At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
2problems found
2 problems found · Health department inspection, Reinspection · Apr 22, 2025
Is that a lot?
We can't say yet. Too few places here have a number.
What was found out about El Castillito Taqueria?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Thermometer missing or reading wrong 38How to fixFix it
- Dish sink or dish machine not set up right 34How to fixFix it
Source: San Francisco Department of Public Health
We review San Francisco health data to make this report. We are not the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
Visit them directly at sf.gov (opens the department's site) · How we review
For El Castillito Taqueria's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, El Castillito Taqueria. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim El Castillito Taqueria first; we check that you run it.
Your whole team can help. Each person gets one next step, and everyone can see what's done.
This is my place: claim El Castillito TaqueriaWe'll help you get every item done. You don't have to do it alone.
We know an inspection can feel heavy, especially when it's busy.
Fix it together
Follow the steps for each item, with the rule beside it.
Next: Thermometer missing or reading wrongThe health department found: “Maintain onsite an accurate, easily readable metal probe thermometer suitable for measuring temperature of food shall…”
First step: Ice-water method
Then the next one: Dish sink or dish machine not set up right
Log it
Your team logs the fix on their phones, with the time and who did it.
Show what you did
Saying what you fixed, in your own words, builds trust. Families and regulars respect a kitchen that owns it and fixes it.
Each fix step comes from the rule it names: Food Code 4-301.12, Food Code 4-603.16, HSC 113947.1, Food Code 7-201.11.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Thermometer missing or reading wrong
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 4 done
Ice-water method
Logged
That's one done. We'll be here for the next.
What people see now
Today, people see the department's words and nothing from you.
What people see after you fix and log it
Example reply
CleanCleaverBusiness reply
Your business replied to this with the public statement:
We fixed this the same day. Now our team logs it on their phones at open and close.
The date of your reply
This is not an official update to the health inspection report. The county's record is unchanged.
Most kitchens get something cited at some point. What people remember is that you fixed it.
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Replies are part of a paid plan. We read each one before it goes up. You can take it down any time. Only the department can change its record.
Do you work there, and someone else owns it? I work there
What people see next
Under each item here, people see what you fixed, in your words.
Left alone, or fixed together
Left alone, the same items can come back at the next inspection. Fixed together, they're done.
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Inspections
From San Francisco Department of Public Health · 5 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 7, 2026
The health department lists no visits in the last 12 months.
The department inspects each food facility on its own schedule and posts a green, yellow or red placard after each inspection.
Every visit
LatestApr 22, 2025ReinspectionPass
This one: Pass, inspected Apr 22, 2025.
2 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (2)
Thermometer missing or reading wrong
The department's words
38 Thermometers provided and accurate
Maintain onsite an accurate, easily readable metal probe thermometer suitable for measuring temperature of food shall be available. A display thermometer +/- 2F shall be provided for each hot and cold holding unit of potentially hazardous foods and high temperature warewashing machines.
Food Code 4-203.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Ice-water method
- 1. Fill a large glass with crushed ice, then add cold water to the top. Stir.
- 2. Put the probe in the center, not touching the sides or bottom. A dial thermometer goes at least 2 inches deep, past the dimple.
- 3. Wait 30 seconds, or until the reading stops moving.
- 4. It should read 32°F. If not, adjust it (dial: turn the nut under the head with a wrench; digital: press reset per the maker). Replace it if it can't be adjusted.
Using and cleaning it
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Thermometers and calibration
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you El Castillito Taqueria? Fix it
Dish sink or dish machine not set up right
The department's words
34 Warewash facilities: installed, maintained, used; test strips
Provide an approved warewashing facility. Obtain chlorine test strips to monitor chlorine sanitizer solutions and mechanical dishwasher. Obtain quaternary ammonia test strips to monitor quaternary ammonia sanitizer solutions.
Food Code 4-301.12
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Set up
- 1. Wash your hands at the hand sink (never at this sink).
- 2. Clean and sanitize all three sinks and both drainboards.
- 3. Sink 1 (WASH): detergent and water at 110°F or hotter.
From Food Code 4-301.12
Washing, step by step
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
The three-compartment sink, step by step
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you El Castillito Taqueria? Fix it
EarlierApr 15, 2025Routine inspectionConditional Pass
7 violations listed, 3 marked critical.
Critical (3)
Marked critical by San Francisco Department of Public Health
The department's words
7 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Keep potentially hazardous foods (PHF) cold at 41°F or below or hot held at 135°F or above. Immediately discontinue storing PHF at room temperature.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Marked critical by San Francisco Department of Public Health
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
14 Food contact surfaces: clean and sanitized
Properly wash, rinse and sanitize all food contact surfaces. Make a 100 ppm bleach sanitizing solution or a 200 ppm quaternary ammonia solution for the third compartment.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Marked critical by San Francisco Department of Public Health
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
9 Proper cooling methods
Rapidly cool potentially hazardous foods from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then from 70°F to 41°F within 4 hours. Discontinue cooling PHF's at room temperature. Rapid cool by any of the following approved methods: 1) Ice water bath 2) Ice wand 3) Shallow stainless steel pans filled 2-3 inches and store in refrigerator 4) Separate into smaller or thinner portions and store in refrigerator 5) Blast
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (4)
Make available the most recent routine inspection report. Post the Health Permit to Operate and restaurant license certificate in a conspicuous area for public view.
The department's words
114381 [e], 114381(a), 114387 Make available the most recent routine inspection report. Post the Health Permit to Operate and restaurant license certificate in a conspicuous area for public view.
Thermometer missing or reading wrong
The department's words
38 Thermometers provided and accurate
Maintain onsite an accurate, easily readable metal probe thermometer suitable for measuring temperature of food shall be available. A display thermometer +/- 2F shall be provided for each hot and cold holding unit of potentially hazardous foods and high temperature warewashing machines.
Utensils or dishes stored wet or unwashed
The department's words
36 Equipment, utensils and linens: storage and use
All clean and soiled linen shall be properly stored; non-food items shall be stored and displayed separate from food and food-contact surfaces. Utensils and equipment shall be handled and stored so as to be protected from contamination.
Dish sink or dish machine not set up right
The department's words
34 Warewash facilities: installed, maintained, used; test strips
Provide an approved warewashing facility. Obtain chlorine test strips to monitor chlorine sanitizer solutions and mechanical dishwasher. Obtain quaternary ammonia test strips to monitor quaternary ammonia sanitizer solutions.
EarlierApr 15, 2025Complaint (I)Pass
No notes were taken, but there was an interaction, likely addressing some or all of the prior report. No inspector comment was found. See the official report (opens the department's site) for more information.
EarlierApr 9, 2024ReinspectionPass
3 violations listed, 1 marked critical.
Critical (1)
Marked critical by San Francisco Department of Public Health
No certified food protection manager on record
The department's words
1b Food Safety Manager Certification and Food Handler Card
Obtain a state approved food safety certification course within 60 days of operation or when a Food Safety Manager has left the facility. Maintain copies of food safety certificates (food safety manager and food handler cards) on site.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (2)
Thermometer missing or reading wrong
The department's words
38 Thermometers provided and accurate
Maintain onsite an accurate, easily readable metal probe thermometer suitable for measuring temperature of food shall be available. A display thermometer +/- 2F shall be provided for each hot and cold holding unit of potentially hazardous foods and high temperature warewashing machines.
Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food
The department's words
29 Toxic substances properly identified, stored and used
Administer all pesticides through a state licensed pest control operator. Immediately discontinue the use of unapproved pesticide at the food facility. Store all poisonous substances, detergents, bleaches, and cleaning compounds away from food, utensils, packaging materials, and food-contact surfaces. Provide label to working containers of chemicals taken from bulk supplies with the common name of
EarlierMar 25, 2024Routine inspectionPass
6 violations listed, 4 marked critical.
Critical (4)
Marked critical by San Francisco Department of Public Health
The department's words
23 No insects, rodents, birds or nonservice animals
Eliminate the infestation/activity of cockroaches/rodents/flies/vermin from the food facility by using only approved methods. Remove all evidence of the infestation and thoroughly clean and sanitize all affected surfaces. Construct, equip, maintain and operate the food facility so as to prevent the entrance and harborage of animals, birds and vermin including, but not limited to, rodents and insec
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Marked critical by San Francisco Department of Public Health
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
14 Food contact surfaces: clean and sanitized
Properly wash, rinse and sanitize all food contact surfaces. Make a 100 ppm bleach sanitizing solution or a 200 ppm quaternary ammonia solution for the third compartment.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Marked critical by San Francisco Department of Public Health
No certified food protection manager on record
The department's words
1b Food Safety Manager Certification and Food Handler Card
Obtain a state approved food safety certification course within 60 days of operation or when a Food Safety Manager has left the facility. Maintain copies of food safety certificates (food safety manager and food handler cards) on site.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Marked critical by San Francisco Department of Public Health
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
9 Proper cooling methods
Rapidly cool potentially hazardous foods from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then from 70°F to 41°F within 4 hours. Discontinue cooling PHF's at room temperature. Rapid cool by any of the following approved methods: 1) Ice water bath 2) Ice wand 3) Shallow stainless steel pans filled 2-3 inches and store in refrigerator 4) Separate into smaller or thinner portions and store in refrigerator 5) Blast
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (2)
Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food
The department's words
29 Toxic substances properly identified, stored and used
Administer all pesticides through a state licensed pest control operator. Immediately discontinue the use of unapproved pesticide at the food facility. Store all poisonous substances, detergents, bleaches, and cleaning compounds away from food, utensils, packaging materials, and food-contact surfaces. Provide label to working containers of chemicals taken from bulk supplies with the common name of
Thermometer missing or reading wrong
The department's words
38 Thermometers provided and accurate
Maintain onsite an accurate, easily readable metal probe thermometer suitable for measuring temperature of food shall be available. A display thermometer +/- 2F shall be provided for each hot and cold holding unit of potentially hazardous foods and high temperature warewashing machines.
Source: San Francisco Department of Public Health. This is the department's data, not CleanCleaver's. See the department's full record (opens the department's site)
What you can do
As a customer of El Castillito Taqueria, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Thermometer missing or reading wrong Read the free guide
- Dish sink or dish machine not set up right Read the free guide
Let El Castillito Taqueria know
Ask for the manager. El Castillito Taqueria can only fix what it knows about.
The department lists no phone for this place.
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Complain directly to the health department
We are not the health department. You can report to them on their site. Report to San Francisco Department of Public Health (opens the department's site)
When regulars speak up kindly and kitchens fix things, the whole neighborhood eats well. Now you know what the inspector found, and what you can do about it.
Do you work at or run El Castillito Taqueria?
See the plan to fix each item and show what you did.
Address thisAbout this record
The city's open data lists each violation with the department's standard wording. The inspector's own notes are in the report on the department's lookup: search for the name.
Most people don't know what a normal result looks like for a place that's open every day. The ranges use each place's last routine inspection in this area. No other county is mixed in.
San Francisco gives each inspection a result, not a score, so there is no typical range to show.
San Francisco posts a green, yellow or red placard after each inspection. Green, Pass: zero to 1 major violations at the inspection. Yellow, Conditional Pass: 2 or more major violations, corrected at the inspection, and a reinspection follows. Red, Closure: health hazards or major violations that can't be fixed right away. There is no score or letter grade.
- Listed as
- H24 - RESTAURANT UNDER 1,000 SQFT
- Inspection type
- Reinspection
- Result
- Pass
- Source
- San Francisco Department of Public Health
This is not an official ranking or grade. See the official source: San Francisco Department of Public Health (opens the department's site) .
Information on this page may be out of date. Check the original source to confirm.