Fly in pancake batter, cockroaches, mouse poop, grime at Wichita restaurants
Cockroaches, mouse poop, food contamination risks, dirty equipment, unlabeled chemicals, employees who didn’t wash their hands, a fly in pancake batter and more are among violations state 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. Twelve restaurants and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations from Dec. 7-13.
Inspectors found few or no violations that week at more than 60 other locations deemed compliant with food safety and lodging rules.
Kansas Department of Agriculture 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 Dec. 16 using information available from the state on that date. It covers Sedgwick County only.
But you can search food safety and lodging inspection results elsewhere in Kansas at https://foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Out-of-compliance inspections
CJ’s Sports Bar & Grill, 6305 E. Harry in Wichita — Two violations on Dec. 8 during a modified complaint inspection. Dirty food probe thermometers, restaurant did not cease operations and notify the Kansas Department of Agriculture after a fire at the fryers where the fire suppression system did not work. Next inspection: Dec. 18.
Corner Market #123, 1250 S. Rock Road in Wichita — Seven violations on Dec. 10 during a routine inspection. Hand-washing sink in restroom was clogged and half full of black liquid, no paper towels at hand-washing sinks, no written plan to clean up vomiting or diarrhea incidents, significant buildup in dispensers at powder drink station, no soap at sink in employee bathroom, no food probe thermometer on site, no sanitizer test strips on site. Next inspection: Dec. 20.
Delux Inn, 8401 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — One violation on Dec. 11 during a modified complaint inspection. Roaches in room 129. The room was closed to guests until treated by licensed pest control operator and all signs of pests removed. Next inspection: Dec. 21.
Denny’s, 4024 E. Harry in Wichita — Six violations on Dec. 9 during a modified complaint inspection. Employee touched ready-to-eat bacon with bare hand, buildup of food debris behind and under kitchen equipment was creating pest harborage conditions, flies in kitchen, fly touching food, sticky trap under front server station had one live roach and other dead winged insects, fly in pancake batter, employee wiped nose and then handled clean silverware without washing hands. Next inspection: Dec. 19.
Dillons Marketplace, 7707 E. Central in Wichita — Two violations on Dec. 9 during a routine inspection. Fruit and vegetables at salad bar were not kept cold enough, chicken was not kept hot enough in Chinese kitchen hot holding unit. Next inspection: Dec. 19.
Economy Hotel, 550 S. Florence in Wichita — Two violations on Dec. 11 during a modified complaint inspection. Climate control in room 214 does not work, room 210 does not have an evacuation diagram posted. Next inspection: Dec. 21.
Fat Ernie’s Family Dining, 2806 S. Hydraulic in Wichita — Two violations on Dec. 11 during a follow-up inspection. Dead cockroaches in cabinet under soda fountain and near ice machine, live cockroaches on sheet pan and in cabinet under soda fountain, cockroaches on sticky traps under soda fountain cabinets. Next inspection: Feb. 11.
Los Compadres Mexican Grill, 3213 N. Toben in Wichita — Eighteen violations on Dec. 8 during a verification inspection. Dirty dishes stored in hand-washing sinks, one large gallon container containing green liquid and two spray bottles did not have labels, open box of raw bacon sitting above pan of “aqua fresca” cheese in walk-in cooler, raw chorizo pork sausages stored next to “aqua fresca,” raw meats and raw seafood were stored together in a metal pan, flan was not labeled with its preparation date, whipped cream was not labeled with its package opening date, menus have a food advisory but items that can be ordered raw or undercooked do not have asterisk next to them, chlorine sanitizer test strips not available on site, raw egg not kept cold enough, cockroach crawling on wall behind reach-in cooler, unmarked spray bottle next to bowls, hot water valve on hand-washing sink doesn’t work, no drain pipe or disposal system for hand-washing sink in kitchen, tilapia fillet thawing in intact vacuum packaging, Spanish rice not kept hot enough, employee touched bags of raw meat then grabbed two plates without changing gloves or washing hands, metal pans of salsa weren’t kept cold enough, cold water handle on three-compartment sink does not turn, leaky sinks, no paper towels at hand-washing sinks. Next inspection: Dec. 18.
Passage To India, 6100 E. 21st St., Suite 180 in Wichita — Eight violations on Dec. 10 during a complaint inspection. Accumulations of grease and food debris on kitchen equipment, exterior door wasn’t fully closed and light tight, no paper towels in women’s restroom, hole in ceiling tile, dead mice in traps, fresh mouse droppings behind ice machine and behind front counter, dirty can opener, approximately 12-16 live cockroaches in kitchen, live cockroach running up wall and into hole in ceiling and live cockroaches in dining area. Next inspection: Dec. 20.
Rice & Roll by Bao Xing, 6100 E. 21st St., Suite 190 in Wichita — One violation on Dec. 12 during a follow-up inspection. Cited for pest infestations including fresh mouse droppings and cockroaches in several areas around food storage and preparation areas, bags of black fungus near wok stations had dozens of fresh mouse droppings and multiple dead adult cockroaches. Next inspection: Feb. 12.
Subway, 7934 E. Harry in Wichita — Two violations on Dec. 12 during a routine inspection. Establishment did not have written plan to clean up vomit or diarrhea, food probe thermometer didn’t work. Next inspection: Dec. 22.
University Mart & Deli, 3223 E. 17th St. in Wichita — Five violations on Dec. 11 during a verification inspection. No employee illness policy, no hot water on site, shredded lettuce and tomato were not kept cold enough, no written plan to clean up vomiting or diarrhea incidents, no soap in bathroom. Next inspection: Dec. 21.
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.
