Black and pink residue in popular Columbus restaurant. See latest food safety scores

Behind every dish served in Columbus restaurants is a set of food safety rules designed to protect diners from illness.

During their latest round of inspections in November, Georgia Department of Public Health officials gave most businesses in Muscogee County passing grades with flying colors, but they found several with violations that could affect customer health.

Food inspectors visited over 40 restaurants, lounges and other establishments in Columbus last month. Among the establishments inspected, 16 earned perfect scores, with 25 also receiving an A. Five establishments earned a B. Two restaurants received a C.

Red Bowl Mongolian Buffet and Grill, at 8132 Veterans Parkway., has been an online foodie favorite since their opening in December 2024.

One customer. Scott Westbrook, posted to the Columbus, GA Foodies group about his experience at Red Bowl: “The food was spectacular, and the service was impeccable. I strongly recommend both, yet the crowds at both were surprisingly light. “

Another customer, Penny Phillips, also wrote a positive review about Red Bowl: “Just went to Red Bowl for the first time. I was very impressed. The place was so clean, even the restroom. The food was fantastic. The service was great! I will go back, most definitely.”

But last month, Red Bowl received a C grade with a score of 72 on its food safety inspection. Here is what the inspector found:

• Several dented cans in the dry food storage area, right of the main kitchen area.
• Multiple time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food items throughout the main kitchen area and the walk-in-cooler not separated by type based on minimum cooking temperature. Raw chicken in a container stored on a container of cooked noodles, as well as raw chicken stored next to a box of broccoli in the walk-in cooler. Raw fish stored above cooked pork and next to ready-to-eat spring rolls in a reach-in cooler. Raw chicken stored above raw shelled eggs in a reach-in cooler.
• Several TCS items uncovered throughout the main kitchen area, as well as the walk-in cooler.
• Black and pink residue on Ice chute of the bulk-producing ice machine in the main kitchen area.
• Multiple TCS food items without discard dates, and the food had been prepared the previous day.

Establishments that receive a C safety grade must have an additional routine inspection added in 12 months, according to state law.

What is a TCS food?

A time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food is any food that needs specific time and temperature controls to prevent harmful bacteria growth. Examples of TCS foods are meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, soy products, cut fruit and vegetables, and cooked rice, pasta and potatoes.

Per the Georgia Department of Agriculture, general temperature rules are as follows:

• Hold cold foods at 41°F or below.
• Hold hot foods at 135°F or above.
• Reheat foods for hot holding to 165°F for at least 15 seconds.
• Reheat commercially processed food (from a processing plant) to 135°F for hot holding.
• Store frozen foods in a frozen condition (hard to the touch).
• Cool properly cooked foods from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and from 135°F to 41°F or less within a total of 6 hours.
• Cool foods to 41°F within 4 hours if prepared from ingredients at room temperature (such as reconstituted foods and canned tuna).
• Reheat food in a microwave oven to 165°F. The food should be rotated or stirred, covered during heating, and allowed to stand covered for 2 minutes after reheating.

Not following these guidelines can result in serious risks.

In a previous interview with the Ledger-Enquirer, Danielle Saunders, Columbus environmental health manager for the West Central Health District in the Georgia Department of Public Health, said improper storage and incorrect holding temperatures can increase risks of cross-contamination and sickness.

“If they don’t cook it to the minimum required temperature,” she said, “there are some associated risks where there are potential hazards for them to get sick.”

Symptoms associated with illness transmitted through food include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice or sore throat with fever, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Saunders also explained how the food inspection process happens in a previous interview.

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 mean satisfactory compliance with the business receiving 80-89 points.
• C’ grades mean marginal compliance and are applied to scores from 70-79.
• U grades mean unsatisfactory compliance and are applied to scores of 69 or less.

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

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

Here’s the full list of safety inspection scores for Columbus restaurants in November:

Restaurants receiving a C grade

• Macon Road Bar-B-Que, 2703 Avalon Road
• Facility with an expired certified food safety manager certificate.
• Boston butt located on the smoker, reheating for 3 hours at a temperature of 115°F.
• Several time and temperature-controlled foods located in both reach-in coolers in the dining area cold-holding above 41°
• Red Bowl, 8132 Veterans Parkway.

Restaurants receiving B grades

• Players, 1500 54th St.
• Raw shrimp thawing in a pan with no rim on it, above pickles in reach-in cooler. Whole cut of pork stored below ground beef patties in a reach-in cooler in a dry storage area.
• Reach-in cooler in front of the ice machine with a shattered glass door and peeling floor.
• Food debris at bottom of the reach-in cooler beside the grill.
• Subway Sandwiches, 1408 Veterans Parkway
• Tuna and roast beef cold-held at 43°F and steak cold-held at 45°F on prep to cooler in front food service area.
• 1% low-fat milk in the walk-in cooler with an expiration date of 09/10/2025.
• Taco Bell, 8142 Veterans Parkway
• Several time/temperature for safety foods cold-holding at temperatures above 41°F in the prep top cooler in the main kitchen.
• Drive-thru line portion of the prep top cooler not able to keep proper cold-holding temperatures.
• Wing Master, 4231 Macon Road, Suite 50
• Pot stickers, butterfly shrimp, and egg rolls stored uncovered in the reach-in freezer. Raw fish and chicken stored uncovered in a reach-in cooler. Containers containing spices left uncovered.
• A food employee rinsed a silver pan in the meat prep sink without properly washing, rinsing or sanitizing the container.
• Several TCS foods held at temperatures above 41°F.
• No discard date on items prepped or cooked more than 24 hours ago in the walk-in-cooler, reach-in-cooler, and reach-in-freezer.
• Raw chicken wings being washed and stored in each compartment of the 3-compartment sink with no colander or pan underneath.
• Pita Mediterran Street Food, 6475 Gateway Road
• Handwashing sink in the back kitchen with a container of cookies stored in it. Cloth stored in the handwashing sink in the main kitchen area.
• Handwashing sink in the main kitchen area without hot water. Hot water faucet not working at the time of the inspection.
• Food items prepped the previous day not labeled with the correct discard dates. Prep dates and an expiration date stated three days only, not an actual seven-day discard date.
• Chicken thawing in the prep sink in the back kitchen area in standing water temping at 100°F. Item completely submerged in the water.
• Food establishment without a temperature-measuring device at the time of the inspection.
• 3-compartment sink leaking in the back kitchen area from the bottom.

Restaurants receiving A grades

• Agave Bar and Grill, 1110 Broadway
• AJ Wing Master, 5390 Veterans Parkway
• Captain D’s #3595, 2547 Airport Thruway
• Chicken Salad Chick Lakeside, 6517 Kitten Lake Drive, W6
• Chili’s Grill & Bar, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd.
• China Inn, 2116 Wynnton Road
• Denny’s #7075, 3239 Macon Road
• Fuji Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar, 6499 Veterans Parkway. Unit 8
• Garden Cafe, 710 Center St.
• Gong Cha, 5592 Whitesville Road, Suite U
• Hardee’s of Columbus #6, 2501 Airport Thruway
• Jarfly, 1358 13th St.
• Jimmy John’s, 3127 Macon Road
• Kiku Asian Express, 7000 Ruffie Way
• Krystal #9, 412 13th St.
• Little Caesars, 5762 Milgen Road
• McDonald’s #7562, 1338 Veterans Parkway
• Mikata, 5300 Sidney Simmons Blvd., Suite 19
• Moe’s Southwest Grill, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd. Suite 1205
• New China Buffet, 6499 Veterans Parkway, Suite F
• Panadería y Taquería Tía Rosa, 1671 S. Lumpkin Road
• Pour Decisions, 5870 Veterans Parkway, Suite G
• Red 8 Kitchen, 6073 Veterans Parkway
• Speakeasy, 3123 Mercury Drive
• The Loft, 1032 Broadway

Perfect food safety scores

• Chipotle Mexican Grill, 3201 Macon Road. Suite 100
• Graze Craze, 1008 Broadway
• Golden Chopstix, 6201 Veterans Parkway
• Jim N Nicks Community Bar-B-Q, 5710 Whittlesey Blvd.
• KFC, 6760 Veterans Parkway
• La Sammich, 4820 Armour Road, Suite A-6
• Lemongrass Thai & Sushi, 2435 Wynnton Road
• Mandarin Cafe, 6100 Veterans Parkway
• Midtown Cafe, 2357 Warm Springs Road, Suite 149
• Panda Express, 5295 Whittlesey Blvd.
• Popbar Columbus, 5750 Milgen Road, Unit 104
• Raising Cane’s, 5720 Whittlesey Blvd.
• Surcheros, 6516 Kitten Lake Drive
• Super Regular, 1239 Broadway
• Tacos El Paisa (Base & Mobile), 1649 Elvan Ave.
• Wingstop, 6361 Talokas Lane

This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 5:00 AM.