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Restaurant inspections / Restaurant

Meli Cafe On Dearborn

500 S Dearborn St, Chicago 60605 · Risk 1 (High)

Pass w/ Conditions

Most recent result

Apr 17, 2026

22

Inspections on record

11

Times passed

4

Times failed

Violations cited on Apr 17, 2026

  1. #22PROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES - Comments: OBSERVED RAW SHELLED EGGS HOLDING AT TOP RAIL OF COLD HOLDING UNIT WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 46.5F AND SLICED TOMATOES COLD HOLDING AT 49.8F. MANAGER VOLUNTARILY DISCARDED $64 OF PRODUCT. MUST HAVE COLD HOLDING FOODS AT 41.0F OR BELOW. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005 CITATION ISSUED
  2. #33PROPER COOLING METHODS USED; ADEQUATE EQUIPMENT FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL - Comments: OBSERVED TOP RAIL OF 2-DOOR REACH IN COLD HOLD UNIT AT 46.3F; BOTTOM REFRIGERATION OF UNIT MEASURED AT 40.4F USING LONG STEM THERMOMETER. INSTRUCTED TO NOT USE EQUIPMENT UNTIL REPAIRED. INSTRUCTED TO UTILIZE SECOND REACH IN FOR COLD HOLDING UNTIL REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED. MUST HAVE COLD HOLDING FOODS AT 41.0F OR BELOW. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005 CITATION ISSUED
  3. #47FOOD & NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEANABLE, PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED & USED - Comments: OBSERVED DAMAGED LID AND DOOR ON 2-DOOR REACH IN PREP COOLER. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR.
  4. #56ADEQUATE VENTILATION & LIGHTING; DESIGNATED AREAS USED - Comments: OBSERVED ACCUMULATION OF DUST ON FILTERS ON HOOD IN REAR KITCHEN. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.

Inspection history

DateTypeResultRisk
Apr 17, 2026CanvassPass w/ ConditionsRisk 1 (High)
May 21, 2025ComplaintPass w/ ConditionsRisk 1 (High)
Feb 5, 2025Canvass Re-InspectionPassRisk 1 (High)
Jan 24, 2025CanvassFailRisk 1 (High)
Oct 1, 2024ComplaintPassRisk 1 (High)
May 6, 2024CanvassPass w/ ConditionsRisk 1 (High)
Jan 24, 2023Canvass Re-InspectionPassRisk 1 (High)
Jan 17, 2023CanvassFailRisk 1 (High)
Jan 31, 2022CanvassPassRisk 1 (High)
Nov 2, 2021CanvassPass w/ ConditionsRisk 1 (High)
Jan 14, 2020CanvassPassRisk 1 (High)
Feb 14, 2019CanvassPass w/ ConditionsRisk 1 (High)
May 3, 2018Canvass Re-InspectionPassRisk 1 (High)
Apr 25, 2018CanvassFailRisk 1 (High)
May 24, 2017CanvassPass w/ ConditionsRisk 1 (High)
Dec 16, 2016CanvassPass w/ ConditionsRisk 1 (High)
May 4, 2016CanvassPassRisk 1 (High)
Sep 3, 2015Canvass Re-InspectionPassRisk 1 (High)
Aug 27, 2015CanvassFailRisk 1 (High)
Dec 4, 2014CanvassPassRisk 1 (High)
Jul 22, 2014CanvassPassRisk 1 (High)
Dec 9, 2013LicensePassRisk 1 (High)

Source

Inspection records are published by the Chicago Department of Public Health. A failed inspection does not necessarily mean an establishment closed — most are re-inspected after correcting violations.

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Meli Cafe On Dearborn — questions

Did Meli Cafe On Dearborn pass its last health inspection?
Meli Cafe On Dearborn at 500 S Dearborn St was inspected on Apr 17, 2026 by the Chicago Department of Public Health and the result was "Pass w/ Conditions". Across 22 inspections on record it has failed 4 times.
What violations were cited at Meli Cafe On Dearborn?
The most recent inspection cited 4 violations, beginning with: PROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES - Comments: OBSERVED RAW SHELLED EGGS HOLDING AT TOP RAIL OF COLD HOLDING UNIT WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 46.5F AND SLICED TOMATOES COLD HOLDING AT 49.8F. MANAGER VOLUNTARILY DISCARDED $64 OF PRODUCT. MUST HAVE
What does "Risk 1 (High)" mean?
Chicago assigns every food establishment a risk category based on how much food handling it does. Risk 1 (High) covers full-service restaurants and is inspected most often; Risk 2 (Medium) and Risk 3 (Low) — such as places serving only pre-packaged food — are inspected less frequently.
Where does this inspection data come from?
The City of Chicago publishes every food-establishment inspection it performs, including the result and the full text of any violations cited. This page reads that dataset directly and updates as the city posts new inspections.

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