SOUTH FLORIDA, Florida — State health inspectors cracked down on food safety violations in South Florida last week, issuing emergency closure orders to two local establishments.
Records reveal that a multi-year repeat offender in North Miami Beach and a relatively new grille in Dania Beach were forced to lock their doors until major structural and pest cleanups were completed.
While kitchens in the Florida Keys managed to keep a clean sheet, inspectors in Miami-Dade and Broward counties uncovered everything from rodent activity on storage shelves to live roaches near the cookline.
Sichuan Fish Restaurant (Sichuan Cuisine)
- Location: 1242 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach
- Date Ordered Shut: June 2, 2026
- Total Violations: 23
- The Record: This establishment is no stranger to state intervention. Since July 2024, the restaurant has been inspected nine times, with five of those visits requiring mandatory, high-priority follow-up corrective actions.
Major Violations Documented:
- Rodent Activity: Inspectors discovered active rodent dropping counts across the facility, including six on the dry storage floor, four on the kitchen floor nestled between the wall and the triple-door reach-in freezer, and one directly on top of a box of clean garbage bags at the front counter. During a follow-up inspection on June 3, an additional seven droppings were discovered on the dry storage shelves.
- Moldy Food Stocks: A stop-sale order was slapped on three entire cases of Spicy Mala Soup Base with Beef Tallow after inspectors found fuzzy, mold-like growth on the containers inside the walk-in cooler.
- Cross-Contamination: Raw beef was found stored directly over cooked noodles inside a reach-in cooler, presenting a clear threat of foodborne illness before the operator corrected it.
- Sanitation Breaches: The dishwashing equipment had heavy debris accumulations on both its interior and exterior surfaces. To complicate cleanup efforts, the handwashing sink was found completely drained of hand soap, and standing water pooled beneath the dish machine.
Elvis Italian Grille
- Location: 4261 Griffin Road, Dania Beach
- Date Ordered Shut: June 5, 2026
- Total Violations: 18
- The Record: Operating for less than a year in the space formerly occupied by Mineo’s Pizza & Wings, this newer establishment was targeted by inspectors following a formal citizen complaint.
Major Violations Documented:
- Roach Infestation: Live roach activity was heavily present near food prep zones. Investigators counted five live roaches by the main kitchen cookline, two scurrying by the stoves, two by the reach-in coolers, and another behind the ice machine. Additionally, over a dozen dead roaches littered the floors near the dishwashing station, the soda boxes, and the bar area.
- Flying Insects: Approximately 10 live, small flying insects were observed hovering around the customer bar area separate from the kitchen.
- Gross Slime and Debris: Black mold-like accumulation was found caked inside the interior of the main ice bin, milk residue was heavily built up on the un-sanitized espresso machine components, and old food debris coated the inside of the microwave.
- Dangerous Meat Stacking: Kitchen staff stacked containers of raw chicken directly over raw steaks, and raw salmon over cut spinach, risking serious cross-contamination.
- Lack of Training Verification: The establishment could provide no proof of state-approved employee food safety training for a staff member who had been on the payroll for more than 60 days.
Current Status: Re-Opened
According to official state regulatory logs, both Sichuan Fish Restaurant and Elvis Italian Grille have since been cleared to turn the kitchen lights back on.
The management at both establishments successfully executed deep cleans, remedied the pest issues, and passed their subsequent mandatory follow-up health reviews.
When trying a new local spot or visiting an old favorite, do you regularly look up a restaurant’s past health inspection history online before booking a table?
\Tell us your thoughts on local dining standards in the comments below!
