MIAMI, FL. Las Tejas Restaurant on SW 26th Street accumulated 15 high-severity violations in a single inspection week, the highest count among 15 Miami-area facilities cited for serious food safety failures between September 17 and September 23, 2026, including findings that inspectors flagged for food sourced from unapproved or unknown suppliers, inadequate shellfish traceability records, and food in poor or adulterated condition.
The Worst of the Week
Las Tejas drew eight distinct high-severity violation categories in a single visit. Among them: no person in charge present or performing duties, no employee health policy, employees not reporting illness symptoms, and inadequate handwashing, both in frequency and technique. Inspectors also cited the restaurant for food from unapproved or unknown sources, food in poor or adulterated condition, and missing shellfish identification records.
Rio Grande Churrascaria, also on SW 26th Street, drew 11 high-severity violations and 7 intermediate ones in the same week. The churrascaria shared several of Las Tejas's most serious categories, including absent managerial oversight, no employee health policy, failure to report illness, and food from unapproved sources. Inspectors also cited the restaurant for food contact surfaces that were not properly cleaned or sanitized.
Mitricolor on SW 152nd Street matched that 11-violation high-severity count and added a finding that separates it from many of this week's other cited restaurants: inspectors documented that parasite destruction procedures were not followed. The restaurant was also cited for food not cooked to required minimum temperatures and for improper use of time as a public health control.
China Lee Restaurant on SW 8th Street also drew 11 high-severity violations. Inspectors found food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards, a citation that appeared at only a handful of facilities this week. The restaurant was also cited for inadequate handwashing facilities, food from unapproved sources, and food not cooked to required minimum temperatures.
New York/Roma Pizza and Pasta at 125 SE 2nd Avenue rounded out the group of four facilities at 11 high-severity violations. Inspectors cited the downtown location for food in poor or adulterated condition, food from unapproved sources, inadequate shellfish records, unsanitized food contact surfaces, and food not reaching required cooking temperatures.
Notable Findings Across the Week
Manta Restaurant on NW 25th Street drew 10 high-severity violations and 5 intermediate ones. The citation list included inadequate handwashing facilities, no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked foods, and food not reaching required cooking temperatures. Inspectors also flagged that time was being used improperly as a public health control.
Old Cutler Inn on Old Cutler Road also reached 10 high-severity violations. Inspectors there documented that parasite destruction procedures were not followed and that no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods was posted. The facility was also cited for inadequate handwashing by employees and for inadequate handwashing facilities themselves.
Conch Heaven on NW 27th Avenue drew 9 high-severity violations and 7 intermediate ones, the largest intermediate count of the week. The citation list included toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, parasite destruction procedures not followed, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items.
Burger King on NW 27th Avenue was among the week's more striking findings: a national chain location cited for 9 high-severity violations, including food from unapproved or unknown sources, parasite destruction procedures not followed, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled.
Don Criollito on SW 132nd Court drew citations for food in poor or adulterated condition alongside food from unapproved sources, improper shellfish records, parasite destruction failures, and improperly stored chemicals.
Shahs of Kabob at 48 SW 12th Street was cited for food not cooked to required minimum temperatures, food from unapproved sources, unsanitized food contact surfaces, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled. The Brickell-area restaurant drew 9 high-severity violations against only 1 intermediate.
Whisk Gourmet Food and Catering on SW 56th Avenue was cited for operating without a person in charge present, sourcing food from unapproved suppliers, and storing toxic chemicals improperly. Inspectors also documented inadequate handwashing facilities and unsanitized food contact surfaces.
China Buffet on SW 67th Avenue drew 9 high-severity violations including food not cooked to required minimum temperatures, improper use of time as a public health control, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Sushi Sake on SW 42nd Street drew 3 high-severity violations, the lowest count of the week, but two of them stand out: no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked foods, and no allergen awareness demonstrated by staff. At a restaurant serving raw fish, both citations carry direct risk for vulnerable diners.
El Meson del Paraiso on SW 120th Street drew the fewest high-severity violations of any facility this week, just two, but inspectors flagged toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used, a citation that carries immediate chemical contamination risk.
What These Violations Mean
The cluster of employee illness and handwashing violations at Las Tejas, Rio Grande Churrascaria, Manta Restaurant, Old Cutler Inn, and several others represents the most direct route from a sick food worker to a sick customer. When no written health policy exists and employees are not required to report symptoms, a worker with norovirus, hepatitis A, or salmonella can handle food throughout an entire shift without anyone intervening. Norovirus, the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, spreads easily through contaminated hands and surfaces, and the absence of a formal reporting structure means an outbreak can reach dozens of diners before anyone connects the cases.
The parasite destruction citations at Mitricolor, Old Cutler Inn, Conch Heaven, Burger King on NW 27th, and Don Criollito address a hazard that is invisible to the eye. Fish served raw or undercooked must be frozen to specific temperatures for specific durations to kill parasites including Anisakis, a roundworm that embeds in the stomach lining and causes severe abdominal pain. When those freezing protocols are skipped or undocumented, every raw fish dish served is a potential exposure.
The food-from-unapproved-sources citations at Las Tejas, Rio Grande Churrascaria, China Lee, New York/Roma Pizza, Don Criollito, Whisk Gourmet, Burger King, and Shahs of Kabob carry a specific traceability consequence: if a customer becomes ill, investigators cannot trace the food back through a supply chain to identify the contamination point or issue a recall. The USDA and FDA inspection systems exist precisely to catch Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli before food reaches kitchens. Bypassing those systems removes the only early-warning layer.
Improperly stored toxic chemicals, documented at Conch Heaven, Don Criollito, Whisk Gourmet, Burger King, and Shahs of Kabob, represent a different category of risk entirely. Cleaning agents and sanitizers stored near food prep surfaces or unlabeled containers mistaken for food ingredients have caused acute poisoning events in restaurant kitchens. The risk is not theoretical: it is a matter of proximity and labeling.
The Longer Record
Conch Heaven carries the longest inspection history of any facility cited this week, with 42 prior inspections on record. That the restaurant still drew 9 high-severity violations and 7 intermediate violations in a single week, across categories including parasite destruction, toxic chemical storage, and handwashing infrastructure, suggests that the volume of inspections has not translated into sustained correction.
Rio Grande Churrascaria has 33 prior inspections on record and drew 11 high-severity violations this week, including food from unapproved sources and absent managerial oversight. China Buffet has 32 prior inspections and still drew citations for cooking temperatures, time control, and shellfish traceability. Both facilities have histories long enough that this week's findings are not early-stage learning problems.
El Meson del Paraiso has 28 prior inspections on record. Don Criollito and Sushi Sake each have 29. All three have been through enough inspection cycles that basic compliance patterns should be established.
Old Cutler Inn is the newest entry in the week's data, with just 4 prior inspections on record. It still drew 10 high-severity violations, including parasite destruction failures, missing consumer advisories, and no adequate handwashing facilities. Whether those 10 citations reflect a facility still finding its footing or one that has already settled into noncompliance is a question the next inspection will begin to answer.
