Roaches, flies, dead bugs, crumbling stairways at Wichita KS restaurants, motels
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Eight Wichita-area businesses failed state inspections between Aug. 24-30, 2025.
- Violations included pest infestations, unsafe food handling and sanitation lapses.
- State usually reinspects non-compliant locations within 10 days.
Roaches, flies, crumbling stairways, broken and stained furniture, moldy carpet, foul smells, expired food, dirty equipment, an accumulation of dead bugs and more are among violations Kansas Department of Agriculture inspectors discovered during recent food safety and lodging inspections in the Wichita area.
Each week, The Eagle adds to its searchable database of failed inspections from Sedgwick County. Eight restaurants, hotels and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations from Aug. 24-30.
Inspectors found few or no violations at more than 30 other locations deemed compliant with food safety and lodging rules.
Inspections are meant to protect the public from foodborne illnesses and other health risks. Locations can fail if they have too many problems, certain types of violations or issues that can’t be fixed right away.
Violations are common. Most of the time, businesses correct issues in front of an inspector. Examples of things that can be addressed immediately are serving food that’s more than a week old, employees mishandling ingredients and dirty kitchens. Issues that may take longer to correct include pest infestations, power outages and plumbing problems.
It’s rare, but a business may be temporarily shut down over violations.
Places that fail are usually reinspected within 10 days.
The list in this report was compiled on Sept. 9 using information available from the state on that date. It covers Sedgwick County only.
But you can search food and lodging inspection results elsewhere in Kansas at https://foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Out-of-compliance inspections
Buffet City, 601 N. West St., Suite 206 in Wichita — Two violations on Aug. 29 during a modified complaint inspection. Food was not labeled with the time it was removed from heat or refrigeration, no written policy available detailing how food is handled on the buffet line. Next inspection: Sept. 8.
Delux Inn, 8401 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — One violation on Aug. 27 during a modified complaint inspection. Two live roaches and an egg sack seen in room 137. The business was in compliance during a reopening inspection on Aug. 29.
La Jarochita Mexican Food (mobile vendor/food truck), 1919 N. Spruce in Wichita — Three violations on Aug. 28 during a follow-up inspection. Repeat violation for hand-washing sink on fresh fruit cart not being used for hand-washing, repeat violation for tortilla grill not being protected from contamination including not having a sneeze guard between it and customers, repeat violation for bucket of sanitizer not being labeled with its common name. Next inspection: Oct. 28.
Motel 6 & Studio 6, 5736 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Two violations on Aug. 27 during a modified complaint inspection. Dirt and grass on the floor in room 135, standard outlet located less than two feet from kitchenette sink in room 142. Next inspection: Sept. 7.
Mr. Miyagi Japanese Grill, 3920 E. Harry in Wichita — Seven violations on Aug. 28 during a routine inspection. Employee drank from personal cup without a lid or straw then handled clean container, cooked noodles held at 46°F and cooked rice at 64°F in reach-in cooler (should be 41°F or below), cooked rice sitting out at room temperature, food was not cooled to 41°F within required six-hour timeframe, accumulation of grease and food debris behind and under kitchen equipment, two live roaches under reach-in freezer, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrhea, sticky traps had accumulation of dead roaches and bugs. The business was still out of compliance, with two violations, during a follow-up inspection on Sept. 8.
Road Runner Mexican Fast Food #2, 5255 N. Maize Road in Maize — Ten violations on Aug. 28 during a routine inspection. Salsa portion cups dated incorrectly and held beyond seven-day limit, unlabeled spray bottles of bleach water and degreaser, visible food debris on pans stored with clean dishes, large hotel pan of freshly cooked barbacoa was not properly portioned for adequate cooling, rice on steam table was 122°F (should be 135°F or above), no chlorine test strips available, hand-washing sink was not operational, carnitas were not properly cooled within required six-hour timeframe, cooked meat was not labeled accurately with date it was removed from freezer, improper dishwashing procedure using mixed chemicals rather than a three-step process. The business was in compliance, with one violation, during a follow-up inspection on Sept. 8.
Sharky’s Island Bites, 9730 E. 21st St. in Wichita — Seven violations on Aug. 26 during a follow-up inspection. Repeat violations for improper date marking on cooked mushrooms and cabbage, chicken was not dated correctly, expired lettuce, no soap at front hand-washing sink, repeat violation for gallons of milk that were not labeled with their package opening dates, repeat violation for raw chicken being stored in direct contact with ready-to-eat lettuce mix and above cucumbers, raw eggs stored above onions, raw beef stored above kimchi and onions, missing vendor records for tuna and salmon that are served raw. Next inspection: Oct. 27.
Sky-Palace Inn & Suites, 7321 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Twenty-two violations on Aug. 29 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. Trash and bedding is stored in walkways, rooms on second floor were missing evacuation routes or have incorrect routes posted, standing water around toilet and on carpet in room 204, missing smoke alarm in room 211, smoke detector batteries removed in rooms 100 and 101, improper door security in rooms that are connected, no hand-washing sink in laundry room, three-vat sink was not hooked up to water supply, broken and unmaintained HVAC systems in multiple rooms, stained mattress in room 101, no gloves for housekeeping or laundry staff, crumbling cement on stairways, staircase by check-in counter has step with seven-inch wide hole and exposed rebar, broken wood covering stairway hole, loose guard rails with rusted bolts, cement falling apart around guard rails, missing window screens, room windows nailed shut, baseboards missing or pulling away from walls, stained and soiled carpet with foul smell, rooms previously closed by the Kansas Department of Agriculture over safety and pest infestation issues were being rented without authorization, live adult roaches in room 100, heavy fly activity (more than 30) in room 101, walls crumbling around door frames with light gaps visible, graffiti on bathroom mirror, holes in bathroom door, missing door knobs, mold on carpet, all furniture in all inspected rooms was stained or broken, no laundry service or washer and dryer on site for cleaning linens. Next inspection: Oct. 29.
Where to complain
If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.
To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a complaint at www.foodsafetykansas.org.
To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event where food was served, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or www.foodsafetykansas.org.
Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at www.agriculture.ks.gov/public-resources/comments-complaints/lodging-complaint.
For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
Note: Sometimes addresses listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.
The violation summaries were compiled and drafted with the help of AI tools. They were fact-checked for accuracy and edited by Wichita Eagle journalists.
This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 2:16 PM.
