Pests, broken sink, cardboard mats. See latest Columbus restaurant inspection scores

Enjoying a meal out in Columbus means trusting that local restaurants keep your health and safety top of mind. But this recent round of health inspections shows not every eatery meets the same high standards.

Inspectors from the Georgia Department of Public Health visited over 50 restaurants, lounges and other food-serving establishments in Muscogee County during October. Among the establishments inspected, 24 earned perfect scores, with another 25 also receiving an “A”. Six establishments earned a “B”. One restaurant received a “C” in October.

The Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at 6820 Midland Commons Blvd., received a 75 on its food safety review. Inspectors found issues with holding temperatures and cleanliness. The violations were:

• The handwashing sink in the warewashing area was not working.
• Black residue on the soda nozzle located in the drive-thru area.
• Red rice in the warmer cabinet hot-holding at 114°F, rice in warmer cabinet hot-holding at 108°F, macaroni and cheese hot-holding at 122°F in the warmer cabinet, and popcorn chicken hot-holding at 113°F in the pass-through warmer.
• Buckets used for storing wiping cloths with a quaternary ammonium had a concentration of 0 ppm.
• The floor under the fryers and under the chicken prep table was covered with food debris and flour.

How the grading system works

Restaurants receive one of four letter grades that are assigned based on how many points are deducted from 100:

• “A” grades mean food safety is excellent and is achieved by receiving 90-100 points. 
• “B” grades are issued when there is satisfactory compliance, with the business receiving 80-89 points.
• C grades mean there is marginal compliance and are applied to scores between 70-79.
• U grades represent unsatisfactory compliance and are applied to scores of 69 or less.

Establishments that receive a “C” or “U” grade will have at least one additional routine inspection added in 12 months, according to state law. Receiving a B grade does not require a follow-up inspection.

Residents can find information on all health inspections on the Georgia Department of Public Health’s online portal.

Here’s the full list of food safety scores in October.

Restaurant receiving a C grade

• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 6820 Midland Commons Blvd.

Restaurants receiving B grades and their violations

• Chef Viet’s Shanghai, 4908 Buena Vista Road, Suite B & C
• Sliced carrots, cooked noodles, sliced green peppers and a mix of vegetables were stored uncovered in a reach-in cooler in the main kitchen.
• Several time/temperature control for foods with temperatures above 41°F in the prep-top cooler.
• Sugar, MSG, salt, cooking wine and vinegar were stored in food storage containers without proper labels.
• Country Wings 2, 1241 Double Churches Road, Suite D
• Raw bacon stored above ready-to-eat food, including lettuce and hoagie rolls, in a reach-in cooler. A bag of hoagie rolls stored directly on top of a bowl of raw chicken tenders with plastic wrap on top in reach-in cooler.
• Employee washes and rinses food containers without a sanitizing step. Utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment shall be sanitized before use after cleaning.
• Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet, 2040 Auburn Ave., Unit 1201
• Stainless steel scrubber and maintenance tool stored in the handwashing sink in the warewashing area.
• Food items were stored uncovered in reach-in coolers and the walk-in coolers (produce and meat coolers) in the main kitchen, as well as the reach-in cooler in the hibachi area.
• The ice scoop handle was stored directly on top of the ice at the drink machine in the drink prep area across from the dry storage area.
• A container of rice with a scoop handle was stored directly on top of food in the main kitchen next to the rice cooking station.
• Jhoomar Indian Cuisine, 2603 Manchester Expressway
• Dish machine dispensing sanitizer at 0 ppm as indicated by chlorine test strips. Observed temperature measuring device on dish machine showing a final rinse temperature between 100°F-110°F.
• Chicken tika in reach-in cooler in front of the grill area with a date on the container stating a prep date of 9/7. Several sauces in the prep top cooler with prep/discard dates between 9/22-9/28. Cooked goat stored in a reach-in cooler with no date of prep or discard.
• Sugar stored in a bulk container in the dry food storage area with a pest.
• Simple Gyro New York Style, 6550 Whittlesey Blvd., Suite 106
• Raw ground beef patties were stored above raw tilapia and raw chicken wings, stored above raw ground beef in a reach-in cooler in front food service area.
• Sliced lamb gyro was hot-holding above the grill at 99°F.
• The facility had no test strips for testing quaternary ammonium sanitizer concentration.
• The floor had an accumulation of food residue in the walk-in cooler, walk-in freezer and small reach-in cooler in front food service area.
• Wing Town, 3960 Buena Vista Road
• Facility utilized Time as a Public Health Control (TPHC) for the wings at the fryer and was unable to provide written procedures on the method of operation. Time stamps are not being utilized to identify discard times for the wings.
• Several food items are stored uncovered in the reach-in cooler in the main kitchen.
• Container of raw fish thawing in a 3-compartment sink, not completely submerged under running water.
• The facility used cardboard as mats in the main kitchen area in front of the fryers.
• Pests were throughout the facility, in the main kitchen and dining area.

Restaurants receiving A grades

• Acers Grill & Bar, 101 4th St.
• B. Merrell’s, 6835 Midland Commons Blvd., Suite H, I, J
• Burt’s Butcher Shop & Eatery, 2932 Warm Springs Road
• Camileaux’s Low Country Boil and Wings, 1660 Whittlesey Road, Suite 100
• Captain D’s #3518, 121 Manchester Expressway
• China Express 4519 Woodruff Road, Suite. 19
• Culver’s, 6859 Midland Commons Blvd.
• Dell’s Foods, 3466 University Ave., Suite 4
• Dinglewood Pharmacy, 1939 Wynnton Road
• Guthries, 8100 Veterans Parkway
• Ivy Park Sports and Grill, 9501 Veterans Parkway
• J’ Junior’s BBQ (Base and Mobile), 1112 18th Ave
• McDonald’s #11822, 4121 Buena Vista Road
• Moonswiners BBQ, 547 Veterans Parkway
• Moe’s Original BBQ, 1421 6th Ave.
• Mr. Wings Sports Grill and Bar, 4519 Woodruff Road, Suite 15
• New China Express, 6361 Talokas Lane, Suite C
• Ole Times Buffet, 1900 Manchester Expressway
• Salt Cellar, 1039 First Ave.
• Shark’s Fish & Chicken, 5609 Milgen Road
• Shark’s Fish & Chicken, 3807 Victory Drive
• Shangri-La, 4248 Buena Vista Road
• Sunny Wings & Burgers, 1790 Williams Road, Suite B
• Taco Bell, 1445 Veterans Parkway
• Wendy’s, 1707 Wynnton Road

Perfect food safety scores

• Baskin Robbins, 2445 Airport Thruway
• Bonefish Grill, 6783 Veterans Parkway
• Blue Sky Ice Cream, 7550 Veterans Parkway
• Cold Stone Creamery, 2501 Whittlesey Road, Unit G
• Destiny Dogs, 310 Eighth St.
• Dunkin 346411, 1523 Veterans Parkway
• Dunkin 354772, 6053 Veterans Parkway
• Just Thai, 5156 River Road. Suite. A & B
• Krystal #1, 5412 Veterans Parkway
• La Tacita, 6517 Kitten Lake Ave., Suite W-5
• Little Caesars, 2424 Woodruff Farm Road
• Mr. V’s BBQ & More, 6381 Milgen Road, Suite. 5
• Nana Fritta’s, 4525 Holly Ave., Suite A
• Normitas Latin American Restaurant, 2036 Fort Benning Road
• Peluso’s Italian Restaurant, 5600 Milgen Road, Suite 1021
• Steak and Shake, 1601 Bradley Park Drive
• Thai House, 5592 Whitesville Road
• The Food Mill, 3718 Second Ave. Suite A
• Tipsy Bar & Grill, 1780 Williams Road, Unit B & C
• Toasted, 5727 Moon Road, Suite A
• Trevoli, 5401 Gunboat Drive, Suite 29
• Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, 2151 Fort. Benning Road
• Waffle House #1440, 6751 Veterans Parkway
• Willy’s Wings, 4405 Armour Road

This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM.