LA HACIENDA III MEXICAN RESTAURANT
2508 CRILL AVE, Palatka FL 32177 · 386-325-1855
Last inspected Mar 25, 2026 · 6 visits since July 2023
DEC 23
JUL 24
JAN 25
JUL 25
MAR 26
▼ IMPROVING
5 inspections, climbing. The current grade is the best on record.
Live, small flying insects found. Observed live fly on cook line over steam table.
★ Spotless◆ Clean streak● Perfect year✓ Never fined
Awarded on the inspection record alone. What they mean →
Disciplinary actions
3 cases · $1,080
| Case | Violation date | Final order | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5--2022061021 | Sep 6, 2022 | Jan 25, 2023 | $760 |
| 5--2017025593 | May 23, 2017 | Jul 25, 2017 | $160 |
| 5--2014049033 | Oct 15, 2014 | Jan 8, 2015 | $160 |
Inspection history
6 visits, newest first
Mar 25, 2026Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 10 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority2 Intermediate7 Basic
What the inspector wrote — 10 findingsThe state's own report →
Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In the walk in cooler, container of raw shell eggs stored over ready to eat tamale mixture and ready to eat shredded cheese. Operator relocated the raw shell eggs.
Operator is not properly tracking/marking the number of days ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite was held at refrigeration temperatures prior to freezing in order to properly date mark the food when it is thawed and held at refrigeration temperatures again. Birria in walk in cooler previously frozen missing product date marking from day prepared previous week and missing date marking for date placed under refrigeration.
Required employee training expired for some employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. One food handling employee present at time of inspection with expired food handler training from 9/2025.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee phone stored on clean linen on cutting board of cook line. Operator relocated.
Show the remaining 6 findings ▾
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On dry storage shelf, clean plastic containers stacked while wet.
Equipment in poor repair. Chest freezer in dry storage/prep area with torn door gasket and ice buildup up up in seal.
Food stored on floor. Dry storage door held open by box of liquid butter stored on the floor. Operator relocated the liquid butter.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Grease and debris build up on cook line hood filters. Reach in chest freezer door gasket with debris build up.
Open dumpster lid. Dumpster lid open, operator closed the lid.
Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water at base of flip top reach in cooler on the cook line.
Jul 31, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 9 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
3 High priority1 Intermediate5 Basic
Show 9 findings ▾
Employee switched from working with raw food to ready-to-eat food without washing hands. Observed employee on cook line utilizing gloved hands handle raw bacon, raw beef then handle clean utensils and plate ready to eat food without washing hands. Discussed with operator.
Live, small flying insects found. Observed live fly on cook line over steam table.
Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. In walk in freezer plastic bag of raw chicken over sealed raw beef. Operator relocated storage locations.
Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. No bodily fluid clean up kit or written procedures available. Inspector provided written procedures.
Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. In reach in freezer and in walk in cooler employee personal food stored over food for customers.
Food stored on floor. Jugs of fryer oil on the floor of storage room, operator relocated.
Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Build up of ice on seal of chest freezer and in walk in freezer under compressor.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Chest freezer door gasket soiled. Bar counter soda dispenser has mold like substance on plate under lemonade dispenser.
Old food stuck to clean dishware/utensils. Old food on container in dry storage prep room. Operator removed to dish area to be rewashed.
Jan 29, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 12 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
2 High priority3 Intermediate7 Basic
Show 12 findings ▾
Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. In the reach in chest freezer, opened bag of raw ground beef patties over commercially packaged shrimp. Operator relocated the beef patties.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Queso (66F - Cold Holding) in container on top of reach in freezer, operator had employee reheat queso for steam well. At the bar counter, salsa (56F - Cold Holding) per operator left hour on counter for half hour, operator placed in walk in cooler. Discussed time as public health control with operator. Operator states will use ice bath.
Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. No bodily fluid clean up kit or written procedures available. Inspector provided written procedures.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Portable cutting board in prep area with dood residue staining.
Operator is not properly tracking/marking the number of days ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite was held at refrigeration temperatures prior to freezing in order to properly date mark the food when it is thawed and held at refrigeration temperatures again. Queso per operator frozen after being prepared date marked 1/22 and pulled from freezer 2 days prior.
Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Food debris staining on ceiling closest the dish area.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. In the dry storage area, employee jacket stored over products for customers.
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. In the storage shelf of the prep area, clean plastic and metal containers stacked while wet.
Food stored on floor. In the dry storage area, lard for cooking stored in the floor.
Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Build up of ice on walk in freezer door, preventing good seal.
In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. In the dish area, two knives between wall and three compartment sink.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Reach in freezer door gaskets with build up or debris/residue. Grease build up on cook line hood filters/fire suppression system. Per operator cleaning already scheduled.
Jul 31, 2024Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 10 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority2 Intermediate7 Basic
Show 10 findings ▾
Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In the walk in cooler, raw shredded beef over cut and washed lettuce. Raw shell eggs over beer bottles in walk in cooler. Operator rearranged walk in cooler storage levels.
Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. No bodily fluid clean up kit or written procedures available. Inspector provided written procedures.
Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Hand wash sink at pass through counter used to stored dirty plastic boat for chips. Container removed from hand wash sink.
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink stored on prep table next to microwave.
Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employees personal food in walk in cooler on shelf over food to be served to customers. Operator relocated the personal food.
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On the top shelf of the prep area dry storage shelf, clean metal containers stacked while wet.
Equipment in poor repair. Reach in chest freezer to the side of the cook line with build up of ice and cracked line with exposed insulation.
Food stored on floor. Jug of fryer oil stored on the floor of the prep area. Operator relocated the fryer oil.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Cook line hood filters with grease build up. Walk in cooler door gasket with mold like substance spots. Not in use walk in cooler converted to dry storage unit has build up of mold like substance on the gasket.
Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wiping cloth stored on flip top reach in cooler cutting board.
Dec 15, 2023Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 12 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
3 High priority2 Intermediate7 Basic
Show 12 findings ▾
Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Chlorine dish machine at 0ppm during inspection. Operator replaced sanitizer bucket with full bucket and primed machine to 200ppm.
Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Observed one fly by the trash can area closest to the dish machine.
Pesticide/insecticide labeled for household use only present in establishment. By the exterior door, ortho home defense and real kill pesticide spray on shelf. Discussed with operator.
Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. No bodily fluid clean up kit or written procedures available. Inspector provided written procedures.
Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Unlabeled chemical spray bottle of sanitizer at the front bar counter. Employee labeled the chemical spray bottle.
Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. Carbon dioxide tanks in exterior storage shed not secured. Operator has called to have someone remove the tanks.
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On the shelves of the prep area, clean containers stacked while wet.
Food stored on floor. Two cases of meat stored on the floor of the walk in freezer. Operator relocated the cases.
Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Build up of ice in walk in freezer around door seal and shelf.
In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. Wiping cloth under in use cutting board in the prep area. Operator removed the wiping cloth.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Bar counter soda dispenser has soda syrup residue build up on the underside of the dispense behind the nozzles.
Open dumpster lid. Dumpster lid open during inspection.
Jul 5, 2023Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 8 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority2 Intermediate5 Basic
Show 8 findings ▾
Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. In reach in freezer raw chicken no longer commercially packaged stored over raw shrimp. Person in charge moved to appropriate location.
Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Container stored in hand wash sink in kitchen. Rag stored in hand wash sink at front line. Person in charge removed.
Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened/prepared, frozen and then thawed and held at refrigeration temperature not properly date marked. Birria with date mark 6/10, person in charge was removed from freezer 2 days ago, not redate marked. Person in charge marked appropriately. Also, cooked meat in walk in cooler cooked Monday with no date mark.
Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. CO2 tanks unsecured in mop sink area at back of restaurant.
Duct tape used to repair nonfood-contact surface. Observed tape on handles of strainers in kitchen.
Employee eating in a food preparation or other restricted area. Observed employee eating in ware washing area. Also observed employee drinks with no lids in prep area. Person in charge removed.
Food stored on floor. Bag in box soda stored on floor in closet by restrooms. Person in charge raised.
Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Sugar at front line unlabeled. Person in charge labeled.
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.