At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
89/ 100 · 11 points taken off
5 problems found · Routine county inspection · Feb 24, 2026
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. El Sabor De Mercedes 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 El Sabor De Mercedes?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair K44How to fixFix it
- Food on the floor or under drips K30How to fixFix it
- Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer K40How 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 El Sabor De Mercedes' team
Is this your place?
Welcome, El Sabor De Mercedes. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim El Sabor De Mercedes 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 Sabor De MercedesWe'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: Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repairThe county found: “FOUND THE MOP INSIDE THE MOP BUCKET. [CA] HANG THE MOP TO AIR DRY.”
Then the next one: Food on the floor or under drips
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 3-305.11, Food Code 3-304.14, Food Code 2-301.15, Food Code 2-304.11.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Food on the floor or under drips
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
Where food may never be stored
From Food Code 3-305.11
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 El Sabor De MercedesWe'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.
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Inspections
From County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health · 2 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county visited once in the last 12 months (1 routine).
Every visit
LatestFeb 24, 2026Routine inspection89 out of 100 (Green placard)
This one: 89 out of 100 (Green placard), inspected Feb 24, 2026.
5 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (5)
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K44 Premises clean, in good repair; Personal/chemical storage; Adequate vermin-proofing
FOUND THE MOP INSIDE THE MOP BUCKET. [CA] HANG THE MOP TO AIR DRY.
Food Code 6-101.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Floors, walls and ceilings clean and in repair
In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Are you El Sabor De Mercedes? Fix it
Food on the floor or under drips
The department's words
K30 Food storage: food storage containers identified
FOUND A SAC OF ONIONS STORED ON THE FLOOR IN THE DRY STORAGE ROOM. [CA] STORE FOOD 6 INCHES ABOVE THE FLOOR.
Food Code 3-305.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Where food may never be stored
- Keep food at least 6 inches off the floor.
- Never in restrooms, locker or dressing rooms, garbage rooms, or mechanical rooms (furnace, water heater, electrical).
- Never under stairs, or under sewer lines, leaking water lines or fire sprinkler lines.
From Food Code 3-305.11
Top to bottom
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Fridge and freezer storage order
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you El Sabor De Mercedes? Fix it
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
FOUND A WIPING CLOTH ON THE FOOD PREP TABLE NEXT TO THE MICROWAVE. [CA] STORE WIPING CLOTHS IN A SANITIZER SOLUTION WHILE NOT IN USE.
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 El Sabor De Mercedes? Fix it
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
FOUND AN EMPLOYEE RINSING THE TONGS AT THE HAND WASH SINK IN THE FRONT COOKING AREA. [CA] DO NOT USE THE HAND WASH SINK TO RINSE ANY EQUIPMENT.
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 El Sabor De Mercedes? Fix it
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
THE RIGHT SIDE SLIDING DOOR FOR THE REFRIGERATOR AT THE FRONT SERVICE AREA IS VERY HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE. [CA] REPAIR DOOR.
Food Code 4-101.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Equipment in good repair
In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Are you El Sabor De Mercedes? Fix it
EarlierJan 21, 2025Routine inspection90 out of 100 (Green placard)
4 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (4)
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
K09 Proper cooling methods
Ice bath is used for cooling yet PHF is placed in deep containers and not fully submerged in ice. [CA] After heating or hot holding, Potentially Hazardous Foods (PHFs) shall be cooled rapidly from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and from 70°F to 41°F within 4 hours. Approved cooling methods include: 1) Placing the food in shallow pans 2) Separating the food into thinner or smaller portions. 3) Using rapid cooling equipment (Ex. blast chiller) 4) Using containers that facilitate heat transfer (ex. stainless steel) 5) Adding ice as an ingredient. 6) Using ice paddles 7) Using an ice bath and stirring frequently 8) Accordance with a HACCP plan. Cooling foods shall have enough space around the containers for cold air to circulate, be loosely covered, or uncovered and stirred as frequently needed to evenly cool.
Eating or drinking in a food area
The department's words
K04 Proper eating, tasting, drinking, tobacco use
Open employee beverage found on food preparation table. [CA] No employee shall eat or drink in the food prep, food contact storage, or food storage areas, use designated area.
The department's words
K26 Approved thawing methods used; frozen food
Frozen beef found thawing at ambient temperature (preparation table). [CA] Frozen potentially hazardous food shall only be thawed in one of the following ways: 1) under refrigeration that maintains the food temperature at 41°F or below, 2) completely submerged under potable running water for a period not to exceed two hours at a water temperature of 70°F or below, and with sufficient water velocity to agitate and flush off loose particles into the sink drain, 3) in a microwave oven if immediately followed by immediate preparation, 4) as part of a cooking process.
Utensils or dishes stored wet or unwashed
The department's words
K36 Equipment, utensils, linens: Proper storage and use
Clean utensils found stored on preparation table with used dishware.
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 El Sabor De Mercedes, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
- Food on the floor or under drips Read the free guide
- Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer Read the free guide
- Hand sink not ready to use Read the free guide
- Equipment in poor repair In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Call El Sabor De Mercedes
Ask for the manager. El Sabor De Mercedes can only fix what it knows about.
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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 El Sabor De Mercedes?
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
- 89 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.