EMBER & IRON
60 SHOPS BLVD UNIT 80, Saint Johns FL 32259 · 904.531.5185
Last inspected Jul 22, 2026 · 11 visits since September 2023
APR 24
FEB 25
MAY 25
DEC 25
JUN 26
≈ ERRATIC
5 inspections, swinging between B and D. Consistency is the problem here, not any single visit.
Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Employee handling washed oranges used for zesting at bar area.
★ Spotless◆ Clean streak● Perfect year✓ Never fined
Awarded on the inspection record alone. What they mean →
Inspection history
11 visits, newest first
Jul 22, 2026□ Call Back - CompliedRoutine Inspection
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
0 High priority0 Intermediate0 Basic
Jun 26, 2026Administrative complaint recommendedRoutine Inspection
Referred for a formal case, which can lead to a fine. 6 violations recorded, 3 high priority.
3 High priority0 Intermediate3 Basic
Show 6 findings ▾
Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Observed main dish machine at 0ppm chlorine. Person in charge primed and retested at 100ppm chlorine.
Heat strip failed to turn black to indicate the sanitization temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit was achieved on the dish surface and/or high temperature holding thermometer did not reach 160F. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired. Observed bar high temperature sanitizing machine only reached 149F person in charge will have bar staff bring dishes into main dish machine until service comes for maintenance.
Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed butter (88F - Hot Holding) melted on stove and placed in steam table while steam table wasn't up to temperature. Approximately 30min per person in charge. Person in charge reheated butter on stove too 165F during inspection.
Employee eating in a food preparation or other restricted area. Observed store bought chicken wings and sauce on expo shelf above main cook line. Employee removed food from food prep area.
Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Observed food employees conducting food prep without beard guards.
Old food stuck to clean dishware/utensils. Observed some plastic food container covers soiled with grease and black soot from open fire cooking. Person in charge started sorting and disposing of some containers.
Feb 24, 2026□ Call Back - CompliedRoutine Inspection
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
0 High priority0 Intermediate0 Basic
Dec 23, 2025Warning IssuedRoutine Inspection
Violations found and a warning issued, with a return visit required. 8 recorded, 4 high priority.
4 High priority4 Intermediate0 Basic
Show 8 findings ▾
Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. 1 dented can of Garbanzo beans on rack in back corner of prep area in kitchen.
Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Dish machine reading 0ppm after employee ran multiple containers through machine. Machine primed and ran multiple times and retested at 100ppm, employee began to rerun containers through machine.
Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Food handler in prep area switching from preparing food and handling clean equipment with bare hands to scratching face and hair without washing hands.
Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Undercooked smoked salmon stored over cooked beef in walk in cooler, salmon moved.
Food being cooled by nonapproved method as evidenced by inadequate rate of cooling during time of inspection. curry sauce (123F - Cooling, after 40 minutes 119F) in walk in cooler in large plastic covered container surround by other large plastic containers, chef put chill stick in sauce and made space around container, sauce was made less then 1 hour.
Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Beef tartare and smoked salmon dip on menus, employee marked all menus during inspection.
No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. At hand wash station in ware washing area.
Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment is vacuum packaging raw beef and precooked pork(Canadian Bacon) that stays inside vacuum bags more than 48 hours for storage only, without an arrived HACCP plan.
May 27, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 9 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority1 Intermediate7 Basic
Show 9 findings ▾
Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Missing back flow preventer on water hose bib located on exterior of wall near wood shed
No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. Missing paper towel at hand wash sink in prep area. Manager provided
Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Some ceiling vents and ceiling tiles in kitchen with dust build up
Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Clean stored plates on rack near ware washing area not inverted
Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Cutting board on make table on cook line
Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Employees preparing food with watch on wrist
Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employees prep food with no hair restraint Employee with facial beard preparing food with no beard guard
Food stored on floor. Bag of ice stored on floor in walk in freezer
Hole in or other damage to wall. Wall over dish machine in disrepair with some tiles missing
Feb 4, 2025Administrative complaint recommendedRoutine Inspection
Referred for a formal case, which can lead to a fine. 9 violations recorded, 3 high priority.
3 High priority3 Intermediate3 Basic
Show 9 findings ▾
Date marked combined ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days of preparing/opening the earliest ready-to-eat time/temperature for safety ingredient. See stop sale. Cooked pasta dated 1/21 in reach in cooler on cook line. Black eye peas dated 1/28 in walk in cooler.
Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Employee handling washed oranges used for zesting at bar area.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. raw beef (47F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (46F - Cold Holding) in reach in coolers on cook line, per operator coolers where left open for inventory check for less then 1 hour.
Food manager certification expired. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ Joshua Finch, expired 9/23/2024
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting boards on cook line.
Records/documents for required employee training do not contain all of the required information. Multiple certifications missing certified food manager's number and/or birthdate. Also 1 certification expired.
Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Plastic bowl used to dispense rock salt for oysters at end of cook line. Bowl removed.
Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Two food handlers in prep area preparing food.
Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed heads of lettuce stored over countering of cooked vegetables in walk in cooler, employee removed lettuce.
Jun 11, 2024□ Call Back - CompliedRoutine Inspection
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
0 High priority0 Intermediate0 Basic
Apr 9, 2024Warning IssuedRoutine Inspection
Violations found and a warning issued, with a return visit required. 8 recorded, 4 high priority.
4 High priority2 Intermediate2 Basic
Show 8 findings ▾
Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee touching face and hair with gloved hands while cutting fruit at bar without washing hands between tasks.
Fish not held frozen before, during and after being packaged onsite using a reduced oxygen packaging method. See stop sale. Establishment packages raw tuna in reduced oxygen packaging per manager tuna is pounded out and used for carpaccio and completely thawed out before, during, and after vacuum packaging.
Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Container of crab cakes dated 3/30 in reach in cooler on make line. Container of whipped cream dated 3/31 in reach in cooler in kitchen in server area.
Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Establishment packages raw tuna in reduced oxygen packaging per manager tuna is pounded out and used for carpaccio and completely thawed out before, during, and after vacuum packaging.
Menu contains an item made with a raw/undercooked animal food as an ingredient and description of item does not inform consumer of raw/undercooked animal food ingredient. Per manager the caesar dressing, buttermilk ranch, and spicy ranch are all made with raw shell eggs.
Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. The tuna carpaccio, beef tartare, and smoked salmon dip do not have any asterisk/symbol leading from menu item to the consumer advisory.
Raw fruits/vegetables not washed prior to preparation. Employee cutting unwash strawberries at bar area, employee washed off strawberries.
Time/temperature control for safety food packaged using a reduced oxygen method without a HACCP plan not properly labeled with the production time and date. Establishment does not have times for any of the cooked beef and pork in establishment. Establishment has already submitted a HACCP plan and is waiting for approval.
Dec 19, 2023□ Call Back - CompliedComplaint Investigation
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
0 High priority0 Intermediate0 Basic
Nov 15, 2023Call Back - Extension given, pendingComplaint Investigation
A return visit. The problems were not fixed yet and the kitchen was given more time.
0 High priority1 Intermediate0 Basic
Show 1 finding ▾
Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment is utilizing vacuum packaging for raw meat and cooked lamb shanks. Inspector provided HACCP template.
Sep 14, 2023Warning IssuedComplaint Investigation
Violations found and a warning issued, with a return visit required. 12 recorded, 5 high priority.
5 High priority4 Intermediate3 Basic
Show 12 findings ▾
Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. At time of inspection chlorine dish machine at 0ppm. Operator primed machine to remove air bubble from hose, dish machine at 100ppm chlorine at conclusion of inspection.
Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Current license expired 06/01/2023. License renewed during inspection.
Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. In the reach in cooler on the main cook line raw duck over raw salmon. Operator switched the storage levels.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. On the front counter cook line, butter (69F - Cold Holding); corn salsa (56F - Cold Holding). Corn salsa held on ice bath recently placed out. Operator states set up at the beginning of the shift daily. Inspector had operator add both items to existing time as public health control written procedures.
Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Chemical spray bottle of steel cleaner over clean containers in the dish area. Operator relocated the spray bottles.
Establishment conducts non-continuous cooking of raw animal foods without written procedures approved by the division. No approved written procedures for non-continuous cooking methods for fish cakes and chicken. Inspector provided written procedures.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Portable cutting board at the end of the main cook line and in prep area has food debris residue staining.
Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. At time of inspection person in charge unable to provided food manager certification. Establishment has other certified food managers present.
Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment is utilizing vacuum packaging for raw meat and cooked lamb shanks. Inspector provided HACCP template.
Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Pots stored on shelf over the prep sinks not inverted or covered for protection.
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On the storage shelf over the three compartment sink, clean containers stacked while wet.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Walk in cooler door gasket has mold like substance build up.
This record follows the licence, not the owner. Restaurants change hands and the licence history normally does not, so an older entry may describe people who no longer run the place. Every inspection above links to the state's own report. Something wrong? Tell us.