What is Cafe EL Meson's health inspection score?

Cafe EL Meson has a SafeDine safety score of 90 out of 100 (Grade A). This score is calculated from official government health inspection data, factoring in violation severity, recency, and trends.

When was Cafe EL Meson last inspected?

Cafe EL Meson was last inspected on October 9, 2025. SafeDine tracks official health department inspections and updates scores automatically.

How many health violations does Cafe EL Meson have?

Cafe EL Meson has 15 total violations across 4 inspections on record. Violations are categorized by severity: high priority, intermediate, and basic.

Is Cafe EL Meson safe to eat at?

Yes, Cafe EL Meson has an excellent safety record with a score of 90/100. This indicates strong compliance with health and safety standards.

Official Health Record

Cafe EL Meson

Name: Cafe EL Meson
Address: 4631 S KEDZIE AVE, Chicago, 60632
Rating: 90

4631 S KEDZIE AVE, Chicago

Last inspected 8mo ago

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0Excellent

Chicago

Ranked #960 of 1000 in Chicago

Stable

4 inspections

Last: Oct 9, 2025

medium confidence

Directions Order

Inspections

Clean Rate

3.8

Avg Violations

8 months ago

Last Inspected

Top Concerns

Most common issues from recent inspections

Plumbing issues

Plumbing or waste disposal problems

SanitationHigh Priority

Equipment or surfaces not properly cleaned/sanitized

Facility condition

Building maintenance or structural issues

Other violation

Regulatory compliance issue

Permit/documentation

Administrative or documentation issue

Score Analysis

How the SafeDine score is calculated

Live Data Feed

Starting Score

100

Total Deductions

-13

Final Score

Impact Breakdown

High Priority

-1 pts

Direct health hazards • 10 pts each

Intermediate

-0 pts

Potential hazards • 5 pts each

Basic

-6 pts

Best practices • 2 pts each

Freshness Penalty

-3 pts

Score reduced due to stale inspection data

Inspection Timeline

+1 pts

Latest

100% weight

2nd

60% weight

3rd

30% weight

Real-time Score: 87/100 — This score includes today's freshness penalty and may differ slightly from the displayed score (90/100) which is computed during our regular data sync.

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

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4631 S KEDZIE AVE, Chicago, IL 60632

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Violation Timeline

Jul 2023

1 inspections

6 basic

Jul

Jul 2024

2 inspections

1 high priority

4 basic

Oct 2025

1 inspections

4 basic

Oct

Inspection History

4 records on file

3 Canvass1 Canvass Re-Inspection

Oct 25

Canvass InspectionLatestPass

4 Basic

4 total

92/100inspection score

−8 pts

Basic (4)

−8 pts

47FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED−2
OBSERVED TORN DOOR GASKET INSIDE OF REFRIGERATOR. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE.
51PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES−2
OBSERVED NO BACKFLOW PREVENTER DEVICE ON ICE MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL TO ENSURE DEVICE CAN BE LOCATED, SERVICED, AND MAINTAINED.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
OBSERVED UNUSED CONVECTION OVEN IN STORAGE AREA NEXT TO BACK DOOR. INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ALL UNNECESSARY ITEMS, ORGANIZE, AND MAINTAIN.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
OBSERVED GREASE AND FOOD DEBRIS ON BACK WALL UNDER COUNTERTOP WHERE FRYERS ARE STORED. INSTRUCTED TO INCREASE CLEANING FREQUENCY TO MINIMIZE BUILDUP OF GREASE AND MAINTAIN.

Base deductions−8 pts

Jul 24

Canvass Re-Inspection InspectionPass

2 Basic

2 total

96/100inspection score

−4 pts

Basic (2)

−4 pts

49NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN−2
4-602.13 OBSERVED BUILD-UP OF FOOD RESIDUE IN REFRIGERATOR AND BACK OF DISH AREA. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
6-201.11 OBSERVED WALL BETWEEN KITCHEN AND FRONT PREP AREA WITH DAMAGED AND PEELING PAINT. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.

Base deductions−4 pts

Jul 24

Canvass InspectionFail

1 High2 Basic

3 total

86/100inspection score

−14 pts

High Priority (1)

−10 pts

16FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES: CLEANED & SANITIZED−10
OBSERVED BUILD-UP OF MOLD-LIKE SUBSTANCE ON INTERIOR OF ICE MACHINE (ICE USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION). INSTRUCTED THE PERSON IN CHARGE TO DISCARD, CLEAN, AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION #7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.

Basic (2)

−4 pts

49NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN−2
OBSERVED BUILD-UP OF FOOD RESIDUE IN REFRIGERATOR AND BACK OF DISH AREA. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
OBSERVED WALL BETWEEN KITCHEN AND FRONT PREP AREA WITH DAMAGED AND PEELING PAINT. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.

Base deductions−14 pts

Jul 23

Canvass InspectionPass

6 Basic

6 total

88/100inspection score

−12 pts

Basic (6)

−12 pts

41WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED & STORED−2
OBSERVED WET WIPING CLOTHS STORED ON THE HANDWASHING SINKS AND CUTTING BOARDS IN THE FOOD PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO STORE WIPING CLOTHS IN PROPER SANITIZING SOLUTION WHEN NOT IN USE.
51PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES−2
THREE COMPARTMENT SINK STOPPERS UNABLE TO PROPERLY HOLD WATER. INSTRUCTED PROVIDE OR REPLACE SINK STOPPERS.
51PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES−2
NO BACKFLOW DEVICE FOR ICE MACHINE IN THE FOOD PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
53TOILET FACILITIES: PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED, SUPPLIED, & CLEANED−2
OBSERVED NO LIDS ON THE TRASHCANS IN THE RESTROOMS. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE.
55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
OBSERVED SPILLED FOOD DEBRIS ON THE FLOORS IN BETWEEN SHELVING AND COOKING EQUIPMENT IN THE BACK REAR STORAGE AREA. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MANINTAIN.
58ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED−2
ALL CERTIFIED FOOD PROTECTION MANAGERS MUST PROVIDE ALLERGEN AWARENESS TRAINING.

Base deductions−12 pts

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Community Safety Reports

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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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