Which 20 Akron restaurants had 35-plus food inspection violations in 2022-2023?

AKRON, Ohio - Here are the Akron restaurants and retailers cited with the most food inspection violations during the 2022-2023 inspection year ending Feb. 28, according to state records.

The inspections were conducted by the Summit County health department, which is responsible for the entire county.

More than 1,100 places were cited during the most recent inspection year. But more than three-quarters of the cited locations received less than 10 citations.

The places listed below are the 21 with the most violations, with the top spot being cited with 54 violations.

This is the third in a 2023 series of stories highlighting food inspection violations on cleveland.com. Earlier, cleveland.com reported the most frequent food inspection violations in Cleveland and suburban Cuyahoga County. To see previous inspection years, visit 2021-2022, 2018-2019, 2017-2018, 2016-17, and 2015-16. The annual reporting was paused during the pandemic.

Some violations are minor. Some can be disturbing. Many problems are fixed at the time of the inspection. Any violation that was corrected was not included in the final count.

Health inspectors cannot impose fines, but health departments can suspend or revoke operating licenses.

The most crucial violations identified as “critical” are those that “may immediately lead to a foodborne illness,” state health officials say.

To learn how this list was put together, please visit this link.

No. 20 - 35 violations - Church’s Chicken

Church’s Chicken, 1211 S. Main Street, had 35 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show. (This location is now closed.)

• March 31, 2022 - 23 violations, including 4 critical.
• April 11, 2022 - 4 violations, including 0 critical.
• April 18, 2022 - 2 violations, including 0 critical.
• June 15, 2022 - 2 violations, including 0 critical.
• Aug. 8, 2022 - 2 violations, including 0 critical.
• Aug. 15, 2022 - 1 violations, including 0 critical.
• Aug. 29, 2022 - 1 violations, including 0 critical.

No. 18 (tie) - 35 violations - Portage Country Club Dining Room

Portage Country Club Dining Room, 240 N. Portage Path, had 35 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• May 19, 2022 - 20 violations, including 11 critical.
• May 26, 2022 - 8 violations, including 4 critical.
• June 3, 2022 - 4 violations, including 2 critical.
• Nov. 18, 2022 - 3 violations, including 2 critical.

No. 18 (tie) - 36 violations - Grandma’s Place Daycare Center

Grandma’s Place Daycare Center, 774 E. Market Street, had 36 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• June 16, 2022 - 17 violations, including 2 critical.
• June 21, 2022 - 10 violations, including 1 critical.
• July 12, 2022 - 7 violations, including 0 critical.
• Dec. 13, 2022 - 2 violations, including 0 critical.

No. 16 (tie) - 37 violations - Taqueria Tres Amigos

Taqueria Tres Amigos, 1444 Copley Road, had 37 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• Aug. 11, 2022 - 21 violations, including 11 critical.
• Aug. 19, 2022 - 1 violation, including 1 critical.
• Feb. 9, 2023 - 15 violations, including 4 critical.

No. 16 (tie) - 37 violations - Spaghetti Warehouse

Spaghetti Warehouse, 510 S. Main Street Building 33, had 37 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• July 12, 2022 - 8 violations, including 2 critical.
• Nov. 17, 2022 - 23 violations, including 8 critical.
• Dec. 16, 2022 - 6 violations, including 0 critical.

No. 14 (tie) - 38 violations - Firestone Mini Mart

Firestone Mini Mart, 1459 Aster Ave., had 38 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• April 4, 2022 - 16 violations, including 5 critical.
• April 25, 2022 - 13 violations, including 3 critical.
• Jan. 31, 2023 - 9 violations, including 5 critical.

No. 14 (tie) - 38 violations - Tandoori Kabobs

Tandoori Kabobs, 625 Grant Street, had 40 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• April 12, 2022 - 13 violations, including 2 critical.
• April 20, 2022 - 3 violations, including 0 critical.
• Nov. 29, 2022 - 19 violations, including 2 critical.
• Feb. 7, 2023 - 3 violations, including 1 critical.

No. 12 (tie) - 39 violations - Copley Road Wings

Copley Road Wings, 1364 Copley Road, had 39 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• Aug. 11, 2022 - 20 violations, including 4 critical.
• Aug. 31, 2022 - 14 violations, including 3 critical.
• Sept. 9, 2022 - 1 violation, including 0 critical.
• Dec. 14, 2022 - 4 violations, including 1 critical.

No. 12 (tie) - 39 violations - VIP Sports Bar & Grill

VIP Sports Bar & Grill, 1295 E. Tallmadge Ave., had 39 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show. (The name of the building differs from what is listed in health records.)

• Aug. 1, 2022 - 7 violations, including 3 critical.
• Feb. 23, 2023 - 32 violations, including 9 critical.

No. 11 - 40 violations - Wendy’s

Wendy’s, 2060 Mogadore Road, had 40 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• June 10, 2022 - 21 violations, including 4 critical.
• Feb. 10, 2023 - 10 violations, including 1 critical.
• Feb. 22, 2023 - 9 violations, including 1 critical.

No. 9 (tie) - 42 violations - Waterloo Restaurant & Catering

Waterloo Restaurant & Catering, 423 E. Waterloo Road, had 42 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• July 27, 2022 - 20 violations, including 6 critical.
• Aug. 29, 2022 - 13 violations, including 4 critical.
• Nov. 28, 2022 - 9 violations, including 3 critical.

No. 9 (tie) - 42 violations - Royal Buffet of 1930

Royal Buffet of 1930, 1930 Buchholzer Blvd., had 44 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show. (The name of the building differs from what is listed in health records.)

• April 6, 2022 - 7 violations, including 2 critical.
• Sept. 16, 2022 - 1 violations, including 1 critical.
• Nov. 2, 2022 - 3 violations, including 1 critical.
• Dec. 28, 2022 - 23 violations, including 7 critical.
• Jan. 11, 2023 -8 violations, including 2 critical.

No. 8 - 43 violations - Farmer Boy Restaurant

Farmer Boy Restaurant, 610 E. Cuyahoga Falls Ave., had 43 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• June 7, 2022 - 10 violations, including 3 critical.
• Nov. 29, 2022 - 28 violations, including 6 critical.
• Dec. 8, 2022 - 5 violations, including 0 critical.

No. 7 - 45 violations - House of Hunan

House of Hunan, 376 E. Waterloo Road, had 45 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• Sept. 21, 2022 - 18 violations, including 6 critical.
• Sept. 28, 2022 - 14 violations, including 4 critical.
• Oct. 20, 2022 - 8 violations, including 1 critical.
• Dec. 15, 2023 - 5 violations, including 0 critical.

No. 6 - 46 violations - Wendy’s

Wendy’s, 1521 S. Arlington Street, had 46 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• March 21, 2022 - 20 violations, including 2 critical.
• March 29, 2022 - 7 violations, including 0 critical.
• Sept. 23, 2022 - 12 violations, including 3 critical.
• Feb. 21, 2023 - 7 violations, including 1 critical.

No. 5 - 48 violations - Convenient Food Mart

Convenient Food Mart, 199 Massillon Road, had 48 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• June 16, 2022 - 31 violations, including 7 critical.
• June 21, 2022 - 9 violations, including 1 critical.
• Nov. 15, 2022 - 8 violations, including 0 critical.

No. 3 (tie) - 49 violations - China Star

China Star, 1308 Copley Road, had 49 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• July 28, 2022 - 17 violations, including 3 critical.
• Aug. 3, 2022 - 5 violations, including 0 critical.
• Dec. 16, 2022 - 21 violations, including 2 critical.
• Jan. 18, 2023 - 6 violations, including 0 critical.

No. 3 (tie) - 49 violations - Dave’s Middlebury Market

Dave’s Middlebury Market, 871 E. Exchange St., had 50 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show. (Middleburry is misspelled in the health department records.)

• July 18, 2022 - 13 violations, including 2 critical.
• July 25, 2022 - 10 violations, including 2 critical.
• Aug. 1, 2022 - 10 violations, including 2 critical.
• Aug. 5, 2022 - 9 violations, including 1 critical.
• Jan. 18, 2023 - 7 violations, including 0 critical.

No. 2 - 50 violations - Pulp Juice & Smoothie Bar

Pulp Juice & Smoothie Bar, 2279 W. Market St., had 50 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show.

• March 17, 2022 - 5 violations, including 0 critical.
• Oct. 24, 2022 - 21 violations, including 8 critical.
• Nov. 2, 2022 - 15 violations, including 4 critical.
• Nov. 17, 2022 - 9 violations, including 2 critical.

No. 1 - 54 violations - Laya, Inc.

Laya, Inc, 863 W. Exchange St., had 54 food inspection violations during the inspection year from March 2022 through February 2023, state records show. (The name of the building differs from what is listed in health records.)

• Aug. 30, 2022 - 7 violations, including 2 critical.
• Nov. 30, 2022 - 16 violations, including 4 critical.
• Jan. 24, 2023 - 16 violations, including 1 critical.
• Feb. 15, 2023 - 15 violations, including 1 critical.

Zachary Smith is the data reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. See previous stories at this link.

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