Cockroaches, mouse poop, bugs in liquor, spoiled food at Wichita KS restaurants
Cockroaches, mice, mouse poop, bugs in liquor bottles, old food, rotting fruit 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. Fourteen restaurants and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations March 29 to April 4.
Inspectors found few or no violations that week at more than 50 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 April 9 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
Amigos Market, 840 S. Oliver in Wichita — Nine violations on April 3 during a follow-up inspection. Raw bacon was stored in contact with cooked sausage and deli ham, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, packaged peanuts and chicharrón were sold without proper labeling, no test strips for sanitizers, moldy strawberries. Next inspection: June 3.
Braum’s Ice Cream & Dairy Store, 5730 E. Central in Wichita — Five violations on April 2 during a joint inspection. Unlabeled bottle of sanitizer, liquid eggs and ham were not kept cold enough, soiled sauce pump and lid in clean storage, melted butter was not kept hot enough, inaccurate records. Next inspection: April 12.
El Rancho, 2801 N. Broadway in Wichita — Twelve violations on April 3 during a routine inspection. Employees were drinking coffee in the main kitchen, barbacoa and refried beans were not kept hot enough, menudo was not kept hot enough, milk and shredded cabbage were not kept cold enough, employee handled raw eggs then touched tortillas without washing hands or changing gloves, tamales were incorrectly dated, no probe food thermometer, dirty bus tub and spatula in clean dish storage, raw eggs sitting out at room temperature, spatulas with jagged and broken edges, employee handled dirty dishes then touched clean dishes without washing hands, stockpot was not sanitized after washing, no written plan for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea. Next inspection: April 13.
Five Guys Burgers & Fries, 2929 N. Rock Road in Wichita — One violation on March 30 during a follow-up inspection. Valve for soda fountain machine is corroded, leaking or has dark sludge. The restaurant was in compliance after a follow-up inspection on March 31.
Geo Meals at Genesis Health Clubs, 1551 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Seven violations on April 1 during a routine inspection. Pre-packed meals and other food items were not properly cooled, business was not following approved vacuum packaging plans, cooling temperatures were not monitored for several foods including meats and sides, raw ground beef and other foods were not kept cold enough, dirty food probe thermometers, raw eggs were not kept cold enough, no written plan for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea. Next inspection: April 11.
Jimmie’s Diner, 1519 S. George Washington Drive in Wichita — Seven violations on April 3 during a complaint inspection. Staff handled raw chicken then touched a ladle without washing hands, turkey bacon was stored over potatoes, chipped and cracked spatulas, old food and debris behind meat drawers was causing odor, meats and vegetables were not kept cold enough, old crab salad, dirty ladles. Next inspection: April 13.
KimSon Asian Market, 960 E. Pawnee in Wichita — Eight violations on March 31 during a joint inspection. Food including mushrooms and pig ears were not labeled with their preparation dates, pickled mustard greens and pickled carrots and cabbage weren’t correctly dated, dirty tongs and knives, dirty meat slicer, raw sausage and raw eggs stored over produce, raw eggs stored over elephant plants, shellstock tags were missing the last sell date and were not kept in chronological order, meat slicer and metal pan were not sanitized, pork rolls and bean sprouts were not kept cold enough, old gelatin mix and fish sauce, old soybean cake. Next inspection: April 9.
King Coal Hookah Lounge & Bar, 327 N. Hillside, Suite 200 in Wichita — Four violations on March 31 during a follow-up inspection. No written plan for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea, bugs in bottles of liquor, no test strips for chlorine sanitizer, no backflow prevention device on mop sink. Next inspection: April 10.
Moab BBQ, 784 N. West St. in Wichita — Two violations on March 30 during a routine inspection. Baked beans were not labeled with their preparation date, dead mouse on glue trap, fresh mouse droppings in utility closet. Next inspection: April 9.
Slim Chickens, 2313 N. Greenwich in Wichita — Four violations on March 30 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. Employee handled raw chicken then touched an ice scoop and ice bucket without washing hands, valves for soda fountain machines were corroded or leaking or have dark sludge, kitchen hand-washing sink was not turning off properly, no hot water at sink. Next inspection: May 30.
Tacos TJ 664 East (mobile vendor/food truck), 3526 N. Rock Road, Suite 100 in Wichita — Six violations on March 31 during a routine inspection. Restaurant did not cease operations and notify Kansas Department of Agriculture of imminent health hazard of not having hot water, employee coughed into glove then touched a ready-to-eat tortilla without removing gloves and washing hands, refried beans were not kept cold enough, whipped cream was not labeled with its opening date, food probe thermometer would not turn on, no hot water. The restaurant voluntarily closed until hot water was available. The restaurant was in compliance after a reopening inspection on April 3.
Target, 10800 E. 21st St. in Wichita — Two violations on April 3 during a modified complaint inspection. No hot water available throughout store, store voluntarily closed until hot water was available, store ceased operations but did not notify Kansas Department of Agriculture of imminent health hazard of not having hot water. The store was in compliance during a reopening inspection on later April 3.
Vora Restaurant European, 3252 E. Douglas, Suite 106 in Wichita — Seven violations on April 2 during a complaint inspection. Living and dead cockroaches in kitchen and other areas with food, old linguini and herbed creme fraiche, old Caesar dressing, shellstock tags were missing some information, several foods including pork sausage and potato wedges were not kept cold enough, sanitizer was not strong enough in dishwasher, no test strips for lactic acid sanitizer, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, milk was not labeled with its package opening date. Next inspection: April 12.
Wings & Burgers Grill Etc., 1714 E. Northern in Wichita — Seven violations on April 2 during a follow-up inspection. Dead mouse under food prep sink, rodent droppings on pantry shelves by food, employee handled dirty dishes and mop then handled clean utensils with same gloves, employee didn’t wash hands before touching utensils, raw whole pig was not kept cold enough, general level of cleanliness in restaurant was poor, buildup of grease and debris throughout kitchen, no written plan for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea, employee washed hands at the wrong sink. Next inspection: June 2.
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.
