CHICAGO, IL - A scheduled inspection at Sea Shell Restaurant on 08/06/2025 documented several health code infractions.
Sea Shell Restaurant is positioned at 1753 E 95Th Street Chicago Illinois in the Burnside area, drawing neighborhood patrons and tourists.
The inspection report documents: "9. No bare hand contact with rte food or a pre-approved alternative procedure properly allowed - comments: observed food handler with a stack of ready to eat white cheese with bare hands, peeling slices from the stack and adding it to tortilla on ..." Health officials note that these violations need attention to maintain proper compliance.
Among the findings were infractions involving hand washing, a key component of food safety protocols.
Public health officials identify poor hand hygiene as a primary factor in foodborne illness transmission Research conducted by federal health agencies demonstrates that The CDC emphasizes that inadequate hand washing contributes to approximately 89% of foodborne illness outbreaks. The Chicago Health Department Requirements provides comprehensive guidance for preventing such violations.
The examination revealed violations related to pest control, which need to be addressed for proper compliance.
Food safety professionals regularly stress the essential nature of adequate pest control procedures. As outlined in FDA Pest Control Guidelines, Federal food safety regulations require all food service establishments to maintain comprehensive pest exclusion programs. These federal guidelines guarantee that restaurants adhere to strict health requirements.
The examination revealed violations related to sanitation, which need to be addressed for proper compliance.
Sanitation violations encompass a broad spectrum of cleanliness and maintenance issues that affect food safety Research conducted by federal health agencies demonstrates that Federal regulators use FDA sanitation guidelines as the benchmark for evaluating food service establishment compliance. The FDA Sanitation Standards provides comprehensive guidance for preventing such violations.
Beyond regulatory requirements, such infractions may affect the restaurant's standing and customer relationships. Local food safety organizations monitor inspection results to provide information to the public.
Health department officials will conduct a comprehensive re-inspection to ensure that all violations have been properly addressed. The establishment must demonstrate full compliance before the matter can be considered resolved.
These findings underscore the essential nature of comprehensive health compliance in restaurant operations. Community members should feel empowered to examine health department findings when choosing restaurants.
| Inspection ID | 2621817 |
| DBA Name | SEA SHELL RESTAURANT |
| AKA Name | STONY ISLAND DRIVE THRU |
| License # | 2108595 |
| Facility Type | Restaurant |
| Risk | Risk 2 (Medium) |
| Address | 1753 E 95TH ST |
| City | CHICAGO |
| State | IL |
| Zip | 60617 |
| Inspection Date | 08/06/2025 |
| Inspection Type | Complaint Re-Inspection |
| Results | Fail |
| Violations | 9. NO BARE HAND CONTACT WITH RTE FOOD OR A PRE-APPROVED ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURE PROPERLY ALLOWED - Comments: OBSERVED FOOD HANDLER WITH A STACK OF READY TO EAT WHITE CHEESE WITH BARE HANDS |
| PEELING SLICES FROM THE STACK AND ADDING IT TO TORTILLA ON THE GRILL. INSTRUCTED COOK TO DISCARD CHEESE AND TORTILLA AND TO WASH HANDS AND USE GLOVES. OBSERVED ADDITIONAL FOOD HANDLER TOUCHING HAIR AND NOSE WITH GLOVES. INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE GLOVES AND WASH HANDS. PRIORITY VIOLATION. CITATION ISSUED 7-38-010 | 40. PERSONAL CLEANLINESS - Comments | ALL FOOD HANDLERS IN FRONT AND OR REAR AREA MUST HAVE HAIR RESTRAINTS AT ALL TIMES. INSTRUCTED TO HAVE ALL FEMALE FOOD HANDLERS PUT ON HAIR RESTRAINTS TO ELIMINATE ALL LONG FLOWING HAIR. CORRECT AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES | 40. PERSONAL CLEANLINESS - Comments: ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST WEAR CLOTHING THAT WILL COVER ALL EXPOSED ARM PITS. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN | 41. WIPING CLOTHS: PROPERLY USED & STORED - Comments: ALL WIPING CLOTHS MUST BE STORED IN A CLEAN SANITIZING SOLUTION WHEN NOT IN USE. INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES | 47. FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE |
| CONSTRUCTED & USED - Comments | LARGE CAN OPENER IN NEED OF DETAIL CLEANING TO REMOVE FOOD DEBRIS AND RUST BUILD UP. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN | 49. NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN - Comments: ALL COOKING EQUIPMENT IN NEED OF DETAIL CLEANING TO REMOVE ALL BUILD UP OF GREASE AND FOOD DEBRIS. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN | 49. NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN - Comments: INTERIOR OF REACH IN COOLERS |
| ALL INGREIDENT CONTAINERS ALL IN NEED OF DETAIL CLEANING TO REMOVE ALL BUILD UP. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND MAINTAIN. | 59. PREVIOUS PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION CORRECTED - Comments | PREVIOUS PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION FROM JULY 25 |
| Latitude | 41.722293289261756 |
| Longitude | -87.58043246846964 |
| Location | (41.722293289261756 |
This inspection was conducted on August 6, 2025.
Chicago Department of Public Health
The following violations were found: hand-washing, pest-control, sanitation.
Health code violations can increase the risk of foodborne illness. Common concerns include improper food temperatures (which can allow bacteria growth), inadequate handwashing facilities (which can spread germs), pest activity (which can contaminate food), and cross-contamination risks. These violations are monitored by health departments to ensure public safety and prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.
All inspection data for this report is sourced directly from the Chicago Department of Public Health . View the original data source .
Food safety standards referenced in this report are based on:
Important Note: This article is based on official inspection reports at the time of inspection. Current conditions may differ. Always check the most recent inspection results before dining. Establishments have the opportunity to correct violations and request re-inspection.
