Would you like some mice droppings with that? Jeffcoâs lowest health inspection scores for July
There’s just certain people you’d rather not see more than once: a police detective, an IRS agent or, if you’re a restaurant in the Birmingham metropolitan area, a Jefferson County health inspector.
Eight restaurants in the county have a second date with a health inspector after they scored below an 85 during an inspection last month. The threshold triggers a reinspection of an establishment within 60 days.
The restaurants that qualify had scores ranging from an 84 to a 70, with infractions ranging from mice droppings and live roaches to improper temperatures of food to dirty dishes.
Here are the eight lowest restaurant scores for July, in order from highest to lowest:
Teriyaki Express, 6200 Grand River Blvd., Leeds
Teriyaki Express, 6200 Grand River Blvd., Leeds
Score: 84
Critical Violations: 3
This Asian restaurant nestled in the food court of the Shops at Grand River had 14 points deducted from three critical violations following a July 24 inspection. It was dinged another two points for minor infractions.
One of Teriyaki Express’ cooks was seen by the inspector “chopping cooked chicken with his bare hands for service on the steam table,” the inspector wrote in their report.
Teriyaki Express was also cited for pooled eggs, peas and carrots and raw chicken and beef being stored at higher than acceptable temperatures.
The inspector also said they saw “live roaches of all stages” inside the make table cooler’s mechanical components “and crawling on the packages and storage shelving against” a cooler wall.

A Little Caesars pizza franchise.Little Caesars Pizza
Little Caesar’s, 3305 Lorna Rd., Hoover
Score: 84
Critical violations: 2
The Hoover Little Caesar’s lost nine points from two critical violations, with the balance of its deductions coming from less-serious delinquencies after a July 13 inspection.
Dough was found in a cooler “located under condensation leak,” the inspector noted.
There were also several dirty dishes in the clean storage area.

Costa’s Mediterranean Cafe
Costa’s Mediterranean Cafe, 3443 Lorna Rd., Hoover
Score: 83
Critical violations: 2
Costa’s has two critical violations that cost the establishment 10 points after a July 18 visit from the health department.
Meatballs and chopped meat were heated in the microwave to between 127 and 130 degrees, according to the inspector. Meanwhile, microwaved-cooked foods are supposed to be heated to at least 165 degrees.
Lettuce, tomato and prepared ranch and caesar dressing was stored at between 51 and 80 degrees when the acceptable temperatures for such foods is 41 degrees or below.
Costa’s ventilation system was not working properly at the time of the inspection, causing excessive humidity and heat in the kitchen and dining room.

The Purple Onion in Rainbow City, Ala. (William Thornton)
The Purple Onion, 1551 Montgomery Hwy., Hoover
Score: 83
Critical violations: 3
The Hoover location of The Purple Onion lost 13 points off three critical violations after a July 10 inspection.
Slices of gyro meat were stored on the counter at a temperature of 75 degrees when it should have been at 41 degrees or below, the inspector wrote.
Partially cooked chicken wings were found stored in a cooler.
There was also no hand soap at the handwashing sink in the kitchen and “heavy accumulation of grease” around the grease receptacle.

Even on Christmas, most Waffle Houses are open. Photo By Terry Pluto / Cleveland.com
Waffle House #2131, 938 Allison-Bonnett Memorial Dr., Hueytown
Score: 82
Critical Violations: 3
The Waffle House in Hueytown lost 13 points from three critical violations after a July 13 inspection.
The inspector said there was unwrapped country ham slices laying directly on uncovered lettuce in a refrigerator door.
The Waffle House was also cited for ineffective insect control. “There were live flies and insects observed in the back of the kitchen,” the inspector wrote.
Soiled plates were stored with clean plates on the clean equipment storage shelf.

Chop Suey Inn, 813 Green Springs Hwy., Homewood
Chop Suey Inn, 813 Green Springs Hwy., Homewood
Score: 80
Critical violations: 3
Chop Suey Inn had 13 points deducted from three critical violations, with the remaining points taken off from minor infractions after a July 7 inspection.
It was cited for a “strong presence of mice droppings and live roaches,” according to the inspector.
A cook touched ready to eat foods with their bare hands, the inspector noted.
Hand sinks were also used for purposes besides handwashing and hair restraints were not used to keep hair from coming in contact with exposed food.

This is the sign on a Wendy’s restaurant in Pittsburgh on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)AP
Wendy’s #1257, 104 Bessemer Superhighway, Midfield
Score: 72
Critical violations: 5
This Wendy’s in Midfield lost 23 points off critical violations alone after a July 26 visit from the Jefferson County Health Department.
The inspector found two cases of molded tomatoes, several bags of old, brown, withered lettuce and a plastic container of eggs with a “strong, foul odor” in a cooler.
The inspector also found an expired box of ground beef patties at an inappropriate temperature along with blue cheese, shredded cheese and a box of sour cream stored improperty.
There were also several flies in the kitchen.

The Golden Rule Bar-B-Q in Trussville on Aug. 12, 2022. (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com)
Golden Rule BBQ & Kemp’s Kitchen & Bakery, 120 Chalkville Rd., Trussville
Score: 70
Critical violations: 5
Golden Rule and Kemp’s, both located on Chalkville Road in Trussville, had the dubious distinctions of being the lowest rated establishments in Jefferson County in July.
The establishments lost 23 points off critical violations alone after a July 17 inspection.
The inspector cited the restaurants for having “large numbers of flies at the outdoor smoker, in the refuse area and inside the food operations areas.”
The restaurants were not able to verify that it told employees what to do if they have specific symptoms of diseases transmissible through food.
There were can openers with heavily soiled blade and a fry cutter with dried, impacted food residue that were not properly cleaned.
The inspector also cited the restaurants for storing foods at improper temperatures.