Roaches, old chicken wings, mouse poop, dirty celery at Wichita KS restaurants
Cockroaches, old chicken wings, mouse poop, dirty celery, meat in a sink with a direct connection to a sewer system, unlabeled foods, gnats and expired fire extinguishers 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. Six restaurants and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations March 8-14.
Inspectors found few or no violations that week at 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, they’re corrected in front of an inspector. Examples of things that can be addressed immediately include 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 March 23 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
Afghan Halal Market, 1044 S. Oliver in Wichita — Fifteen violations on March 10 during a follow-up inspection. Gnats in dishwashing area, roach by reach-in freezer, repackaged meat spices are not labeled, no hand-washing sink in area for cutting and repackaging raw meats, unlabeled spray bottles, sugar-coated almonds for sale have no allergen labels, no test strips for sanitizer, raw meat was stored in sink with direct connection to the sewer, dead roaches behind counter, no written cleanup plan for vomit or diarrhea, packaged candies do not have proper labels, no paper towels at hand-washing station, food boxes stored directly on floor. Next inspection: May 10.
Cicis Pizza, 8320 W. Central in Wichita — Two violations on March 12 during a routine inspection. Uncooked and cooked pizzas were not labeled with the time they were prepared and left out at room temperature, old black olives and chicken wings. Next inspection: March 22.
Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, 3248 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Five violations on March 11 during a routine inspection. Dirty food thermometer, water at sink was not hot enough, lettuce and ice cream mix were not labeled with their package opening dates, corroded or leaking or dirty soda fountain valve, no backflow prevention on sink that has direct connection to sewer. The restaurant was in compliance during its follow-up inspection on March 21.
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, 1930 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Two violations on March 10 during a modified complaint inspection. Sanitizer was not working in the dishwashing machine, corroded or leaking or dirty soda fountain valve. The restaurant was in compliance during its follow-up inspection on March 20.
Sky-Palace Inn & Suites, 7321 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Three violations on March 10 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. No carbon monoxide detector in boiler room, expired fire extinguishers, no running water in the building due to a broken water main, mold in ceiling above a bed. All rooms were voluntarily closed. Next inspection: May 10.
Super East Buffet, 7607 E. Douglas in Wichita — Eleven violations on March 10 during a complaint inspection. Ready-to-eat celery had dirt clumps on it from unwashed mushrooms, there was no dealer’s tag with shellfish, lemons and raspberries were stored in ice used for drinks, sushi rolls were not labeled with the time they were removed from heat or refrigeration, water at restroom and kitchen hand-washing sinks was not hot enough, no sanitizer on wiping cloths, food was stored on cooler floor, raw oysters were stored above cooked shrimp, ice scoop handle was stored in direct contact with ice, rodent droppings in storage room, salad bar items were not kept cold enough. Next inspection: March 20.
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.
