Fresh from their takedown of a north side touchstone, the Chicago Department of Public Health shut down a south side institution today. These guys are everywhere. Here’s the complete text of their press release:
South Side Restaurant Shut Down By City Health Department
Multiple Health Code ViolationsOne of the oldest and most famous restaurants in the city was shut down today after Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) inspectors discovered a rodent infestation and other critical violations of the city health code.
Soul Queen Restaurant, 9031 S. Stony Island, (http://www.soulqueen.com/) was shut down after inspectors found numerous mouse feces throughout the kitchen, dining room and storage areas.
The restaurant also was cited for storing food at unsafe temperatures, in a faulty walk-in cooler—resulting in inspectors ordering management to discard six dozen eggs and 30 pounds of raw chicken.
Soul Queen also was cited for a leaky automatic dishwashing machine, raw sewage coming up through a floor drain near its hand washing sink, grease oozing from the grease trap under the three-compartment sink, no certified food manager on duty, an outside garbage dumpster overflowing with trash, and an outside grease box encrusted with grease.
Today’s inspection was triggered by a customer who called 311 to report seeing three live mice in the restaurant. No live mice were observed today.
Representatives of Soul Queen will have to explain themselves at a City of Chicago administrative hearing set for September 4 and pay fines expected to total $3,250.
Chicagoans who believe that a restaurant or any other licensed food establishment is operating in an unsafe manner are encouraged to call 311 and report it.