What is Inkwell's health inspection score?

Inkwell 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 Inkwell last inspected?

Inkwell was last inspected on October 24, 2025. SafeDine tracks official health department inspections and updates scores automatically.

How many health violations does Inkwell have?

Inkwell has 7 total violations across 3 inspections on record. Violations are categorized by severity: high priority, intermediate, and basic.

Is Inkwell safe to eat at?

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

What type of cuisine does Inkwell serve?

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

Official Health Record

Inkwell

Name: Inkwell
Address: 1039 W LAKE ST, Chicago, 60607
Rating: 90

1039 W LAKE ST, Chicago

Last inspected 7mo ago

▲Improving

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0Excellent

American•West Loop

Ranked #216 of 1000 in West LoopBetter than 22% of american restaurants

Improving

3 inspections

Last: Oct 24, 2025

medium confidence

Directions Order

Inspections

Clean Rate

2.3

Avg Violations

7 months ago

Last Inspected

Top Concerns

Most common issues from recent inspections

Sanitation

Equipment or surfaces not properly cleaned/sanitized

Facility conditionHigh Priority

Building maintenance or structural issues

Other violation

Regulatory compliance issue

Score Analysis

How the SafeDine score is calculated

Live Data Feed

Starting Score

100

Total Deductions

-13

Final Score

Impact Breakdown

High Priority

-0 pts

Direct health hazards • 10 pts each

Intermediate

-0 pts

Potential hazards • 5 pts each

Basic

-4 pts

Best practices • 2 pts each

Freshness Penalty

-3 pts

Score reduced due to stale inspection data

Inspection Timeline

+7 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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1039 W LAKE ST, Chicago, IL 60607

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Violation Timeline

May 2024

1 inspections

1 basic

May

Oct 2025

2 inspections

1 high priority

5 basic

Inspection History

3 records on file

1 Canvass Re-Inspection1 Canvass1 License

Oct 25

Canvass Re-Inspection InspectionLatestPass

1 Basic

1 total

98/100inspection score

−2 pts

Basic (1)

−2 pts

56ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED−2
6-304.11 OBSERVED NO WORKING MECHANICAL VENTILATION FAN IN THE REAR WASHROOM. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE VENTILATION FAN.

Base deductions−2 pts

Oct 25

Canvass InspectionFail

1 High4 Basic

5 total1 risk factor

77/100inspection score

−18 pts

High Priority (1)

−10 pts

3MANAGEMENT, FOOD EMPLOYEE AND CONDITIONAL EMPLOYEE; KNOWLEDGE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTINGRisk Factor−10
OBSERVED NO WRITTEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON THE PREMISES. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO HAVE A SIGNED EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-010. CITATION ISSUED.

Basic (4)

−8 pts

48WAREWASHING FACILITIES: INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & USED; TEST STRIPS−2
OBSERVED NO QAC CHEMICAL TEST STRIPS ON THE PREMISES TO MEASURE THE SANITIZER CONCENTRATION AT THE 3-COMPARTMENT SINK. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005. CITATION ISSUED.
56ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED−2
OBSERVED NO WORKING MECHANICAL VENTILATION FAN IN THE REAR WASHROOM. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE VENTILATION FAN.
57ALL FOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING−2
OBSERVED SEVERAL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES MISSING A FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATE. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED THAT ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES MUST SHOW PROOF OF FOOD HANDLER TRAINING.
60PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION CORRECTED−2
PREVIOUS CORE VIOLATION FROM REPORT #2595093 ON 5/23/24 NOT CORRECTED: 58 - OBSERVED FOOD SERVICE SANITATION MANAGER WITHOUT FOOD ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO MEET REQUIREMENTS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-42-090. CITATION ISSUED.

Base deductions−18 pts

Risk factor bonus (1× +5)−5 pts

May 24

License InspectionPass

1 Basic

1 total

98/100inspection score

−2 pts

Basic (1)

−2 pts

58ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED−2
OBSERVED FOOD SERVICE SANITATION MANAGER WITHOUT FOOD ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO MEET REQUIREMENTS.

Base deductions−2 pts

Community Reviews

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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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