FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. Lucky Cat Street Eatery at 6322 N Andrews Ave was emergency-closed on July 28 after state inspectors documented roach activity inside the restaurant, one of 15 Fort Lauderdale facilities to draw high-severity violations during the week of July 27 through August 2, 2026.
The closure was not Lucky Cat's first brush with inspectors. State records show 27 prior inspections on file for the Andrews Avenue address. This week's inspection turned up five high-severity violations before the roach finding prompted the shutdown, including no person in charge present or performing duties, no employee health policy, employees not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing technique, and inadequate shellfish traceability records.
The Week's Worst Findings
Big Louies Pizzeria at 3095 W Cypress Creek Rd and Jet Runway Cafe at 5540 NW 21 Ter each drew seven high-severity violations, the highest totals of the week. At Big Louies, inspectors cited employees for not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing technique, inadequate shellfish traceability records, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, time used as a public health control without proper procedures, and no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked foods.
Jet Runway Cafe's seven violations covered similar ground but added two findings that set it apart: inadequate handwashing facilities, meaning the physical infrastructure for hygiene was lacking, and a failure to follow parasite destruction procedures for fish. That second citation means fish served at the cafe may not have been frozen to the temperatures and durations required to kill parasites including Anisakis and tapeworm.
Ceviche Barrio by Antojitos to Go at 6303 Powerline Rd drew six high-severity violations, including one that stands out in a restaurant where raw seafood is central to the menu: food not cooked to required minimum temperature. The inspection also flagged toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, meaning cleaning agents or other hazardous substances were kept in proximity to food or without adequate identification. Inspectors added four intermediate violations, including improper sewage or wastewater disposal and multi-use utensils not properly cleaned.
Xtreme Action Park at 5300 N Powerline Rd is an entertainment venue with food service, and its inspection this week produced six high-severity violations. No person in charge was present or performing duties, no written employee health policy existed, employees were not reporting illness symptoms, handwashing facilities were inadequate, shellfish traceability records were missing, and food was not cooked to required minimum temperature.
Adam and Joe Know Lunch at 6355 N Andrews Ave also reached six high-severity violations. The facility had no person in charge, no employee health policy, and no mechanism for employees to report illness symptoms. Inspectors also found improper handwashing technique, time as a public health control not properly used, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
More Violations Across the City
Cha-Baa Thai and Japanese Restaurant at 6316 N Powerline Rd drew five high-severity violations, including inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, missing shellfish traceability records, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items. The restaurant also had improper sanitizer concentration, meaning whatever sanitizer was in use was not at the strength needed to kill pathogens on surfaces.
Chick-fil-A at 2650 N Federal Hwy drew four high-severity violations: no person in charge, employees not reporting illness symptoms, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods. Intermediate violations included improper sewage or wastewater disposal and multi-use utensils not properly cleaned.
Banquets at 801 Seabreeze Blvd drew four high-severity violations, including food not cooked to required minimum temperature and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized. The same Seabreeze Blvd address houses Breezes Cafe, which drew its own four high-severity violations, including food from an unapproved or unknown source and inadequate shellfish traceability records.
Bangkok Bistro at 1527 N Federal Hwy was cited for food from an unapproved or unknown source, time as a public health control not properly used, improper handwashing technique, and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized.
Gilbert's 17th Street Grill at 1821 Cordova Rd also drew a food from unapproved source citation alongside toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used. La Mia Focaccia at 6330 N Powerline Rd drew four high-severity violations including toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized. Market at Bahia Mar at 801 Seabreeze Blvd was cited for food in poor condition, mislabeled, or adulterated, alongside inadequate handwashing and unsanitized food contact surfaces. Tamarindo Harbor Seafood Bar and Grill at 1025 N Federal Hwy drew three high-severity violations including food from an unapproved source and no consumer advisory, with no person in charge present.
What These Violations Mean
The single most widespread violation pattern this week was the cluster of illness-reporting failures: employees not reporting symptoms, no written health policy, and no person in charge to enforce either. These three violations appeared together at Lucky Cat, Xtreme Action Park, Adam and Joe Know Lunch, and Chick-fil-A. When no written health policy exists and no manager is present to enforce it, a worker with norovirus or Salmonella has no formal obligation to stay home, and no supervisor to send them home. Norovirus, which spreads through contact with an infected food worker's hands, causes roughly 20 million illnesses in the United States each year.
The food from unapproved source citations at Bangkok Bistro, Breezes Cafe, Gilbert's 17th Street Grill, and Tamarindo Harbor carry a specific traceability problem. Food purchased through inspected, licensed distributors comes with documentation that allows public health officials to trace an outbreak back to its origin and pull contaminated product from the supply chain. Food from unknown or unapproved sources bypasses that system entirely. If a customer becomes ill after eating at one of these restaurants, investigators have no chain of custody to follow.
Parasite destruction procedures not followed, cited at Jet Runway Cafe, is a violation that rarely surfaces in routine inspections and is worth understanding. Fish served raw or undercooked, including sushi-grade preparations, must be frozen to specific temperatures for specific durations before service to kill parasites. Without that step, parasites including Anisakis can survive and infect customers who eat the fish. The violation at a cafe located inside the Fort Lauderdale airport corridor means travelers, not just local regulars, are the affected population.
Toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, cited at Ceviche Barrio and La Mia Focaccia, and toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used at Gilbert's 17th Street Grill, represent an acute rather than cumulative risk. A cleaning solution stored above a food prep surface, or a chemical in an unlabeled container mistaken for a food ingredient, can cause immediate poisoning. These are not slow-build violations.
The Longer Record
Breezes Cafe has 34 prior inspections on record, the highest count among this week's cited facilities. This week's findings, including food from an unapproved source and missing shellfish records, are not the findings of a new operation still learning the code. Thirty-four inspections represent years of regulatory contact.
Tamarindo Harbor Seafood Bar and Grill has 32 prior inspections on file, and this week's citation for food from an unapproved source at a seafood restaurant is a particular concern given that shellfish traceability and sourcing are foundational to safe raw seafood service. Big Louies Pizzeria has 30 prior inspections and this week produced seven high-severity violations, including both a food temperature violation and a failure to post consumer advisories for raw or undercooked items.
Adam and Joe Know Lunch has only 14 prior inspections on record, the lowest count among this week's high-severity facilities. Six high-severity violations in what appears to be a relatively early stage of the inspection record is a notable start. Lucky Cat Street Eatery, with 27 prior inspections, was emergency-closed for roach activity on July 28. Whether the pest problem is new or has been building across those 27 inspections is not answered by this week's record alone.
