Inspectors from the Georgia Department of Public Health conduct routine checks each month at Columbus restaurants, lounges and other establishments serving food, providing a snapshot of local food safety standards.

They inspected over 80 businesses in Muscogee County during December. Among them, 36 earned perfect scores, with 31 also receiving an A grade. Ten earned a B. One restaurant received a C.

Taste of Tokyo, at 1056 Manchester Expressway, scored a 72 on its health inspection. Here is what the inspector found:

A CFSM (certified food safety manager) certificate which expired in January 2025 was posted within the establishment.
A bowl was in the handwashing sink in the front service area and a sauce of some sort was stored in the handwashing sink in the main kitchen area.
No handwashing cleanser was available at the hand sink in the main kitchen.
Several items in the reach-in freezer and cooler were uncovered. Several seasonings were near the steam well and the wok area, uncovered as well.
Several TCS (time/temperature control for safety) food items were in the prep top cooler in the main kitchen area, cold-holding at temperatures greater than 41°F.
Multiple food items were removed from their original food packaging and placed in working containers with no label of their common name.
A thermometer was not readily available or accessible during the time of the inspection.

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, and why do they matter?

A time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food is any food that needs specific time and temperature controls to prevent harmful bacteria growth. Per the Georgia Department of Agriculture, key temperature rules are:

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.

In an interview last year with the Ledger-Enquirer, Danielle Saunders, the 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.

How the grading system works

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

An A grade, for 90-100 points, means food safety is excellent.
A B grade, for 80-89 points, means satisfactory compliance.
A C grade, for 70-79 points, means marginal compliance.
A U grade, for 69 points or less, means unsatisfactory compliance.

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

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

Here’s the full list of inspection scores for Columbus businesses serving food in December.

Columbus restaurant receiving a C grade

Taste of Tokyo, 1056 Manchester Expressway

Columbus restaurants receiving B grades and their violations

Arby’s 0660, 1503 Veterans Parkway
Several time/temperature for the safety of cold-holding foods were above 41°F.
Brito’s Taqueria, 2019 S. Lumpkin Road
TCS foods were in reach-in the cooler above 41 degrees F.
An employee was preparing food without hair restraints.
An open container with discarded food was in the main kitchen next to the handwashing sink with a live roach in it.
Happy China, 4403 17th Ave., Unit 6
Raw shrimp was stored above cooked breaded chicken in reach-in cooler. Raw chicken wings were stored above raw broccoli and celery in reach-in cooler in main kitchen.
Cooked noodles and shrimp were in reach-in a cooler without date marking.
Accumulation of residue was on bottom surface inside reach-in cooler next to hand sink in main kitchen.
Water was leaking from the pipe under the hand sink in the main kitchen.
King’s Super Buffet, 1505 Manchester Expressway
Brown and black residue was on the ice machine chute of the large ice machine in the main kitchen.
In-use utensils were stored in water at 85 degrees F.
Multiple containers of spices were removed from their original containers without labels identifying contents in the main kitchen and sushi area.
Popeyes, 4236 Buena Vista Road
Handwashing sink near the drive-thru area with automatic dispensing sensor was not working.
Several containers of raw chicken located near fryers in ice baths were cold-holding at 51*F, 45*F, 54*F, 55*F, and 60*F.
A pan of macaroni and cheese was hot-holding in the warmer cabinet at 100*F.
Red Bowl, 8132 Veterans Parkway
Multiple TCS items throughout the main kitchen area and walk-in-cooler were not separated by type based on minimum cooking temperatures: Raw chicken in a container was stored on a container of cooked noodles, and raw chicken was stored next to a box of broccoli, in the walk-in cooler. Raw fish was stored above cooked pork and stored next to ready-to-eat spring rolls in reach-in cooler. Raw chicken was stored above raw shelled eggs in reach-in cooler.
Several dented cans were in dry food storage area to the right of main kitchen area.
Ice chute on the bulk-producing ice machine in the main kitchen area had black and pink residue
Several TCS items were uncovered throughout main kitchen area and walk-in-cooler.
Multiple TCS food items were without discard dates, and food had been prepared the day before.
Ruby Tuesday, 3431 Manchester Expressway
Several time/temperature control for safety foods were cold-holding above 41°F.
Spudzilla Monster Loaded Potatoes & More, 6550 Whittlesey Blvd., Suite 101
Black residue was on the chute of the bulk-producing ice machine in the main kitchen.
Container of milk in reach-in cooler was cold-holding for more than 4 hours and reaching temperatures greater than 41*F
Several items in the warmer cabinet were hot-holding at temperatures less than 135*F.
Plastic bag with ham and a prep date of 11/14 was in reach-in cooler in main kitchen.
Container of hot dogs with a prep date of 11/30 was in reach in cooler in main kitchen.
Several items in reach-in coolers throughout main kitchen had discard dates that exceeded 7 days past the prep date.
Wakis African Kitchen, 2901 University Ave., Suite 1
No verifiable manner of notification of employees’ responsibility to report foodborne illnesses nor symptoms.
Meat pies stored in warming cabinet in front food service area were hot-holding at 73*F.
Egusi on countertop was at 110*F.
Most recent inspection was not posted.
Wing City, 3846 St. Marys Road, Suite 12
Raw chicken was stored above tea and hot sauce in walk-in cooler.
Several time/temperature control for safety foods were cold-holding at temperatures above 41°F in cooler drawers.
Several time/temperature control for safety foods were hot-holding at temperatures below 135°F.
Storage containers were stored while wet.

Columbus restaurants receiving A grades

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 2513 Airport Thruway
Bmoski’s Flavor Wings & Cafe, 4701 St. Marys Road, Suite C
BTJ Wings, 3517 Victory Drive
Burger King #7328, 4134 Buena Vista Road
Captain D’s #3762, 3306 Macon Road
Captain D’s 3325, 4120 Buena Vista Road
Carrabba’s Italian Grill, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd., Suite H
Country’s Barbecue, 3137 Mercury Drive
Cracker Barrel #523, 1500 Bradley Park Drive
El Primo Taqueria, 1002 Bay Ave. Suite 5
Filberto’s Authentic Filipino Cuisine, 1022 Bay Ave, Suite 8
La Nacional, 4403 17th Ave
Little Caesars, 1901 Manchester Expressway
Lin China, 7600 Schomburg Road, Suite F
Macon Road Bar-B-Que, 2703 Avalon Road
McDonald’s #455, 3315 Macon Road
McDonald’s #11915, 1436 Manchester Expressway
McDonald’s #24343, 7350 Veterans Parkway
Monarca Mexican Restaurant, 8132 Veterans Parkway, Suite 417
Morten’s at Old Town, 3580 Massee Lane
Pei Wei Express, 3131 Manchester Expressway, Suite F-5
Subway, 1591 Bradley Park Drive
Sonic Drive-In #6006, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd.
Taqueria Jalisco, 5001 Forrest Road, Unit 3
Thai Orchid, 5960 Veterans Parkway, Suite A
Taste of India, 2301 Airport Thruway, Unit F5
Terry Ho’s Quick Kitchen, 7830 Veterans Parkway, Suite E
The Mix Market, 1040 Broadway
The Hangout, 6060 Veterans Parkway
The Pizza Place, 1030 Broadway
Waffle House, 7380 Blackmon Road

Perfect food safety scores

Burger King #362, 3520 Macon Road
Chester’s Ribs & BBQ, 400 Fourth St.
ChickChickPorkPork Grill, 6516 Kitten Lake Drive, Suite 1
Chili Thai Uptown, 19 W. 10th St.
Chipotle Mexican Grill, 5295 Whittlesey Blvd.
Church’s Fried Chicken, 1122 Fort Benning Road
Darby’s Patrol Base, 4018 Victory Drive
Deep Roots Kava Bar, 2505 Airport Thruway, Suite K
Epic Restaurant, 1201 Front Ave. Suite E
Fiesta Snacks, 4403 17th Ave
Hardee’s Columbus #3, 3883 St. Marys Road
Italian Soul Bar & Grill, 4022 University Ave., Suite 9
It’s Tamale Time, 211 13 St., Unit 102
IHOP #3366, 6317 Talokas Lane
Koreana, 5828 Moon Road
Kung Fu Tea, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd.
Krystal #7, 3029 Manchester Expressway
La Garita Restaurant and Bakery, 1230 Fort Benning Road
Mabella, 6835 Midland Commons Blvd.
McDonald’s #11362, 5628 Milgen Road
Mercy’s Jamaican Kitchen, 5753 Milgen Road
Me Encanta, 1231 Broadway, Suite 100
Mr. Pizza Brick Oven and Tap, 3443 Macon Road, Suite A
Nana Fritta’s, 4525 Holly Ave., Suite A
Parlor Doughnuts, 211 13th St., Suite 102
Panda Express, 683 Midland Commons Blvd
Rose’s Caribbean Restaurant, 2039 Torch Hill Road
San Jose Mexican Restaurant, 5770 Milgen Road, Suite 6
Skipper’s, 3505 Buena Vista Road
Shark’s Fish & Chicken, 1810 Wynnton Road
Southern Roots Country Store and Cafe, 1206 Broadway
Steak-Out, 4519 Woodruff Road, Unit 18
The Emeralds Touch BBQ, 5156 River Road, Suite F
Tuesday’s Street Tacos & Burritos, 3001 Williams Road, Unit A
Wendy’s, 1633 Bradley Park Drive
Wing Stop, 2528 Weems Road, Suite 1B

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