Bold reality check: numerous South Florida restaurants were shut last week after state inspectors found serious rodent and sanitation violations, including dead rodents, rodent droppings, and unsafe food handling. Here’s a thorough rewrite of the details, keeping all key information and expanding where helpful for clarity.
But here’s where it gets controversial: these findings underscore systemic gaps in hotel-grade cleanliness across multiple venues in Broward and Palm Beach counties, prompting strong questions about enforcement consistency and industry standards. And this is the part most people miss: temporary closures aren’t just penalties—they’re a signal that kitchens must overhaul routines to protect public health.
Overview
State inspectors reported dead rodents or signs of rodents at more than half of the 11 South Florida restaurants temporarily ordered closed the previous week. In one case, an employee was observed cleaning rat droppings with bare hands and then touching a food prep counter, highlighting a dangerous lapse in basic hygiene practices. The Sun Sentinel typically covers restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) in Broward and Palm Beach counties, focusing on high-priority violations that involve improper food temperatures, presence of pests, or other critical safety failures. If a restaurant fails a state inspection, it must remain closed until a successful follow-up inspection is conducted. If you notice potential violations and want to file a complaint, contact the Florida DBPR via their complaint wizard. (Note: The Sun Sentinel does not perform inspections.)
BROWARD COUNTY
Artie’s Sportsmen’s Lounge
2218 N. Federal Highway, Hollywood
Ordered shut: Dec. 1
Why: Nine violations, including four high-priority issues such as live roaches in control devices under the three-compartment sink and near the water heater, dozens of dead roaches in similar locations, a stop-sale for time/temperature issues with cooked scalloped potatoes, raw beef stored above cooked turkey in a reach-in cooler, and a time/temperature problem with turkey prepared on Nov. 27 without proper date-marking.
Status: Reopened Dec. 2 after a follow-up inspection found three basic violations.
Denny’s
404 S. State Road 7, Hollywood
Ordered shut: Dec. 4
Why: Eight violations, including four high-priority ones: two dead rodents in glue traps in a chemical storage room far from the kitchen, five rodent droppings in the chemical storage area near the exit, hot water turned off in the kitchen causing staff to wash hands with cold water, raw salmon stored above cooked potatoes in a four-door reach-in freezer, and time/temperature issues involving shredded cheese, ham, cooked onions, and cooked peppers.
Status: Reopened later the same day after a reinspection found no violations.
Emily’s Garden
327 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: Dec. 3
Why: Six violations, including three high-priority items: about 42 rodent droppings in the kitchen under the dry storage rack and on top of the dish machine, raw shell eggs stored over unwashed potatoes in external refrigerated storage, and cold-smoked salmon stored over butter.
Status: Reopened later the same day after a follow-up visit yielded no violations.
El Coyote Club
5748 Washington St., Hollywood
Ordered shut: Dec. 3
Why: Nine violations, including four high-priority: 26 live roaches in the kitchen in locations like around a small chest freezer and near a triple sink, 21 dead roaches in several kitchen spots, an employee washing hands without soap, raw shell eggs stored above cooked vegetables in a cooler, and a bag of raw chicken stored above raw pork in a freezer with improperly packaged meats.
Status: Reopened Dec. 4 after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
Cajun Boil
8000 W. Broward Blvd., Suite 1329, Plantation
Ordered shut: Dec. 5
Why: Six violations, including two high-priority: one dead rodent in the mop closet near the ice machine and about 20 rodent droppings in the same area, raw chicken stored above ready-to-eat bread in the kitchen cooler, and a handwashing sink at the front counter used for dirty dishes.
Status: Reopened Dec. 6 after a second inspection found no violations.
Lickie Stickie BBQ
7794 NW 44th St., Sunrise
Ordered shut: Dec. 4
Why: Nine violations, including four high-priority: four live roaches in the prep kitchen in various sites, one dead roach in a prep sink, about 30 live flies throughout the establishment, an employee washing dirty dishes and then touching clean equipment, raw shell eggs stored above sauces in a walk-in cooler, and a handwash sink not accessible for use at all times.
Status: Reopened Dec. 5 after a follow-up visit found no violations.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
The Blue Anchor Pub
804 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach
Ordered shut: Dec. 4
Why: 18 violations, including seven high-priority, with about 481 rodent droppings across multiple zones (kitchen, walk-ins, storage, and even an outside ice machine), raw pork and cooked beef stored in soiled containers, raw pork stored above unwashed mushrooms, raw ground beef above fish, a stop-sale on mahi mahi in a reduced-oxygen package that had defrosted, and numerous time/temperature issues across dairy, meat, sauces, and produce. Walls in walk-in coolers were mold-like.
Status: Closed Dec. 5 after a follow-up inspection found 12 violations (four high-priority); Reopened Dec. 8 after a third visit found five violations (one high-priority).
Gou Lakay & American Taste
229 SE Second Ave., No. 1, Delray Beach
Ordered shut: Dec. 2
Why: 13 violations, including eight high-priority: about 109 rodent droppings in various spots including an empty box for tomato paste and a cleaned plate on a shelf; three live roaches in an unused reach-in cooler; an employee cleaning rat droppings with bare hands and then touching food prep surfaces without washing up; a stop-sale for cooked chicken that had not been consumed within seven days of opening; use of a handwash sink for purposes other than handwashing (storing aprons, lids, and scrubs).
Status: Reopened Dec. 4 after a follow-up inspection found three basic violations.
Sal’s Italian Ristorante
5500 S. State Road 7, No. 116, Lake Worth
Ordered shut: Dec. 3
Why: 12 violations, including six high-priority: about 32 live roaches in various zones (dish storage rack, electrical box near the dish-washing area, under a meat slicer area, etc.), two dead roaches near the front counter, stop-sale for certain frozen seafood products in reduced-oxygen packaging that were no longer frozen, a server entering the kitchen from outside and preparing a to-go salad without washing hands, a cook wiping hands on a heavily soiled apron and cloth and then handling clean utensils without washing, and a dishwasher who was drinking while washing dishes.
Status: Reopened Dec. 4 after a second visit found no violations.
Mil Amores Mexican Food
421 Northlake Blvd., Suite A, North Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Dec. 2
Why: 20 violations, including nine high-priority: about 40 flies on unwashed lemons, onions, clean plates, spices, and a pineapple-vinegar container; raw beef stored over french fries and raw chicken over raw beef; a stop-sale for cooked beef and sour cream due to temperature abuse; degreaser stored next to clean pots and pans; an employee washing dishes with soap and then proceeding to prepare food without washing hands; bags of onions stored on the floor throughout the kitchen.
Status: Closed Dec. 3 after a second inspection found four violations (one high-priority); reopened later that day after a third visit found three intermediate and basic violations, with a follow-up inspection required.
MV Take Out Restaurant
386 SE Second Ave., Delray Beach
Ordered shut: Dec. 2
Why: Five violations, including three high-priority: about 19 rodent droppings by an AC unit in the storage room and on lids of cornmeal and bean containers in dry storage; a stop-sale for bluefish in the three-compartment sink due to unverified food/ice sources; and a handwash sink used for other purposes with evidence of food contamination.
Status: Reopened Dec. 3 after a follow-up inspection found one basic violation.
Notes
If you spot potential violations and want to report them, reach out to the Florida DBPR using their complaint wizard. And if you’re curious about any specific inspection details, the DBPR’s inspection pages list violation types, exact locations, and follow-up outcomes for each establishment.
