What is Madison Tavern's health inspection score?

Madison Tavern has a SafeDine safety score of 96 out of 100 (Grade A). This score is calculated from official government health inspection data, factoring in violation severity, recency, and trends.

When was Madison Tavern last inspected?

Madison Tavern was last inspected on January 6, 2026. SafeDine tracks official health department inspections and updates scores automatically.

How many health violations does Madison Tavern have?

Madison Tavern has 13 total violations across 5 inspections on record. Violations are categorized by severity: high priority, intermediate, and basic.

Is Madison Tavern safe to eat at?

Yes, Madison Tavern has an excellent safety record with a score of 96/100. This indicates strong compliance with health and safety standards.

What type of cuisine does Madison Tavern serve?

Madison Tavern serves American cuisine. Visit their SafeDine page for safety scores, inspection history, and more details.

Official Health Record

Madison Tavern

Name: Madison Tavern
Address: 500 W MADISON ST, Chicago, 60661
Rating: 96

500 W MADISON ST, Chicago

Last Inspected: 1/6/2026

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0Excellent

American•West Loop

Ranked #736 of 1000 in West LoopBetter than 22% of american restaurants

Improving

5 inspections

Last: Jan 6, 2026

high confidence

Directions Order

Inspections

20%

Clean Rate

2.6

Avg Violations

5 months ago

Last Inspected

Top Concerns

Most common issues from recent inspections

Cross-contamination

Raw and cooked foods not properly separated

HandwashingHigh Priority

Employees not properly washing hands — contamination risk

Temperature control

Food not kept at safe temperatures — risk of bacterial growth

SanitationHigh Priority

Equipment or surfaces not properly cleaned/sanitized

Plumbing issues

Plumbing or waste disposal problems

Score Analysis

How the SafeDine score is calculated

Live Data Feed

Starting Score

100

Total Deductions

-4

Final Score

Impact Breakdown

High Priority

-3 pts

Direct health hazards • 10 pts each

Intermediate

-0 pts

Potential hazards • 5 pts each

Basic

-1 pts

Best practices • 2 pts each

Inspection Timeline

+6 pts

100

Latest

100% weight

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

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500 W MADISON ST, Chicago, IL 60661

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Violation Timeline

Jul 2022

1 inspections

2 high priority

2 intermediate

Jul

Mar 2023

1 inspections

5 basic

Mar 2024

1 inspections

1 intermediate

1 basic

Mar

Feb 2025

1 inspections

1 high priority

1 basic

Jan 2026

1 inspections

Jan

Inspection History

5 records on file

5 Canvass

Jan 26

Canvass InspectionLatestCleanOut of Business

No violations

100/100inspection score

Feb 25

Canvass InspectionPass w/ Conditions

1 High1 Basic

2 total

88/100inspection score

−12 pts

High Priority (1)

−10 pts

16FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES: CLEANED & SANITIZED−10
Bar Low temp dish washing machine not sanitizing at final rinse, 0ppm of Cl obtained on test strips. Instructed manager to provide proper sanitizer concentration at final rinse. Priority violation 7-38-025.

Basic (1)

−2 pts

43IN-USE UTENSILS: PROPERLY STORED−2
Keeping spoons in standing water container at bar area, instructed to keep utensils in-use according to health code, ie.

Base deductions−12 pts

Mar 24

Canvass InspectionPass w/ Conditions

1 Med1 Basic

2 total

93/100inspection score

−7 pts

Intermediate (1)

−5 pts

37FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER−5
Bulk food container ( sugar ) not labeled, Instructed to label and maintain.

Basic (1)

−2 pts

39CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY−2
Found 5 cans of beer placed inside ice maker contaminating ice cubes, ice is used for customers drinks. Instructed not place any object in ice maker that could cause contamination, ice is removed. priority violation 7-38-005.

Base deductions−7 pts

Mar 23

Canvass InspectionPass

5 Basic

5 total

90/100inspection score

−10 pts

Basic (5)

−10 pts

47FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED−2
OBSERVED MILK CRATES BEING USED AS SHELVING THROUGHOUT THE WALK-IN COOLER. MUST REMOVE AND PROVIDE SHELVING THAT IS 6" OFF THE FLOOR AND PROVIDES FLOOR ACCESSIBILITY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FACILITY CLEANING.
51PLUMBING INSTALLED; PROPER BACKFLOW DEVICES−2
OBSERVED A PAN CATCHING WATER FROM THE VENT ON THE CEILING IN THE WALK-IN COOLER TO HAVE A LEAK. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR, REMOVE PAN, AND MAINTAIN.
56ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED−2
OBSERVED A BURNT-OUT LIGHT BULB IN THE DRY STORAGE ROOM. INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE AND MAINTAIN.
56ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED−2
OBSERVED THE VENTILATION HOOD AND FILTERS ABOVE THE COOKING EQUIPMENT IN NEED OF CLEANING. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
58ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED−2
OBSERVED THE CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD CERTIFIED MANAGER WITH NO PROOF OF AN ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED ALL CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS TO OBTAIN THIS CERTIFICATE.

Base deductions−10 pts

Jul 22

Canvass InspectionPass w/ Conditions

2 High2 Med

4 total

70/100inspection score

−30 pts

High Priority (2)

−20 pts

9NO BARE HAND CONTACT WITH RTE FOOD OR A PRE-APPROVED ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURE PROPERLY ALLOWED−10
OBSERVED EMPLOYEE TOUCHING AND SLICING RTE FOODS (LEMONS AND LIMES) WITH BARE HANDS AT BAR. INSTRUCTED TO NOT TOUCH FOOD WITH BARE HANDS, BUT TO USE TONGS, OR GLOVES. PRIORITY VIOLATION. 7-38-010. CITATION ISSUED.
10ADEQUATE HANDWASHING SINKS PROPERLY SUPPLIED AND ACCESSIBLE−10
FOUND NO RUNNING WATER WHEN HOT WATER KNOB IS TURENED ON ( HANDWASHING SINK IN DISH AREA & BAR). INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE A MINNIMUM HOT WATER TEMPERATURE OF 100F. PRIORITY VIOLATION. 7-38-030(C). CITATIO ISSUED. OBSERVED MANAGER SERVICE SINK AT TIME OF INSPECTION.

Intermediate (2)

−10 pts

22PROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES−5
FOUND IMPROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES OF READY TO EAT TIME/TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY FOOD CHICKEN STORED AT 53F LOCATED IN PREP COOLER. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE A MINNIMUM COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURE OF 41F OR BELOW. PRIORITY VIOLATION. 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED. DISCARDED 5LBS AT $50.
23PROPER DATE MARKING AND DISPOSITION−5
FOUND READY TO EAT, TIME/TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY FOOD ITEMS NOT DISCARDED WITHIN THE 7 DAY SHELF LIFE; CORN CHOWDER DATED 6/13, CHICKEN DATED 6/27. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO DISCARD ALL READY TO EAT TIME/ TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY FOODS WITHIN 7 DAY SHELF LIFE. FOOD ITEMS DISCARDED AT TIME OF INSPECTION. PRIORITY VIOLATION. 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE 7 DAY DISCARD DATE FOR ALL READY TO FOOD HELD FOR OVER 24 HOURS.

Base deductions−30 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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