OLIVE GARDEN
2151 E GULF TO LAKE HWY, Inverness FL 34453 · 352-344-0943
Last inspected May 22, 2026 · 6 visits since August 2023
NOV 23
SEP 24
JUN 25
OCT 25
MAY 26
▲ GETTING WORSE
5 inspections, one direction. The current grade is the worst on record.
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 in bar area placed a sliced lime on a drink glass with bare hands.
★ Spotless◆ Clean streak● Perfect year✓ Never fined
Awarded on the inspection record alone. What they mean →
Inspection history
6 visits, newest first
May 22, 2026Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 10 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
2 High priority0 Intermediate8 Basic
What the inspector wrote — 10 findingsThe state's own report →
Employee touched soiled apron/clothes and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. 1. Employee in bar area wiped hand on apron, then handled a washed lime with the same hand without washing hands or wearing gloves. 2. An employee in the bar area rinsed hands with water and dried them on their apron, then proceeded to stir a drink without washing hands.
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 in bar area placed a sliced lime on a drink glass with bare hands.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Backpack stored in top of boxes containing breadsticks in back of kitchen. Manager removed the backpack from the area during this inspection.
Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Several employees observed handling food with bracelets and/or watches on wrists at salad station.
Show the remaining 6 findings ▾
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Wet nested pans on shelves in prep area and on clean dish shelf in warewash area.
Insect control device installed over food preparation area. Insect control light installed on wall above garlic bread station near cookline.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. 1. Shelf above garlic bread table soiled with dust and/or black substance. 2. Area around nozzles of fountain machine in server station heavily soiled with mold-like substance. Manager had an employee begin cleaning the area during this inspection.
Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. Remnants if old labels stuck to sides of several pans on shelf in prep area.
Silverware/utensils stored upright with the food-contact surface up. Container of spoons stored with food contact surface facing upwards on counter in bar area. Manager moved the spoons to the warewash area during this inspection.
Water leaking from pipe and/or faucet/handle. Dripping pipe below handwash sink in server station.
Oct 6, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionComplaint Investigation
Met inspection standards. 3 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority0 Intermediate2 Basic
Show 3 findings ▾
Warewashing sanitizing solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed. Quaternary sanitizer in 3 compartment sink in bar area 500ppm. Operator added water recheck 400ppm.
Interior of breadstick oven has accumulation of black substance/food debris.
Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed celery stored over washed broccoli in produce cooler. Operator corrected shelves.
Jun 24, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 2 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority1 Intermediate0 Basic
Show 2 findings ▾
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. spinach dip (51F - Cold Holding) in ice well at cook line area. Operator states item was placed in cold well from walk in cooler approximately 1 hour ago. Operator moved dip into reach in freezer to rapidly chill.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Soda gun nozzle in bar area
Sep 5, 2024Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 6 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
0 High priority1 Intermediate5 Basic
Show 6 findings ▾
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener and interior of bread warmer soiled
Can opener blade not kept sharp - observed metal shavings.
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Dish area had stacked containers with noticeable moisture.
No Heimlich maneuver/choking sign posted. Provided choking poster to manager.
Stored food not covered. Bag of sliced meat in freezer in plastic bag open with meat exposed. Manager had employee seal up bag.
Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Spray bottle on cook line not labeled. Manager states spray bottle is olive oil and specific color is how they label. Manager did have employee place written label on bottle.
Nov 30, 2023Inspection Completed - No Further ActionComplaint Investigation
Met inspection standards. 1 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
0 High priority0 Intermediate1 Basic
Show 1 finding ▾
Interior of breadstick oven has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris.
Aug 21, 2023Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 3 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority0 Intermediate2 Basic
Show 3 findings ▾
Quaternary ammonium sanitizer not at proper minimum strength for manual warewashing. 3 compartment sink in bar area over 500ppm, operator added water 400ppm
Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Employee in prep area wearing multiple bracelets
Interior of microwave has accumulation of grease/food debris. Microwave in cook line area closest to breadstick warmer
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.