Sacramento-area Del Taco closed after sewage floods bathrooms. What else did inspectors find?
Sacramento County health inspectors shut down a local Del Taco restaurant after sewage water flooded a bathroom and seeped into the lobby.
Two other food-serving facilities in the Sacramento area were closed due to issues including a rodent infestation and a clogged floor drain.
An additional nine restaurants, including McDonald’s and El Pollo Loco locations, were cited by health inspectors for major food safety violations including mold, slime and improperly stored food.
While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Food Inspection Guide.
A red placard, however, signals “imminent danger to public health and safety” and suspends the health permit until violations are corrected. This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination.
In contrast, a green placard means a restaurant passed inspection.
The county performs about 14,000 inspections annually, with 97% of establishments passing, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee.
Approximately 1% of inspections result in a closure, he said.
Here are the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Thursday, Feb. 6, through Wednesday, Feb. 12, as of Thursday afternoon:
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com. The Bee publishes weekly updates on health inspections across Sacramento County.
Del Taco closed for sewage flood, two others shut down for major violations
Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar Sahib, 7733 Elk Grove Florin Road in Sacramento, had three major violations on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Sacramento County health inspectors closed the worship center after observing “extensive rodent activity” throughout the facility and other safety violations, according to a Feb. 6 report.
Inspectors found approximately 200 mouse droppings on the window railings and packaged food items, and inside torn bags of flour, plus additional droppings behind and beneath the shelving in the dry food storage area.
Inspectors also spotted 10 droppings beneath the food preparation table adjacent to the cook line, and 10 on the washer and dryer set stored next to the unused food prep sink
In addition, inspectors documented gnaw marks and bitten or chewed flour bags.
Cooked lentils and beans, considered “potentially hazardous foods,” were outside of proper holding temperature.
The maximum hot water temperature at the three-compartment sink was two degrees below the minimum temperature of 120 degrees.
Inspectors saw water leakage on the food prep table and under the hand wash sink by the cookline, the report said, as well as a clogged floor drain at a sink that contained “stagnant, blackish wastewater with no drainage occurring.”
There was debris on the fan guard of the walk-in cooler, and both hand paper towel dispensers were jammed at the time of inspection.
The facility also had an expired food safety certificate.
The worship center was reinspected and given a green placard Friday, Feb. 7.
Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar Sahib had not responded to a Sacramento Bee reporter’s request for comment Thursday afternoon.
Bear West BBQ & Soul Food, 5901 Watt Ave. in North Highlands, had one major violation on Friday, Feb. 7.
Inspectors shut down the North Highlands barbecue restaurant due to a lack of hot water.
According to the restaurant’s owner, Bear West BBQ & Soul Water had been without a hot water supply since Feb. 5, the report said.
The restaurant was reinspected on Feb. 10 and received a green placard.
Representatives for Bear West BBQ & Soul Food told The Sacramento Bee on Friday that the water heater had been repaired and the restaurant reopened after a weekend-long closure.
Del Taco, 7398 Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights, had one major violation on Monday, Feb. 10.
Inspectors closed the taco chain restaurant after sewer water flooded the facility’s bathrooms.
When inspectors flushed two different toilets, sewage began seeping out from underneath. In one instance, sewer water flooded the bathroom floor into the lobby.
A manager told inspectors that the restaurant had brought in a plumber to address the issue multiple times, but no permanent fixes had been made.
Food and grease accumulation was found on non-food contact surfaces in the kitchen.
The restaurant was reinspected and given a green placard after inspectors confirmed the problem had been temporarily fixed.
The Bee was unable to reach the restaurant for comment Thursday afternoon.
McDonald’s, El Pollo Loco cited for mold, unsafe food temperatures
Pho Lotus Restaurant, 9600 Bruceville Road, Suite ,100 in Elk Grove, had three major violations on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Sacramento County inspectors cited the Vietnamese restaurant after discovering grimy utensils, mold and other health code violations.
Cooked pork measured above the safe temperature for “potentially hazardous foods,” and cooked noodles, fried egg rolls and grilled green onions in oil did not have labels indicating how long they had been left out.
A food insert was stored on the floor of a walk-in refrigerator.
There was old food debris on a meat slicer and knives stored on a wall rack.
Inspectors found bloody residue on a refrigerator shelf, in a freezer and on a prep table shelf.
A “black mold-like substance” was accumulated on a wire rack in a fridge, the Feb. 6 report said.
An employee’s cell phone was sitting on top of plates at the cook’s line.
Pho Lotus Restaurant passed a reinspection on Friday, Feb. 7.
King Wine and Liquor, 2346 Fruitridge Road in Sacramento, had two major violations on Thursday, Feb. 6.
The liquor store was cited for not having paper products in a bathroom and “black mold-like spots” inside an ice maker, according to the Feb. 6 report.
The facility’s restroom did not have any paper towels or toilet paper.
A three-compartment sink did not have hot enough water, which was a repeat violation.
The shelves in the facility were not finished, which made them porous and not easy to clean, inspectors said.
King Wine and Liquor was given a green placard after a reinspection on Friday, Feb. 7.
Toledo’s Mexican Market, 1341 Fulton Ave. in Sacramento, had four major violations on Thursday, Feb. 6.
The Mexican grocery store received a yellow placard after inspectors found multiple foods at unsafe temperatures.
The foods measured outside of safe ranges included cooked pork carnitas, cooked rice, cold-cut ham and queso fresco.
Inspectors found mold-like growth and old food residue on food storage shelves in a walk-in refrigerator, which was a repeat violation.
Raw chicken was stored above and beside raw meat and raw seafood, another repeat violation.
Bags of pre-packaged cheese were stored on the floor of a walk-in cooler.
A trash can and a tray blocked access to hand-washing sinks in the meat department and at the cook’s line.
A plate with an employee’s food was being stored on an ice machine.
Toledo’s Mexican Market initially failed a reinspection on Friday, Feb. 7, but passed a second reinspection on Monday, Feb. 10.
El Pollo Loco, 2281 Sunrise Blvd. in Gold River, had two major violations on Friday, Feb. 7.
The Mexican chain restaurant was cited for holding food at the wrong temperature and having water that was too cold.
Two pieces of chicken measured at unsafe temperatures. The grill employee had reportedly not been checking the food’s temperature before serving it.
The water temperature at a three-compartment sink was more than 35 degrees too low for warewashing.
El Pollo Loco passed a reinspection on Monday, Feb. 10.
Kau Kau, 855 57th St., Suite C, in Sacramento, had three major violations on Friday, Feb. 7.
The Hawaiian restaurant was issued a yellow placard by health inspectors for keeping food at unsafe temperatures.
Various foods — including gravy, Spam, chicken salad, salmon poke and a hamburger patty — were stored outside of the temperature range considered safe.
A handwashing sink was unusable because it had plastic containers in the basin.
Raw meats were stored above ready-to-eat food in a freezer.
There was “significant mold accumulation” on walls, ceilings and racks inside a walk-in for beer kegs, the Feb. 7 report said.
Two cooks were observed actively using their cell phones while prepping food, and a phone was stored on a dishwasher.
Kau Kau passed a reinspection and was given a green placard on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Ming Dynasty Seafood Restaurant, 1211 Broadway in Sacramento, had two major violations on Monday, Feb. 10.
Inspectors cited the Chinese restaurant for improperly cooling foods and having black slime on a food contact surface.
Pots of porridge and rice noodles in a walk-in cooler were discarded after they measured too warm. The cooler itself had an improper ambient temperature and was likely broken.
There was black slime on a deflector plate in an ice machine, and other slime on hand soap dispensers and cooler handles.
Raw chicken was stored near sauce in a walk-in cooler. Multiple foods were stored on the floor of a walk-in cooler and freezer, which was a repeat violation.
Ming Dynasty Seafood Restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Afghan Halal Market, 8785 Center Parkway in Sacramento, had five major violations on Monday, Feb. 10.
The Afghan grocery store was given a yellow placard for having food at an unsafe temperature and storing food contact items on the floor.
A tray of fried samosas were colder than what is considered safe.
Oven racks, a pizza peel and a pack of pizza flats were stored on the kitchen floor.
Bags of rice, flour, red onions and cases of spices were also found on the floor. This was a repeat violation.
Inspectors could not find bleach anywhere in the facility. It was brought in during the inspection.
The restaurant failed to obtain jars of red pepper flakes on top of the meat counter and apple jams for sale in the market from approved sources.
Afghan Halal Kitchen had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
McDonald’s, 8901 Folsom Blvd. in Sacramento, had two major violation on Monday, Feb. 10.
The burger chain restaurant was cited by county health inspectors for food at improper temperatures and malfunctioning hand-washing stations.
Sliced Canadian bacon was voluntarily discarded after it measured outside of safe temperatures.
A hand sink in the kitchen did not have hand soap or paper towels because the dispensers were not working.
A reach-in cooler at the drive-through window was not working. However, it was not in use at the time of the inspection.
The floors underneath a slushy machine, below equipment at the drive-through, near the washing machine and below a carbon dioxide tank in a downstairs storage room had build-up of old food, debris and dirt.
The McDonald’s location was issued a green placard after it passed reinspection on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Sohal 5, 2500 Northgate Blvd. in Sacramento, had two major violations on Monday, Feb. 10.
The convenience store was issued a yellow placard by inspectors for having food at unsafe temperatures and a lack of soap in a restroom.
Chicken sandwiches, a hot dog, a corn dog, mini tacos and a breakfast sandwich were discarded by an employee after they had been kept in a warmer at the wrong temperature for more than three hours. This was a repeat violation.
Hand soap was missing from the women’s restroom, which was a repeat violation.
A box of lids was stored on the kitchen floor.
An unapproved household microwave was in use for retail purposes.
Sohal 5 was reinspected and given a green placard on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
This story was originally published February 14, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
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