At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
92/ 100 · 8 points taken off
3 problems found · Routine county inspection · Oct 15, 2025
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. Commons East Cafe got about the same as most.
Compared with 9,600 Santa Clara County food places. Each place's last routine inspection counts.
What was found out about Commons East Cafe?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Hand sink not ready to use K06How to fixFix it
- Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer K40How to fixFix it
- Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right K14How to fixFix it
Source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
We review Santa Clara County health data to make this report. We are not the County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health.
Visit them directly at deh.santaclaracounty.gov (opens the department's site) · How we review
For Commons East Cafe's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, Commons East Cafe. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim Commons East Cafe 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 Commons East CafeWe'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: Hand sink not ready to useThe county found: “Handwash sink observed by front cookline observed to be missing soap and water was turned off. Other handwash sinks…”
First step: Hand sinks are for hands only
Then the next one: Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
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 2-301.15, Food Code 3-304.14, Food Code 4-603.16.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Hand sink not ready to use
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
Hand sinks are for hands only
From Food Code 2-301.15
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.
Want to join the restaurants in Santa Clara County that keep their kitchens clean and put their guests' health first?
Claim Commons East CafeWe'll set it up with you. 25 days free.
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.
Not your place?
CleanCleaver puts these same items on your team's phones, with the rule beside each one. Your binder is ready when the inspector is.
25 days free. Cancel anytime.
Inspections
From County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health · 4 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county lists no visits in the last 12 months.
Fewer points taken off than last time (14 → 8). That takes a team.
Every visit
LatestOct 15, 2025Routine inspection92 out of 100 (Green placard)
This one: 92 out of 100 (Green placard), inspected Oct 15, 2025.
3 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (3)
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
Handwash sink observed by front cookline observed to be missing soap and water was turned off. Other handwash sinks were available in back area and at salad bar area [CA] Provide all handwash stations with soap and ensure warm water. [COS] Operator provided hand pump soaps at sink and turned on water. Water was turned off due to leak faucet.
Food Code 5-205.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Hand sinks are for hands only
- Wash only at a handwashing sink.
- Never wash hands in the dish sink, a food prep sink, a mop sink, or a drink cooler.
- Never dump drinks, rinse utensils or fill pitchers at the hand sink.
From Food Code 2-301.15
Soap and hand sanitizer
4 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Handwashing
The full guide has 4 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Commons East Cafe? Fix it
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
Wiping cloth at coffee bar observed to be stored under espresso machine. [CA] Wiping towels shall be stored in sanitizing solution of an approved concentration when not in use (100 ppm - chlorine, 200 ppm - quaternary ammonium).
Food Code 3-304.14
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Keep the bucket strong
- Wet cloths sit in sanitizer between uses: chlorine 50–99 ppm, or quat at label strength.
- Test with the cloths in the bucket when you mix it and every 2 hours.
- Remake it at once if it tests low or has food or dirt in it. Never just add more sanitizer to a dirty bucket.
From Food Code 3-304.14
Keep cloths apart
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Wiping cloths and sanitizer buckets
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Commons East Cafe? Fix it
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
3-comp sink measured to have 100ppm quat ammonia. Active dishwashing observed at time of inspection. [CA] Manual sanitization shall be accomplished in the final sanitizing rinse by contacting a chlorine solution of 100 PPM concentration for at least 30 seconds or by contacting a quaternary ammonium solution of 200 PPM concentration for at least 60 seconds. [COS] Sanitizer compartment was emptied and refilled with 200ppm quat ammonia.
Food Code 4-602.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Clean first, then sanitize
- 1. Scrape off food.
- 2. Wash with detergent and warm water.
- 3. Rinse off the soap (soap weakens sanitizer).
From Food Code 4-603.16
When to clean food-contact surfaces
4 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Cleaning vs sanitizing, and sanitizer strengths
The full guide has 4 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Commons East Cafe? Fix it
EarlierJun 5, 2025Routine inspection86 out of 100 (Green placard)
4 violations listed, 1 marked critical.
Critical (1)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
2 handwash sinks observed in the facility at salad bar and by front cookline observed to be missing soap. [CA] Provide all handwash stations with sink and paper towels. [COS] Operator provided hand pump soaps at each sink.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (3)
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
Walk in freezer observed to have ice build up on top of boxes of food under condenser. [CA] Defrost walk in freezer and maintain equipment in good repair.
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
Wiping cloth at coffee bar observed to be stored under espresso machine. [CA] Wiping towels shall be stored in sanitizing solution of an approved concentration when not in use (100 ppm - chlorine, 200 ppm - quaternary ammonium).
Consumer self service does prevent contamination
The department's words
K31 Consumer self service does prevent contamination
Sneeze guard observed to be set too high over salad bar to prevent cross contamination from customers. [CA] Food on display shall be protected from cross-contamination, by the use of an approved sneeze guard that intercept a direct line between the consumer's mouth and the food being displayed.
EarlierMay 8, 2025Routine inspectionGreen placard
1 violation listed, 1 marked critical.
Critical (1)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
Handwash sinks observed to be missing soap at end of cookline. Handwash sink at salad bar area missing soap and paper towels. [CA] Ensure all handwash sinks are fully operation and stocked with liquid cleaners and paper towels at all times.[COS] Other handwash sinks available in kitchen area for use. Salad bar handwash sink was restocked.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
EarlierJan 7, 2025Routine inspection90 out of 100 (Green placard)
2 violations listed, 1 marked critical.
Critical (1)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
No hot or cold water at a sink
The department's words
K21 Hot and cold water available
**MAJOR** At the coffee bar, measured water temperature at the 3-compartment sink and handwash sink at 71F. [CA] Hot water shall be supplied at a minimum of 120F in the food facilities, and a minimum of 100F at handwash sinks. [SA] No active food preparation will occur in this area. Equipment in use will be sanitized inside the kitchen warewashing area, where water temperature measured above 120F. **MINOR** In the kitchen, measured water temperature at two food preparation sinks at 117F and 110F. [CA] Hot water shall be supplied at a minimum of 120F.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (1)
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
At the coffee bar, observed wiping cloth stored in sanitizing solution measuring 0 ppm. [CA] Wiping towels shall be stored in sanitizing solution of an approved concentration when not in use (200 ppm - quaternary ammonium). [COS] PIC replaced the sanitizing solution inside the container.
Source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental 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 Commons East Cafe, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Hand sink not ready to use Read the free guide
- Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer Read the free guide
- Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right Read the free guide
Call Commons East Cafe
Ask for the manager. Commons East Cafe can only fix what it knows about.
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Use CleanCleaver at home
Families clean together. Chores and food dates for everyone at home.
Complain directly to the health department
We are not the health department. You can report to them on their site. Report to County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental 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 Commons East Cafe?
See the plan to fix each item and show what you did.
Address thisAbout this record
Opens the county's own page for this place.
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.
100 means the inspector found no problems. Santa Clara County takes points off for each problem. Big ones take off more.
The county posts a green, yellow or red placard after each inspection, and gives routine inspections a score. In the county's data, a routine inspection with no violations listed scored 100, and the score drops as violations are found. The county's page does not say which scores or findings give each color: ask the department.
- Inspection type
- Routine inspection
- Result
- 92 out of 100 (Green placard)
- Source
- County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
This is not an official ranking or grade. See the official source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health (opens the department's site) .
Information on this page may be out of date. Check the original source to confirm.