POLK COUNTY, FL. A Lakeland sports bar called Detroit Tigers Inc on North Lake Avenue drew five high-severity violations in a single inspection this week, including food not cooked to required minimum temperatures, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and no person in charge present or performing duties. It was the worst single-facility performance across all 62 inspections conducted in Polk County between April 19 and April 25, 2026.
Twelve of the 61 facilities inspected this week accumulated two or more high-severity violations. That figure represents nearly one in five restaurants, golf clubs, and bars that state inspectors visited across the county during the seven-day stretch.
The Worst of the Week
Detroit Tigers Inc drew five violations with no overlap in category, a spread that inspectors rarely document in a single visit. Along with the undercooked food and the improperly stored chemicals, the inspector cited an employee for not reporting symptoms of illness and documented that time as a public health control was not properly used, meaning food was left in the temperature danger zone without adequate tracking.
Bob Evans Restaurant 123 on US Highway 98 North in Lakeland accumulated four high-severity violations and one intermediate. The high-severity findings included no employee health policy, an employee not reporting symptoms of illness, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and toxic chemicals improperly stored. The intermediate citation was for multi-use utensils not properly cleaned.
Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak on Canal Road in Lake Wales drew four high-severity violations tied specifically to food sourcing and fish handling. Inspectors cited the restaurant for food from an unapproved or unknown source, parasite destruction procedures not followed, required procedures for specialized processes not followed, and improper hand and arm washing technique. For a seafood-focused restaurant, the parasite destruction and sourcing violations are particularly direct concerns.
Southern Dunes Golf and Country Club in Haines City was cited for four high-severity violations, including no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, time as a public health control not properly used, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled.
Curry Leaves Lakeland on US Highway 98 North drew four high-severity violations including food from an unapproved or unknown source, food in poor condition or adulterated, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and improper handwashing technique.
Frankie Farrells Pub and Grille on Sand Mine Road in Davenport was cited for four high-severity violations, including no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, no allergen awareness demonstrated, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and improper handwashing technique. The allergen citation is notable: inspectors documented that staff could not demonstrate basic awareness of food allergens, a gap that puts customers with allergies at direct risk.
The Rest of the List
Pa Los Chinos Restaurant on Osceola Polk Line Road in Davenport drew three high-severity violations and one intermediate, including improper handwashing technique, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, and time as a public health control not properly used. The intermediate citation was for improper sanitizing solution or procedures.
Floridino's Italian Kitchen on Highway 27 in Lake Hamilton was cited for three high-severity violations: improper handwashing technique, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Sundays Grill on Sand Mine Road in Davenport drew three high-severity violations including improper handwashing technique, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled. Its intermediate citation was for improper sewage or wastewater disposal, one of the more serious intermediate violations documented this week.
Fire Hot Pot and BBQ on US 98 North in Lakeland was cited for three high-severity violations, including no person in charge present or performing duties, improper handwashing technique, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods. The intermediate citation was for multi-use utensils not properly cleaned.
Bartow Golf Course on Herbert Dixon Boulevard in Bartow drew three high-severity violations: no person in charge present or performing duties, an employee not reporting symptoms of illness, and food not cooked to required minimum temperature. The intermediate citation was for inadequate ventilation and lighting.
La Guapachosa on South Florida Avenue in Lakeland closed out the list with two high-severity violations, both tied to employee illness: no employee health policy and an employee not reporting symptoms of illness. Its intermediate citation was for improper use of wiping cloths.
What These Violations Mean
The illness-reporting violations documented at Detroit Tigers Inc, Bob Evans Restaurant 123, Bartow Golf Course, and La Guapachosa this week represent the most direct transmission risk in the dataset. When a food worker with norovirus or Salmonella continues working without reporting symptoms, the virus moves from that worker's hands to food to plates to customers. Norovirus causes an estimated 20 million illnesses in the United States each year, and restaurant workers are among the most common transmission vectors.
The food-sourcing violations at Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak and Curry Leaves Lakeland carry a different but equally serious risk. Food from unapproved sources bypasses federal USDA and FDA inspection protocols, meaning there is no traceability if a customer becomes ill. If a contaminated batch of fish or produce sickens multiple diners, investigators cannot trace it back through a verified supply chain.
The parasite destruction citation at Cherry Pocket is specific and acute. Certain fish species harbor Anisakis and other parasites that survive unless the fish is either cooked to proper internal temperatures or frozen at specific temperatures for a defined period. A seafood restaurant that skips that protocol is serving fish that could contain live parasites.
The consumer advisory violations at Southern Dunes, Frankie Farrells, Floridino's, Sundays Grill, and Fire Hot Pot are not paperwork failures. Pregnant women, elderly customers, and people with compromised immune systems face elevated risk from raw or undercooked proteins. Without a posted advisory, those customers cannot make an informed choice about what they order.
The Longer Record
The data this week does not include prior inspection counts for the facilities listed, which limits direct comparison of cumulative records. What the inspection findings do show is a pattern of violations that are not obscure technical failures. Improper handwashing technique was cited at six of the twelve worst performers this week, including Cherry Pocket, Curry Leaves, Frankie Farrells, Pa Los Chinos, Floridino's, Sundays Grill, and Fire Hot Pot. Handwashing is among the most basic and most trained food safety behaviors in any commercial kitchen.
The management-failure violations at Detroit Tigers Inc, Fire Hot Pot, and Bartow Golf Course point to a structural problem rather than an isolated lapse. When no person in charge is present or performing duties, the cascade effect is well-documented: handwashing slips, temperature logs go unchecked, chemical storage gets ignored. All three of those facilities also drew at least one additional high-severity violation in a category that active management would be expected to catch.
Bob Evans Restaurant 123, a national chain location, drew four high-severity violations including both the absence of a written employee health policy and a documented failure by an employee to report illness symptoms. A chain operation with centralized training and compliance infrastructure drawing both of those violations in the same inspection week is a finding that goes beyond one bad shift.
Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak, a waterfront restaurant catering to tourists and locals alike on Canal Road in Lake Wales, drew its four high-severity violations entirely in the category of food sourcing and fish handling protocols. Those are not peripheral concerns for a steak and seafood operation. They are the core of what the kitchen is supposed to do.