Restaurant and Food Service Inspection Reports

nicely plated salad on a wood table

The Food Protection Division of the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is committed to maintaining the safety of food bought, sold, or prepared for public consumption in Chicago by carrying out science-based inspections of all retail food establishments.

These inspections promote public health in areas of food safety and sanitation and prevent the occurrence of food-borne illness. CDPH's licensed, accredited sanitarians inspect retail food establishments such as restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, convenience stores, hospitals, nursing homes, day care facilities, shelters, schools, and temporary food service events. Inspections focus on food handling practices, product temperatures, personal hygiene, facility maintenance, and pest control.


All restaurants are subject to certain recurring inspections. Each year a restaurant is subject to annual inspections to ensure continued compliance with City ordinances and regulations. In addition to recurring inspections, restaurants may also be inspected in response to a complaint. Some of these recurring inspections, such as the inspection by the Buildings Department, will be scheduled, while others will not.

Generally inspections are conducted by the Health Department for sanitation and safe food handling practices, the Buildings Department to ensure the safety of the structure, and the Fire Department to ensure safe fire exits.The City's Dumpster Task Force, a collaborative effort between the Health Department and Streets and Sanitation Department, also inspects restaurants to ensure compliance with sanitation regulations.

The City of Chicago cannot be responsible for any discrepancies between results posted on-line and the actual inspection report.  If you note any discrepancies, please alert us via email to: cdphfood@cityofchicago.org.

Violations noted during the inspection are merely allegations and may be disputed and dismissed at the Department of Administrative Hearings.  The results posted on-line only reflect the findings at the time of the inspection.  They are not intended to provide a historical picture of the food establishment nor are they intended to predict future findings.

All inspection results are posted online for public access and updated on a weekly basis.


Visit our Data Portal to review Restaurant Inspection Results