RestaurantLicence 2863604

El Gallo Mexican Food

2547 W 111th St, Chicago 60655

Latest verdictConditionalApr 13, 2026 · 6 months ago

Inspections7since Aug 18, 2022

Fail rate16.7%1 of 6 verdictscitywide 22.4% · below average

City risk ratingHigh riskWhat this kind of business could do if it went wrong — not a grade it earned.

Read the pairs, not the count. A failure is normally followed within days by a re-inspection, and that re-inspection is a second row here. On the timeline below they sit almost on top of each other — one bad day, two marks.

The whole record

Pass67%
Conditional17%
Fail17%

7 inspections from 2022 to 2026 · hover a mark

2023202420252026

ConditionalApr 13, 2026CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 9
  No bare hand contact with rte food or a pre-approved alternative procedure properly allowed
  Observed food handler not wearing gloves while preparing ready to eat tcs foods customers tacos: observed him adding topping/condiments such as onions,lettuce and tomatoes with said taco shell in his bare hand. Instructed food handler to wash his has and properly use gloves while handling tcs ready to eat food items. Also intructed manager that there is no bare hand contact with ready to eat food. Priority violation #7-38-010.
2. 47
  Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
  Observed bricks being used to hold up shelving inside the reach in cooler. Instructed all equipment must be remove and easily cleanable.
3. 53
  Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
  Observed no lid on the garbage can in the customers washroom. Must provide and maintain.
4. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Floors in the basement and inside the walk in cooler needs cleaning to remove spills and/or debris.
5. 56
  Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
  Observed the vent cover in the customers washroom with heavy dust. Must detail clean and maintain to properly work(ventilation air flow).
6. 57
  All food employees have food handler training
  Observed the food handler/cook without his food handler training as required. Instructed to provide and maintain.
PassAug 1, 2025Canvass Re-InspectionRisk 1 (High)
1. 49
  Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
  Observed the lower shelving under the flat top cooking equipment with a build up of grease and small debris. Instructed to clean and maintain.
2. 51
  Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
  Observed leaking (possible pipes) above the lighting in the employee toilet room. Instructed to repair and maintain.
3. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Observed the floor behind the deep freezer unit and the floor and wall area under and behind the cooking equipment with a build up of grease and possble food debris. Instructed clean and maintain.
FailJul 23, 2025CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 1
  Person in charge present, demonstrates knowledge, and performs duties
  Observed no city of Chicago food service manager on site at the time of inspection. Priority foundation violation 7-38-012
2. 2
  City of Chicago food service sanitation certificate
  Observed no city of Chicago foodservice manager present while foods; such as, schicken,beef, fish, and other tcs foods are being prepared. Instructed food service manager must be present at all times while facility is opened and operating and while food is being prepared. Priority foundation violation 7-38-012 citation issued.
3. 48
  Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
  Observed no chemical testing devices for manual ware washing three compartment sink. Instructed to obtain and provide on site at return inspection date. Priority foundation violation 7-38-025 citation issued.
4. 49
  Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
  Observed the lower shelving under the flat top cooking equipment with a build up of grease and small debris. Instructed to clean and maintain.
5. 51
  Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
  Observed leaking (possible pipes) above the lighting in the employee toilet room. Instructed to repair and maintain.
6. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Observed the floor behind the deep freezer unit and the floor and wall area under and behind the cooking equipment with a build up of grease and possble food debris. Instructed clean and maintain.
7. 60
  Previous core violation corrected
  Observed continued non compliance violation from inspection report #2609936 dated 01/02/2025 violation # 47 4-501.2 cutting boards in need of replacing. Instructed to replace when worn or with deep cuts. With a correct by date of 4/2/2025 still not corrected. Priority foundation violation 7-42-090 citation issued.
PassJan 2, 2025CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 39
  Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
  Interior of ice machine in need of cleaning to remove build up instructed to clean and maintain.
2. 47
  Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
  Cutting boards in need of replacing. Instructed to replace when worn or with deep cuts
3. 49
  Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
  Sides of cooking equipment in need of cleaning to remove food spills and build up. Instructed to clean and maintain
4. 53
  Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
  Toilet room waste receptacle in need of cover. Instructed to replace and maintain.
5. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Floors in basement in need of cleaning between equipment and floors in prep area in need of cleaning between equipment. Instructed to clean and maintain.
6. 56
  Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
  Filters in need of cleaning to remove some grease and dust build up. Instructed to clean and maintain
PassJun 20, 2024CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 16
  Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized
  Rubber gaskets at reach in coolers in need of detail cleaning instructed to clean and maintain
2. 37
  Food properly labeled; original container
  Bulk food items ie.. Dried rice, bean, slat and sugar must be stored in containers with name displayed. Instructed to obtain and refrain from leaving open in bags. Correct and maintain.
3. 38
  Insects, rodents, & animals not present
  Windows that are opened in need of screens. Instructed to correct and maintain.
4. 39
  Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
  Interior of ice machine in need of detail cleaning to remove some build up. Instructed to correct and maintain.
5. 47
  Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
  Cutting boards in need of detail cleaning or replacing where dark spots and cuts are located. Instructed to correct and maintain.
6. 49
  Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
  Detail cleaning of all cooking equipment and prep tables to remove food spills and build up. Interior cleaning of all reach in coolers. Correct and maintain.
7. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Floors throughout basement and 1st floor prep area in need of detail cleaning to remove all water, food spills and build up. Instructed to detail clean and maintain.
8. 56
  Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
  Hood vent in need of detail cleaning to remove all grease build up. Instructed to detail clean and maintain.
PassMar 10, 2023LicenseRisk 1 (High)
1. 36
  Thermometers provided & accurate
  Observed thermometers missing in coolers. Instructed manager to provide thermometers in all coolers.
2. 39
  Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
  Observed food items stored on floor in basement. Instructed manager to elevate all food items six inches off floor.
3. 47
  Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
  Observed damaged gasket on prep cooler door. Instructed manager replace and maintain.
4. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Observed missing floor tiles under 3-compartment sink in dishwashing area, damaged floor tiles in prep area, missing outlet cover along wall leading to basement, openings in walls of employee washroom. Instructed manager to repair/replace and maintain.
5. 56
  Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
  Observed ventilation not operable in washrooms. Instructed manager to repair and maintain.
6. 57
  All food employees have food handler training
  Observed no food handler training for employees. All employees must provide food handler training.
No verdictAug 18, 2022LicenseRisk 1 (High)

Fails sit above the line, passes below. Every inspection the city has published for this licence.

On the street

Apple Maps street-level imagery. Click to look around the block.

What it gets cited for

556×
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
474×
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
564×
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
494×
Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
393×
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
532×
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
572×
All food employees have food handler training
512×
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

Counted across every inspection on record here. A code that keeps coming back is the more telling signal.

Source

Published by the Chicago Department of Public Health as Food Inspections, updated weekly. This page shows every row the city holds under licence 2863604 — a business that changed hands may carry history from its predecessor.