WAVES CRAB HOUSE
14345 US HWY 301 S, Wimauma FL 33598 · 813-385-6296
Last inspected Jul 23, 2026 · 8 visits since August 2023
SEP 24
APR 25
DEC 25
APR 26
JUL 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. Observed employee wash touch cooked potatoes with bare hands.
★ Spotless◆ Clean streak● Perfect year✓ Never fined
Awarded on the inspection record alone. What they mean →
Inspection history
8 visits, newest first
Jul 23, 2026Inspection Completed - No Further ActionComplaint Investigation
Met inspection standards. 13 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
2 High priority0 Intermediate11 Basic
What the inspector wrote — 13 findingsThe state's own report →
Container of medicine improperly stored. Employee medicine above prep table.
Employee touched soiled surface and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed employee use phone then began prepping food without washing hands.
Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Ice machine.
Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Ice bucket not inverted at bar.
Show the remaining 9 findings ▾
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink above prep table.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee phone on shelf above reach in cooler on cook line.
Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Under fryers.
Food stored on floor. Soda boxes on floor.
In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knife between reach in cooler and prep table.
In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Utensils in standing water temped 75 F.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters and on the side of fryers and grill soiled.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
Wood food-contact surface not properly sealed. Wood on shelf across from ice machine.
Apr 15, 2026Administrative complaint recommendedRoutine Inspection
Referred for a formal case, which can lead to a fine. 10 violations recorded, 3 high priority.
3 High priority1 Intermediate6 Basic
Show 10 findings ▾
Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shrimp over cooked noddles in walk in cooler.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Corn 67 F on counter, employee placed in freezer.
Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicken wings 74 F- retemp 171 F sitting on counter, employee reheated.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting boards. Soda gun.
Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Ice machine.
Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Ice bucket not inverted.
Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Cutting boards.
Food stored on floor. Soda boxes on floor.
Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Microwave.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
Dec 8, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 17 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
2 High priority3 Intermediate12 Basic
Show 17 findings ▾
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. Observed employee wash touch cooked potatoes with bare hands.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Corn 64 F, cooked potatoes 71 F left on counter for two hours, employee placed in walk in cooler.
Clam/mussel/oyster tags not marked with last date served. Oyster tags not date marked.
Clams/mussels/oysters tag removed from original container prior to container being emptied. Oyster tag removed from container.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting board.
Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Ice machine.
Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Ice bucket not inverted at bar.
Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Cutting board.
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink above prep cooler.
Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee food in reach in cooler.
Food stored on floor. Containers of oil on floor.
In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Rice spoon in standing water temped 76 F.
Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Microwave.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. West wiping cloth on prep table.
Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Container of flour not labeled.
Apr 29, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 9 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
0 High priority2 Intermediate7 Basic
Show 9 findings ▾
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed old food debris on soda gun nozzle at bar at time of inspection.
Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Food in walk in cooler.
Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Observed a mold like substance inside ice machine at time of inspection.
Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Observed plastic bowl used in bulk sausage on cooks line. Employee removed and disposed of bowl during inspection.
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Observed employee drinks on prep table next to rice cooker and over reach in cooler on cooks line.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employees phone on prep table next to rice cooker in kitchen at time of inspection.
Food stored on floor. Observed food stored on walk in freezer floor at time of inspection.
No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. O hand wash sign at hand wash sink at bar. Operator replaced sign during inspection.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.Mops stored in mop buckets not set to dry at time of inspection.
Sep 30, 2024Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 13 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
2 High priority5 Intermediate6 Basic
Show 13 findings ▾
Container of medicine improperly stored. Observed medicine on cook line shelf above make table. Manager moved
Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired 2-1-2024. Manager renewed license and current expiration is 2-1-2025
Clam/mussel/oyster tags not maintained in chronological order according to the last date they were served in the establishment. Oyster tags
Clam/mussel/oyster tags not marked with last date served. Oyster tags not dated
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting board stained on cook line
No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. At bar hand sink. Manager refilled
Toxic substance/chemical on premise that is not required for the operation of establishment. Observed employee lighter on cook line. Manager removed
Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed. Current license posted expired 2-1-2022
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Observed open bottle of water and iced tea on cook line. Employee moved to walk in cooler
Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Observed employee food in reach in freezer by Mac n cheese pouches to be served to guests.
Equipment in poor repair. Gasket torn at bar cooler
No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. At bar handsink
Walk-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface.
Mar 25, 2024□ Call Back - CompliedRoutine Inspection
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
0 High priority1 Intermediate0 Basic
Show 1 finding ▾
Observed oyster tag not marked with last date served.
Jan 22, 2024Warning IssuedRoutine Inspection
Violations found and a warning issued, with a return visit required. 5 recorded.
0 High priority5 Intermediate0 Basic
Show 5 findings ▾
Establishment not maintaining oyster tags for 90 days.
No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. At server hand sink, or bar
No plan review submitted and approved - renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. The direct link to the Plan Review page is https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Establishment added bar with three compartment in handsink to the left of war. Service station is. Far left hand sink and ice bin in server station removed. Handsink by mop sink removed in kitchen. Mop sink moved to right side of 2 compartment sink three compartment sink in kitchen removed and was replaced with a two compartment sink. Dish machine moved to far right corner of kitchen. Prep sink added but us a designated hand sink
No proof provided that some food employees are informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses.
Observed oyster tag not marked with last date served.
Aug 8, 2023Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 4 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
0 High priority0 Intermediate4 Basic
Show 4 findings ▾
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Energy drinks on shelf over reach in cooler
In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses.
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.