What is Boar's Head Cafe's health inspection score?

Boar's Head Cafe has a SafeDine safety score of 89 out of 100 (Grade A). This score is calculated from official government health inspection data, factoring in violation severity, recency, and trends.

When was Boar's Head Cafe last inspected?

Boar's Head Cafe was last inspected on November 13, 2025. SafeDine tracks official health department inspections and updates scores automatically.

How many health violations does Boar's Head Cafe have?

Boar's Head Cafe has 15 total violations across 5 inspections on record. Violations are categorized by severity: high priority, intermediate, and basic.

Is Boar's Head Cafe safe to eat at?

Yes, Boar's Head Cafe has an excellent safety record with a score of 89/100. This indicates strong compliance with health and safety standards.

What type of cuisine does Boar's Head Cafe serve?

Boar's Head Cafe serves Cafe cuisine. Visit their SafeDine page for safety scores, inspection history, and more details.

Official Health Record

Boar's Head Cafe

Name: Boar's Head Cafe
Address: 210 W LAKE ST, Chicago, 60606
Rating: 89

210 W LAKE ST, Chicago

Last Inspected: 11/13/2025

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0Excellent

Cafe•West Loop

Ranked #241 of 1000 in West LoopBetter than 92% of cafe restaurants

Stable

5 inspections

Last: Nov 13, 2025

high confidence

Directions Order

Inspections

20%

Clean Rate

Avg Violations

5 months ago

Last Inspected

Top Concerns

Most common issues from recent inspections

HandwashingHigh Priority

Employees not properly washing hands — contamination risk

Cross-contamination

Raw and cooked foods not properly separated

Temperature control

Food not kept at safe temperatures — risk of bacterial growth

SanitationHigh Priority

Equipment or surfaces not properly cleaned/sanitized

Pest issues

Evidence of pests found during inspection

Score Analysis

How the SafeDine score is calculated

Live Data Feed

Starting Score

100

Total Deductions

-11

Final Score

Impact Breakdown

High Priority

-6 pts

Direct health hazards • 10 pts each

Intermediate

-3 pts

Potential hazards • 5 pts each

Basic

-2 pts

Best practices • 2 pts each

Inspection Timeline

-4 pts

Latest

100% weight

2nd

60% weight

100

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

210 W LAKE ST, Chicago, IL 60606

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Violation Timeline

Oct 2022

2 inspections

1 high priority

3 intermediate

6 basic

Oct

Dec 2023

1 inspections

Aug 2024

1 inspections

2 intermediate

1 basic

Aug

Nov 2025

1 inspections

1 high priority

1 basic

Inspection History

5 records on file

2 Canvass1 Complaint1 Non-Inspection1 Canvass Re-Inspection

Nov 25

Canvass InspectionLatestPass

1 High1 Basic

2 total

88/100inspection score

−12 pts

High Priority (1)

−10 pts

10ADEQUATE HANDWASHING SINKS PROPERLY SUPPLIED AND ACCESSIBLE−10
FOUND NO HANDWASHING SIGN AT REAR KITCHEN AREAS.MUST PROVIDE.

Basic (1)

−2 pts

39CONTAMINATION PREVENTED DURING FOOD PREPARATION, STORAGE & DISPLAY−2
FOUND NO FOOD GUARD BETWEEN HAND SINK AND PREPARATION AREA(FRONT SANDWICH LINE AREA).MUST PROVIDE.

Base deductions−12 pts

Aug 24

Complaint InspectionPass

2 Med1 Basic

3 total

88/100inspection score

−12 pts

Intermediate (2)

−10 pts

36THERMOMETERS PROVIDED & ACCURATE−5
Refrigerators thermometer placed in rear behind food containers, instructed to place in warmest part where it can be visible.
37FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER−5
Packaged salads for grab and go missing contents weight, instructed to provide.

Basic (1)

−2 pts

55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
brooms and dust pans kept too close to clean utensils, instructed to keep away.

Base deductions−12 pts

Dec 23

Non-Inspection InspectionCleanNo Entry

No violations

100/100inspection score

Oct 22

Canvass Re-Inspection InspectionPass

1 Med3 Basic

4 total

89/100inspection score

−11 pts

Intermediate (1)

−5 pts

37FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER−5
FOUND SANDWICHES AND SALADS PREPACKAGED FOR SELF SERVICE.MUST PROVIDE THE COMMON NAME OF THE FOOD, A LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND SUB-INGREDIENTS, THE NAME AND PLACE OF BUSINESS (CITY AND ZIPCODE) OF THE MANUFACTURER, PACKER, OR DISTRIBUTOR; AND THE NAME OF THE FOOD SOURCE FOR EACH MAJOR FOOD ALLERGEN CONTAINED IN THE FOOD. ( EX. CONTAINS MILK). INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE.

Basic (3)

−6 pts

55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
NOTED CEILING TILES ABOVE FOOD PREP(FRONT/REAR) FILLED WITH DUST. MUST CLEAN SANITIZE AND MAINTAIN.
56ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED−2
FOUND LIGHT SHIELD ABOVE REAR PREP CRACKED WITH A HOLE. MUST REPLACE TO PREVENT PHYSICAL CONTAMINATION.
58ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED−2
FOUND CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGER WITHOUT PROOF OF ALLERGEN TRAINING ON SITE AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF ALLERGEN TRAINING FOR ALL CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGERS.

Base deductions−11 pts

Oct 22

Canvass InspectionFail

1 High2 Med3 Basic

6 total

74/100inspection score

−26 pts

High Priority (1)

−10 pts

16FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES: CLEANED & SANITIZED−10
FOUND AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF BLACK & PINK MOLD LIKE SUBSTANCE THROUGHOUT TOP INTERIOR OF ICE MACHINE BEHIND WHITE PANEL. ICE IS USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. MUST CLEAN SANITIZE AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-005.CITATION ISSUED.

Intermediate (2)

−10 pts

37FOOD PROPERLY LABELED; ORIGINAL CONTAINER−5
FOUND SANDWICHES AND SALADS PREPACKAGED FOR SELF SERVICE.MUST PROVIDE THE COMMON NAME OF THE FOOD, A LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND SUB-INGREDIENTS, THE NAME AND PLACE OF BUSINESS (CITY AND ZIPCODE) OF THE MANUFACTURER, PACKER, OR DISTRIBUTOR; AND THE NAME OF THE FOOD SOURCE FOR EACH MAJOR FOOD ALLERGEN CONTAINED IN THE FOOD. ( EX. CONTAINS MILK). INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE.
38INSECTS, RODENTS, & ANIMALS NOT PRESENT−5
FOUND APPROX. 4 LARGE FLIES IN FRONT/REAR FOOD PREP AREA. ALSO NOTED APPROX 10 SMALL FLIES LOCATED IN FRONT PREP/DINING AREA. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO MINIMIZE ALL FLY ACTIVITY. RECOMMENDED CONTACTING PEST CONTROL. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-020(A). CITATION ISSUED.

Basic (3)

−6 pts

55PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN−2
NOTED CEILING TILES ABOVE FOOD PREP(FRONT/REAR) FILLED WITH DUST. MUST CLEAN SANITIZE AND MAINTAIN.
56ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED−2
FOUND LIGHT SHIELD ABOVE REAR PREP CRACKED WITH A HOLE. MUST REPLACE TO PREVENT PHYSICAL CONTAMINATION.
58ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED−2
FOUND CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGER WITHOUT PROOF OF ALLERGEN TRAINING ON SITE AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF ALLERGEN TRAINING FOR ALL CITY OF CHICAGO FOOD SERVICE MANAGERS.

Base deductions−26 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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