MIAMI, FL. A hotel restaurant on Biscayne Boulevard drew 12 high-severity violations in a single inspection last week, the highest count among 15 South Florida facilities cited for serious food safety failures during the week of August 16 through August 22, 2026.
The Worst of the Week
AC Hotel Miami Midtown at 3400 Biscayne Blvd accumulated 12 high-severity citations in a single visit, including food from an unapproved or unknown source, inadequate shell stock identification records, food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces. Inspectors also documented no person in charge performing duties, no written employee health policy, inadequate handwashing facilities, and improper handwashing technique, a combination that represents a breakdown at nearly every layer of food safety management.
The hotel sits on one of Miami's highest-traffic commercial corridors, a stretch of Biscayne Boulevard that draws both tourists and business travelers year-round.
El Berrinche at 13911 SW 42nd St in Miami drew 11 high-severity violations, including an employee not reporting symptoms of illness, food from an unapproved source, food in poor condition or adulterated, parasite destruction procedures not followed, and inadequate shell stock records. Inspectors also cited missing handwashing infrastructure and improper technique, alongside no written employee health policy.
Ashoka Indian Restaurant at 12663 S Dixie Hwy in Pinecrest drew 8 high-severity violations, including food from an unapproved source, food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and a second citation for toxic substances improperly identified or used. Inspectors also cited no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods and required procedures for specialized processes not followed.
Broward and Palm Beach Counties
In Broward County, three facilities drew serious citations. South China Restaurant at 5550 Flamingo Rd in Cooper City led the county with 10 high-severity violations, including an employee not reporting symptoms of illness, food from an unapproved source, food in poor condition, parasite destruction procedures not followed, and inadequate shell stock records. Inspectors also documented no handwashing facilities, improper technique, and no written employee health policy.
Cilantro Asian Bistro at 11590 W SR 84 in Davie matched that count with 10 high-severity violations of its own, including no person in charge, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing by food employees, improper handwashing technique, inadequate shell stock records, parasite destruction procedures not followed, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Tee Jay Thai Sushi at 2254 Wilton Dr in Wilton Manors recorded 9 high-severity violations, including no person in charge, food from an unapproved source, inadequate handwashing by employees, no handwashing facilities, parasite destruction procedures not followed, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, food not cooked to minimum temperature, and no shell stock records.
Palm Beach County's most serious citation went to Schooner's Market at 1001 N Highway A1A in Jupiter, an oceanfront market on one of the county's most visited stretches of coastline. Inspectors cited food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled.
Saiko-I Sushi Lounge and Hibachi at 5970 SW 18th St in Boca Raton drew a single high-severity violation for no person in charge performing duties.
The Rest of Miami-Dade
Mochima Bistro at 11030 SW 184th St in Miami recorded 10 high-severity violations, including no person in charge, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing facilities, improper technique, food from an unapproved source, inadequate shell stock records, and time as a public health control not properly used.
Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar at 8551 NW 53rd St drew 5 high-severity violations, including inadequate shell stock records, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, food not cooked to minimum temperature, time as a public health control not properly used, and toxic chemicals improperly stored.
Five Spice Vietnamese Pho and Sushi Bar at 1801 NE 8th St in Homestead drew 5 high-severity violations, including inadequate handwashing by food employees, parasite destruction procedures not followed, food not cooked to minimum temperature, time as a public health control not properly used, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Akashi Japanese Restaurant at 5830 S Dixie Hwy in South Miami was cited for 5 high-severity violations, including inadequate shell stock records, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and required procedures for specialized processes not followed.
Michael's Genuine Food and Drink at 130 NE 40th St in Miami drew 4 high-severity violations, including no person in charge, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and no allergen awareness demonstrated. The Design District restaurant is among the most recognized names in Miami dining.
New Dragon Restaurant at 5902 W 16th Ave in Hialeah was cited for 2 high-severity violations: no employee health policy and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled.
El Rinconcito Colombiano No. 2 at 9900 Southern Blvd in Royal Palm Beach drew a single high-severity violation for food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized.
What These Violations Mean
The most widespread high-severity violation this week, appearing at AC Hotel Miami Midtown, El Berrinche, South China Restaurant, Mochima Bistro, and Tee Jay Thai Sushi, was the combination of no written employee health policy and an employee not reporting symptoms of illness. These two violations are directly linked to outbreak risk. A sick food worker without any policy requiring them to stay home or report symptoms is the most common starting point for multi-victim foodborne illness events. Norovirus, which spreads through contaminated hands and surfaces, can sicken dozens of customers from a single infected employee working one shift.
Parasite destruction failures, documented at El Berrinche, South China Restaurant, Cilantro Asian Bistro, Tee Jay Thai Sushi, and Five Spice Vietnamese Pho and Sushi Bar, are a specific danger at facilities serving raw or lightly cooked fish. Florida rules require that fish intended to be served raw be frozen to a specific temperature for a specific duration to kill parasites including Anisakis, a worm that can embed in the human digestive tract. When that freezing step is skipped or not documented, customers eating sushi, ceviche, or pho with undercooked fish have no protection.
Inadequate shell stock records, cited at AC Hotel Miami Midtown, El Berrinche, South China Restaurant, Cilantro Asian Bistro, Mochima Bistro, Pisco y Nazca, Akashi Japanese Restaurant, and Tee Jay Thai Sushi, mean that if a customer becomes ill after eating oysters, clams, or mussels, inspectors cannot trace the shellfish back to its harvest location. Shellfish-borne illnesses, including Vibrio infections, can be fatal in people with liver conditions or compromised immune systems.
The allergen awareness violation at Michael's Genuine Food and Drink stands apart from the others this week. Food allergies send an estimated 30,000 people to emergency rooms in the United States each year, and a restaurant without demonstrated allergen awareness is one where a customer's disclosure of a nut, shellfish, or dairy allergy cannot be reliably acted upon in the kitchen.
The Longer Record
The inspection histories behind this week's worst performers add context that the violation counts alone don't convey. South China Restaurant in Cooper City, which drew 10 high-severity violations this week including an employee not reporting illness symptoms and food from an unapproved source, has accumulated 10 prior inspections on record. A facility at that inspection count that still lacks a written employee health policy and still cannot document the origin of its food supply has had repeated opportunities to address both.
Cilantro Asian Bistro in Davie also carries 10 prior inspections and still recorded 10 high-severity violations this week, including the absence of a person in charge. Research consistently shows that facilities without active managerial oversight during service accumulate more critical violations, because no one is monitoring handwashing, temperatures, or sourcing in real time.
Mochima Bistro in Miami, which drew 10 high-severity violations including no person in charge, food from an unapproved source, and inadequate handwashing infrastructure, has prior inspections on record as well. The simultaneous absence of management, handwashing facilities, and a health policy represents a failure at the structural level, not just a lapse in practice.
Tee Jay Thai Sushi in Wilton Manors, which drew 9 high-severity violations including food from an unapproved source and parasite destruction procedures not followed, is a facility that serves raw fish. Its prior inspection record includes the current week's citation for food sourcing that bypasses federal safety inspection, meaning there is no paperwork to establish where that raw fish came from.
