct 2022

1 inspections

4 basic

Oct

Nov 2023

2 inspections

1 basic

May 2024

1 inspections

1 intermediate

3 basic

May

Nov 2025

2 inspections

1 intermediate

7 basic

Inspection History

6 records on file

4 Canvass2 Non-Inspection

Nov 25

Canvass InspectionLatestPass

1 Med7 Basic

8 total

81/100inspection score

−19 pts

Intermediate (1)

−5 pts

37FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER−5
ALL BULK FOOD CONTAINERS IN THE DRY FOOD STORAGE AND BULK SPICES ON THE COOKS LINE NOT STORED IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER MUST BE LABELED WITH THE PRODUCT COMMON NAME.

Basic (7)

−14 pts

39CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY−2
MUST PROVIDE A SPLASH GUARD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE KITCHEN HAND WASHING SINK BETWEEN THE SINK AND STORED DISHES/SPICES.
40PERSONAL CLEANLINESS−2
NOTED ALL OF THE KITCHEN STAFF WITHOUT BEARD RESTRAINTS. MUST PROVIDE AT ALL TIMES.
49NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN−2
MUST NOT USE TINFOIL AS LINER INSIDE THE COOKS LINE SMALL COOLER OR CLOTH TOWELS AS LINER ON THE TOP OF THE SAME COOLER. MUST BE SMOOTH AND CLEANABLE SURFACE.----NOTED INTERIOR OF THE COOKS LINE COOLER DIRTY WITH FOOD SPILLAGE AND DEBRIS. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
49NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN−2
NOTED EXTREMELY DIRTY AND DAMAGED PLASTIC SPICE CONTAINERS ON TOP SHELVING ON THE COOKS LINE. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
MUST NOT USE CARDBOARD AS MATTING FOR FLOORS. MUST NOT USE CLOTH CARPETING MATS IN THE KITCHEN OR DISH AREAS OF THE KITCHEN.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
ALL UNNECESSARY ITEMS STORED THROUGHOUT THE BASEMENT MUST BE REMOVED TO PREVENT PEST HARBORING AND ALL OTHER NEEDED ITEMS FOR THE BUSINESS MUST BE STORED ELEVATED AND ORGANIZED.
57ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING−2
NOTED EXPIRED FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATES. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE VALID FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATES FOR ALL REQUIRED EMPLOYEES.

Base deductions−19 pts

Nov 25

Non-Inspection InspectionCleanNo Entry

No violations

100/100inspection score

May 24

Canvass InspectionPass

1 Med3 Basic

4 total

89/100inspection score

−11 pts

Intermediate (1)

−5 pts

37FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER−5
OBSERVED BULK CONTAINERS IN REAR DRY STORAGE ROOM WITHOUT A LABEL.INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE THE COMMON NAME ON ALL BULK CONTAINERS TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY ITEM (SALT, SUGAR, FLOUR ETC).

Basic (3)

−6 pts

44UTENSILS, EQUIPMENT & LINENS: PROPERLY STORED, DRIED, & HANDLED−2
INSTRUCTED TO PROPERLY STORE AND INVERT KITCHENWARE MULTI-USE UTENSILS (SPOONS,FORKS,KNIVES ETC.)TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION BEFORE USE (HANDLES-UP).
47FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED−2
OBSERVED A TORN DOOR GASKET INSIDE OF THE KITCHEN 2 DOOR STAND-UP COOLER. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE THE TORN DOOR GASKET AND MAINTAIN.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
OBSERVED MISSING SECTION OF CEILING OVER THE KITCHEN 2 DOOR STAND-UP COOLER.INSTRCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN CEILING SO THAT IT IS SMOOTH,EASILY CLEANABLE SURFACE.

Base deductions−11 pts

Nov 23

Canvass InspectionPass

1 Basic

1 total

98/100inspection score

−2 pts

Basic (1)

−2 pts

47FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED−2
OBSERVED RACKS ABOVE 3 COMPARTMENT SINK WITH SLIGHT RUST BUILD UP. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO REPAINT RACKS

Base deductions−2 pts

Nov 23

Non-Inspection InspectionCleanNo Entry

No violations

100/100inspection score

Oct 22

Canvass InspectionPass

4 Basic

4 total

92/100inspection score

−8 pts

Basic (4)

−8 pts

47FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED−2
INSTRUCTED TO TRANSFER FOOD PRODUCTS FROM AN OPEN ORIGINAL CAN CONTAINER (COCNUT MILK, TOMATO SAUCE ETC) INTO FOOD GRADE CONTAINER FOR PROPER FOOD STORAGE.
49NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN−2
INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN THE FOLLOWING: INTERIOR SURFACES OF 3 COMPARTMENT BAR SINK BEHIND THE FRONT BAR, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES OF PREP COOLER AND REACH-IN COOLERS, SHELVINGS WITH GREASE ACCUMULATION, STORAGE RACKS INSIDE COOLERS, EXTERIOR SURFACES OF FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS/BINS OR REPLACE AND STORAGE SHELVES IN REAR STORAGE AREA.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN FLOORS ALONG THE WALLS AND IN ALL CORNERS THROUGHOUT BASEMENT STORAGE AREA. MUST REORGANIZE AND REMOVE ALL UNNECESSARY ITEMS TO PREVENT PEST HARBORAGE.
57ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING−2
FOOD HANDLERS WITH INCOMPLETE PROOF FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE CERTIFICATE FOR EACH EMPLOYEE.

Base deductions−8 pts

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Data source: Chicago CDPH · Official government inspection records

Grading System

85 – 100

Excellent

70 – 84

Good

Below 70

Fair

About SafeDine Scores

Scores are calculated using official government inspection data. High Priority violations (direct health hazards) have the greatest impact, followed by Intermediate and Basic violations. Community reviews can adjust the score by up to 5 points when 3+ reviews are submitted.

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