Cockroaches, mouse poop and black mold at Wichita KS restaurants, hotels
Cockroaches crawling out of a paper towel dispenser and around areas where food is prepared, an employee who didn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom, old hot dogs and brats, missing plans, mouse poop, food that wasn’t kept at safe temperatures, black mold, sink water draining on a floor 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. Thirteen restaurants, hotels and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations from June 28 to July 4.
Inspectors found few or no violations that week at more than 30 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.
Locations that fail are usually reinspected within 10 days.
The list in this report was compiled on July 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
Antojilokos LLC (mobile vendor/food truck), 2103 N. Broadway in Wichita — Two violations on June 30 during a licensing-operational inspection. No soap at hand-washing sink, milk and whipped cream were not labeled with the date their packages were opened. Next inspection: July 10.
Arby’s, 1147 S. Rock Road in Wichita — Two violations on June 29 during a routine inspection. Whipped topping and ranch were not kept cold enough, employee didn’t wash hands after touching sanitizer rag and glasses. Next inspection: July 9.
Chiang Mai Thai Restaurant, 3141 S. Hillside in Wichita — Two violations on July 1 during a follow-up inspection. Several rodent droppings on floor near dishwashing machine, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrhea incidents. Next inspection: Sept. 1.
Coratel Inn & Suites, 658 S. Westdale Drive in Wichita — One violation on June 30 during a modified complaint inspection. Black mold on ceiling in guest bathroom and vanity room. The hotel was in compliance during a reopening inspection on July 1.
Kusina Ni Cheska, 2516 E. Central in Wichita — Five violations on July 1 during its first operational inspection after licensing. Employee didn’t wash hands after using the bathroom, multiple foods were cooled at room temperature including diced chicken and lumpia, chicken lumpia was not kept hot enough, chicken lumpia filling and egg wash were not kept cold enough, old fried rice and evaporated milk, old sisig and fried tofu. Next inspection: July 11.
Kwik Shop, 514 S. Oliver in Wichita — Six violations on June 30 during a joint inspection. Dirty ladle on clean dish rack, chipped spatula, no hot water in women’s bathroom, pizza sauce was not kept hot enough, wiping cloth sanitizer container was stored above crushed red pepper packets, old hot dogs and brats, old cheese sauce. Next inspection: July 10.
Los Compadres Mexican Grill, 3213 N. Toben in Wichita — Five violations on July 1 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. Roach crawled out of paper towel dispenser by hand-washing sink, soap dispenser didn’t work, hoses at three-compartment sink and garbage disposal sink were stored below flood rim with no backflow prevention, no paper towels at hand-washing sinks, bottles of juice and a fruit tray were stored in and on top of ice used to make drinks. Next inspection: Sept. 1.
Ninza Sushi Bar, 8641 W. 13th St., Suite 103 in Wichita — Four violations on June 30 during a routine inspection. Employee touched raw fish then handled ready-to-eat gyoza without washing hands, edamame was stored in a container that wasn’t food grade, batter and imitation crab meat were not kept cold enough, sushi rolls were not kept cold enough, raw chicken stored above raw beef. Next inspection: July 10.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 3131 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Four violations on June 30 during a follow-up inspection. Butter packets were left out at room temperature, chicken tenders were not kept hot enough, hand-washing sink was draining directly on floor, hand-washing sink next to chicken prep and cook stations was clogged and not draining, glue trap was hanging from ceiling above sandwich prep station. Next inspection: Aug. 30.
Staybridge Suites Wichita by IHG, 2250 N. Greenwich in Wichita — Three violations on June 30 during a routine inspection. Dried food debris built up in microwave, kitchen hand-washing sink had no water connected to it, no quat-ammonia sanitizer test strips on site. Next inspection: July 10.
Subway, 13303 W. Maple in Wichita — Three violations on June 29 during a routine inspection. No written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrhea incidents, an employee was eating watermelon at a food prep table where another employee was working with customer food, uncovered cup on prep table, several foods in reach-in cooler including meats and cheeses were not kept cold enough. Next inspection: July 9.
T-Swirl Crepe, 2431 N. Greenwich, Suite 107 in Wichita — Seven violations on June 29 during a routine inspection. Roach running around water heater, cracked rubber spatulas, water at three-compartment sink was not hot enough, onions and mushrooms were not labeled with their preparation dates, tapioca pearls were not kept hot enough, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrhea incidents, eggs stored above milk. Next inspection: July 10.
Vora Restaurant European, 3252 E. Douglas, Suite 106 in Wichita — Three violations on June 29 during a modified complaint inspection. Cockroach on prep kitchen floor, cockroaches beneath dish storage shelf beside walk-in cooler door, dead cockroaches in dish area, raw unshucked oysters were stored in prep sink without ice and were not kept cold enough, last sale dates were missing from shell stock tags. Next inspection: July 9.
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.
